Activity Archives - The Road We've Traveled

Another Visit to Joshua National Park

August 13, 2025/0 Comments/in California, Hiking, Joshua Treee, National Parks /by Caroline

After we visited Carlsbad Caverns we were counting how many national parks we’ve visited. We realized I’ve been to 30 and The Husband only 29 because I visited Joshua Tree National Park on a solo trip for my 40th birthday. We clearly had to remedy the situation so I planned a trip!

Being that it was January in a desert park, it’s prime season and last minute campsites are hard to come by. All the reservable sites in the center of the park were booked but I found a few open sites at the Cottonwood Campground, which is an hour away from the main section of the park. One hour is better than not going so we booked the site and started planning.

Cottonwood Campground, Joshua Tree National Park

When I visited previously I was by myself and stuck to the short hikes and more touristy things. Going back with The Husband meant we could explore more and we basically did all the things. 3 night camping, 2.5 days exploring, 5 hikes for a total of 13.5 miles, 1 ranger led tour, 2 quick stops, 1 western town, 2 grocery stores, 1 souvenir store, 2 visitor centers, 2 saloons, and drove through all 3 entry points. And that, my friends, is how I like to vacation. 🙂

We arrived on a Thursday afternoon and got set up at camp. We still had some daylight to burn so we hit the road. Our first stop was the Cottonwood Spring. Next stop was the visitor center. Lastly, we headed to the Arch Rock trailhead. My goal was to find heart rock and we did!

I was super excited for our Friday plans! I read about an unmarked hike to Samuelson Rocks and that was first on our list for the day. It’s not an official trail and on the internet you can find the GPS coordinates. I wasn’t totally keen on the idea of just walking through the desert towards some GPS coordinates and was trying to decide if we should really be going off trail. As I was studying park maps, like more detailed ones, I found actual trails to get to Samuelson Rocks. I’m not giving details, if you want to do this hike, you can figure out how to get there. There is no cell service in Joshua Tree and the trail is totally exposed, so be sure you have a GPS device, water, and snacks. As we turned onto one of the trails there was a sign that read you are entering backcountry – be prepared to self rescue.

When I mentioned this hike to a ranger at the visitor center he rolled his eyes and said there are no trails to it. If they didn’t want people finding the area, I assume it wouldn’t be on maps. My only advise, if you’re going to do this hike, is to look at the maps and figure out how to get there safely. The area can be very disorienting so make sure you have a GPS device and know how to navigate. And please leave the rocks as you find them.

Before the park was a park, miners and ranchers came to the area to mine for gold and build homesteads. John Samuelson was one of those guys and the legend has it that Samuelson was a radical thinker but no one really seems to know much else about him. He carved his thoughts into eight boulders all strewn around a rocky hill in the area where he used to live. You can find remnants of his homestead as well. A car, fence, and bed frame are in the area. What I loved most about this adventure is it was part hike part scavenger hunt. We spent probably a good hour at the site looking for the different rocks. Some are harder to find that others. We had the place to ourselves mostly, with the exception of two guys who happened to be hiking by and asked what we were doing. This hike was definitely a highlight of our trip. We hardly saw a soul and got to see something really special.

After we finished our hike, we headed into the town of Joshua Tree to check out a few places we read about on the internet. The first was Pioneertown. It’s an old western town that was used for movies. We live in Arizona and have several of these, so Pioneertown wasn’t that exciting. There’s a restaurant/bar and some souvenir stores. It’s a little ways out of town so I wouldn’t suggest going unless you really love that kind of thing. We made a few stops in the town of Joshua Tree, the national park visitor center, Joshua Tree Coffee, a souvenir store, and the Joshua Tree Saloon. The saloon was crazy busy. We could barely get a seat. We drove through the 29 Palms Entrance on our way back to Cottonwood Springs. It was a long day of driving and exploring but we got to see a lot.

Saturday we had 9am reservations for the Keys Ranch Tour so we hit the road early and made our way across the park. We arrived at the meet up location a little early and quickly took a short hike to see the pink house. Overtime people have carved their names into the property which is really disappointing.

We snapped a few pictures and headed to the meet up spot for the Keys Ranch Tour. The tour is in a locked area of Joshua Tree so if you miss the meet up time, you miss the tour. The tour is only offered certain times of the year and does sell out, so if you want to go get your tickets early. I love ranger talks and learning about the history of an area.

After the tour we did a few hikes in the area. First was Barker Dam.

Next was Hidden Valley.

We drove up to the Keys View to look at the Coachella Valley. This was a quick stop and we weren’t ready to call it a day yet, so we decided to hike the Lost Horse Mine trail on our way back down the hill. Normally I wouldn’t tack a harder trail to the end of a day but sometimes spontaneous plans are the best.

The trail felt like a mirage towards the end. My watch mileage was telling me we should almost be there but my eyes felt different looking at how far we still had to go. The mileage was correct, thank goodness. Being that it was the end of the day, there was hardly anyone out hiking so we had to mine to ourselves mostly the entire time we were there. We had a drink and a snack, enjoyed the views, and headed back to the car. We were beat by the time we got back to the truck and this was the perfect end to our trip.

I’m pretty sure I was in bed as soon as we ate dinner. The next morning we packed up and headed home. We had an absolutely fabulous time in Joshua Tree and packed so much into our time. My favorite vacations are where you are so tired by the end of the day you practically fall asleep in your dinner. I love Joshua Tree and if you ever need someone to go with, please call me. 🙂

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

August 12, 2025/0 Comments/in Guadalupe Mountains, Hiking, Texas /by Caroline

We visited Guadalupe Mountains National Park on the same trip as Carlsbad Caverns National Park. They are neighbors even though they are in different states. Many people go to Guadalupe Mountains to hike to the tallest point in Texas, Guadalupe Peak. We didn’t have time for that on this trip but were able to spend a few hours in the park.

