Getting to the state of Hawai’i from mainland U.S. is no joke but well worth the hours spent in a flying metal tube with tinfoil wings! As the plane came in for a landing the view out of the window was that of a movie - literally Moana. The volcanic island chain in the middle of the Pacific rises seemingly out of endless blue and the islands are completely covered in lush, green vegetation. The massive valleys carved into the islands made it look almost as if the land was flowing from the peaks to the seas.

We began our journey on the Big Island with a driving tour and learned that the Big Island of Hawai’i is almost the same size (just a tad smaller) as Connecticut! That fact alone blew my mind because I always assumed Hawai’i was a chain of tiny islands. To be fair, the islands are vastly different sizes and the Big Island got it’s name for a reason but it took us the entire day to drive all the way around it. We learned the north side of every island is very wet, it rains literally once a day! That is also where some of the best surf in the world can be found, in particular the North Shore of Oahu.

I also got to cross off 2 National Parks from my list because Volcanos NP and Haleakala NP are in the state of Hawai’i! The islands are essentially on a conveyor belt (tectonic plate) in the middle of the ocean over a hole in the Earth. The hole spits up lava which builds up over time to create an island! Eventually the conveyor belt rotates enough that the process starts all over again with a new island! That is why the islands are in a chain and the ones furthest away from the lava pipe are the smallest and the one over the lava pipe is the biggest and growing!

One of the most amazing things we did on the islands was the Road to Hana on Maui! It was a guided driving tour with tons of facts, hidden gems, waterfalls, lava tubes, and rainbow trees! While we did not complete the entire road or stop at every stop we got to adventure and take in the beautiful sights that the island has to offer. Oh, what’s a lava tube you ask? Sort of what it sounds like! During a lava flow the lava on the surface cooled but the lava underneath that crust flowed out until the volcano was done - leaving behind a tube that can resemble a cave.

So what was I doing in Hawai’i and when did I go on this trip? My parents got married in January and were coming up on their 25th anniversary so as a gift to themselves (and my brother and I) we got to spend Christmas in Hawai’i and go on another UnCruise Adventure! Easily my favorite cruise company in the world because not only are all of the staff super funny and kind, they’re also all biology/ecology/biodiversity/marine life experts! It also meant that we lived on a boat for a week and explored the Pacific Ocean. From kayaking to snorkeling to swimming with sharks we did it all (actually only my mom and brother swam with sharks but no one needs to know that…)!

From the unique culture and stories of each island to the breathtaking views and amazing adventures, this trip was one of my favorites! It was made even more special by the fact that it was just us, the 4 of us, our little nuclear family and we’re at a point now where parents aren’t referees and the kids aren’t… well, kids. For one year we broke our usual holiday traditions to celebrate my parents and the life that they built together.

Adventurers, as the wise and dynamic duo of Lilo & Stitch once said, “Ohana means family” and I’m so happy I got to celebrate mine.