tbrown

Hi Everyone,

We are planning a trip with our 4 and 9 year old children to Oahu for 8 days the last week of June, and we are celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary. I am hoping you can give me some suggestions:

We are staying on Waikiki Beach, and we will have a rental car. Can we plan on driving to the North Shore as a couple of day trips from our location in Waikiki or do we need to plan on staying on the North Shore?

The 9 year old wants to go to a luau. What Lau would be best for children?

Can we try to snorkel with the 4 year old?

Is the Waikiki aquarium worth seeing?

Top 5 Must See Attractions?

Top 5 Budget Restaurants?

Best restaurant to splurge on with the kids?

Best Beach for kids to play?

Best Advise for seeing Oahu with kids.

Thanks in advance for all of your help. We can't wait!

ggrtist

Aloha tbrown,

Just came back from a trip on Oahu with kids 5 & 11. You can see my report by clicking my username for more details. We love both Waikiki and the North Shore, but on this trip, which was the 1st time taking the kiddies, the absolute best was the 2 nights we spent at the Turtle Bay Resort. They had a couple of great pools, 1 with a slide and a nice beach. It's also convenient if you plan on visiting other sites near North Shore like the Polynesian Cultural Center, Waimea Valley (kids will get a big kick out of the peacocks roaming the grounds). It was quite different from Waikiki, may be worth a consideration to split your time.

Our kids other favorites seemed to be the Paradise Cove Luau, Pineapple Maze. We attended a special "after dark" tour at the Aquarium, which they liked, but don't know if a regular visit would be too impressive (especially if they've been to bigger aquariums like Sea World.)

We stayed in a condo so only went out to eat for a few meals, but the Shorebird was good, fun and affordable for what we considered "our special dinner" of the trip. Mentioned a couple of other eats in my report.

Of the beaches on Waikiki, we all agreed that the one in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village was the best, very clean, clear & calm water.

Doubt your 4yr old will snorkel. But definitely go to Hanauma Bay. My 11yr old snorkeled for a little while, not much, but 5yr old was just too young. Us grownups just took shifts for our snorkeling. The one thing they used the entire time was their snorkel mask by itself, they had a ball using it at every beach and in every pool to see underwater.

Hope some of this info helps, you guys will have an awesome time!

makai1

Aloha tb,

Whew... I'll only be able to answer a few of these...

With a car you'll easily be able to drive to the north shore as day trips... the windward coast is gorgeous incorporate that on one of your touring days. Lanikai Beach is nice...

I would definitely snorkel w/ the kids... practice in the pool first... Hanauama Bay will be very fun. Get there early.

Buy (NOW, before you go) Richard Sullivan's, Driving & Discovering Hawaii, O'ahu. It's a wonderful guide book w/ good maps and great photos. It will help you in your planning.

Polynesian Cultural Center would be good for a luau... others may be able to help more w/ this info.

Read other trip reports, do searches of Hawaii on this board and you'll find great info.

Happy planning... aloha...

islandmom

We are staying on Waikiki Beach, and we will have a rental car. Can we plan on driving to the North Shore as a couple of day trips from our location in Waikiki or do we need to plan on staying on the North Shore? You can just drive.

The 9 year old wants to go to a luau. What Lau would be best for children? Paradise Cove

Can we try to snorkel with the 4 year old? No- they don't have the skills. You can take them along to play on the beach.

Is the Waikiki aquarium worth seeing? If you have extra days

Top 5 Must See Attractions?

Top 5 Budget Restaurants? Spaghetti Factory, Maui Tacos, Teddy's Burger, Greek Corner, Wolfgang Puck Express

Best restaurant to splurge on with the kids? Duke's Breakfast

Best Beach for kids to play? Ala Moana or Kailua

Best Advise for seeing Oahu with kids. Bring snacks, games, their own cameras, bird and fish charts to hunt for during trips.

islandmom

Top 5 Must See Attractions?
Bellows Beach
Sunset Beach
Kailua Beach
Ko 'olina lagoons at sunset
Shore drive around the island

islandmom

Go to the Childrens Discover Center also.

Sarah

It's a 45 minute drive from Waikiki to the North Shore. When I took my sister's kids we spent some time on Waikiki (2 nights), 2 nights North Shore and then 4 nights on Lanikai.

I have been to Hawaii several times and lived there so I knew the things to skip for our time frame. I did make some mistakes though we should not have hopped around like that. We were on the North Shore, with that stay a trip to Sharks cove and 3 tables does away with the need to endure the long lines at hanama bay. We actually had a very frustrating morning at Hanama bay and never made it into the park. New procedures are in place though and all you will have to contend with are hideous lines under the subtropical sun.

A stay at Turtle bay is pretty memrobale. I highly recommend it. Gorgeous views from the lobby and you are surrounded by out door activity that does not involve crowds that you see in Waikiki. You could have fun in those crowds, people flock here for a reason .

I think if you are budget minded you should skip the polynesian cultural center. It's expensive and it is a very commercial introduction to Polynesian life. Although I do think children are the best audience for most of what goes on at the Polynesian cultural center it just in my mind should not be their only exposure. Often in Waikiki community Halau's (hula schools) will present on the south side of the cement beach walk (Free). Keep your eyes out for this ppc can't compete with the level of skill commitment that comes out of these traditional halaus.

In place of Polynesian Cultural Center and you won't be replacing the same type of event with what I am suggesting. We chose to go to Sea life park, we actually did this on the morning we had difficulty getting into Hanama bay. The kids loved it but I am not sure where you are coming from. If you are near Florida or CA sea life parks it might not be as much fun for you.