After getting our sign picture and stopping in the visitor center to learn about the park we headed to the Frijole Ranch area. We spent some time exploring the ranch buildings and the nearby spring.

Our final stop in the park was the Smith Springs Trail Loop. The trail goes up about 400 feet to a spring. We got a later start than we wanted and the trail was a little warm. Fortunantly, the spring area is full of trees that provided a perfect place for a snack break. I may have been a little hot and hangry on the hike in so a snack in the shade was good for everyone in the group.

On our way back to the trailhead we were treated to a nice breeze and beautiful views.

This was a great trail for the short amount of time we had in the park. Water in the desert is always special. I hope to come back one day and hike a few of the other trails.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

August 11, 2025/0 Comments/in Carlsbad Caverns, Hiking, New Mexico /by Caroline

I wasn’t sure what to expect with Carlsbad Caverns National Park. I’ve seen pictures and heard stories but I wasn’t prepared for what we got to see. I think that’s one of the things I love most about visiting new places, especially the national parks. Pictures are beautiful, but they can never capture the awe you feel being in some of theses places.

Carlsbad Caverns is known for its incredible caves. The Big Room is the largest single cave chamber by volume in North America. You can get to the Big Room by taking an elevator down or by walking in through the Natural Entrance Trail. We opted for the walk in which is a 1.25 mile trail that decends 750 feet.

The walk in was more stenuous than I expected but I would highly recommend it. It was really incredible to walk in and wind our way down through all the formations. The walk is steep but there is a handrail.

Once in the Big Room there is a 1.25 mile trail that goes around the cave. It’s relatively flat and part is accessible. By the end of our 2.5 miles, walking in plus the trail in the cave, we were beat. We took the elevator out and I have never been so excited for an elevator ride. Had we had to walk out I’d probably have taken up residence in the Big Room.

We visited in the fall, October 2023 to be exact, and were able to see the Bat Flight Program! It’s a must do if you’re visiting while the bats are still around. A large colony of Brazilian free-tailed bats call the cave home spring – fall. The bats leave at sunset each night to find food and water.

Prior to the bats exiting, the Cave Swallows that also call the cave home started flying around and putting on a show. I guess they are the opening act. Eventually the bats made their way out and everyone watched in awe as they flew out of the entrance, circled around in groups and made what looked like a cyclone, and then when their group was large enough they flew off. I’m not sure how long we sat there watching, probably an hour, but we had to have seen 100,000+ bats fly off into the sunset.

No picture/recording devices are allowed when the bats are flying so I don’t have any pictures to share but I think that makes this event even more special. It’s something you truly have to witness to see.

I’d recommend visiting Carlsbad Caverns if you are in the area. The cave is accessible, which is super cool. So basically, there’s no reason not to visit. Unless you don’t like caves and then you can take my word for its epicness. 🙂

The Eras Tour

December 10, 2024/0 Comments/in Activity, Arizona, California /by Caroline

The Eras Tour wrapped up last night after almost two years of shows. I can’t really put into words how I feel. It’s certainly bittersweet. I am so grateful for this show, that I was able to see it in person twice, for all the grainy live streams and videos on socials, and for the community it created. I’ve never been a part of something that has brought people together in the way this has. It’s remarkable and I am forever grateful to be able to witness this firsthand.

I’ve been a Taylor Swift fan since 2013 when I took Girl Child to see the Red Tour. I saw the Eras Tour twice in 2023 and wanted to make note of the concerts because they were so magical. If you’re not a Taylor Swift fan you’re probably rolling your eyes, but there’s a reason we’re all obsessed.

The first show we saw was in Glendale, second night. For those not in the SwiftVerse, Glendale was the opening city of the Eras Tour. We had tickets for the second night and made sure to stay off social media after the first show, so our show was a total surprise. IT WAS EPIC! I took my daughter and it was our third TS show together. Buying concerts tickets from Ticketmaster is nothing short of a nightmare and you basically get what you are lucky enough to grab and pay for before they are sold to someone else. I won’t rehash the fiasco that was getting tickets for this show. We ended up with nosebleeds on the side of the stage.

I don’t love nosebleeds, I’d certainly rather be closer to the stage, but the steepness of the rows makes me uneasy. Seeing the backstage action was cool though. Because it was the first weekend and the show hadn’t blown up on social media yet we didn’t know what we were seeing until after the fact. We saw the cleaning cart, which is what Taylor Swift is wheeled to the stage in. It seemed out of place and super random to be wheeling towards the stage. I grabbed a crappy picture to confirm I was actually seeing a cleaning cart. We also saw people walking backstage in these pink/orange jump suits. In my mind, I was like why are the ghostbusters here? Once the show started I realized they were the dancers. It would have been cooler to see them when I knew who they were but it was still cool to see. The downside to being on the side of the stage is that we missed most of the show visuals which are on a screen at the end of the stage. The screen on the side of the screen only showed Taylor Swift. It was still epic, don’t get me wrong, but we were bummed to be missing out on a part of the show.

A few weeks prior to the Eras Tour a friend died and her funeral was two days before this show. The mix of pain and joy in life is wild. I’m morning the loss of a best friend while simultaneously watching the opening weekend of the Eras Tour with my daughter and friends. Talk about the highest of highs and lowest of lows in the same moment.

Being that we were attending a tour spanning all of Taylor’s albums, we wore outfits that matched our favorite eras. I opted for black and sequins for Reputation and Girl Child opted for a dress and boots for Debut. And we drew our cat eyeliner sharp enough to {insert lyrics from Vigilante Shit}.

Taylor ended up performing for 3.5 hours. Probably around the 3 hour mark I was like is this ever going to end? Her concerts have always been longer than the average but 3.5 was wild.

