"The loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean."Mark Twain It’s the most geographically isolated landmass in the world, anchored 2,000 miles from its nearest neighbor as the figurative and literal "Crossroads of the Pacific."Although voyaging Polynesians settled this chain of islands 2,000 years ago, it wasn’t until 1778 – two years after the United States became a nation – before outsiders first discovered this mid-Pacific Mecca of the tropics. Hawaii. Just the name alone evokes images of lolling about a wondrous island haven, sipping a mai tai while lounging on the beach, or going for a quick dip in the warm and gentle Waikiki surf – even in January. To people nationwide, it is the dream vacation, the favorite honeymoon spot, and the destination often referred to as “America’s Paradise.”