inspired-by-the-world

Royal Hawaiian Golf Club

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 22:09:54 GMT

Golf in a tropical rainforest? Pretty much. The course winds beneath Oʻahu’s dramatic Koʻolau Mountains, the remains of an ancient volcano, through scenery so prehistoric you half expect a dinosaur to walk out of the jungle. And depending on when you visit, you just might see one.

Prince William Sound, AS

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 22:09:31 GMT

There are more than 150 named glaciers in the greater Prince William Sound region. Mountains plunge into the sea, waterfalls appear with the summer snowmelt, and enormous pieces of ancient ice still break into the water. Creation feels especially big here.

White Sands Natl. Park USA)

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 22:09:05 GMT

North Florida

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 22:08:33 GMT

Lisbon, Portugal

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 22:08:12 GMT

Colombo, Sir Lanka

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 22:07:33 GMT

Moab, Utah

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 22:05:16 GMT

O‘ahu, Hawaii

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 22:01:58 GMT

Palmer, Alaska

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 21:59:28 GMT

Prince William Sound: Where Ice Still Shapes the World

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 22:46:10 GMT

There are few places left where nature still feels completely in charge.

Prince William Sound is one of them.

Just an hour south of Anchorage lies the tiny port town of Whittier, Alaska—a community tucked between towering mountains and the sea. Reaching it is an adventure all its own. The only road into town passes through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, a 2.5-mile tunnel carved straight through the mountain. It's shared by both trains and vehicles, and because traffic flows only one direction at a time, missing your scheduled entrance means waiting for the next opening. It's an unusual introduction to one of Alaska's most remarkable places.

When we finally emerged from the tunnel, Whittier felt like another world.

Waterfalls poured down nearly every mountainside, fed by melting snow high above. Fishing boats gently rocked in the harbor while visitors wandered between small local shops, a bakery, and the docks preparing for the day's glacier cruises. It's a small town with an even bigger personality—where nearly half the population lives in the same building, the Begich Towers, making it one of the most unique communities in America.

Into the Sound

We had come for one reason.

To show our children glaciers.

Our family of ten boarded a glacier cruise that would carry us deep into Prince William Sound, home to dozens of tidewater glaciers, countless islands, and one of the richest marine ecosystems in North America.

Within ten minutes of leaving the harbor, movement caught my eye.

A dark back surfaced briefly beside the boat.

Camera in hand, I rushed to the railing and managed a few quick photographs before pointing it out to the crew. The captain immediately turned the vessel, giving everyone onboard a front-row seat as a humpback whale surfaced once more before gracefully arching its back and disappearing beneath the water.

That moment set the tone for the rest of the day.

Camera always within reach, I searched every shoreline and rocky outcrop. Bald eagles perched high above the coastline. Sea otters floated effortlessly on their backs. Harbor seals rested peacefully atop floating chunks of glacial ice, completely unfazed by our presence. More than once I convinced myself distant black rocks were actually bears—only for my telephoto lens to prove otherwise.

Out here, you're constantly looking.

Nature rewards those who pay attention.

The Sound of a Living Glacier

The farther we traveled into Prince William Sound, the colder the air became.

Long before we reached the glacier, we could feel it.

Cold air spilled down the face of the ice like an invisible river, carrying with it a sharp freshness unlike anything we'd experienced before.

Then it happened.

A section of the glacier fractured.

The crack echoed across the fjord before thousands of tons of ancient blue ice thundered into the ocean below. The explosion of water sent waves rolling across the bay while harbor seals calmly watched from nearby icebergs, as if glacier calving was just another ordinary afternoon.

It lasted only seconds.

We'll remember it forever.

Scientists call this process calving, when pieces of a glacier naturally break away into the ocean. It's one of the primary ways Alaska's tidewater glaciers continue to reshape the coastline—a reminder that these frozen rivers are constantly moving, even if we can't see it.

A Landscape That Changes You

One of the greatest gifts of Prince William Sound isn't simply seeing glaciers.

It's experiencing scale.

The mountains rise thousands of feet straight from the ocean. Waterfalls appear as tiny silver threads until you realize they're hundreds of feet tall. Glaciers that seem close enough to touch are still miles away.

It's impossible not to feel small.

And somehow, that's exactly the point.

Standing in landscapes this immense has a way of putting life back into perspective. Our schedules, deadlines, and daily routines suddenly seem much less important.

Creation has a way of doing that.

By the end of the afternoon, we'd visited several glaciers, enjoyed a warm bowl of clam chowder aboard the boat, and watched wildlife thrive in one of the most pristine marine environments left in North America.

The cruise eventually carried us back toward Whittier, where the harbor looked just as peaceful as it had that morning.

Only we weren't quite the same.

More Than a Boat Tour

If You Go

Summer is the perfect time to explore Prince William Sound. Wildlife is active, glaciers are accessible by boat, and long daylight hours give you plenty of time to enjoy the experience.

