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Kids in paradise
By Robert Bone
Special to The Advertiser
Hawaii is for keikis – that’s kids in the local lingo, and a lot of activities for adults will do just fine for the youngsters, too.
On Oahu, there are the animals and other attractions at the Honolulu Zoo, the Waikiki Aquarium, Sea Life Park, the Polynesian Cultural Center, and the Waimea Valley Adventure Park. (Don’t miss the Butterfly House at the latter.) The Bishop Museum and Planetarium also caters to keikis, at least those in the company of adults.
There’s also the Children’s Discovery Center in Honolulu, and down by the harbor the Hawaii Maritime Center. Our grandson likes to take the elevator to the observation deck at the top of the nearby Aloha Tower. Older youngsters who have developed a thirst for history enjoy the Mission Houses Museum and Iolani Palace.
Children above the age of six or seven also appreciate the USS Arizona Memorial and Museum, and especially the nearby Submarine Museum and Park, which features a genuine World War II sub they can walk through, fitting through the cramped passageways much more easily than mom and dad! Also at Pearl Harbor is the Battleship Missouri, the old vessel as much an attraction for youngsters as for adults.
Out of town, but still on the island, is the Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park. Another cool destination is the World’s Largest Maze at the Dole Plantation pavilion in central Oahu.
On Kauai, kids will enjoy the bird sanctuary near the Kilauea Lighthouse, and certainly the river boat ride up to the Fern Grotto.
On Maui, the prime attraction is the Maui Ocean Center with Plexiglas walking tubes. You can explain that’s so the fish will think that the youngsters are really the ones in the aquarium! And junior engineers will also enjoy the Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad, which runs for around six miles and often features a singing conductor.
On the Big Island, no grown-up should think of going to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park without taking the youngsters along. There’s plenty to see and do, and if they’re over six or so, they just may remember it for the rest of their lives.
If you’re staying in one of the major hotels in Hawaii, they may offer special programs for keikis. Less so in Waikiki, perhaps, but there are several in the Neighbor Islands resorts, especially on the Big Island.
Depending on age level, these resorts offer supervised swimming and other water sports, fishing, ukulele playing, hula lessons, Hawaiian arts and crafts, nature walks, and more.
Travel writer Robert W. Bone is a journalist, editor and photographer. He is the author of "The Maverick Guide to Hawaii."
