Road Trip | Road to Hana, Hawaii

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Maui Road Trip on The Road to Hana

Beautiful Maui is full of excellent recreation and other destinations. One great way to enjoy some of what Maui has to offer is to road trip along the stunning Road to Hana. The road stretches from Kahului to Hana, and is a little over 50 miles. This winding road is a fantastic way to experience the north and east shores of Maui and many of the fun places the island has to offer.

The Hana Highway, also known as Highway 360 has 600 curves and many bridges. It travels through some of the most beautiful and unspoiled landscapes in Maui, including beaches, waterfalls, rainforest and much more. Although the road is only 50 miles or so, it can take up to four hours to drive the entire road without stopping because of all of the curbs and hairpin turns. Of course the best way to enjoy all that the Road to Hana has to offer is to take a leisurely trip, making many stops and exploring some of the key destinations along the way.

Start the trip in Kahului and head towards Hana on Highway 360. Along the way there are plenty of destinations to enjoy. As the Highway travels along the northern shore of Maui there are beaches, gardens, lush forests and much more. Those travelers driving on the road during the winter should stop to watch the surfers brave the waves at Jaws, off of Pauwela Point. This area is known for its gigantic waves, which only the very bees surfers attempt.

All along the Road to Hana there are amazing opportunities to take photographs. One fantastic photo opportunity is the Painted Bark Eucalyptus Trees. Travelers along the road can also stop to see waterfalls along the road, and stop to hike up to other waterfalls. It is even possible to stop and swimming the pools at the base of some waterfalls. The waterfalls surrounded by beautiful lush vegetation are perfect for cooling down, enjoying some time out of the care and taking amazing photos to remember the trip.

Another point of interest along the Highway is the Keanae Peninsula. On the Keanae Peninsula travelers can look over the peninsula, which was created by a huge lava flow. Now visitors can see the beauty of the region as well as a great spot for taro fields. The Keanae Arboretum is another destination worth exploring. The Arboretum has many fascinating examples of Hawaiian flora.

Travelers should also make sure to stop at Waianapanapa State Park. Just outside of Hana, this park has a stunning black sand beach, as well as caves, a natural stone arch, a blow hole and much more within the park. Visitors to the park can even hike along the trail to explore all of the interesting formations from the volcanic activity and erosion.

Once visitors reach the lovely town of Hana there is plenty to see and enjoy. Hana is still relatively isolated from the rest of the island. Visitors to Hana should be sure to stop at the Hasegawa General Store. The Hana Ranch Store is another fun shopping destination in Hana. The town also has excellent swimming and beaches. The nearby Hamoa Beach is said to be one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Travelers can also visit the red sand beach at Kaihalulu Beach.

Beyond Hana, for these travelers that want to continue the trip for a bit longer can visit the Haleakala National Park. This park is home to the Pools of Oheo, waterfalls flow into the pools, and the water flows back into the sea from the tiered pools. Visitors can even swim in these beautiful pools.

All along the miles of the Hana Highway travelers will find stunning beauty, fascinating destinations and much more. This day trip is filled with amazing sights that can be remembered forever. The waterfalls, forests, the town of Hana, the parks and sealing are all stunning along this winding section of road, making this a fantastic road trip option.

Road Trip | Wetlands and Wildlife Scenic Byway, Kansas

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Wizard of Oz Kansas Road Trip

Celebrate the 71st anniversary of the Wizard of Oz, by taking a fantastic Kansas Road Trip. Throughout the state visitors will find plenty of destinations and attractions to fill weeks of vacation, but for those seeking a Wizard of Oz road trip, exploring southwestern Kansas is a must. In addition to the fantastic Wizard of Oz destination, southwestern and south central Kansas has many other attractions of historical significance as well as many other fun places to explore.

Start this road trip on the Wetlands and Wildlife Scenic Byway in south central Kansas. Travelers on these byway will have the opportunity to explore a beautiful wetlands in the state, as well as all of the wildlife that live in the region. Travel from Hudson to Great Bend. Along the way make sure to stop and explore the salt marshes at the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Visitors will also want to stop and spend some time enjoying the wildlife and beauty at the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area. The Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area has an education center where visitors can learn all about the wetlands and wildlife in Kansas, as well as a scenic overlook to view the wildlife area.

After exploring the Wetlands and Wildlife Scenic Byway, road trippers can proceed south from Great Bend on US-56 to Dodge City. Visitors to Dodge City should be sure to visit the Boot Hill Museum. This museum preserves historic 1872 Dodge City for visitors to enjoy the rich history of this town. Front Street is lined with reconstructed buildings, the exhibits in the museum preserve artifacts from the time period, and throughout the summer there are live presentations, gunfight reenactments and much more.