Dress in layers, even on warm days. The wind pouring off the glaciers can drop the temperature dramatically once you're out on the water.

Bring binoculars if you have them.

Keep your camera ready.

And don't spend the entire trip looking through a viewfinder.

Some moments deserve to be experienced with your own eyes first.

Why We'll Return

Prince William Sound wasn't just another stop on our 11-day Alaska adventure.

It became one of the defining memories of the entire trip.

Not because we saw whales.

Not because we watched glaciers calve.

Not even because of the incredible wildlife.

We'll remember it because it reminded us how wonderfully small we really are.

In a world that often feels crowded and fast, Prince William Sound is a place where ice, mountains, wildlife, and ocean still set the pace.

And that's something worth experiencing at least once in a lifetime.

Pūpūkea, Hawaii: The North Shore at Its Finest

jesse@meridianpursuit.com (Jesse Sampley) — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 21:50:53 GMT

There are places that ask you to slow down. Pūpūkea doesn't ask, it simply makes you.

Perched above Oahu's legendary North Shore, this quiet hillside community feels worlds away from the crowds of Waikiki . Ancient volcanic mountains draped in lush rainforest rise behind you while the Pacific Ocean stretches endlessly below. Every drive down the hill reveals another postcard-worthy view, and somehow it never gets old.

We spent an entire month calling Pūpūkea home, and by the end, we weren't measuring our days by the clock. We were measuring them by the tides, the sunsets, and whether we'd find a parking spot at Sharks Cove.

Where the Ocean Becomes an Aquarium

If there's one place that defines Pūpūkea in the summer, it's Sharks Cove.

Despite its intimidating name, this protected marine preserve is one of the best places to snorkel in Hawaii. Formed by ancient lava rock, the cove becomes remarkably calm during the summer months, creating crystal-clear pools where colorful reef fish and Hawaiian green sea turtles glide just feet from shore. Our kids spent hours snorkling through water so clear it hardly felt real. No boat tours. No long swims offshore. Just an underwater world waiting a few steps from the rocks. It's the kind of place that reminds you nature still builds better attractions than we ever could.

Mountains, Beaches, and Ancient Hawaii

One of the biggest surprises about Pūpūkea is how quickly the scenery changes.

In less than ten minutes, you can leave the ocean behind and find yourself standing at Puʻu o Mahuka Heiau State Historic Site, the largest ancient Hawaiian heiau (temple) on Oahu. Built centuries before Western contact, the sacred site overlooks Waimea Bay, Sharks Cove, and miles of coastline below. Standing there offers more than incredible views, it offers perspective on the generations who called this coastline home long before it became a vacation destination. Just down the road, Waimea Bay tells another story. Every winter, massive swells transform it into one of the world's most famous big-wave surfing beaches. In the summer, those same waters become calm enough for families to swim, float, and spend entire afternoons enjoying the warm Pacific.

Two completely different personalities.

One unforgettable beach.

Life on the North Shore

Pūpūkea doesn't operate on urgency. The two-lane Kamehameha Highway carries everyone along the North Shore, and traffic has a way of reminding visitors that this isn't a place to rush. Parking near the beaches takes patience, restaurant service moves at island pace, and before long you stop checking the time altogether. That's part of the charm. The North Shore teaches you that not every minute needs to be productive. Sometimes the best plan is finding a quiet place to watch the sunset.

Some memories aren't planned.

One afternoon, a photography student visiting from Japan stopped our daughter, Adasyn, and asked if he could photograph her while learning about our family's story. It was a small interaction, but one that perfectly captured the kindness and curiosity travel can create.

Every evening ended the same way—with the six of us gathered somewhere along the coast watching another North Shore sunset paint the sky in shades that never looked quite the same twice.

Even after a month, every drive down from our Airbnb overlooking the coastline sparked the same reaction:

"I could get used to this view."

None of us ever stopped saying it.

The Moments We'll Remember

A Few Things We Learned

The Hawaiian people take tremendous pride in preserving their culture, history, and land. Visiting places like Puʻu o Mahuka Heiau makes it clear that these aren't simply scenic overlooks—they're sacred places with deep cultural significance.

We also learned to admire wildlife from a respectful distance. Sea turtles became a regular sight while snorkeling, and cone snails occasionally appeared around our rental property. Though beautiful, cone snails are venomous and should never be handled. One curious moment involving a young family member gave us quite a scare, though thankfully it turned out to be unrelated allergies. Travel has a way of reminding you that nature deserves both admiration and respect.

If You Only Have One Day

Start your morning snorkeling at Sharks Cove while the water is calm and visibility is at its best.

Drive up to Puʻu o Mahuka Heiau for one of the most breathtaking panoramic views on Oahu.

Spend the afternoon swimming at Waimea Bay.

Finish the evening exploring Haleiwa's shops and restaurants before watching the sun disappear into the Pacific. You'll leave with incredible photos.

But more importantly, you'll leave understanding why so many people visit the North Shore...

...and quietly begin imagining what it would be like to call Pūpūkea home.