The show was so epic that I immediately wanted to go again but get better seats. And I wanted to see it while not so deep in grief. As soon as videos and stories hit social media the show started blowing up and the Eras Tour madness began to grow. I knew if I wanted to see it again I’d have to get resale tickets ASAP because the prices would continue to drive up as more shows were held and the excitement grew. Within days we grabbed tickets to LA for night 3. I’ll be honest, buying resale tickets felt a little frivolous and as resale prices continued to climb I questioned selling my tickets. I’m so glad I didn’t because those 24 hours in LA are a core memory and worth every single penny.

Flying to LA to see the Eras Tour rounded out the experience. Shortly after we got to the airport in Tucson we noticed others in Taylor Swift shirts and everyone started to congregate. A young Swiftie came up to our group and offered us all friendship bracelets. (If you’ve not been following the tour, in one song Taylor Swift says to make the friendship bracelets and from that moment on Swifties make bracelets and share them with strangers.) There were several mothers traveling with their daughters and it was so sweet to see. Everything in LA was Taylor Swift themed and so fun!

We took a morning flight and arrived midday. I think we took a nap before the show which was obviously glorious. My biggest concern with the show was getting back to the hotel afterwards. 60,000+ people trying to leave one place at the same time creates insane gridlock. Our hotel wasn’t that far from the stadium but it wasn’t in the safest area to walk through, particularly at night. When we checked in, we found out our hotel was offering a roundtrip bus. The concierge told us the bus would be parked away from the arena so we could easily get out. Great…take my money.

When it was time to go to the concert, we boarded the bus with all the other Swifties and the excitement continued to grow. The bus dropped us off close to the stadium and the driver explained where we would be picked up afterwards. We accidentally purchased club level seats for the show (SCORE!) so getting into the stadium was a breeze. I didn’t even know what club meant, which would explain why we didn’t know what we purchased. Club seats have VIP entrances, their own bathrooms, bars, food, and merchandise, so that was fun. Except not the merchandise. The line was insane every second of the evening. We grabbed a drink and settled into our awesome seats and obviously made friends with people around us.

One of my absolute favorite parts of the Eras Tour is the opening of the show. A countdown appears on the screen just before Taylor comes out and the energy in the stadium is unlike anything I’ve experienced in my life. Truly magical. And of course, the stadium loses it the second Taylor appears and then we sing together for the next 3.5 hours. After having gone through this experience twice, I can tell you 3 hours is my ideal concert time. Maybe 2.5 – 3. 3.5 was just a little too long. My vocal cords can’t hang for 3.5 hours nor can my feet. The fact that Taylor, her dancers, and band perform night after night confirms they are at the top of their game. An epic feat of endurance and talent.

After the show ended we headed to the spot where our bus was supposed to pick us up. Except the bus wasn’t where it said it was supposed to be nor was it the bus we were expecting. Eventually we found a row of charter buses that said they were picking us up. It was super unorganized and we were all a little nervous to get on but also happy to have found some kind of transportation. Eventually the buses started working their way out of the gridlock but the whole experience was strange. There was literally a moment where I was like are we being kidnapped? We seemed to not be going towards our hotel and the driver would randomly stop in the middle of the street, get out of the bus, and go talk to other bus drivers who were doing the same. Eventually our bus started making all kinds of noise and beeping. The driver stoped the bus, opened the door, and told us all to get off because the bus is broken. Um, what? We ended up cramming into the other buses and eventually made our way back to out hotel. I have never been so excited to exit a vehicle in my life. I’m also glad I wasn’t kidnapped. It was such a strange experience.

24 Taylor Swift themed hours was magical. One thing I loved about traveling for a concert of this size is everyone was wearing their TS merchandise or friendship bracelets and was sparking up conversations. I’ve never talked to so many strangers in my life. Standing in the security line at LAX we made friends with everyone around us, discussing which songs we loved most, how many times we’ve seen TS, where we are coming from, how we got tickets. It was so fun. We ended up on the same flight as many of the same people as the day before and were able to hear from the mom/daughter duos about their experience. It was such an incredible experience. I’ve never been a part of something like this before and it was so fun.

Yesterday was the final show of the Eras Tour. I didn’t have tickets but watched it live on YouTube. Shout out to everyone who was live steaming so those of us at home could watch it with you. It was a beautiful show and watching it live was the perfect way to close out these last two years. Thank you to Taylor and her team for creating something so magical.

Channel Islands National Park

July 22, 2024/1 Comment/in California, Channel Islands, Hiking, National Parks, Water /by Caroline

Channel Islands has been on my list for a while. We had a trip planned a couple years ago over fall break, but a crazy storm rolled in and basically cancelled our trip. Channel Islands is definitely one of my favorite national parks. It’s an hourish away from LA and feels otherworldly. The boat ride over was incredible, the islands are gorgeous, the views are epic, the baby foxes are the cutest thing in the world, and the company that joined us was the cherry on the top.

Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

Channel Islands National Park consists of five islands off the coast of Ventura, California. There are no roads/cars on the island and only a few buildings. Mostly structures from when the land was privately owned prior to becoming a national park. It’s a rustic experience which is so fun and harder and harder to come by these days. To get to the islands, you have to take a ferry. We booked an early morning ferry and spent the night in Ventura so we could be at the dock bright and early.

The ferry ride over started our adventure as we saw lots of wildlife. Dolphins swimming with the ferry was definitely a highlight!

Dolphins swimming with the ferry on the way to Santa Cruz Island

At one point our captain spotted a bunch of birds sitting on the water and circling around. He said that usually means there is a lot of plankton or something in the water which leads to a lot of wildlife. He was right! We saw so many dolphins, a whale, and tons of birds. We stayed there for a while just watching and it was incredible! The ride over was beautiful and added to the excitement of what we were about to see.

