Melbourne is cool but it wouldn’t be at the top of my list of places to visit. This was our 4th destination on our trip around the world and I mainly choose Melbourne because of the flights out of the country/continent it’s safe and easy to navigate, but there is nothing particularly special about Melbourne.

Sydney was our 3rd destination on our trip around the world and it has been on my list of places to visit since 2000. Did it live up to my expectations and would I go back? We’ll…. I had a great time with my children, it was cool to visit the Sydney Opera House, the Zoo was amazing, we loved sailing around the harbor on public transit and going to Bondi Beach. It was all very nice but it lacked culture and diversity. You will hear the Australians pay homage to the Aboriginal people, but you won’t see them anywhere. That was disappointing.

When you finally decide to go to Hawaii don’t sell yourself short, stay at least 10 days and visit some of the other islands. It’s easy to island hop in Hawaii, they have roundtrip tickets to other islands for as little as $50 roundtrip. It’s an easy day trip, book and early departure and a late return, rent a car and pick a few places you would like to explore. Honolulu was our 2nd destination on our trip around the world and as always we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. This is an active persons paradise. From hiking, to kayaking and just lying around on the beach there is something for everyone. The Polynesian Cultural center is a must and pay for the guided tour, it’s worth every penny. Also visit the Dole Plantation, Pearl Harbor, Manoa Falls, Pill Box Hill, and Haleʻiwa Beach Park. There is so much to do in Honolulu. You definitely should rent a car and if you are travel with your family definitely do a rental.

Maui is a place for rest and relaxation. Beautiful beaches and plenty to do. This was the 1st stop on my family’s trip around the world. We thoroughly enjoyed the black sand beaches, the goat farm and the “snow”. Yes who knew it snowed in Maui. If you visit the Haleakalā National Park it might snow, it did when we were there. I would certainly recommend a vacation rental verse a hotel, and you definitely need to rent a car. Maui is not a budget friendly destination but it’s worth every penny we spent.