Big Island, HI

The main drag is called Keawe Street, and there are a number of restaurants here. There are also several small boutiques and artist shops selling local crafts and artwork. A large beach park fronts the center of town, and while we were there a rock band was performing on a stage there, next to a huge banyan tree. In the way of historic landmarks is a clock that is still set at 1:05, the exact time the tidal wave of 1946, which occurred on April Fool’s Day.

How amazing would it be to say that you got to spend the night on a volcano? That’s exactly what my friend Dee and I did and it turned out to be one of the craziest and most surreal experiences we’ve ever had – but one that I would do again in a heartbeat! It’s actually completely do-able if you happen to be on the Big Island of Hawaii and you venture to the part of the island where the town of Volcano is located

We settled in for a fantastic spectacle. For the next forty minutes, three different mantas swam around our group and through the light beam shining up from the bottom. The lights had attracted a school of small baitfish which congregated in midwater, and the mantas were feasting. These majestic animals were a sight to behold. They are magnificently large—about twelve feet across from wingtip to wingtip– but they move with a fluid grace that is difficult to describe.

Tired of the usual date night that consists of dinner and a movie? Have you run out of ideas for somewhere out of the ordinary to take your significant other? How about a romantic yet adventurous (and even a little cutting edge) evening that involves the ocean and lava? If you happen to be on the Big Island of Hawaii, you’re in luck…you can take your date out and not even spend a dime, while impressing her or him with a very unique night out!