We visited Santa Cruz Island and you can camp or take a day trip. Those camping are the last to exit the ferry as we had to unload our gear. We made a line across the boat/dock and passed every item down one by one. It was an interesting endeavor as not everyone in the line understood we were all in this until all the gear was off the boat. Not just your bag.

Once everything was unloaded, we met with a ranger for a mandatory meeting where she shared tips and warned us about the incredibly cute little island foxes and how much of a nuisance they can be. She played a game and asked a few questions. I knew the answer to one of her questions and won myself a Junior Ranger badge which I proudly wore for the entire weekend! It’s the closest I will ever be to a Ranger so I’ll take it. Ranger Karen was the absolute best! She was so cheerful every time we saw her. I mean, I probably would be too if lived on Santa Cruz Island.

Of course, as soon as we finished our ranger talk it started raining. We quickly put on our rain gear, covered our stuff as best as we could, and made the short walk to the campground. The sites are .5 – 1 mile from the dock, so not too far. You have to be able to carry all your stuff but the walk is easy/flat and you can load your stuff into a wagon. We mostly brought a wagon so we could bring a cooler. (Island Packers has specific rules around what you can bring to the island, so be sure to check those out before packing.)

Scorpion Canyon Campground on Santa Cruz Island

Fortunately it didn’t rain for long and we were able to set up camp and start exploring. We visited May 2023 and everything was green.

The views are epic once on top of the island. I could not believe LA was just across the channel. We could see it in the distance and it looked so green and hilly.

Eventually we made our way back to camp and then decided to head to the beach for happy hour. Is there anything better than sitting on the beach with friends in a beautiful place listening to the waves?

Heads up, there is tar in the water from the channel so be careful where you sit. Apparently tar seeps from the ocean floor off the California coast. We didn’t realize that and ended up with tar on our clothes. At some point after happy hour we ate dinner but I’m not sure if it was before or after we headed up a hill to catch the sunset. EPIC. We finished the night with games around the table. Days like this are what my dreams are made of.

We unfortunately only made camping reservations for one night, so Day 2 started by packing up camp. I would highly recommend two nights on the island. One just wasn’t enough. We booked a sea kayaking excursion in the morning, so once camp was packed we headed over to the beach. We listened to the safety talk, put on our wet suits, grabbed kayaks, and headed out for some fun!

Sea kayaking at Channel Islands National Park

The water was absolutely gorgeous and was a deep, clear shade of blue. There were gorgeous kelp strands everywhere and it was stunning.

Kelp forest at Channel Islands National Park

I made a video of our sea kayaking adventure. I need to send a special shout out to my husband. I didn’t realize how much of a crappy kayaking parter I am until I watched the video. I stopped paddling so many times thinking we were drifting in the proper direction. Nope. Turns out The Husband was steering us. Oops. And thank you!

While waiting for the afternoon ferry back to Ventura we explored the visitor center, took another short hike, and just hung out. We walked up to the top of one of the hills close to the dock and took in the ocean views one last time.

We had so much fun on Santa Cruz Island and I’d highly recommend visiting! If you’re not a fan of camping, you can take a day trip. If you’re a camper, spend at least two nights if you can. One night will still be epic though if that’s all you have. We packed a lot of adventure into our roughly 1.5 days on the island. My only complaint is I could have used a nap post kayaking and couldn’t take one because we no longer had a campsite. Campground and ferry reservations fill up fast so make sure to plan ahead so you can make your trip happen. Happy camping!

Epic Hawaii Road Trip Itinerary for National Park Lovers

June 1, 2024/3 Comments/in Haleakala, Hawai'i, Hawai'i Volcanos, Hiking, National Parks /by Caroline

It’s no secret we love the national parks, so our trip to Hawaii centered around visiting the two national parks there – Hawai’i Volcanos and Haleakalā. We were in Hawaii for a week and visited the Big Island and Maui (Haleakalā and Hana). We felt like we had enough time to explore the parks, and saw so many epic sites, but did not have time to explore the entire island. If you love the parks and want an epic weeklong itinerary, feel free to use what we did as a baseline.

We visited Maui in March 2023. Since then, Maui experienced devastating wildfires that destroyed Lahaina. We spent time in Lahaina and it was one of the places on my epic Hawaii itinerary. I’m sharing our time on the island to remember the special time we had and the beauty and history Lahaina holds. I have no doubt Lahaina will return but not sure how long it will take or what the new Lahaina will look like. My deepest condolences to all affected by the fires.

Day 1: Fly into the Kona airport on the Big Island. Rent a car and drive to Hawai’i Volcanos National Park. Spend two nights at the Volcano House in the national park.

Bonus tips: Grab lunch at Kona Brewing, stop at the grocery store to get any food/snacks for the next few days, and then grab a macadamia nut milk latte from Kona Coffee and Tea before hitting the road to Hawai’i Volcanos National Park. It’s a two hour drive so the caffeine boost is helpful after a long day of flying.

Day 2: Spend the day exploring Hawai’i Volcanos National Park. We made dinner reservations at the Volcano House restaurant and it was a fantastic choice after spending the day exploring and hiking.

Suggested activities: Obviously get your picture with the sign because were you even there if you don’t have a sign picture? Stop in the Visitor Center to get your map and learn about the park. Drive Crater Rim Road and stop at the view points to see inside the crater. Grab a picnic lunch, drive Chain of Craters Road, and stop at any or all of the stops. Our favorite stops were the Kīlauea Iki Overlook, Thurston Lava Tube, Pu’u Huluhulu Cinder Cone hike, lunch on a curb near the Kealakomo Overlook starring out into the ocean, and the HöleiSeaArch. We wanted to hike the Kīlauea Iki trail but had heavy rain storms off and on and didn’t want to be hiking in the middle of that.

