Julie Demello - Fun with the Family Hawaii: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips with the Kids

Praise for the Fun with the Family series

Enables parents to turn family travel into an exploration.

Alexandra Kennedy, Editor, Family Fun

Bound to lead you and your kids to fun-filled days, those times that help compose the memories of childhood.

Dorothy Jordon, Family Travel Times

Every effort has been made by the author and editors to make this guide as accurate and useful as possible. However, many changes can occur after a guide is publishedestablishments close, phone numbers change, hiking trails are rerouted, facilities come under new management, etc.

We would love to hear from you concerning your experiences with this guide and how you feel it could be improved and kept up to date. While we may not be able to respond to all comments and suggestions, well take them to heart, and well make certain to share them with the author. Please send your comments and suggestions to the following address:

The Globe Pequot Press

Reader Response/Editorial Department

P.O. Box 480

Guilford, CT 06437

Or you may e-mail us at: editorial@GlobePequot.com

Thanks for your input, and happy travels!

The prices, rates, and hours listed in this guidebook were confirmed at press time. We recommend, however, that you call establishments to obtain current information before traveling.

Copyright 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 Morris Book Publishing, LLC

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to The Globe Pequot Press, Attn: Rights and Permissions Department, P.O. Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437.

Text design by Nancy Freeborn and Linda Loiewski

Maps by Rusty Nelson Morris Book Publishing, LLC

Spot photography throughout Photodisc and RubberBall Productions

ISSN 1541-8944

ISBN 978-0-7627-4859-4

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Dedicated to my sweet Mahealani and Kelii, may all their travels be filled with Aloha, and may they learn to love and appreciate the journey.

H awaii is a playground for young and old with activities, attractions, and historic sites galore. Everybody can find something to enjoy, and many activities are free , relatively cheap, or once-in-a-lifetime thrills that are worth the money. The ocean is the ideal playground. You can swim, snorkel, scuba, surf, fish, sail, canoe, kayak, sailboard, bodysurf, parasail, cruise, or stroll along the shore picking up shells and exploring tide pools.

Several shops on every island rent water-sports equipment including surfboards, boogieboards, sailboards, and snorkeling and scuba gear. Additionally, many hotels, resorts, and condominiums offer rentals and lessons from the central activities desk.

Snorkeling is a very easy activity available to anyone who knows how to swim. In less than an hour, you can become acquainted with the basics and be able to master the equipment. If your hotel doesnt offer free snorkeling equipment, shop around before you rent. Often dive or water-sport shops offer less-expensive alternatives than the larger hotels. A mask, snorkel, and fins usually cost $15 a day. By all means, consider using a disposable underwater camera, about $15, which helps capture the aquatic images permanently.

If you or your children want to try surfing, be aware that it takes many years to become an expert. Lessons are readily available, however, and with a little coordination youll be good enough to stand up and ride gentle waves. (And it makes for some great photo opportunities.)

Windsurfing, also called sailboarding, is a little easier than surfing because you depend on the wind instead of the waves. Sailboards are much larger, more stable, and easier to stand on than ordinary surfboards. The sail that propels you across the water is mounted on the board. Rental sailboards are usually more expensive than surfboards. Lessons are available on all major islands.

Boogieboarding is definitely a sport that water-safe kidsthose who can swim without assistancewill be able to master within a few minutes. The boards are made of heavy-duty foam and are about 3 feet long. Many boogieboarders also wear fins to help propel them toward a wave, but for beginners its not necessary. Boards are for sale everywhere, from drugstores and supermarkets to surf shops. You can also rent them at the same places you rent snorkeling equipment.

Just as there are many water-sport rental shops scattered throughout the islands, there are also many companies that offer guided tours to the best spots in Hawaiis ocean playground.

Generally, these tours are worthwhile, usually led by guides knowledgeable about the local marine life and Hawaiian history. There are many to choose from, and each chapter of this book reveals a small sampling. Many guided tours, hikes, and cruises can be booked online prior to your arrivaloften at significant discounts. So if youre the type who likes to preplan vacations, Web sites are included throughout this book to help guide your process.

Every island also offers land-based fun, such as tennis, golf, horseback riding, bicycling, hiking, backpacking, hunting, and freshwater fishing. There are also several land-based tours available, ranging from air-conditioned buses to passenger vans. These are a good way to get a general overview of the island but often lack the opportunity for in-depth exploring. The premise of this book is that youre more likely to discover the real nuances of each island on your own... equipped with this guidebook, a good map, and a sense of adventure.

Island Safety

The ocean beckons around every curve in the road, but please use caution before letting kids swim just anywhere. Hawaii has basically two seasonssummer and winter. In the summer the north-facing beaches are usually calm, almost lakelike, and are safe for swimming, while the south shores often feature heavier surf and dangerous currents. The situation switches, and the differences magnify, in winter when the islands north shores get pummeled by some of the biggest waves in the world and the undertow is sometimes strong enough to pluck unsuspecting spectators right from the beach. Pay attention to the posted flags and signs before entering the water. Also, its a good idea to ask the lifeguard about the current conditions.

If you venture to a small or deserted beach where lifeguards are absent, study the water before entering. Note the frequency and size of the waves. You can often judge the strength of the currents by watching how fast the sand is sucked into the water.

In some places, such as Hanauma Bay, Oahu, the fish are so tame theyll eat right from your hand, but in other places some creatures of the deep add an element of danger. Parents should always arrive at the beach equipped with a bottle of meat tenderizer. Certain weather patterns bring pests known as Portuguese man-of-war, whose sting is sharp and painful, although usually not life threatening. Meat tenderizer rubbed into the wound helps ease the pain.