Vacation in Hawaii Like a Tourist or a Local: Part 1

Visiting Hawaii as a tourist and visiting Hawaii as a local are two completely different experiences. Although many of the activities you do will overlap, many of the spots you choose to do them will differ. There's a reason for that, and it's all about experience. If you are going to Hawaii for the first time, it is definitely recommended to go do all the tourist things the first couple of days you get there. Once you check all your tourist activities off your list, start diving into more exploration. If you are like most people, you will probably be traveling to Oahu or Maui. Here's our list for traveling like a tourist in Oahu and Maui:

Tourist Travel

Oahu

1. Diamond Head Crater: This natural phenomenon gives you awesome views of the island, gives you a pretty good workout, and will tell you how the islands were formed.
2. Get a surf lesson: When in Hawaii, try surfing. It seems pretty obvious, but it had to be on the list! Make sure to make time to lay on the beach with the turtles and catch some rays too!
3. Bishop Museum: Interested in history? This is a great museum to learn about Hawaii's natural and cultural history. 
4. Iolani Palace: See how the Hawaiian royalty used to live on the island. This palace is another great place to learn about the history of Hawaii.
5. Pearl Harbor: This is a true American monument. Most people know the story of Pearl Harbor, so go see where all the action happened and feast your eyes on the real artifacts. 
6. Hanauma Bay: This bay is a wildlife protected area of the island and is the best place for snorkeling. There is a fee to get into the bay but the money goes toward habitat rehabilitation and protection.
7. Polynesian Cultural Center: Learn about polynesian culture from all the polynesian islands, including Hawaii. Experience authentic food, dancing, canoeing, carving and more. 
8. Kualoa Ranch: This beautiful ranch sits in Ka'a'awa Valley and is used for many famous movie and TV show sites. Taking a tour of Kualoa allows you to learn Hawaii's history and culture. Go ATV-ing or ride horses, and drink in the natural beauty of Hawaii.
9. USS Arizona Memorial: If you like war history, this is a great landmark to include in your tour. It will tell you all about the attacks on Pearl Harbor and how the USS Arizona played an important role in the war. 
10. Dole Plantation: This is one of the most visited places on Oahu. Check out the plantation, the gardens, eat DoleWhip, and even take home a ripe Hawaiian pineapple. 

Maui

1. Maui Ocean Center: Learn about the marine life around Hawaii and watch fish and sharks swim around your head.
2. Haleakala Crater: Beautiful landscapes and views of the island. Go in the morning or late at night to watch sunrises and sunsets.
3. Road to Hana: This extreme winding road allows you to see some pretty beautiful waterfalls and views of the island.
4. Old Lahaina Luau: A traditional luau in full force! Watch amazing dancers while dining on Hawaiian food.
5. Maui Gold Pineapple Tour: Like the dole plantation, you can tour the grounds, taste, pineapple, and take some pineapple home with you.
6. Surf and Snorkel: These two are obvious must do activities, but make sure you take a surf lesson and swim with the fish and turtles!
7. Hike in Iao Valley: This valley has beautiful waterfalls and is lush green and perfect for some exercise. 
8. Lahaina Town: This little town is a must see place with lots of restaurants and shops. This is an old ocean town that has become a tourist destination. There are lots of tourist traps here but lots of cute little gems as well. 

So there are our tourist things to do in Oahu and Maui. There is so much to see and do in the Hawaiian islands, you should definitely take advantage of all of it! If you are interested in how to travel like a local in the islands then stay tuned for our blog post next week. When flying to the islands, don't forget to bring your TravelRest Pillow to sleep on!

6 of Our Favorite National Parks Around the World

Most countries have national parks where the most beautiful monuments are preserved in nature. If you are an outdoor enthusiast and love to travel, then national parks definitely make your bucket list. With so many to choose from it can be difficult to decide which national parks will give you that awe factor the most. Luckily, Travelrest has had some experience with national parks and we can offer you some insight into which were our favorites. Let us break it down by area.

UNITED STATES

The US has hundreds of parks you can visit, and each one is filled with different wonders. If you haven't been to a ton of national parks in the US we highly recommend exploring here before moving on to other countries. 

1. Yosemite National Park: Yosemite is one of the most pristine, and heavily visited national parks. The famous John Muir Trail begins in Yosemite, along with a variety of other spectacular hikes. Yosemite has enormous waterfalls, lookout points, advanced hiking and beginner hiking, and easy access to many of the park's best features. If you dare, try making the hike to the top of half dome. This will certainly give you perspective on the enormity of this national park. Everyone can enjoy some natural beauty at Yosemite.

