Planning a trip to Oahu (waikiki) and Kauai (Poipu) in January - we have a 3 year old who is wild about Dolphins and would love to get close to one. I found a "dolphin experience" site near Waikiki, but they start the children's program at age 5. While I don't plan to just plunk the kiddo into a tank full of mammals, does anyone know of a program that would let a toddler at least get within patting range?

Save your money and go to Sea World. She can pet to her heart's content.

t

Try Sea Life Park or The Kahala Mandarien Oriental in Oahu. I'm not sure what the age limit is, but my daughter did the program at Sea Life Park when she was little. In Kauai, you can take a snorkel cruise with Captain Andy's and see spinner dolphins in the wild. That's a lot of fun!!! You could also go to the Big Island and stay at the Hilton. They have a dolphin program.

Beth -

Thanks! I contacted the Kahala Mandarin program and, although they don't advertise it yet on their website, they do indeed have a "family experience" that accomodates younger children!

PS - x: Sea world (either coast) is almost as infrequent a trip from the Midwest as Hawaii, but thanks for the thought, anyway...