Continue south on US-56 from Dodge City to the junction of US-83 and continue on to Liberal. It is in the town of Liberal that visitors will find the Land of Oz and Dorothy's House. At the Land of Oz, visitors will have the opportunity to see all of their favorite Wizard of Oz characters in action, including the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and Toto with Dorothy guiding the tours of the attraction. After touring the Land of Oz, visitors should be sure to also visit Dorothy's House. The house is actually a restored early 1900s farm house that was restored to be a model of the house used in the original Wizard of Oz movie. At the house visitors can see what Dorothy would have lived like in the 1930s and can see what the the house looked like in the movie.

The next stop for visitors on this road trip is the Cimarron National Grassland. This is a great destination to enjoy some outdoor activities. Visitors can take a tour of the Grassland to learn more about the area. The Cimarron National Grassland i also a n excellent place to enjoy some hiking and wildlife viewing.

For those travelers that would like to continue on the trip and explore more of Kansas, the trip north from the Cimarron National Grassland to Garden City is a beautiful leg of the trip and is an easy continuation to make  complete circle to the trip. In Garden City, visitors will find the Sandsage Bison Range and Wildlife Area, which can be a great chance to see a bison herd. Another fun attraction in Garden City is the Lee Richardson Zoo, which has a fantastic collection of species from around the world.

Kansas is a beautiful state filled with excellent opportunities for taking a road trip. This trip featuring Liberal and the Land of Oz is just one of many options, and like the rest of Kansas, is filled with excellent attractions and activities for travelers to enjoy.

Road Trip | Pacific Coast Highway

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Pacific Coast Highway - A Great American Road Trip

One of the great road trips anyone can take throughout the United States is the Pacific Highway  Road Trip. This highway travels along the Pacific Coast, all the way from Washington down to California.

Read more: Road Trip | Pacific Coast Highway

Road Trip | Minnesota Scenic Byway to Paul Bunyan Land Theme Park

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Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway to Paul Bunyan Land Theme Park

Minnesota, the "Land of 1,000 Lakes," is one of the biggest centers of Paul Bunyan folklore  in the country.  Throughout the state there are Paul Bunyan statues and other types of landmarks. Two places to be sure to visit on a Paul Bunyan trip are the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway and Paul Bunyan Land in Brainerd.

The beautiful Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway stretches across 54 miles of good road. It winds through Minnesota. Visitors to the byway will enjoy the scenery, the interpretive kiosks, the recreation and more all while celebrating the tale of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox.

The route of the byway is essentially two loops, which stretches from the Pequot Lakes to Crosslake. Visitors to this region can enjoy a leisurely day of driving on the Byway, or it can be stretched into an entire vacation. The region is filled with lakes, including the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, which, as the story goes, are the hoof prints of Babe the Blue Ox. In fact, the lakes of the entire region are said to have come from the legendary Paul Bunyan.

Not only is the Byway a great way to enjoy this region of Minnesota, but it also is a fantastic way to revel in the legend of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox and their influence on the region. Throughout a trip along the Scenic Byway, there are plenty of places to learn about the variety of legends associated with the giant lumberjack. This Byway is the only one in the country named after, and dedicated to a fictional legend.

After driving the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway, drivers can head south to Brainerd, Minnesota. Visitors to Brainerd can take in all of the fun of the Paul Bunyan legend at the Paul Bunyan Land Theme Park. Not only will you have the opportunity to take in the amazing Minnesota legged, but you will also be able to job all of the fun of a theme park.

Paul Bunyan Land has over 35 different rides and attractions. Some of the rides include the Ghost Mine Ride, a ferris wheel, a Tilt-a-Wheel, a roller coaster and more. One of the best features of Paul Bunyan Land are the attractions. Throughout the theme park there are interesting historic displays, including the Old Tyme Photo & Tattoo Shop, which has an amazing selection of period clothing. Visitors can also enjoy the delicious old fashioned candy from the candy shop.

This theme park also has a haunted house, a mine tour, and more. One display that is a lot of fun for Paul Bunyan enthusiasts is the Cook Shanty. Visitors to the Cook Shanty will find a whole miniature display of Paul Bunyan's Onion River Logging Run.

Another fun attraction at the park is the Birch Ridge Village, which is a great display of an Old Farm Pioneer Village. Visitors to this part of the park can explore the museum and many interesting out buildings. Birch Ridge Village has a granary, a log house, a doctors office and more.

Of course, no theme park named Paul Bunyan Land would be complete without a statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. In fact, this theme park is home to the largest talking animated man in the world. Visitors will find this Paul Bunyan statue a lot of fun. The theme park also has another statues, including statues of craftsmen and other characters of Paul Bunyan's time period.