Home : 50 Ways to Love Oahu : Family Friendly

The world largest outdoor maze, dolphin discoveries, Hawaiian history, American History, Polynesian cultural villages, luaus and the best family memories and photo albums ever await you and your family on the island of O‘ahu.

Educational Adventures:

The Smithsonian of the Pacific, the Bishop Museum is Hawai‘i's museum of natural and cultural history. Charles Reed Bishop built the museum as a tribute to his late wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha dynasty and was originally designed to house the extensive collection of Hawaiian artifacts and royal family heirlooms. The Museum has since expanded to include millions of artifacts, documents and photos about Hawai'i and other Pacific cultures. Daily programs allow visitors to discover more about Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures through live, interactive presentations and exhibit tours. Planetarium shows showcase Polynesian skies and how voyagers navigated using the stars to sail the Pacific. In the new Science Adventure Center, visitors can experience Hawaii's unique natural environment like never before. Control volcanic eruptions, pilot a deep sea rover, see lava melting demos, or walk-through the vivid environment of the Hawaiian Origins Tunnel. www.bishopmuseum.org

Try your luck at the Dole Plantation’s Pineapple Maze, with 1.7 miles of manicured paths, an incredible environmental puzzle recognized as the "World's Largest Maze", where fearless adventurers can search for six secret stations on their way to solving the mystery of the maze. Then, take a ride on the Pineapple Express train, stroll through the Plantation Garden Tour with eight mini-gardens that will give visitors a close-up look at a wide variety of fruits, flowers, vegetables and native plants and visit the Pineapple Variety Garden, one of the few places in Hawaii where you can view over 20 varieties of pineapple plants from around the world. After you're done, try their signature pineapple ice cream cone as a reward for finding your way out of the green, pineapple puzzle. www.doleplantation.com

Named for the pearl oysters once harvested there, Pearl Harbor, located in the Ewa District of Oahu, is the largest natural harbor in Hawaii and the only naval base in the United States to be designated a National Historical Landmark. Vividly recounting the events of December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor is a poignant reminder of America’s involvement in World War II. The visitors’ center and monuments provide meaning for all ages and is by far, one of Oahu’s most well-known landmarks. Prepare to be moved when you visit the USS Arizona Memorial, the final resting place for over 900 victims of that fateful day, and the USS Oklahoma Memorial where 429 men lost their lives December 7. Make time for the USS Missouri Battleship, where the Japanese surrendered; the USS Bowfin Submarine and Museum which features a memorial to submariners killed in action during World War II; and the Pacific Aviation Museum which showcases aviation history.

Pearl Harbor - USS Arizona Memorial - Visit the sunken U.S.S. Arizona battleship and pay respect to the 1,177 men that lie entombed. The Arizona Memorial is a shrine to the crewmen that lost their lives and their names are now etched eternally in a marble wall. Today, visitors can take a guided tour of the Arizona memorial. At the visitor center, guests watch a short documentary film on the attack, take a short boat trip out to the remains of the sunken battleship, and then begin a self-guided exploration of the memorial itself. Admission is free and program tickets are issued on a first come first serve basis. www.nps.gov/usar/

Pearl Harbor, USS Missouri - On September 2, 1945, World War II officially ended on the decks of the USS Missouri when Japan signed its official and unconditional surrender. The “Mighty Mo” was the last of the great battleships to be completed by the US Navy and arguably the nation’s most historic battleship. Today, visitors can explore the ship’s decks, brig, and engine rooms to get more familiar with the American hero. www.ussmissouri.org

Pearl Harbor, USS Bowfin Museum - Explore the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park. This historic WWII submarine launched on December 7, 1942 was acquired from the U.S. Navy in 1979 and opened to the public in 1981. The 10,000 square foot Museum exhibits an impressive collection of submarine-related artifacts such as submarine weapon systems, photographs, paintings, battle flags, original recruiting posters, and detailed submarine models, all illustrating the history of the U.S. Submarine Service. www.bowfin.org

Pearl Harbor, Pacific Aviation Museum - Located on Ford Island, the Pacific Aviation Museum recently opened its doors on the 65th Anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The museum displays aircraft from both sides of the battle hanging in air, frozen in time on the aircraft carrier decking, with plasma screens and historical footage re-creating the cacophony of war. The Museum occupies WWII Hangars in Pearl Harbor that still bear the scars as our nation’s first aviation battlefield. The museum is dedicated to showing the patriotism and valor of the American Aviators in the Pacific. Presenting aircraft such as a 1942 Japanese Zero and its’ opponent, the Wildcat in full diorama exhibits. For more information, please visit www.pacificaviationmuseum.org

Discover the charm and beauty of the seven authentically recreated South Pacific Islands at the 42 acre Polynesian Cultural Center. Enjoy a canoe ride on the freshwater lagoon that winds through typical villages of Fiji, Hawai‘i, New Zealand, Marquesas, Samoa, Tahiti, and Tonga. Set on 42 acres of Oahu's North Shore, PCC has a winding lagoon that hosts canoe tours during the day, and an exciting Canoe Pageant at 2:30 p.m. Guests can cool off in Hawaii's only IMAX Theater to enjoy Coral Reef Adventure and learn the importance of coral reefs. The award-winning Ali'i Lu'au takes guests on a nostalgic trip to learn about Hawaii's royalty while enjoying traditional Hawaiian food and entertainment. Cap the day with the Horizons night show, featuring over 100 performers and the thrill of Samoan fire knife dancing. www.polynesia.com.

