Right off the bat, the premise of this park was promising. A drive literally above the clouds? Sunset on top of a volcano? Hundred-foot waterfalls? Bamboo forests? I might be biased because it’s Hawaii, but come on. Haleakalā is split into two districts: the Summit District (aka the top of the volcano) and the Kīpahulu District, which hugs the sinuous Road to Hāna. Started off with Kīpahulu, tucked in the remote side of Maui. The Pipiwai Trail is a hike through a bamboo forest, a massive banyan tree, and ends at Waimoku Falls. Easily the most jaw-dropping waterfall I’ve ever seen. Next, the Summit District. A one-hour drive gets you to 10,000 feet. Near the top, it started raining — that’s when I realized we were in the clouds. Let me say that again: IN THE CLOUDS. I love sunsets, so watching the sun dip below a sea of clouds from the rim of a volcano was quite the deal. Peaceful and otherworldly. The only thing I’d change? A hoodie. Turns out Hawaii gets cold when you’re standing on top of the world. Haleakalā is my Roman Empire. Undoubtedly a 5-star park.