10 Fun Things You Can Do With Children While on Oahu
1. Kuhio Beach: There is a protected cove that is one to four feet deep. Great for kids to swim, use air mattresses or play with beach balls. There are showers, restrooms and a baby pool. Older children can swim, surf or boogie board past the cove. It is located behind the Pacific Beach Hotel in Waikiki.
2. Kapiolani Beach Park: This is a great place for all water sports. Pack a picnic lunch and spend the day. It is near the zoo and Waikiki Aquarium at the south end of Waikiki.
3. Ko’Olina Beach: It is a beautiful spot and it has a cove that is surrounded by a lava wall with shallow water with no waves. The older children can go outside of the cove and boogie board or swim. There are bathrooms nearby and grassy areas by the beach. The beach is at the Ko’Olina Resort.
4. Haunama Bay: It is located around the south end of Oahu. This is a fish reserve and it has many different types of fish to see through your snorkel mask. I do recommend that you buy your snorkel gear at home if you plan to snorkel a lot. It is expensive to rent it every day for every one and Haunama is expensive to rent. You can drive here from your hotel and save $12 each from the tour bus and come and go on your own schedule.
5. Waikiki Aquarium: Located by Kapiolani Park, the Waikiki Aquarium is home to 2,500 creatures representing 420 species of marine life. You can see a shark and a monk seal up close. It is a great experience and your kids will love it!
6. Dole Plantation: There is a narrated train ride and the world’s largest maze. It contains more than 11,400 colorful Hawaiian plants. You can win prizes for finding the six secret stations located in the maze in the fasted time.
7. Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park: This is a screaming good time for all! There are nine thrill rides, five family rides and 10 specialty areas in this 25-acre water theme amusement park near Kapolei. There will be a miniature golf course
come Memorial Day weekend.
8. Sea Life Park: You can interact with the animals here or sit on the bench. There are shows where the animals do tricks and display animal behavior. You will see dolphins, stingrays. sea lions, penguins and an array of tropical fish.
9. Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hawaii Hotel: Go to the ground level to the lagoon. The organization called Dolphin Quest conducts programs for children and adults that promote interaction between dolphins and people. The staff shares information about dolphins and how the environment affects them.
10. Honolulu Zoo: It has grown to include a number of exhibits, including the African Savanna, Tropical Forest, Pacific Islands and Children’s Zoo. The zoo’s inhabitants include gazelles, monkeys, rhinos, cheetahs, porcupines, elephants, giraffes, lions, zebras, hippos, warthogs, exotic birds, vultures, turtles, lizards, snakes, tree frogs and much more.
The zoo offers a number of after-hours family programs. "Snooze in the Zoo" allows guests to stay overnight at the zoo and enjoy storytelling, campfire songs and walking tours. Visitors may set up tents on the back lawn or sleep out under the stars. The "Twilight Tour," meanwhile, provides a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of the animals after the sun goes down.
