Vacations Blog

Where the lava meets the water.

I’m sure there are people out there who hate camping…

But I don’t want to meet them.

We’re American. We camp. That and make everything 33% more!/faster!/stronger!.

What you’re looking at wasn’t there 100 years ago. And in another 100, this picture won’t be possible. Reason is that it’s growing. It’s lava. Lava that comes down from the active volcano on The Big Island in Hawaii and meets the ocean.

It’s cool, trust me. An apocalyptic cool, if you will. Think Cormac McCarthy’s ‘The Road’ meets a Jack Johnson video. Sort of.

Even cooler? Our heavily-tattooed guide Warren informed me that you can camp in this area, as long as you’re a mile away from the road. It’s in a national park, see, which means you have to pay $10 a car and that’s it. Bring a tent for 2 of you, some wine, food (if you must) and spend a few days exploring the lava tubes and forests, peer into the moon-like features of the craters (just not directly over it – can’t believe they have to tell you this) and wake up to some ridiculous sights.

I don’t want to give them away, as it should be for the person(s) who actually experience it – but to think that for in a place where expenses add up, you can spend a few days hiking the 330,000 acres and visit a beach like none other, well…let’s just say it beats what you just spent $50 on yesterday.

And you know what I’m talking about.