Relishing the world one country at a time

Yikes, this is like answering "which of your children is your favorite?". Our family has had a blast on so many of our past vacations and as our children are getting older it is just getting better and better... If forced to choose, our last trip to Hawaii (to the Big Island and Maui) was extra special! This trip was perfect because we had plenty of time to hang out and relax at our resorts and nearby beaches, but we also embarked on many adventures and learned many new things about Hawaiian history and culture. We visited Kilauea, an active volcano, marveled at the impressive waterfalls and rainbows, spotted giant honus (turtles) on the Black Sand beach and toured coffee and pineapple plantations (with plenty of sampling). Our children swam with dolphins, took hula, ukulele and lei making classes and we all enjoyed traditional luau and fire dancer performances. We went sailing and snorkeling, tried our skills at paddle boarding, enjoyed shave ice and delicious Hawaiian cuisine. We even stargazed with a local astronomer! It was a fantastic experience summed up by our 9-yr old son who turned to us on our flight back to Chicago and said: "Thank you Mom and Dad for this amazing vacation! I had an absolute blast!"