Muir Woods

"THE BEST tree-lover's monument that could possibly be found in all the forests in the world." That statement, made by conservationist John Muir over a century ago, is one that seemed to make perfect sense to me when I had the opportunity to visit Muir Woods many decades later.

Muir Woods is an old growth forest with ancient and majestic coast redwoods located near Mill Valley, California about 12 miles north of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. Redwoods of this type only exist along a narrow strip of U.S. coastline in northern California and southern Oregon.

One hundred years ago, Muir Woods was named a National Monument, one of ten in the United States. The site has a diversity of flora and fauna, but the most dominate feature is the redwoods - the tallest living things in the entire world. Most of the trees are between 800 and 1000 years old, and some are over 250 feet tall and 14 feet wide. The floor of the forest is shaded, moist, and cool year-round, with an average temperature between 40 and 70 degrees.

The Woods, named in honor of John Muir, is a 560 acre area with several trails - including six miles of mostly level paved pathways on the canyon floor. It is open every day of the year from 8 in the morning until sunset. Reservations are not needed, but further information is available by calling 415-388-2595.

Muir Woods is not only a National Monument, but also stands out as a true national treasure. It is a special attraction, and a destination most worthy of your time and leisure dollars. "Spend a day you'll remember for a lifetime!"

Hawaii

MOST EVERYONE who has ever been to our 50th state - or lived there - would say that it is, indeed, a special leisure destination. And, without a doubt, it certainly was for me.

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It was a surprise to be invited to Hawaii for three weeks of professional responsibilities several summers ago. My wife and I were asked to serve as leaders in camps for children and youth on the Island of Oahu. I served as camp director; my wife was program director, camp dean, and she gave special attention to career counseling for older youth. In addition, of course, we had a full camp staff including counselors and food service personnel. The site for each camp was at Puu Kahea, located near Waianae. Each of the three camps began on Monday morning and ended at noon on Friday. Therefore, we did not spend all of our time in work-related duties while on the Island.
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During the three weeks of camps, our own personal leisure started after each camp closed and lasted until it was time for the next camp to begin. The long weekends were always welcome after busy days at the campsite. Following the third and final week of camp, my parents flew over to spend an extra eight days Island-hopping with us. It was a tremendous time filled with numerous leisure activities and experiences; it was also an extended period of pure pleasure for all four of us.
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The weekends between camps gave us opportunities to explore the unbelievable beauty and the many points of interest on Oahu. We stayed in Honolulu - not far from the campsite. Our hotel was in the downtown area and close to great food, Diamond Head, and Waikiki Beach. On a couple of trips, our rental car took us around the eastern coastline all the way to the North Shore. We then headed back in a southeasterly direction into pineapple country and through the middle of the Island as we journeyed on toward the southern seacoast. There were always plenty of things to do, with gorgeous scenery everywhere we looked.
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The eight days of vacation with my folks started on Oahu. My wife and I were able to share many of the things with my parents which we had already discovered. However, the four of us visited some wonderful new places, including the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. And, we enjoyed ice cream at Dave's and Hawaiian shave ice at Matsumoto's!

Following a couple of days on Oahu, the remainder of our vacation was spent on Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii. It's impossible to say which one of the four islands was best - or most beautiful. We loved them all! Each island had a special unique character and aura; yet all the islands were indescribably lovely, and all exuded the sweet fragrance of flowers.

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It would be impossible to name all the things we did or the places we visited. Following are some of the additional highlights of our Hawaiian leisure adventure: dining at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel; partaking of an authentic Hawaiian luau; receiving leis made from orchids and plumeria; seeing and hearing Don Ho; the Holona Blow Hole and Hunamuma Bay; the Dole Pineapple Plantation; the Punchbowl Crater - National Memorial Cemetery; the Pali Lookout; Waimea Canyon; a trip up the Wailua River to see the Fern Grotto; walking on black sand; Lihue; Lahaina; Haleakala National Park; the Maui Tropical Plantation; Kailua-Kona; Hilo; Volcanoes National Park; the Kilauea Crater; and several breathtaking waterfalls.
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People from around the world know that there is no place quite like the Hawaiian Islands. The surrounding ocean, the beaches, the mountains, the canyons, the greenery, the flowers, the climate, the cities, the villages, the food, and the native people all go together to make it a paradise on earth. For the trip of a lifetime, and a journey to a very special leisure destination, think Hawaii.

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-- The top photo shows the main facility at the Puu Kahea campsite near Waianae; the lower photo is of Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head, and part of the skyline of Honolulu.