Josh Petersen
Seattle
A question about this place:
What activities on the Big Island do you think would best fascinate 7 and 5 year old kids? Thanks!
Answers:
Kate L
Philadelphia
Hey, the Place of Refuge is really cool, lots of space for them to run around, see some native buildings and possibly some sea turtles.
I’ll let you know if I think of anything else. Good luck!
Tom
London
The geography of Big Island is fascinating. One side of the island is hot and dry and the other green and wet. Driving across the islands allows you to illustrate the difference in climates and flora and fauna.
With a trip to the south you can see the volcanic activity in action. While this is not the most engaging or comparable to jumping into the ocean it’s a brilliant opportunity to give an insight into the workings of nature.
Combine it with a trip to one of the exquisite bird and orchard gardens for some first hand experience and some happy snapping.
Sarah
Hilo
Camping by the beach is always fun. Kapoho and Manuka Bay are a couple of nice places.
If you’re there during the summer, there are bon dances all around the island on the weekends.
Parasailing, lava tube visits, and picnics at the park (I used to love feeding the ducks at Wailoa) are some others.
Josh Petersen
Seattle
Thanks for the tips. I need to read up on lava tubes, and the duck feeding sounds great too).
Lisa
Fort Lee
I would definitely recommend Black Sand Beach (Punalu’u) and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – depending on how outdoorsy the kids are and how much walking/hiking you want to do. The active lava flow (at least when I was there) was well outside the park and an extra long drive, and though there were a lot of kids around who seemed to be entertained, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend driving all that way unless you have a real geology buff in your house.
I went whale watching and although that was fun for me, you can’t guarantee that there is going to be enough to see to really spark the interest of most kids. There are pods of spinner dolphins that frequent some of the bays, and some tours will take people out to “swim with them”. The family staying at my B&B did this and loved it, but complained that some of the tour companies weren’t respectful enough of the animals and that it was too crowded with people. So that might be worth doing, but you’d have to research to make sure that your company had the right priorities.
The kid staying at my B&B was pretty psyched about taking a helicoper ride over the volcano – haven’t experienced that personally, but that promised to be the highlight of his trip. His family also signed him up for a surfing lesson but it was cancelled due to exceptionally rough waves, and they ended up just hanging out on the beach which they said was almost as nice.
Josh Petersen
Seattle
I don’t know if I have the guts for that helicopter ride, but I’m sure my oldest daughter would love it.
prettywahine
Big Island
It’s still “winter” so be careful of high surf when you go to the beaches. I’d suggest getting kids’ size snorkel & mask at home so they can practice now in the bathtub. Kahaluu Beach Park, south of Kona, has excellent snorkeling and does have lifeguards. Also, Hapuna Beach is a gorgeous sandy beach… just be careful of the surf and currents. Check in with the lifeguards before going in! Kua Bay is another gorgeous spot, but there are no lifeguards.
It’s whale watching season so if it’s in the budget, definitely suggest doing that…it’s truly amazing! Much different from the west coast of the continental u.s.
I work at the Hilton, so am partial, but the grounds are gorgeous and you can ride around on the boat or tram even if you’re not a guest. There is also Dolphin Encounters available (again if it’s in the budget.) Otherwise, come in and have lunch (parking is validated) and you can sit and watch the dolphins while you eat. There are some great tide pools along the coastline between the Hilton and the Marriott. FYI—No matter what people say, there are no private beaches in Hawaii so have fun. Weather permitting, the Waikoloa Canoe Club (my hubby’s a member) offers rides on Hawaiian Outrigger Canoes on Sunday mornings at 8am at Anaehoomalu Bay (A-Bay) in the Waikoloa resort. They’re free =) and a great cultural experience.
Going down to Volcano is great, too, but it does take a full day and depending on Madame Pele, you may or may not get to see the lava flowing. Kailua Candy Company and Big Island Candies (Hilo) both have production on site so the kids can see the candy being made and you can get the required goodies to take home to family & friends.
Hope this helps a bit… there’s a ton to do here, but I skipped over the stuff our kids and grandkids deemed “boring” =) Let me know if you need more… Aloha!
Josh Petersen
Seattle
Thanks for the great suggestions. I’m sure the kids will want to ride around the Hilton. And we have gor to go see a volcano. Thanks again for all the tips.
Mahalo.
mahinui
Volcano
Great answers to your question already.
Place of Refuge and Volcanoes National Park are both parks and both amazing to visit. If you decide on that itinerary, you may think about spending a couple of nights near or at each place, as travel about the island takes a lot of time, and if you stay just one place, you’ll be on the road a lot, especially if that place is Kona.
Aloha!
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