Day 3: Do any remaining things in HVNP and explore the area outside of the park. Can either spend one more night at the Volcano House or stay in a unique AirBnB for the night.

Some of our favorite stops were Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach, Wailuku River State Park (make sure to stop at both stops – Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots), and Lava Tree State Monument. We stayed in a treehouse in the rainforest outside of HVNP. It was a fun and unique experience but I have mixed feelings about the specific place we stayed.

Day 4: Book an intra island flight for the afternoon to Maui. Spend the morning exploring a few more places on the way back to the airport.

Our favorite stops were Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park and Kaloko-Honoköhau National Historical Park. If you didn’t get to see the black sand beach yesterday, stop even for a few minutes on your way to Kona. We flew Southwest inter-island but learned they only fly once a day and the flight is often delayed. I’d suggest flying Hawaiian Airlines for inter-island. Once in Maui we picked up the campervan (highly recommend Campervan Hawaii!), stopped at the store for groceries, and headed up to Hosmer Grove Campground to camp for the evening. Because our flight was delayed we pulled in in the dark and didn’t have time to explore. Sad face.

Day 5: Get up super early to watch the sunrise on Haleakala, explore the top of the crater, drive the Road to Hana, and camp at Kīpahulu Campground.

If you’re not staying at Hosmer Grove, be sure to reserve your sunrise ticket ahead of time. Post sunrise, hop in the van to warm up and drink some more coffee. Once warm go hike/explore the top of the crater. Drive to the Kīpahulu Campground in the afternoon and explore the Road to Hana on your way. Stop at attractions as you have time/interest. Driving in at the end of the day seemed ideal for exploring as a lot of the day traffic was on its way out. We had a chill drive and not many people were at the stops. We loved Kīpahulu Campground! Not only did we listen to the ocean for days, it’s such a beautiful area, and there is so much to do nearby.

Day 6: Hike the Pipiwai Trail in the morning. Drive to Hana in the afternoon and explore the sites you missed on the drive in. In general, have a chill day in one of the most beautiful places.

Day 7: Chose your own adventure day. This is your last day in Maui so find one more place to explore.

Our final destination was Lahaina. We visited in March which is prime whale watching season and scheduled a tour for the afternoon. Unfortunately, a storm rolled in that day and our tour was cancelled. We stayed at the Best Western on Front Street which was a fun vibe until we tried to go to sleep. The location was great and made for a fun last evening. We were able to do some souvenir shopping, eat, people watch, and get ready to head home. Problem with staying on Front Street is the party doesn’t stop just because you have an early morning flight. :/

Day 8: Return the campervan, head to the airport, and fly home. 🙁

We loved this campervan! It allowed us to experience Maui in a way we never could have staying in a hotel. This will forever be one of our favorite road trips. We rented from Campervan Hawaii and had a fantastic experience. The van was clean and had all the extras needed to live in for a few days. They even gave a full five gallon jug of water. 10/10 stars.

If you have questions about our trip, logistics, etc, feel free to leave a comment. Happy planning!

The Road to Hana – Maui, Hawaii

March 16, 2024/0 Comments/in Haleakala, Hawai'i, Hiking /by Caroline

If you’ve been on the Road to Hana you know how epic it is. If you haven’t been on the Road to Hana, you should add it to your bucket list. It legitimately might be one of the most beautiful drives we’ve ever taken. We had some fun and exciting (not) weather on our drive so we got to experience the Road to Hana in a number of situations. Definitely got the heart pounding a little faster at times.

If this is your first time hearing about the Road to Hana, it’s a 59 mile stretch of road in Hawaii on the island of Maui between the towns of Kahului and Hana. The last 35 miles are what people are really referring to when they talk about the Road to Hana. The road takes you though a gorgeous, dense rain forest on the edge of a mountainside. The road is not for the faint of heart. There are 59 one lane bridges and 620 curves in the road. The road is pretty narrow in general and you have to be constantly paying attention.

There is etiquette for driving the Road to Hana. Pay attention for locals and let them pass. Another biggie is at the bridges, traffic is supposed to proceed in order of arriving at the bridge. Sometimes one side would never stop which means the other side can never go. It was really frustrating when this would happen. If we all take turns we’ll all get where we are going.

Aside from the beauty of the drive itself, there are stops all along the road which is probably a large reason as to why there is such a draw to this road. Waterfalls, different colored sand beaches, epic vistas, arboretums, food and beverage stops. It’s truly an epic adventure. There are a million websites telling you where all the stops are and which are the best and must do. Honestly, it got a little overwhelming trying to make sure we saw it all. We’ve become pretty adaptable when we travel and have learned to have a list of things we want to see but then figure it out as we go based on how we feel in the moment. That worked well for us on the Road to Hana.

Lodging along the Road to Hana is hard to come by and can be expensive. Just passed the town of Hana is the Kīpahulu District of Haleakala National Park. We were fortunate to grab a campsite at the Kīpahulu campground within Haleakala National Park and it made the perfect home base.

If you’re planning to drive the road, get the smallest car you can get. For real. The lanes are narrow and you are going to be so much more comfortable in a smaller car. Think smaller and harrower. No wide race cars. We saw some people in Chargers which took up the entire lane. We had a Mercedes Metris campervan and it was the max size I’d want to drive. We met a couple at the campground who had rented a Sprinter Van and it was a bit big for the road.

One of our favorite stops was the Keanae Arboretum to see the rainbow eucalyptus trees! Seriously, my favorite trees ever. A close second is any tree wrapped in vines, which are also all over Hawaii. The eucalyptus reminded me of rainbow colored redwoods. I’m not sure if they even come close to redwoods in height but they are tall. Add rainbow bark and you have the coolest tree ever! It’s a free and quick stop. There are lots of other beautiful plants to look at too.

