Kid Approved Excursions on POA

Hi! We will be on the POA next month and I'm trying to get our daily itinerary loosely planned. My 9 year old twins will be traveling with my husband and me. Any kid approved suggestions for excursions? Most days I'm thinking of just renting a car. The kids are excited to just go to Hawaii (me too) but I'm wondering if we should do a true excursion while there. I've read up on the sugar plantation tubing - so that's a maybe. My husband and daughter get motion sickness so I'm a little nervous to plan a snorkeling or helicopter trip, although I've heard from numerous people that the helicopter was the best thing they did. Any input is appreciated! Thank you!!

Hi! We will be on the POA next month and I'm trying to get our daily itinerary loosely planned. My 9 year old twins will be traveling with my husband and me. Any kid approved suggestions for excursions? Most days I'm thinking of just renting a car. The kids are excited to just go to Hawaii (me too) but I'm wondering if we should do a true excursion while there. I've read up on the sugar plantation tubing - so that's a maybe. My husband and daughter get motion sickness so I'm a little nervous to plan a snorkeling or helicopter trip, although I've heard from numerous people that the helicopter was the best thing they did. Any input is appreciated! Thank you!!

The car rental is an excellent idea for kids as it gives you full days to explore rather than a few hours on an excursion, and you can plan days which include a variety of things to see and do very inexpensively.

The helicopter would be a thrill for any 9 year old, for sure. What we experienced on ours was was fairly level smooth flying with some tilting in tight turns, and of course changes in elevation. They will probably be so awe struck by what they are seeing that motion sickness won't even be on their radar. Book direct for considerable savings. We used Blue Hawaiian and they picked up and returned to the port gate.

In Kona we did Fair Winds snorkel to Kealakekua Bay where the Captain Cook monument is located and where the Spinner Dolohin sleep and rest during the day. If you are lucky, you'll see them swim across the bay, spinning into the air. The morning tour includes a fresh BBQ lunch cooked while you snorkel in the shallow and calm bay. IMO these people are great with kids. We took a taxi ( there will be several as you exit the pier ) about 20 minutes to meet the tour. Just make sure you line up first thing for tender tickets that am. We had plenty of time to get to the tour. You can ask your taxi to meet you for the return trip if you want.

Thank you so much! I greatly appreciate your feedback! I don't want to overschedule and feel rushed or stressed, but I'm thinking we might want to have one or two "big" things planned. I'll check into the companies you used! Thanks again!!!

Aloha! You might want to google "101 Things To Do in Maui" (or Oahu or Kauai or Hawaii) for some good tips on what to do in the islands. You and your family can all have a look at what is offered and hopefully find some neat things everyone will enjoy.

With a 12, 10, and 7 year old we did the hiking to waterfalls in Maui and the Molokini snorkel tour. In Oahu a Pearl Harbor tour. Hilo a tour to volcano national park and black sand beach. Kauai we went tubing one day and Waimea canyon the next. The kids enjoyed all of it except the Waimea canyon. The view is fantastic and they did like that but its a long drive for a short time looking at the view. All the other tours they really liked.

I have very similar things planned that you did! So nice to hear your kids enjoyed everything! Mine are so excited!! My daughter is prone to motion sickness so I'm a little nervous to do a snorkeling excursion. Was the water choppy?

For snorkeling I would recommend taking an early morning trip, like 7:30-8:00. Its much calmer then. The afternoon trips are much rougher. We did an 8:00 one and motion was fine except on the way back near the end of the tour the waves picked up a bit. We were heading back to shore and moving so not a big deal. Obviously weather is different everyday but in general even the tour companies will tell you mornings are usually calmer.

Our oldest gets motion sick very easy. We give her the non-drowsy, all natural Dramamine and it helps a lot. We actually ran out of it in Maui but I walked to Walgreens from the ship to get more. Only a 10 min walk.

We took the Atlantis submarine tour the first week of June. It was fun to see the underwater sea life without going snorkeling. The ride was in the morning and pretty smooth.

Some Ideas:

Maui: I would recommend renting a car

Snorkeling- There are many places in Maui that you can snorkel right off the beach. Research ahead of time so you know if it is a safe place and that there is good snorkeling. Searching through this thread you can find recommendations of places to rent snorkel gear inexpensively. This way you can experience snorkeling without having to rely on a boat and worry about sickness.

Iao Valley: For a great VERY EASY kid friendly place to see some great scenery. You can go for a SHORT hike and still see some pretty scenery. Although it was damaged by a flood earlier this year.

Surfing: I don't know if your kids would like surfing but Maui Surfer Girls does a great job teaching people of all ages and abilities. We really enjoyed our lesson with them.

Hilo:

I would most definitely rent a car and drive to Volcano National Park.

Kona:

This is honestly the only port where you don't have to have a plan. It was a good walk around shop and have lunch (and Kona Ice!) day. Make sure you walk all the way down to the farmers market.

Kauai:

On the first day we drove up to Kalalau trail. This is an 8 mile (fairly strenuous) hike that ends at a water fall. Depending on your kids ability the whole trail may not be an option- HOWEVER just about a mile in there are great views of the Na Pali coast. The trail also begins and ends at a beach.

Your kids may also love the Waimea canyon.

If you are looking for a beach day here you can also walk to a fairly good (not awesome) beach. However for an hour or so it is enjoyable. You can also rent paddle boards and things here so they may enjoy that.

If your twins do not know how to surf this is a great activity. Very easy surf beaches with instruction in Lahaina and Waikiki. Our kids learned to surf when they were 4, 6, and 8 in Lahaina, I joined them in the lesson at the age of 45. Also, if your daughter is prone to motion sickness you can snorkel from the beach easily at Black Rock at Kaanapali Beach on Maui and many locations in the Kona area. Our kids loved a fabulous beach day in Hawaii. You probably already know about the benefits of eating ginger to calm motion sickness. So many things in the islands for families to do together. Have fun. Cherie