After finding out we were going to have our first baby join us in February, I knew that we’d want to get in one last warm-weather vacation before we became a family of three. I’d already been researching the best and safest places to travel, especially since many of our favorites were out due to Zika risks. While Hawaii has the type of …

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was established just over 100 years ago. It is located in the southeast side of the Big Island of Hawaii. There are two active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa located within the park. We had the opportunity to visit the park twice – once near the top by Kilauea and a few days later we biked and hiked to the …

If the conditions are right, you can actually hike out onto the lava flows near the southern coast of the big island of Hawaii. When we were there, conditions were great. We booked a bike rental complete with lights, water and bike locks, and set out in the late afternoon on bike. After a few miles of biking along old lava flows, and new houses …

No visit to the eastern side of the Big Island would be complete without a stop at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens. The garden is about 40 acres and set in a big ravine stretching down to the ocean. You park at the top and make your way down the paved path toward Onomea Bay. There are over 2000 species, including orchids on nearly every …

Many people go to the Big Island and spend their entire time on the west coast, near Kona. After all, that’s the dry side of the island and where the beaches are calm and welcoming. If you’re looking for a more relaxed pace and fewer tourists, check out the east side of the island around Hilo. The surf is often huge and not safe for …