Hawaii Activities for Kids

The difficulty level for many travel activities can be a little too extreme for most kids. Luckily, Hawaii is a perfect destination for the budding outdoor sports enthusiast. This island paradise is overrun with activities, and even more importantly, a good portion of them are incredibly kid-friendly. With this guide, your kids will be doing a little more than simply building a sand castle and picking sand dollars out of the undertow--they'll have the time of their lives.

Dolphins

At the Hilton Waikaloa Village on the big island, your kid can join in on the interactive Dolphin Quest program. This is a natural habitat for the smartest of the aquatic animals.

Horses

At the Makena Stables on Maui, kids can learn the lay of the land from the top of a horse. This isn't for the littlest ones, though; make sure they're at least 13.

Caves

In northern Kauai, there are the Waikanaloa Wet Caves. These caves were formed thousands of years ago by water pounding on the soft lava to make these forms. Be careful, as no swimming is allowed here.

Water

Maybe your kid isn't ready to hang ten yet, but there are other things to do. Opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, paddling and boogie-boarding abound. Get in touch with the local tourism office and they'll point the way to the nearest spot.

Hiking

Diamond Head Crater on Oahu makes for an incredible destination, as this short hike (30 minutes) up the extinct volcano gives a great panoramic view from the top.

Article Written By Vincent Runyon

Vincent Runyon is a writer working out of Portland, Ore. His work has been featured in "The Oregon Voice" and "Portland Monthly." Runyon received two bachelor's degrees from the University of Oregon. His greatest passions are traveling to new and different places and enjoying a good basketball game. Usually the two are mutually exclusive.

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