When you are driving around the island I suggest you map out the ancient sights and stop along the way. They stretch around the island and with a little itty bit of reading you will enrich your drive. I also like byodo temple on the windward side, your kids will have birds eating right out of their hands will in flight here.

Last I would suggest the hike to Makapu light house on the windward side on an over cast early morning. Our youngest was 8 you do as much as you want of this hike its all paved. If you even just stop off at the lookout it is one of the best views on Oahu. You want to pick one or two hikes there are plenty of mild ones out there on flat terrain that will be a nice way to see the landscape.

If I were going to stay exclusively in Waikiki and I wanted to treat the kids to something I would head to the Oceanarium for dinner. Three is a 3 story fish take table side. You can watch the fish as you eat. The food is not great at all but ok, it is an unusual dining experience with that tank. Not something a family wants to miss.

If you have a car you want to eat most of your meals outside of Waikiki. There are just better more affordable options all over town. I am not going to list do an archive search here. A couple of years ago I started a thread "cheap eats on Oahu" I think I called it. It seems to come up every summer.

I will only say don't pass on the Malsada truck when you see it. YUM!!! Island donuts, YUM!!!

Sarah

many thanks for your patience with me spelling and grammar

user339993

Just returned from Oahu. Definitely get the Driving and Discovering Oahu book - it's excellent. Also, definitely plan a beach day at Lanikai Beach w/ your rental car - this was my favorite place on Oahu!!! We enjoyed Duke's restaurant also at the Waikiki on the Beach Hotel. Enjoy!

ggrtist

as Islandmom said, definitely get the kids their own disposable cameras. Our kids loved them, it made them feel like the "grownups". They're only about $3-5 at Walmart and it's great because with so much to see, it's impossible for one person to get that special shot of everything. We found a couple of nice pics the kids took that we missed.

We've only been to Hanauma Bay 2x, it can get very crowded but we got there by 7-7:30am. both times and it was quick and easy to get in.

Cats_Do_Dance

Sarah - I have tried and tried to find your Cheap Eats in Oahu thread but am having no luck. I searched for "Oahu" and "cheap eats" but all I can find are old posts that reference the cheap eats thread. Your list is exactly what I'm looking for too, blast it all. If anyone can do a better search job than me, could you please top Sarah's thread. TIA!

Sarah

Cats look up "Melissa" click on here name once you find it in a Hawaii post. She posted a lot on that cheap eats thread and I think she is the person that resurrected it a few times.

Also why not just start a cheap eats thread. Tell people in your question how you could not find old posts. Someone is looking for cheap food in Hawaii almost on a regular bases. There are a number of people on this forum that live there.

Also you absolutely want to get a zagats guide. Why are'nt you looking at condos. You can buy food in grocery stores and cut the costs of eating out so much. My heart sinks when I spend $60 in Mc Donald's. I have done that in Waikiki. I guess that is not such a big deal for a family of 5 but it is still McDonald's so I feel that it should be nickel . Just don't want my only option to be junk.

I brought back a dim sum thread because I found a super bargain in china town that I listed last summer.

If you want to go to Dukes you could probably find a menu online. It would not be my suggestion but I have not been in a few years. I don't know bargains in Waikiki and I always avoid eating there for this reason.

In town, aunti pastas on beritania or near it is good. I don't like the spaghetti factory but your kids might. I am also from the east coast so our Italian is high end. Oh for true Hawaiian at good prices ono's on Kapahuloo. I spelled that like it sounds so you can ask for it. Go here and save the money on a commercial luau. I am not aware of any authentic luaus on Oahu. Its more an industry for tourist instead of a tribute to the past on Oahu.

Bobs big boy out near pearl harbor was always a fun breakfast stop for us on the way to the North Shore.

When I traveled to Hawaii with my sister and hers they really enjoyed "Kincades". I think they have a menu online. This would be a splurge restaurant but not too much of a splurge if memory serves. I was happy to eat here because I felt like I was dining with Oahu and not those leaving on morning flights out.

A step up further in costs Roy's Hawaii Kai.

If I think of some more I will come back on.

Cats_Do_Dance

Thanks Sarah, I'll look for Melissa's post and perhaps post a question about cheap eats. Actually, it's not really "cheapness" I'm looking for, it's more like food that's not overpriced. I also plan to renew my zagats subscription soon.

We're not staying at a condo because I make no bones about it - I am NOT cooking on vacation. But I have a feeling my question got mixed up with the OP. I'm not planning on doing any luaus, eat at chain restuarants and no one in my family will touch McDonalds except in an emergency. So don't worry about that - at least not with me. <smile>. Now dim sum <drool>.

I will print out all your suggestions!

Thanks again!

islandmom

Big City Diner
Buca De Beppo (or something like that)

lcuy

I have seen people asking recently about snorkeling with young children.

They usually are not comfortable or able to coordinate the breathing thru a tube, but you can give them a view of the fish by using a large plastic Jar. (We used to use giant mayonaisse jars, but don't recommend the glass.)
Get one of those giant clear plastic ones that come with candy inside (from Costo or similar places).

You can stand in the water and hold the jar under the surface with the top rim above. Get a great view and not have to get your face wet!

islandmom

We'll have to try that new tip- thanks.

Down to Earth has an affordable healthy food bar.

Volcano Joe's on UH campus is very good. I like the Hummus and Greek Salad. My family likes the pizza.