Kauai - Hawaii with Kids - page 372

Frommer's Favorite Kauai Family Experiences
Surfing with an Expert (p. 388) If seven-time world champ Margo
Oberg, a member of the Surfing Hall of Fame, can't get your kid—or
you—up on a board riding a wave, nobody can. She promises same-day
results even for klutzes.
Paddling up the Huleia River (p. 387) Indiana Jones ran for his life up
this river to his seaplane in Raiders of the Lost Ark. You and the kids
can venture down it yourself in a kayak. The picturesque Huleia winds
through tropically lush Huleia National Wildlife Refuge, where endan-
gered species like great blue herons and Hawaiian gallinules take
wing. It's ideal for everyone.
Climbing the Wooden Jungle Gyms at Lydgate State Park (p. 384)
This unique playground has a maze of jungle gyms for children of all
ages. You can whip down slides, explore caves, hang from bars, and
climb all over. It's a great place to spend the afternoon.
Cooling Off with a Shave Ice (p. 364) On a hot, hot day, stop by Bren-
necke's Beach Broiler, across from Poipu Beach Park ( & 808/742-1582 ),
and order a traditional Hawaiian shave ice. This local treat consists of
crushed ice stuffed into a paper cone and topped with a tropical-fla-
vored syrup. If you can't decide on a flavor, go for the “rainbow”—
three different flavors in one cone.
Exploring a Magical World (p. 380) Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens on
some 240 acres, sprinkled with some 70 life-size (some larger than life-
size) whimsical bronze statues, lies hidden off the beaten path of the
North Shore. It is opening a tropical children's garden featuring a
gecko hedge maze, a tropical jungle gym, a tree house in a rubber
tree, and a 16-foot-tall Jack-in-the-Bean Stalk Giant with a 33-foot
wading pool below. It's only open 3 days a week, so book before you
leave the mainland for Hawaii, so you won't be disappointed.
Experiencing a Hands-On Learning Adventure (p. 377) The Kauai
Children's Discovery Museum, located in Kapaa ( & 808/823-8222;
www.kcdm.org), arose out of a grassroots community effort to have a
fun place where kids could learn about science, culture, arts, technol-
ogy, and nature. In addition to the exhibits, there are Keiki Camps
where you can leave the kids all day, and they will be taken on various
outings to the beach and to points of interest.
Prince Kuhio Park All ages. This small roadside park, the birthplace of
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, the “People's Prince,” whose March 26 birth-
day is a holiday in Hawaii, is worth a 10-minute stop. He opened the beaches
of Waikiki to the public in 1918 and served as Hawaii's second territorial dele-
gate to the U.S. Congress. What remains here are the foundations of the family
home, a royal fishpond, and a shrine where tributes are still paid in flowers.
Lawai Rd., Koloa. Just after mile marker 4 on Poipu Rd., veer to the right of the fork in the road; the park is
on the right side.