SHREWSBURY, N.J. -- The credit union industry is chock full of conferences. They span across the country throughout the year, visiting exotic locales and old favorites.

NAFCU's 40th Annual Conference & Exhibition visits the exotic this year, coming to the Hilton Hawaiian Village and Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu.

As one of the most diversified states by geography, culture and cuisine, there is much to be learned about the intricacies of the 50th state to enter the union.

There are 132 Hawaiian islands, eight major and 124 minor. The eight major islands are: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and the Big Island of Hawaii. Hawaii is the most isolated population center on the face of the earth.

There are no minorities within this isolated population center: 34% of the population is white, 32% is Japanese-American, 16% is Filipino-American and 5% is Chinese-American.

Visiting such an interesting locale can be a once in a lifetime experience, so it's no wonder that many conference attendees make a vacation of it. Below is information on places to see, things to try and stuff to do.

The Hawaii Maritime Center focuses on Hawaii's whaling days, the history of the Honolulu Harbor and the Falls of Clyde (a four masted sailing ship built in 1878 that carried cargo between Honolulu and San Francisco). Some of the most interesting exhibits include the skeletal remains of a humpback whale found in a cove off of Hawaii and a 1,805 pound Pacific Blue Marlin caught off the coast of Makaha. There is also a replica of a Polynesian sailing canoe used by the first Hawaiians.

The USS Arizona has rested at the bottom of Pearl Harbor since Dec. 7, 1941. The overturned hull of this battleship entombed 1,100 sailors caught unaware by the Japanese bombs that sank the ship and brought the United States into World War II. The memorial was built in 1961 as a tribute to all the men and women who lost their lives on that historic day. It is 184-feet long and crosses over the USS Arizona's mid-section. Openings along both sides of the memorial afford a dramatic view of the ship resting on the floor of the harbor. A marble-walled chapel at the far end of the memorial lists the names of all the sailors entombed there.

The most famous volcanic crater in the world is Diamond Head, located on the southeast coast of Oahu overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It was originally named Laeahi, or "brow of the tuna", by the ancient Hawaiians. British sailors changed the name to Diamond Head in the 1800s because the calcite crystals in the lava rock appeared to glimmer in the sunlight causing them to mistakenly think there must be diamonds in the soil. Diamond Head has been extinct for 150,000 years, and is 3,520 feet in diameter with a 760-foot summit.

An underwater park is located at Hanauma Bay Beach Park where novices at snorkeling and SCUBA diving can view a coral reef. There is also a beach for sunbathing and hiking trails to outlooks.

The Honolulu Zoo covers 42 lush, shady acres at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki. The zoo features some special exhibits such as the Nene (the Hawaii state bird), native Hawaiian forest birds, and the highlight of the zoo, the Kabuni Reserve. The African savanna covers 12-acres where animals roam freely behind disguised barriers in 30 different habitats.

Established over 70 years ago, the Honolulu Academy of Arts houses permanent exhibits of oriental and occidental art, including the Kress collection of Italian Renaissance paintings and the Asian collection, featuring art and artifacts from throughout the Orient. The museum houses approximately 34,000 pieces of art. Besides the 30 galleries, the Academy offers special exhibits, educational programs, collections, publications, studio art classes, and theater activities.

The Mission Houses Museum is comprised of the three oldest American buildings in Hawaii. The Frame House, the oldest, was built in 1821 and is furnished with period pieces that help show how the missionaries lived.

Waimea Falls is located in the beautiful 1,800-acre Waimea Falls Park. In ancient times, the Hawaiians believed that Waimea had healing powers and they would bring their wounded soldiers to the waterfall and lay them in the water for healing. The water has a reddish tint due to the iron oxide found in the volcanic soil that flows down from the mountains by the Waimea River.

The Wahiawa Botanical Garden is cradled between the Wai'anae and Ko'olau mountain ranges in central O'ahu. This 27-acre garden and forested raven dates back to the 1920's when the land was used by sugar planters, under the direction of Dr. Harold Lyons, as an experimental arboretum. In 1957 the area was opened as a botanical garden. Throughout the garden are plants that thrive in the cooler, shady, humid environment of a tropical rainforest. Wahiawa is especially noted for its Hawaiian palms, aroid garden, tree ferns, epiphytic and native plants.

Iolani Palace located in downtown Honolulu is the only royal palace in the U.S. Hawaiian royalty only inhabited the palace for 11 years. The palace was the official residence for the Hawaiian Kingdom's last two monarchs--King Kalakaua, who built the palace in 1882, and his sister and successor, Queen Lili`uokalani. During the monarchy period, the palace was the center of social and political activity in the Kingdom of Hawaii.