The Pipiwai Trail in Haleakala National Park is a must do. It’s one of my favorite hikes ever. It can be very wet and muddy, at least in March, so please make sure you are wearing appropriate hiking footwear.

We had reservations at Waianapanapa State Park, the black sand beach, but didn’t end up going. I don’t remember why we didn’t go. Oh right, we spent too much time driving sketchy roads the day before and needed a break from driving. We had seen black sand on the Big Island so we had already checked that box. Instead, we had a leisurely day around camp and it was just what we needed. We explored the national park, drove into Hana, and explored the other end of the road.

Koki Beach is a red sand beach. It’s not a good beach for swimming as it has dangerous currents, but it’s beautiful to look at.

Practically every turn in the road has a waterfall. Some you can swim in and some you cannot because they are on private property. The day we left it was storming really bad and the waterfalls all looked like something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Some of our food stops were for coffee, ice cream, shaved ice, and banana bread. Everyone raves about Aunt Sandy’s and it’s legit. Don’t skip the banana bread. The Huli Huli chicken is supposedly legendary but it was closed when we got there. 🙁

There is no cell service on the Road to Hana. We downloaded the Guide Along app ahead of time and highly recommend it. The app is GPS based and narrates the drive. It tells you of upcoming stop ideas, must see places, and the history of the areas you are driving though.

A couple tips. Driving there and back to Hana from anywhere in Maui makes for a long day. If you can, I’d suggest staying someone near Hana so that you can really enjoy yourself. The weather can be unpredictable. It was literally flooding in Haleakala when we left and by the time we got to the start of the Road to Hana, it was sunny with blue skies. Always have your rain gear in Hawaii. Be respectful of private property. The entire area is absolutely gorgeous, and we all want to enjoy it, but people do live in the area and many of the attractions are on private property. Respect signs and do not go in areas you are asked to stay out of.

One final story before I wrap up this adventure. On our final morning at the Kipahulu Campground, we woke up to a crazy storm and a flood warning. The weather was only going to get worse as the morning went on, and we had afternoon whale watching reservations in Lahaina, so we decided to book it out of the area as fast as possible on a sketchy road in the middle of a sketchy storm. It felt like we were in the scene of a movie trying to outrun something. Flooded roads, dodging fallen trees, rain pouring. Being that it’s a rain forest, I’m sure it’s normal for that area, but this desert girl was a little freaked out. The Hana road crew was out cleaning up the road in the middle of the storm which made me feel better about our life choices in that moment. When we finally got out of the storm we saw the rainbow above and all was right in the world again.

The Road to Hana is an epic adventure and worth how every many hours of days you have to spend on it.

Haleakala National Park

November 25, 2023/0 Comments/in Haleakala, Hawai'i, Hiking, National Parks /by Caroline

Haleakala National Park is definitely at the top of my favorite national parks list. The national park is a volcano divided into two sections. The summit district is at the top of the volcano with a mars looking landscape and the Kipahulu district is on the backside near the ocean and has the most gorgeous rainforest that you get to by driving one of the world’s most beautiful drives. The drive isn’t for the faint of heart but it’s bucket list worthy for sure.

We flew in from the Big Island in the afternoon and picked up our rental camper van from Campervan Hawaii. This van itself was a highlight of this trip! We then stopped at Safeway to purchase the most expensive groceries of our lives and finally hit the road for the campground near the top of Haleakala.

Summit District

There are only six campsites at Hosmer Grove Campground and reservations are really hard to get. We were hoping for two nights, so that we could spend more time at the summit, but were only able to secure one night. We got to the campground after dark and left before the sun so I have no idea what anything other than the bathroom looks like. One of the coolest things about the campervan is that we didn’t have to set anything up. We pulled into our parking spot, put the shades in the windows, and went to sleep. I get the van life movement.

Lights of all the other cars driving up the Haleakala switchbacks for sunrise

One of the top things to do in Haleakala is to watch the sunrise from the top of the volcano. You are above the clouds so the sunrise is magical. The internet had lots to say about this and I was a little nervous about whether it would be as epic as it was made out to be. It was. The top of the volcano is really cold and windy, so bring as many clothes and hand warmers as you can. We bundled up in as much as we could and walked over to grab a spot. Getting in the park before sunrise requires a permit but there were still a lot of people there for sunrise. Don’t let that scare you though. I actually thought that is part of what made it so moving. We were standing next to strangers waiting and hoping to catch a beautiful sunrise. Eventually everyone starts chatting with each other, sharing hand warmers, holding each others cameras. You learn what brought people to such a moment. Some for fun, some to remember loved ones.

Before the sun rose the sky started changing colors and the second the sun peeped the clouds someone started singing a Hawaii chant which they continued until the sun was fully above the clouds. Talk about a magical, beautiful, moving moment. It’s one that will stay with me forever. We waited a bit to watch the sky a little longer but by this point we were frozen. Another perk of the campervan is we could make more coffee in the parking lot!

Heading out on a cold & windy hike into the crater

We sat in a the van for a bit, drinking coffee and warming up, while waiting for the temperature outside to rise. Eventually we got out of the warm van and hiked into the crater. I walked a little ways. The Husband walked a little farther than me. The elevation at the top of Haleakala is 10,000 feet so walking out of the crater is no joke.

Haleakala National Park crater from the Sliding Sands Trail

Haleakala National Park crater from the Kalahaku Overlook

Kipahulu District

While we were only able to get one night at Hosmer Grove, we were able to secure two nights at Kipahulu Campground which is in the section of the national park near the ocean. It’s one of my all-time favorite campgrounds. Getting there is not for the faint of heart though. First, we had to drive down from the top of Haleakala which is a very windy road full of tight switchbacks. Once we got down from the mountain we had to drive around the island of Maui to get to Kipahula. To get there you take the famed Road to Hana! Honestly, it was a lot to drive in one day because both driving down the volcano and driving the Road to Hana requires a lot of intense concentration.

