Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ESPECIALLY FOR
kids
See an Erupting Volcano
It looks like the real thing—a real molten-spewing, roaring, rock-
launching volcano—only you are standing just a few feet away. It's the Bishop Museum's
16,500-square-foot Science Adventure Center, specializing in volcanology, oceanography, and
biodiversity. Children are spellbound as they wander through the “Hawaiian origins” tunnel into
the deep ocean, stopping along the way to play with all the cool, high-tech toys, then exploring
the interior of a volcano and climbing to the top to get a bird's-eye view of an erupting caldera.
Take a Walk on the Wild Side
Visit Africa in Hawaii at the Honolulu Zoo. The lions, giraffes,
zebras, and elephants delight youngsters and parents alike. But the great new thrill is the Zoo
by Moonlight tour—so kids can see what really goes bump (or roar) in the night.
Shop Aloha Flea Market
Most kids hate to shop. But the Aloha Flea Market, a giant outdoor
bazaar at Aloha Stadium every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, is more akin to a carnival,
full of strange food, odd goods, and bold barkers. Nobody ever leaves this place empty-
handed—or without having had lots of fun.
Fly a Kite at Kapiolani Park
Great open expanses of green and constant trade winds make
this urban park one of Hawaii's prime locations for kite flying. Watch the pros fly dragon kites
and stage kite-fighting contests, or join in the fun after checking out the convenient kite shop
across the street in New Otani's arcade.
Eat Shave Ice at Haleiwa
No visit to Hawaii is complete without an authentic shave ice. You
can find shave ice in all kinds of tropical flavors throughout the islands, but for some reason, it
tastes better in this funky North Shore surf town.
Beat Bamboo Drums in a Fijian Village
The Polynesian Cultural Center introduces kids to
the games played by Polynesian and Melanesian children. The activities, which range from face
painting to Hawaiian bowling, go on every day from 12:30 to 5:30pm.
Splash Down at Wet 'n' Wild
This 29-acre water park features a wave pool for bodysurfing,
two 65-foot-high free-fall slides, two water-toboggan bullet slides, inner-tube slides, body flume
slides, a continuous river for floating inner tubes, and separate pools for adults, teens, and chil-
dren.
Explore the Bishop Museum
There are some 1,180,000 Polynesian artifacts; 13,500,000
different insect specimens; 6,000,000 marine and land shells; 490,000 plant specimens;
130,000 fish specimens; and 85,000 birds and mammals, all in the Bishop Museum. Kids can
explore interactive exhibits, see a 50-foot sperm whale skeleton, and check out a Hawaiian
grass hut—the museum has something for everyone.
Walk Through a Submarine
At the USS
Bowfin
Submarine Museum Park, an interactive
museum offers children the chance to experience a real submarine—one that served in some
of the fiercest naval battles in World War II. Kids can explore the tightly packed interior that
housed some 90 to 100 men, and see the stacked shelves where they slept, the radar and
electronics in the command center, and where the torpedoes are stored.
Watch the Fish and Sharks at the Waikiki Aquarium
Much more than a big fish tank, the
Waikiki Aquarium will astound and educate your youngsters. They can probably sit for hours
