Haleakalā National Park and Observatory

Spectacular stargazing, the world's largest dormant volcano, endangered species, and four seasons' worth of weather in a day-- that's Haleakalā National Park in a nutshell. It's perfect for a half-day or full-day excursion.
You'll want to dress in layers and prepare for the fickle weather conditions at Haleakalā, (which means "House of the Sun") where a warm, sunny day can turn damp, cold, and windy-- and back to sunny-- at a moment's notice. You might even see snow-- but that too, might be a chimera, an optical illusion caused by the Silversword plant that blankets the ground in white in certain areas.


But the most surprising part of Haleakalā National Park just might be the Observatory, where some very important research takes place. It's home to the Maui Space Surveillance System which tracks satellites and other heavenly bodies, and the Maui High Performance Computing Center, which is an Air Force Research Laboratory crucial to the U.S. Department of Defense. For true science geeks, the interesection of biology, astronomy, technology, and geography makes Haleakalā is the perfect destination.   

Haleakala National Park is a few hours' drive from the Fairmont Kea Lani, which is featured in this month's FROSCH Hot List as a Classic Vacations trip package. Ask your FROSCH Travel agent how to book!