2. Zion National Park: Zion has a lot to offer in terms of hiking. If you are an advanced hiker and a bit of a daredevil, then Angel's Landing is an incredible journey. Many people attempt this hike, but few finish as they realize the difficulty and dangers of it. If you make it to the end, the reward is like being on top of the world! Zion also offers easier hikes that take you along winding rivers through the multi colored sandstone canyons. The colors in the rock are incredibly beautiful, and you'll find awe around every corner. 

EUROPE

3. Plitvice Lakes National Park: Plitvice Lakes is a series of lakes all in a single area in Croatia. Each lake cascades into the next with breathtaking waterfalls, and clear emerald water. The national park has set up boardwalks that allow you to walk right across the lakes for the best views of the waterfalls. This national park is so remarkable that it still made this list even though we visited on a cold, overcast, rainy day. 

SOUTH AMERICA

4. Patagonia National Park: Recognize that name? Probably because you've seen the clothing brand named after the national park being sported by other outdoor obsessed people. Patagonia covers a huge area of about half of Argentina and Chile. Patagonia has penguins, glaciers, pumas, the Torres del Paine and so much more! You could spend a lifetime exploring Patagonia alone. When visiting Patagonia expect to experience all four seasons in a single day. It's common to begin a hike wearing shorts in the sun, and end the hike bundling up because of snowfall. 

ASIA

5. Fuji Hakone Izu National Park: This national park in Japan is famous for its seemingly perfect, cone shaped, snow capped Mount Fuji. Take a hike on Mt. Fuji or go for a relaxing dip in a natural hot spring. The landscape ranges from coastal, islands, to mountains and lakes. You can find plenty to see and do at this national park in Japan. Make sure you take a delicious traditional Japanese bento box for lunch on your excursions!

6. Komodo National Park: Komodo national park is located in Indonesia and is perfect for someone looking to have a bit of a tropical vacation. Go looking for Komodo Dragons in this park, or visit one of the flourishing reefs for a dive. This place is perfect for people interested in seeing abundant wildlife, and taking lots of mini excursions and adventures.

There, you have it! Although it's difficult to choose favorites when it comes to natural wonders, these 6 stood out to us. Let us know which national parks are your favorite! And don't forget to take a Travelrest pillow, blanket, or mask when making the trip to these amazing places. Good times require good rest, and there's no better way to rest on the go than with Travelrest. 

Scotland: Edinburgh & the Fringe Festival

The beauty of Scotland stretches from the Highlands to the Lowlands and especially finds its place in Edinburgh. If you ever decide to make a trip to Edinburgh, then consider visiting the city during the annual Fringe Festival. The Fringe Festival in Edinburgh is one of the best in the world, and will keep you entertained all day and night for a whole month. With over 2,500 shows in under a month this year (2013), you'll definitely find something to keep you busy. There are an endless number of free shows (many comedy acts are free), and you can't go wrong with a few laughs and smiles! 

The Fringe is such a popular festival that the poplation of Edinburgh city more than doubles from all the people that show up for the month. So if you can't handle crowds, and aren't interested in the arts, then visiting Edinburgh during this time probably isn't for you. I personally had an incredible time at the Fringe and saw a couple comedy acts, a dance/ circus show, and plenty of fun street performances.

With or without the Fringe Festival, Edinburgh still holds its own as an incredible city to visit. One of the top attractions is Edinburgh Castle, where you can take a tour of the old castle and see the recovered Honors of Scotland (the stone, the crown, the sceptor, and the sword). I toured the castle with an audio guide, which helped explain the history of the castle, each room you enter, and the architecture and decorations within and outside the Castle. I highly recommend the audio guide to make the most of your visit. Also stop to listen to any demonstrations being given; I learned some cool facts by stopping to listen. One fact I learned is that the term best man came from more barbaric times of marriage, when your best man was actually your best fighting man. Instead of just choosing a good friend to support your marriage, you chose a strong fighter to defend you in the case that an armed man tried to stop your marriage. 

Another great attraction in Edinburgh is Holyrood Palace and the Queens Gallery. If you are planning on visiting Buckingham Palace and don't want to spend extra money on something similar then just visit the Queens Gallery. This last time I went, the Gallery was showing the original drawings from Leonardo DaVinci's Mechanics of Man. The exhibit was mind-blowing and really taught me a lot about the body and about DaVinci's impact on the scientific world (versus his well known impact on the arts). The admission to the Queen's Gallery is very reasonable (around 6 pounds).

Lastly, try out a Rabbie's tour of the Highlands for a day. For around an average of 40-50 pounds each, you can have a tour guide show you around the highlands with a small group of about 15 people. The Highlands is a very large area and these tours are a great way to get introduced to a place you'll likely want to return to. The Highlands is full of amazing hiking and walking if you have an interest in outdoor activities. 

Whatever you decide to see or do in Scotland, the country is truly one of the most beautiful places I've seen. And if you're interested in the arts and free comedy shows, then you won't regret visiting Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival!