I was wondering if I can bring my 6 and 4 year old kayaking (Kauai), or on a helicopter tour? I am just thinking of things to do on our trip and was wondering if they are too young for this.

Thanks.

Blue Hawaiian helicopter tours allows children. Age 2 and up must pay full fare - $208 per person booked online [$240 booked otherwise] for a 50 -55 minuted flight.

We flew with them on Big Island and loved it. It was a bit scary at first, but we got comfortable within minutes. We took the longest tour and it was amazing. We saw things we would never have seen otherwise.

I would be a little concerned that kids that age might be scared of the flight. There will most likely be others on the flight with you. I can't imagine what would happen if kids [or anyone for that matter] freaked out and they had to go back and land or something.

There are safety issues too. Use the search box on this page and type in hawaii helicopter tours.

I am glad I did it once, but would not do it a second time. The company was excellent as was the pilot, but I would not do it again.

Deb

Hi,

We were recently in Kauai and did an airplane tour instead of a helicopter tour. It's about half the price and covers the same territory as the helicopters. Planes are also safer than helicopters. We went with Wings Over Kauai and they were great. He flew a Cessna which fits 3 passengers. You'd all have window seats, too.

http://www.wingsoverkauai.com/

My husband and I took our two sons kayaking on the Wailua river about 10 years ago and they were about that age. We put each boy in front of us and did most of the work. It is a fun trip and there is a rope swing up river (may be too much for the 4 yr old). If you do that, I would start out in the AM and spend just a few hours at it as coming back down river in the afternoon the wind comes up and we were going against the current, so it took a bit more muscle, but wasn't that difficult. My boys still mention that excursion. We brought our lunch and drinks and ate half way through. Also, I would bring Tevas or the like if you get out of the kayak. Renting kayaks for an ocean trip would work too, but do it in the morning. The kids can just ride along and have fun.

We have taken several Blue Hawaiian Helicopter tours with our young children and nieces and nephews. We found that younger children (under 6) tend to fall asleep in the helicopters, so its not necessarily the best expenditure of money. That having been said, we would choose to bring them again, for what they did end up getting out of it.

I'd have no problems taking children on a kayak trip provided they wore their life jackets and rode tandem with an adult.

I would recommend going with a guide because people underestimate the tides on the island and you want to be safe.

We took our five year old on a helicopter tour in Kauai over Christmas. It was the highlight of the trip for him. As for us.

We also kayaked with him, not on the river but in the protected reef area where we were staying. No problem. Child-size lifevests are of course provided.

When we kayaked in Kauai (Lihue area) last year there were younger kids with their parents. We did have to wait for a mom and daughter as they were not as strong to paddle as the rest of the group.

With the price of the helicopter tours, I'd suggest not taking children as they do not get as much out of it. We fly with Inter Island Helicopters in Kauai and I do not think that they allow small children.

All the ones we spoke to were OK with 2 and up. But I would respectfully disagree about the value of the experience for kids-- my son was truly rapt, he's been facinated by helicopters for years, and volcanoes. It was the one experience he wrote about back in kindergarten at the end of the holidays.