Hawaii Volcanoes
It’s not all sand and surf on Hawaii's Big Island. This hot spot (geologically speaking, at any rate) also finds fiery lava flowing from the mouth of one of the world’s most-active volcanoes at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where the daunting Kilauea regularly spews molten 2100-degree lava that reshapes the landscape as it gushes down into the Pacific. Not to be outdone, the world’s largest volcano, Mauna Loa, is also found here, rearing up 13,677 feet from sea level. Although you probably don’t want to get too close to the steamy summits, the 11-mile-loop Crater Rim Drive provides a dramatic overview; look for the Thurston Lava Tube (a massive tube formed by a violent lava surge); Kilauea Iki Trail (a popular melt-in-your-shoes hike that passes by steaming vents and crosses a crater that last erupted in 1959); and the Halemaumau Crater Overlook (where you can peek into the bubbling lava-filled home of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess).
See San Francisco Travel Guide | See Banff Travel Guide | See Grand Canyon Travel Guide
$140/nt+: Kona Coast Resort w/roomy villas – 25% off Kona Coast Resort
$94/nt+: Top-rated Kona beachfront hotels Major Providers
$82/nt+: Autumn hotel rates in the Hawaiian Islands Major Providers
$245+: Oceanfront Big island resort on scenic bluffs Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel
$245/nt+: Luxe Hawaii resorts w/free nts, upgrades Major Providers
$1059+: Weeklong Maui & Big Island escape w/flight BeachDestinations.com
Up to $200 off: Hawaii escapes w/free nts, brkfast Travelocity
$245/nt+: Luxe Hawaii 4-nt vacations w/flight, perks Travelocity
$200 off: Hawaii vacations with free nts, extras Major Providers