Day 1 :
Welcome to Hawaii!
- Arrive in Kona, Hawaii:
Travel to Kona, Hawaii and receive a traditional flower lei when you arrive!
- Orientation:
Meet your WorldStrides Course Leader and get an overview of some of the key concepts you’ll cover throughout the program.
- Dinner:
Enjoy a pizza dinner at the hotel!
- Return to Hotel:
Day 2 :
Volcanoes, Lava, Craters, and More!
- Breakfast:
- Start your day by learning how Madam Pele, the volcano goddess, formed the Hawaiian Archipelago :
- Punalu’u Black Sand Beach:
Black sand beaches get their color from volcanic lava contacting the ocean – as the lava cools rapidly, it shatters into small basalt fragments giving the beach its black color.
- As you walk along the beach, keep watch for the endangered Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles basking in the sun:
- Volcanoes National Park:
Located in the middle of a giant tropical hapu’u fern forest.
- Steam Vents:
Continue your exploration by visiting the Steam Vents, where ground water makes its way down to the hot volcanic rocks and returns up to the surface as steam.
- Lunch:
- Kīlauea Visitor’s Center:
Discuss tectonic plates, the Ring of Fire, and how Hawaii was formed through a “hot spot” in the Pacific Plate.
- Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii:
Developed to showcase the connection between traditions of Hawaiian culture and groundbreaking astronomical research conducted at the summit of Mauna Kea. Enjoy the exhibition and planetarium.
- Dinner:
- Rainbow Falls:
Enjoy a picture stop at Rainbow Falls. These falls are 80 feet tall and 100 feet wide and are set against a lush tropical rainforest backdrop.
- Return to Hotel:
Day 3 :
Explore National Park and Historic Kona
- Breakfast:
- Kaloko-Honokahau National Historic Park:
Walk along the beach to observe how the white coral sand contrasts against the black lava.
- Service Project:
Students learn about invasive species and Hawaiian aquaculture while participating in a service project.
- Lunch:
- Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary:
On this hiking tour, learn how tropical cloud forests benefit the ecosystem, and the story of its development on the slopes of Hualalai. You’ll get up close with amazing ferns, palms, flowers, and hundreds of exotic and native species of birds.
- Historic Kona Town Scavenger Hunt :
Explore Ali’i Drive’s historical sites, including Ahu'ena Heiau, which was once King Kamehameha’s place of worship and Hulihe'e Palace - used by royalty as a vacation home but is now a museum with many ancient Hawaiian artifacts. Be sure to see Mokuaikaua Church, the site of the first Christian church built in Hawaii.
- Dinner at local restaurant:
- Return to hotel:
Day 4 :
Snorkel , Place of Refuge, Luau
- Breakfast:
- Snorkel cruise and lunch:
Board a catamaran for a snorkel cruise and lunch. Students will snorkel in the brilliant blue waters and see vibrant coral, tropical fish, and on occasion, spinner dolphins and humpback whales.
- Pu`uhonua O Hōnaunau National Park:
Explore this ancient place of refuge, still considered a sacred site. In ancient Hawaii, punishment for breaking the law was often death. Learn how the pu'uhonua served as a sanctuary for defeated warriors and law-breakers.
- Lu’au Dinner & Polynesian Show:
Enjoy a traditional Hawaiian Lu’au and authentic Polynesian show. Participate in a hula dance, and discuss the local legends and the cultural connections the Hawaiian people have to the land.
Day 5 :
Honolulu and Pearl Harbor
- Breakfast and Hotel Check-out:
- Visit Pearl Harbor:
Hop on a short flight to Honolulu, where you’ll visit Pearl Harbor and the U.S.S Arizona. Learn about the U.S.’s entry to WWII and the sacrifices made on “The Day of Infamy”.
- Picnic Lunch:
Enjoy a picnic-style lunch with a view of the famous war ship, the U.S.S. Missouri.
- Walking Tour on the U.S.S. Missouri:
Take a walking tour on the surrender deck where General MacArthur signed the treaty to end WWII in Tokyo Bay.
- Hotel Check-in:
- Japanese-Style Dinner:
Experience Hawaii’s cultural melting pot first-hand during a Japanese-style dinner.
Day 6 :
Aloha, Hawaii
- Breakfast and Hotel Check-out:
- Diamond Head:
Climb the 99 stairs to the top of Diamond Head, a well-known landmark of the Honolulu Volcanic Series. This 763 foot volcanic tuff cone summit boasts an exhilarating 360-degree panoramic view!
- Depart Hawaii:
Return to the mainland U.S.
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