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This mega-resort on the Kohala Coast of The Big Island is spread out on more than 60 acres of ocean-front property and has over 1,200 rooms. Transportation to your room from the open-air hotel lobby is provided by monorails or canal boats. You can browse a small art gallery featuring Hawaiian artists. There are several dining options, all of which are fairly expensive. The three swimming pools have the usual mega-resort artificial waterfalls and water slides. In addition, there is a man-made salt water lagoon, complete with a sandy beach, for swimming and snorkeling. For an additional fee, you can participate in a dolphin encounter right on the property. This resort provides an interesting and fun fantasy resort experience, as opposed to an authentic Hawaiian experience.

The Marriott City Center is located in the business district of Salt Lake City, and seems to have an atmosphere that caters to businessmen. The lobby has a slightly business-like/stuffy feel to it. The employees were friendly and extremely accommodating. Our room was a reasonable size, and the bathroom was surprisingly large with very nice amenities. Valet and self-parking facitilies are available.

On September 2, 1945, in Tokyo Bay, the Japanese signed their unconditional surrender to the Allied Forces, thus finally ending World War II. The surrender ceremony was conducted by Gen. Douglas MacArthur on board the USS Missouri. The battleship continued in service for another 40 years, after which it sailed into its retirement home in Pearl Harbor. The starting point for the tours of the USS Missouri is next to the USS Arizona Memorial. Shuttle service is provided to Ford Island to begin the tour. I recommend that you choose the guided tour, since it is conducted by retired military personnel who are able point out the exact location of the surrender ceremony and provide other interesting insights.

Haleakala is a dormant volcano, as opposed to extinct or active (such as Kilauea on the Big Island). It hasn't erupted for hundreds of years, but volcanologists predict that it will erupt again... some day. The day I visited was unusually cloud-free, which made my trip even more spectacular than I expected. Some visitors choose to time their visits to enjoy the sunrise or the sunset. I drove up Haleakala Highway in late morning, and the drive itself was memorable, as I drove through the various climatic zones from the valley floor up to the 10,000 foot summit. The park headquarters and main visitor's center are located around the 7,000 foot elevation. The entrance fee is $10 per vehicle. Remember that temperatures at these elevations are much lower than they are at the beach, so bring a jacket. Note how the vegetation changes as you continue your drive to the summit. Stop at some of the overlooks on the way up if you have time. There is a smaller visitor's center at the upper elevation. This is where you will get some breathtaking views of the crater, with rocks in hues of pastels to oranges to purples. And if you're lucky like I was, you'll have a clear day so you can see all the way to the valley floor and the ocean below. This was a great trip!

During the summer, the large sandy beach is packed with tourists, and the bay is calm and safe for swimming. The fairly large parking lot is filled with rental cars carrying visitors to this beautiful north shore beach. If you go in the winter, the surf is a powerhouse and the bay is often not recommended for swimming. But that's when you'll see the parking lot packed with locals, and pickup trucks overflowing onto the highway. It's exciting to watch the best surfers riding the huge waves here. If you're going to only one North Shore Oahu beach, this should be your pick.

Kilauea Volcano has been called a friendly volcano because of the manner of its eruptions, which are mild rather than explosive. Your biggest risk in a visit is probably air quality, which can be checked in advance on the park website. Kilauea is a shield volcano, which means that it has gentle-sloping sides, so it may not look the way you expect. This is in contrast to the more familiar cone volcano such as Mount St. Helens. I recommend that you begin your visit at the Kilauea Visitor Center to see the informative displays and a movie about volcanoes. Then you can continue your drive and actually see the caldera, which has a black asphalt look to it. You can do a quick drive through the park in a couple of hours, or follow some of the interesting hiking trails if you have the time. The park is open 24 hours a day, and you are more likely to see the glowing lava if you can stay after sunset. Volcano House, a hotel on the park grounds, has a restaurant with interesting views. The park entrance fee is $10 per vehicle.

Sea Life Park is like a very small version of Sea World. The admission price is $29. When I was there, the place was filled with kids who seemed to be loving the experience. I thought the dolphin show and sea lion show were OK. For an extra charge, you can participate in a dolphin encounter. My favorite exhibit was the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles, who can live as long as 80 years.