what are some fun, free things to do with kids on oahu?
chocolate chip asked:
i am traveling with my 3 kids to oahu next week–they are 3, 9 and 13. what are some fun,free (or low cost) things to do-beside the beach? we want to steer away from the more touristy and expensive attractions
and good, reasonably priced places to eat
thx!
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i am traveling with my 3 kids to oahu next week–they are 3, 9 and 13. what are some fun,free (or low cost) things to do-beside the beach? we want to steer away from the more touristy and expensive attractions
and good, reasonably priced places to eat
thx!
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June 25th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
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Hanuama Bay Snorkel or just stand there and look and walk with the fish – take the bus about an hour get there early the area fills fast very pretty
Hilo Hatties factory tour but then you might spend buying clothes free shuttle
Buy some peanut butter and jelly for lunches
June 26th, 2010 at 10:20 am
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~~Aloha Chocolate Chip…my kids are 12, 14 and 17 and they prefer the Beach to just about anything when we are in Waikiki (well my 2 daughters DO LOVE shopping BUT that is a different story all together…LOL…) My Kids are Avid Surfers so they are pretty content to spend all of their time at the Beach…I am going to give you my Tried and True List…maybe there will be some things on there your Family will Enjoy…Very Few things besides the Beach or Hanging out at your Pool will be Inexpensive or Free..but here ya go~~Aloha,Enjoy and E Komo Mai~~Michelle~~
June 28th, 2010 at 6:01 am
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Duke’s is not the greatest for kids. There is an IHOP in Waikiki on Kuhio Avenue–great place to fill up the kids. Cheeseburger in Paradise is fun, near Fort de Russy.
You can hike in Makiki Valley (park at the gate and hike up). There are many hiking trails but you need a car to get to most of them. Driving around the island is fun–the North Shore is very pretty, and the Dole Plantation store in central Oahu is fun.
June 29th, 2010 at 8:52 am
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Hanauma Bay for snorkeling is a must. It isn’t free, but is well worth the nominal parking fee & the $5 per person admission. Even if your kids are not strong swimmers, they will be safe & they will see fish, guaranteed. You can rent gear if you don’t own any.
Flying kites is fun. Sandy Beach, just down the street from Hanauma Bay, is a good place. On the w/e’s you will see lots of huge, fancy kites & you might even get to see a hang glider land. Kapiolani Park, at the eastern end of Waikiki is another good place to fly kites.
Kapiolani Park also has a decent zoo – it won’t compete with San Diego, but it is nice & a small aquarium. On the w/e’s local artists diplay their wares for sale at “Art on the Fence” just outside the zoo. If there is a concert at the shell you can listen from your beach mat just outside. There are also some beachside restaurants with entertainment that you can enjoy while you stroll the beach.
Just west of the Ala Moana Center there is Kakaako Waterfront Park where local kids delight in sliding down the hills on big pieces of cardboard. Your hotel could probably fix you up with some boxes. There is also a children’s museum in the area, which I can not vouch for, as I have never been.
I’ve yet to meet a kid who couldn’t kill an hour or two wading around in a tide pool, catching hermit crabs, etc. You can find some near the Turtle Bay hotel or in Mokuleia on the north shore.
The Hawaii Nature Conservancy at the back of Makiki Valley has some good programs for kids.
Fireworks happen every Friday off the Hilton Hawaiian Village. I don’t remember if it is at 8 or 9 pm.
There are a number of easy hiking trails on the island. If this interests you, you can get specific information about the trails by typing “hiking Oahu” into your search engine.
I don’t know how much the catamaran rides are off Waikiki Beach, but if they aren’t too pricey, the kids are sure to have a great time.
Zippy’s is sort of a local Denny’s. The closest ones to Waikiki are the one next to Sears at Ala Moana Shopping Ctr & one on Kapahulu Blvd. The Pagoda, near Ala Moana, is a fun place for kids, as the restaurant is surounded by a koi pond. The buffet is reasonably priced. The Oceanarium Restaurant is built around an aquarium several stories high. The food is nothing special but the kids will love watching someone feed the fish.