Parks and Recreation | The Zesty Traveler

The Big Island

by The Zesty Traveler | Feb 28, 2013 | Parks and Recreation

: Pu’u O’o crater from a helicopter on The Big Island, Hawaii

: Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle resting at Punalu’u Black Sand Beach Park on the Big Island, Hawaii.

: View from Royal Sea Cliff Kona by Outrigger on the Big Island, Hawaii. Same balcony as the partial ocean view!

: Black and Green Sand Beach near the south end of The Big Island, Hawaii.

Aloha! It has been nearly a year since we went to Hawaii and nearly a year since I’ve written a blog entry. Gasp! Time to get back on track. The Big Island is our favorite of the islands we have been to (The Big Island, Maui, Oahu). It is beautiful in a mostly non-traditional sense, covered in lava fields from centuries ago to just days ago. The coast line is consequently a bit more rugged than the other islands but that is not to say there aren’t fantastic beaches to visit. (more…)

Diablo Lake

by The Zesty Traveler | Jul 29, 2012 | Parks and Recreation

: Thunder Knob Trail around Diablo Lake in Northern Cascades National Park.

: Thunder Knob Trail Bridge in Northern Cascades National Park.

: Diablo Lake from Thunder Knob Trail in the Northern Cascades National Park.

Stunning. Enough said. Lucky for you I don’t know when to stop writing. Diablo Lake is a glacial lake in the Northern Cascades. The water is crystal clear and is an incredible shade of turquoise. No description can really do the lake justice and I dare say that no photograph can capture the true color that your eye sees (more…)

Goofy Foot Surf School

by The Zesty Traveler | Jun 16, 2012 | Parks and Recreation

I have always wanted to learn how to surf. I really couldn’t say why, it’s just something I’ve always known I wanted to do. So the number one thing I had to make sure I did on my trip to Hawaii was to try surfing. I did several different searches on the internet for schools, read reviews on various sites and ultimately decided that I would go to Goofy Foot Surf School on Maui. (more…)

Acadia National Park

by The Zesty Traveler | Apr 21, 2012 | Parks and Recreation

: Cadillac Mountain Sunset in Acadia National Park, Maine.

: Cadillac Mountain at sunrise in Acadia National Park on Mount Dessert Island, Maine. The clouds parted just in time that morning!

: Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park, Maine.

: Bass Harbor Lighthouse on Mount Dessert Island in Acadia National Park, Maine.

: Sadly we didn’t actually see any moose in Acadia National Park, Maine.

: Schoodic Point in Acadia National Park. The only piece of the park that is on the mainland of Maine.

: Bubble Pond in Acadia National Park on Mount Dessert Island, Maine.

Acadia National Park is the first national park east of the Mississippi River and it is located way up in Maine. Taking up a large portion of Mt. Desert Island and also oozing out onto other smaller islands and bits of the mainland, the park is more expansive than you at first realize. We were there in October right at the end of the season and it was simplistic beauty. (more…)

Adventures in Paradise

by The Zesty Traveler | Apr 14, 2012 | Parks and Recreation

: Hawaiian Black Trigger Fish while snorkeling at the Captain Cook Monument on the Big Island of Hawaii with Adventures in Paradise tour.

: Kealakekua Bay by Captain Cook Monument with Adventures in Paradise tour. The specks in the water are a pod of spinner dolphins resting in the bay. They came quite close though I didn’t manage to get a decent picture.

: Captain Cook Monument on the Big Island, Hawaii can only be reached by boat.

I highly recommend booking a tour with Adventures in Paradise if you are looking for a great snorkeling tour or kayaking adventure on the Big Island of Hawaii. We opted for the kayaking/snorkeling tour to the Captain Cook monument. Our tour guides were Kira and Ryan. They were great, very knowledgeable of the island and the plants and animals, they were laid back and entertaining but also passionate about conservation of plants, animals, and the Hawaiian way of life. (more…)

Old Ironsides

by The Zesty Traveler | Nov 6, 2011 | Nature and Conservation, Parks and Recreation

: Old Ironsides (USS Constitution) in Boston, MA.

: USS Constitution Officers Quarters in Boston, MA.

: Inside Old Ironsides in Boston, MA.

We landed in Boston, MA and decided to cruise around the city for a little bit since it was my first visit. We didn’t want to spend too much time in town though because we had a cabin waiting for us in Bar Harbor. So we circled Boston Commons which is beautiful and if I have the chance to revisit the city I will certainly spend some time enjoying the park. My target for this trip was centered on the USS Constitution. (more…)