A Beatles song comes to mind when describing this excursion: The Long and Winding Road. It is the most treacherous road in all of Maui and NOT for inexperienced drivers, people afraid of heights or very young children. The views as with ALL of Maui are Breathtaking,Aweesome! But the Road to Maui offers views of Maui vegetation that reflect the Season: eg. Bamboo Forest, Rainforest. It keeps changing and that makes it fascinating. We took pics at every Waterfall. The Black Sand Beach was a truly unique experience as was the 7 pools where we all took dips. The end of the road is kind of disappointing after such a long ride, but still worth it. Hawaii is ALWAYS MAGNIFICENT, BUT THE ROAD TO HANA IS A "MUST" to complete your trip!!!

IF you are ever in the Tampa area in February you MUST check out the Gasparilla Children's Parade. It's a WONDERFUL opportunity for kids of all ages to watch floats and get "beaded" or catch beads thrown from the floats. DO NOT...repeat...DO NOT TAKE ANY KIDS TO THE ADULT DAY OR NIGHT PARADES!!! Drunken, raucous behavior there! But DEFINITELY give the Children's parade a shot!

Adventure Island is a FUN water park, a cut above the rest. There are water rides and activities for KIDS OF ALL AGES. TEENAGERS LOVE IT! If water parks are your "thing" as opposed to walking miles and miles at other theme parks, then Adventure Island is for you. Just remember to stay hydrated and cool in summer and bring lots of sunscreen to replenish throughout your day.

Busch Gardens in Tampa is a GREAT EXPERIENCE especially for older kids and thrill seekers. The roller coasters are death defying and definitely NOT for the faint of heart. Entertainment galore, wonderful animal park for the little ones, but mostly geared to older kids. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND FOR LITTLE ONES!

The Florida Aquarium in Tampa is a FUN day for kids of any age. The tanks with all the different species of fish, especially manatees are worth a look. A fun learning experience on sea life in general. The outdoor water park is a nice bonus in the hot Florida heat. Bathing suits and sunscreen are a MUST!