What makes a great travel shoe? Lynn Staneff, of Magellan's travel supplies based in Santa Barbara, Calif., favors Privo by Clarks and, for men, Bolton Lightweight Loafers. A great shoe is the one you can walk all day in without getting that achy arch, Staneff says. And they should be cool, she adds.

Travel writer Jim DuFresne packs basic Teva sandals with Velcro straps. "After trekking in New Zealand, I take off hiking boots and put on wool socks and Tevas, and my feet are revived," DuFresne says. "They're so lightweight, you can just hang them on your backpack."

Pack: Lightweight hiking shoes for off-road journeys; flats for exploring cities, and for ladies a pair of light stylish sandals for evening.

Look for: Comfort right away, brown, black or neutral, lightweight; Velcro or slip-on for ease.

Popular brands: Bjorn, Dansko, Easy Spirit, Ecco, Fitzwell, Hush Puppies, Keen, Merrell, Mephisto, Privo by Clarks, Propet, Rieker, Rockport, Ryka, Skechers, Softspots, Teva.

Where: The Walking Company, Ala Moana Center, www.walkingcompany.com. Clarks, Ala Moana Center, and online travel retailers such as www.magellans.com and www.zappos.com.

— Detroit Free Press

BIG ISLAND

HUALÄLAI TOUR INCLUDES BOUNCY SCRAMBLE UP TO VOLCANO SUMMIT

A tour to the summit of Hualalai, the third-youngest volcano on the Big Island, is on offer April 10 through the Hawai'i Volcanoes Institute and Hawai'i Forest & Trail. "Expect a rocky scramble in rugged, fast and fun Pinzgauer vehicles — up the cool, misty, lava-scaped slopes of Hualalai to its seldom visited summit," says HVI's Brian Lux. "We'll walk through a forest of native bird song, investigate a lava tube and enjoy magnificent views."

Pinzgauer vehicles carry 12 passengers on bench seats. Riding in these open-air vehicles (top covered, sides open) requires passengers to hang on tightly to support rails over the many bumpy patches. The tour includes a 2- to 3-mile walk with short climbs.

The adventure is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; it begins and ends at Hawaii Forest & Trail headquarters in Kailua, Kona.

Cost: $110 for Friends of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park members ($75 for student members) and $150 for nonmembers (includes a snack and lunch at the summit). Children should be 10 years or older and supervised by an adult. 808-985-7373, www.fhvnp.org.

BIG ISLAND

TIMES' TRAVEL GUIDE LISTS LAVA COUNTRY AS NATURE'S 'MANIC EPISODE'

"Naughty by Nature": The Big Island gets a big splash on the cover and inside The New York Times' Spring Travel supplement. Described as a place where "Mother Nature had some kind of manic episode," Hawaii island is a 2010 hot spot in the true sense of the word. The most active volcano in the world, Kílauea, has been putting on its fiery show for the past 27 years.

In a nod to style, lava country also provides the magazine's backdrop for Miu Miu shoes and Prada bags. Off the grid on the Big Island is a fun read but would Madame Pele have worn those heels? www.Nytimes.com/2010/03/28/t-magazine/28well-hawaii.html

— Chris Oliver