Who: Joan and Nels Jacobs of Highlands Ranch
Where: Lava Tree State Park, Near Pahoa, Hawaii
Out and about: During a January stay on the Big Island, we enjoyed many of the activities that Hawaii offers; relaxing, sight seeing, golfing, snorkeling, whale watching and volcano exploring. A unique sight in the Kilauea Volcano area is Lava Tree Park. Here in 1790 lava flowed into a rain forest to a depth of more than 10 feet. The molten lava against each tree was cooled by moisture in the tree, forming a hardened shell around the trunk while the tree burned away. Fissures then opened, draining the molten lava away and leaving vertical, hollow lava tubes where each tree once stood.
Travel tip: Be sure to visit Ka Lae (South Point) on the Big Island, the southernmost point of the United States. The surf was magnificent.