The campground is a grassy area with picnic tables. One of the coolest things is that the campground is right on the ocean. There’s no beach, just lava rocks, but you are probably 30 feet from the ocean, and serenaded by the ocean every waking moment. Heaven on earth. And if that isn’t enough, there is an epic hike that starts just outside of the campground.

The next morning we walked a short distance from the campground to the start of the Pipiwai trail. We started the hike first thing in the morning and I’m glad we did because the trail was busy as we were walking back. If you plan to hike this trail, please wear proper hiking footwear and take your 10 essentials. The trail is wet, muddy, and steep in some parts. We saw people in all kinds of craziness, like flip flops and a 16oz bottle of water.

This is one of the most magical trails I’ve hiked. You start out in the rain forest, a thick rainforest with not a lot of air flow, and a decent incline. At this point I was questioning my life choices. Eventually we made it to the banyan tree and took a quick picture break.

Sometime after that we entered the bamboo forest. Coolest part of the hike for sure! The bamboo clanking around sounded like wind chimes. And there was air flow again!

After the bamboo forest we crossed a few water falls and eventually made it to the end to see more waterfalls. It felt like a scene from Jurassic Park. You’re able to get closer to the falls than this picture and we did. The canyon walls are so high you have to be pretty far back to get multiple falls in one shot. Waimoko Falls on the left is 400 ft.

Waterfalls at the end of the Pipiwai trail

On our way back to camp we swung by the Pools of ‘Ohe’o near the visitor center. Apparently back in the day you could swim in these but that is no longer the case. We visited in March which is the rainy season and all the water looked liked chocolate milk.

We loved our time in Haleakala National Park. We wanted to spend more time at the summit exploring the crater but will have to save that for another trip. Camping in Kipahulu was epic and such a perfect location. Not only were we within walking distance from trails and the ocean, Hana is just down the road and we were able to leisurely explore the area. Overall a fabulous few days.

A Visit to the Big Island of Hawaii

August 23, 2023/0 Comments/in Hawai'i, Hiking /by Caroline

The Island of Hawaii, or the Big Island as most everyone knows it by, has so much to do. It made for a perfect start to our (rainy) Hawaii trip.

We started our Big Island visit by visiting Hawaii Volcanos National Park and stayed at the Volcano House hotel in the park. We had a blast and you can read more about that in my post.

The national park is closer to the town of Hilo and there is lots to do and see in the area. The Wailuku River State Park was a fun surprise. There are two viewpoints in this park and both are right off the parking lots. The first viewpoint is an 80-foot waterfall called Rainbow Falls. We happened to visit in a very rainy season and the waterfall was raging. There weren’t any rainbows but the sheer power of the water was even better.

Right next to the water fall is a huge banyan tree. I don’t know that this was the biggest we saw but it definitely had the most branches.

Just up the road from Rainbow Falls is Boiling Pots. The name comes from when the water is raging, like it was, the water looks like it’s boiling. There was no charge for this park and both sections were worth the stop.

Lava Tree State Monument was a cool stop. This was one of the first places we stopped in Hawaii and we were blown away by the flora. It’s a little out of the way but I’m glad we made the drive.

Just around the corner from Lava Tree is an area where recent lava flows covered the road. The location is on Google and is known as End of the Road. It’s a crazy thing to see. In general there is lots of this in Hawai’i, in particular on the big island, so if you’ve already seen lots of lava this may not be as exciting. For us it was at the beginning of our trip and was so cool.

The Panalu’u Black Sand Beach was one of our favorite stops. It had been raining for a few days and sunshine was predicted for a few hours so we drove to the beach. We got there early in the morning and were two of four people there. The beach was beautiful and peaceful and just perfect. Not only is the sand black and the beach lined with coconut palm trees, it is known for green sea turtles sun bathing on the shore. Because we were there so early the turtles were still making their way to the beach. We watched them slowly swim to the shore and work their way up the beach. It was a site I will never forget. Eventually more people showed up, including the life guard who created barriers around the sea turtles because they are protected and tourists don’t have boundaries. For whatever it’s worth, the black sand is beautiful but is not comfortable to walk on. It’s crushed lava rock.

We had some time to kill on our way to the airport so we stopped at Pu’uhonua o Honaunu and Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Parks.

Pu’uhonua o Honaunu National Historic Park was fascinating and gorgeous. A section of the park was a sanctuary for people who broke sacred laws (kapu) but first they had to make it there by swimming across the bay and walking across the lava rocks. That’s crazy to think about. I’m definitely grateful to be living in this century.

Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park was interesting too. We didn’t have as much time here but walked down to the beach where we saw lots of sea turtles (!!) and a fishpond and fish trap. Native Hawaiians created a fishpond where they could capture and hold fish until they were ready to eat them. Within the pond were fish traps built out of rocks. During high tide the water would bring in the fish and as the tide would leave the fish would get stuck in the traps as the water lever went down. Genius. I love learning how people used to lived.

Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Parks

We stayed at the Volcano House most of the time except for the last evening when we stayed at a treehouse in the jungle. The treehouse was a neat experience but probably not something I would do again for a number of reasons. You have to climb a 15 foot ladder to enter or exit. I knew that when I made the reservation but my brain didn’t really process what that meant. I don’t love heights so climbing a wet, wooden ladder with a bag on my back wasn’t my favorite. The rain forest was gorgeous though and we were surrounded by the sound of the rain forest….coqui frogs included. Like all night long. It was neat for one night. The treehouse was off the grid, cool idea, but the lead acid battery for the solar was inside the treehouse (which is tiny) and did not have a vent to the outside. That’s dangerous and it made sleeping a little unnerving. We let the host know but I’m not sure if they made any changes. For that reason, I would not recommend the Air BnB but it was a once in a lifetime stay.

