The Chain of Craters Road was itself a series of surprises: moon-like terrain, cooled lava, fossil-like ropes and desert vegetation peeping its head everywhere. It wasn't enough to look at one crater, of course: we stopped at several. Our car loved the switchback zig zag through several climate zones until we got to nearly sea level, and when we peered over the edge, we saw a slender Natural Arch being pounded on by waves. A magical moment.