Wet & Wild - Outdoor Adventures

Unique to Hawaii and only on Oahu, the Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park is bordered by the natural cliffs of the Waianae Range. Located on 25 acres of lush tropical landscape in Oahu's second city of Kapolei, the park offers nine thrill rides, five family rides, nine specialty areas, two dining areas as well as Island Adventure Golf, a brand new high-end miniature golf course. A must for some cool family fun, experience the thrill of racing down a seven-story high slide or hang-ten and ride a simulated wave on Da FlowRider, an interactive water-sports skill ride offers the thrill of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding in one experience. Take a relaxing tube cruise around the lazy river or take a nice seat in the Jacuzzi get as active or relaxed as you want to be. www.hawaiianwaters.com

Immediately beyond picturesque Makapuu Point, you will find Sea Life Park Hawaii, which offers Hawaii's most diverse array of close-up marine animal encounters. Choose from the Dolphin Royal Swim, Dolphin Swim Adventure and Dolphin Encounter programs. Be a sea trek adventurer and photograph rays, turtles and sharks in the 300,000 gallon Reef Tank. Hand feed a sea lion, swim next to a ray in the Hawaiian Ray Encounter, or play with a sea lion in the Sea Lion Discovery program. www.sealifeparkhawaii.com\

The Honolulu Zoo is 42 acres and home to 995 different animals from the tropics. Komodo Dragons, orangutans, elephants, primates, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and a variety of African animals can be seen daily. Be sure to see the wildest place in Waikiki! On weekends, enjoy the works of local contemporary artists and craftspeople at the Honolulu Zoo Art Mart. Enjoy a wild night with the family at Honolulu Zoo After Dark (Throughout the year) On Saturdays, treat your little ones to a night with the animals! When the sun goes down, take an evening tour of the zoo to see the nocturnal activities of the Honolulu Zoo inhabitants. For children really wild about animals, consider the Vacation Adventures program where interested kiddies can spend an exciting day or week exploring the Honolulu Zoo and its inhabitants. Make your vacation an educational and life-changing experience with behind the scenes encounters, learning about the care of animals and the importance of conservation. For more information on exact dates and availability please visit www.honoluluzoo.org or call (808) 971-7195.

Take the family and go to Waimea Valley for a beautiful and invigorating family hike. There are valley hikes every Saturday that explore stunning views atop ridges accompanied by guides that help hikers identify native and exotic plants, view various streams and the Waimea Waterfall, point out native o`opu (fish), rare endemic aquatic moth pupa, and showcase the Valley’s indigenous birds.

The cost for the Family Hike series is $5 per person plus the cost of admission to the Valley. Space is limited to 20 participants and reservations are required. Participants in the Family Hike series must be at least 7 years of age and accompanied by an adult.

Note: The last Saturday of each month is a strenuous 5 hour hike

Registration is at 8:30 am at the Waimea Valley Visitor Center. Hikes start promptly at 9:00 am and end at 12:30 pm (short hikes only). Participants should bring a snack, insect repellent, sunscreen and water. Closed-toe, non-slip hiking shoes are required-without exception. For more information, visit www.waimeavalley.net. For reservations, call (808)638-7766.

For a hike closer to town, venture on a tropical forest hike with the Hawai’i Nature Center. Trek along the lush footpaths across Makiki Stream into Makiki Valley and view some of the most varied tropical plant life in the Islands and learn many of their uses as we trek along this moderate loop hike. Take the opportunity to treat your family to spectacular views with a guided tour of the Ancient Hawaiian Valley, just minutes from Waikiki. The moderate hike is approximately 2.5 miles or 3 hours and is offered on the 1st Wednesday of each month and 3rd Saturday of each month. For more information and the most updated information on these guided hiking adventures, please visit www.hawaiinaturecenter.org.

Food for the Family

Eat a rainbow. "Shave Ice" is often referred to as a Hawaiian snowcone but there is really no comparing the two. Shave ice is made right in front of you and is not only much softer and smoother but it is not uncommon at many Hawaiian shave ice stands, that there are more than 30 flavors to choose from, as well as yummy extra options like ice cream, mochi balls, or azuki beans. One of the most popular shave ice for keiki (children), is the classic rainbow shave ice which is a beautiful and yummy Vanilla, Strawberry and Pineapple combination. Matsumoto Shave Ice has been a Haleiwa town establishment for over 50 years. Shave ice is Hawaii’s more colorful, softer, tastier version of a snow cone. Try coconut, strawberry, lilikoi or if you can’t decide, have the whole rainbow. A treat for the whole family to enjoy www.matsumotoshaveice.com

Eat like locals. Hawaii’s famous plate lunch—consisting of a protein, two scoops of rice, and macaroni salad—is the state’s homegrown fast food tradition dating back to the 1920s and 1930s when plantation workers brought lunch to work in compartmentalized tin lunch boxes and traded and mixed their own ethnic dishes. Sample this Hawaiian staple at Zippy’s Restaurants, Rainbow Drive Inn and L&L Drive Inn. Tip: For a little bit of everything, just order the “mixed plate” wherever you go. www.zippys.com www.hawaiianbarbecue.com