And a random shoutout, the macadamia nut milk lattes at Kona Coffee & Tea are AMAZING!

I’ll leave you with a funny tidbit. Hawaiians love Toyotas. In particular, lifted Tacomas. Their police vehicles are 4Runner’s. We’re Toyota fans so we support their love. I’ve just never seen so many lifted Tacomas in one place. It’s pretty comical.

After the Big Island we hopped over to Maui for a few days. It’s not a bad way to spend a week if I do say so myself. 🙂

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

June 25, 2023/0 Comments/in Hawai'i, Hawai'i Volcanos, Hiking /by Caroline

The Hawai’i national parks have always been on our bucket list but weren’t something we expected to visit anytime soon. We were planning to take a trip somewhere in March and still trying to figure out where to go. I casually suggested Hawai’i if we could do it cheap and next thing you know I was trying to figure out it. Spoiler alert: Hawaii and cheap cannot be used in the same sentence. We did it as inexpensive as we could but honestly, once I had researched everything there was no way we weren’t going to make it happen.

We flew into Kona and rented a car through Turo. It was my first Turo experience and I loved it. I’m all for anything I can do myself. We left the airport, picked up our car which was waiting for us in the airport parking lot, and hit the road to Hawai’i Volcanos National Park. It’s a two hour drive which after a 5.5 hour flight was a little long, but sometimes that’s how ya roll.

We stayed at the Volcano House because we wanted to be near the crater so we had the best chance of seeing lava. Unfortunately for us, the volcano stopped erupting several days before we arrived. We saw a tiny orange glow the first night but then it stopped. The Volcano House made a great home base though.

When I first started planning for Hawaii, so many of the top things to do lists were suggesting visiting active lava flows. I eventually learned that lava flows come and go, which makes sense, and seeing active lava is not something you can really plan for. Just an FYI if you are planning a trip and expecting to see lava flowing into the ocean like I was. Prior to our trip, I followed USGS Volcanoes and Hawaii Volcanos National Park on social media so I could stay current on the lava situation. Between when we booked our trip and arrived, Mauna Loa erupted once and Kilauea started and stopped multiple times. Basically, don’t get your hopes up.

We visited in March and it was really rainy. The side of the island where the national park is is more rain foresty so that means it rains often. Be sure to bring a rain jacket but don’t let the rain prevent you from planning a trip. Granted I live in the desert and rain is a treat, but the rain added to the adventure.

We don’t own rain jackets so we borrowed some from friends for this trip. On our first full day on the island we woke up to rain but were really excited to use our rain jackets so we hopped in the car and set out to adventure in the rain. I’m sure you can see where this is going. Our first stop was Crater Rim Drive to see into the crater. It was pouring rain so I’m not sure why we actually left the hotel but we thought our rain jackets were going to save us. They didn’t. Turns out, the rain jacket I borrowed was actually a wind breaker, and rain jackets don’t protect your pants from the rain. We were sopping wet in about 60 seconds.

We got back in the car, went back to the hotel, and changed into dry clothes. Because my rain jacket was actually a wind breaker, the down jacket I was wearing underneath ended up soaking wet. Overall this was a hilarious and humbling experience. Just a reminder of how little we can actually control in life. After using a hair dryer to dry my down jacket, we drove into Hilo so I could buy an actual rain jacket. We learned two lessons in this experience. 1. Exploring in light rain is fun. Pouring rain does not make for a good experience even if you are fully waterproof. 2. Make sure your gear is actually waterproof.

Over the next two days we explored as much of the park as we could in short bursts. Rain was is the forecast so we didn’t want to do anything that would leave us out in the elements for hours on end. That meant shorter adventures but we still saw so much and had a blast. The Chain of Craters Road is 18.8 miles and takes you from the visitor center all the way to the ocean. It’s a beautiful drive with stops all along the 18 miles. Some of our favorite stops were:

Thurston Lava Tube. The lava tube itself was a little anticlimactic but the area is beautiful. Oh, and it was raining so being in the tube gave us a quick rain break.

The parking lot for the lava tube is on the opposite side of the road of the trail…just a little FYI. There is a trail right in front of the parking lot so we started down that. Eventually we turned around and figured out where to go. The walk to the lava tube is through the rain forest and the flora is just gorgeous.

Pu’u Huluhulu Cinder Cone Hike. This hike starts at the Mauna Ula Trailhead parking lot. It takes you through a lava flow from the 1969 – 1974 eruption of Kilauea and to the top of the Pu’u Huluhulu cinder cone. The trail is marked with cairns so be sure you’re paying attention.

We were hiking in a drizzle so we basically had the trail to ourselves. The contrast between the lava and flora is beautiful. The lava carrot below is one of my favorites. Nature is the coolest.

Holei Sea Arch. The Chain of Craters road ends at the parking lot for the Holei Sea Arch. It’s a 90 foot arch carved cut into the lava flows by the sea.

The drive down to the sea is gorgeous. Prior lava flows ran all the way to the ocean and you can see it on the drive. When it was active it looked like a lava water fall running off the cliffs.

The sea arch is a short walk from the parking lot. In general there isn’t much to do down here but it is gorgeous.

Just passed the arch we noticed a small grouping of coconut palm trees so we walked over. I’m not sure of the story behind them. They either grew out of the lava or the lava somehow missed them. So random.

On our way back up the road we stopped at the top of the hill to eat lunch and take in the view one last time. The reflection of the clouds on the ocean was breathtaking. I could have stayed there all day.

Our final night in the park we ate dinner at the Volcano House. Exploring and hiking all days works up an appetite and the food was fantastic. The restaurant overlooks the crater so we were treated to sunset with dinner.

We had a great time and are glad we made the trip to Hawai’i Volcanos National Park.

Summit District

Kipahulu District

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