Yes, Virginia, there is a big island in the 1,500 mile long Hawaiian archipelago (I spell checked that word twice). It’s so big it’s called the Big Island. It’s the newest of all the islands in Hawaii. It has the tallest mountains. And the hottest volcanoes. And, yes, they’re really hot.

The Big Island has multiple personalities. Think bar-b-q pit and jungle. It’s dry on one side. It’s wet on the other. The east side, almost from top to bottom is wet. There’s plenty of rainfall, gushing streams, towering waterfalls.

The west site of the Big Island is nearly dry; from to bottom. Arid, netherworld lava flows cover the middle of the western side of the island. It’s not a scene you’ll find in California. Or Death Valley.

Ah, but the night sky is nearly as clear and bright as a night sky can be.

The Big Island has everything. Twin 13-thousand foot mountain peaks in the center. They’re even snow covered part of the year. There’s tropical rain forests, a glacial lake, and miles of beaches. White sand. Brown sand. Green sand. Black sand.

The climate has a bit of everything, too. From dry and warm on the west, to wet and humid on the east.

Interestingly, the Big Island is the largest island in Hawaii and the largest single island in the Pacific (forget about Japan and those other island nations that merely ‘border’ the Pacific Ocean).

The center of the Big Island boasts one of the world’s largest telescopes. There’s also the southern most point in the US. Yep. It’s farther south than Florida or Key West.

The island is sufficiently large that it’ll take you the better part of a full day just to drive around, let alone stop and see the sights. Hilo, the largest city on the east side, is laid back, slow and quiet. Kona, on the west side, hustles and bustles more like a mainland area.

Did I mention the volcano? Kilauea has been erupting steadily since 1983; over 20 years. That has created new land on the south east side of the island. Don’t call your real estate agent yet. It’ll be a few centuries before that land is ready for a new housing area.

Coming up in the Hawaii section will be reviews and views of the Kona Coast, the Kohala Coast, the Hamakua Coast, and a look back at the 50s pop group, The Coaster (just kidding).

Want to know the best places to eat in Hawaii? Click over to Ono Dining for totally biased reviews on Hawai's best (and not so best) restaurants.