KAUAI, Hawai'i

Kauai is known as the Garden Island, yes, it rains alot I was on assignment to Kauai, but stayed 2 more days to see a bit of the island. Headed north. First stop was to the historic 52-foot-high Kilauea Point Lighthouse (not operable) and Bird Sanctuary on Kauai's North Shore. Barely made it in time for the sunset on the amazing and very recognizable Na Pali Coastline. (must return one day!) In the morning before my flight back, I went to Waimea Canyon which is the largest canyon in the Pacific and truly a dramatic sight to behold, even though the day I went it was very cloudy. The canyon measures 10 miles long, 1 mile wide, and more than 3,500-feet deep. It was carved thousands of years ago by rivers and floods that flowed from Mount Waialeale's summit. The lines in the canyon walls depict different volcanic eruptions and lava flows that have occurred over the centuries. Even though smaller than the Grand Canyon of Arizona, Waimea Canyon rivals the beauty. Numerous lookouts and hikes offer terrific views of every aspect of this natural wonder. The canyon is protected by the Koke'e State Park which encompasses 4,345 acres of land and has 45 miles of trails that run through the canyon and the nearby Alakai Swamp. The elevation makes the air 10-15 degrees cooler than in the valley and by afternoon many areas are often shrouded in clouds. It's a very twisty long 40-mile drive to the canyon, even though a local I asked said it was a 'short' drive.