Tag: Maui Ocean Center

Maui Ocean Center

Located on the south side of Maui is Ma’alaea Bay, home to the Maui Ocean Center. The center is the largest tropical aquarium in not only the state of Hawaii, but in the United States altogether. If visiting the island of Maui, this spectator spot should not be missed. The ocean center has a huge aquarium that has water filtered into it from the Bay. This aquarium is as real as it gets. This tank has a tunnel that you can actually walk through. This makes for great pictures. You can get a picture of yourself standing face to face with a sand shark. While walking through the tunnel, you will see sharks and rays, and tons of different types of fish.

The best thing about the tunnel is that you can see the underside of the creatures as they swim above you. The tanks also boast a coral and tropical fish display that will amaze anyone. The coral itself is breathtaking. In fact this coral collection is the largest of any aquarium in the world.

Another amazing display inside the aquarium is the giant cylinder columns of jelly fish. They are several feet wide, and you can watch the jellyfish float above you. The sight of these creatures is both terrifying and mesmerizing at the same time.

Next you move along through the aquarium to the sea turtles tanks. These sea turtles have been injured at some point in their lives and their stay at the aquarium is only a temporary one. They will be reintroduced back into their natural habitat once they have recovered. This is my favorite exhibit in the aquarium. If you happen to visit during feeding time you can actually feed the turtles. It’s great to watch these huge docile creatures chomping happily on their lunch.

The ocean center also has an interactive display on whales, where visitors can learn about these giant mammals. Whale watching is a big hobby in Hawaii. There are several whale watching tours available. Turtle bay resort located on the north shore of Oahu boasts that during the winter you can actually see whales from your balcony.

The Maui Ocean Center is a perfect place for families to visit. They offer a wide variety of exhibits for children that are both informative and exciting. There is also a touch pond, where children can pick up some of the creatures and actually handle them. They can see sea stars and sea urchins, as well as skates and rays. Be careful when stroking rays, however, you should always stroke them from head to tail in order to avoid being stung by there tails.

No kid friendly aquarium would be complete without food. The ocean center offers a caf where you can grab lunch. They have light fare such as salads and sandwiches, and of course, ice cream. Also don’t miss the great picture taking opportunities that the center has to offer. Along the backside of the aquarium there are some spectacular views of Ma’alaea Bay, and there is a dolphin statue located in the very front of the center that also makes for a great souvenir photo.

Top

Hawaii Vacation with Kids

There couldn’t be a more relaxing vacation spot than Hawaii. There are lots of activities on both the land and in the water. The landscape provides the perfect backdrop for all sorts of outdoor activities. There will be plenty of things for the kids to do, so bring them with you.

The whole family will love boogie boarding or body surfing on one of the great beaches in Hawaii, like world famous Waikiki Beach. Waikiki even has a cheeseburger in paradise restaurant. The kids will love it. They can get any kind of toppings they want on these world famous burgers. Don’t forget the Honolulu zoo. It is a small city zoo, but it’s worth taking a tour. The flamingo pond in the front is sure to please the kids and will offer a great photo taking opportunity. The Waikiki Aquarium is another fun family stop.

It has a touch pond for the viewing pleasure of the kids and adults alike. Lastly, the bishop museum is worth taking a tour. They have demonstrations on the art of making lei’s as well as hula dancing performances. Before leaving the island take the kids to visit the world famous beaches of the North Shore. It’s worth the drive to see the very beaches where world class surfers congregate.

When visiting Maui a sure bet is the Maui Ocean Center, home to the largest tropical fish aquarium in the United States. The dolphin statues out front make a great background for a souvenir photo. Don’t forget to check out the whaling museum located in Lahaina. If you are visiting during the winter months go ahead and take a whale watching tour from the Lahaina harbor. It’s sure to please. The beaches at the resort are of Ka’anapali are fun for kids as well. Most of these resorts have awesome pools for little swimmers. Some even have water parks within the hotel themselves. Parents should take advantage of the kids programs at these resorts for some quiet time to themselves.

On the big island of Hawaii take a drive through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. You can see active volcanoes and possibly some lava flow from the comfort and safety of your own rental car. Next take a ride over to Waimea and take the kids for a horseback ride through the valley. You could do an all day excursion complete with lunch, or perhaps just pony rides for the little kids. Lastly you could go to North Kohala and try kayaking. This is a great place for beginners.

The island of Molokai will offer some good old fashioned rest and relaxation in an authentic Hawaiian atmosphere. You could rent mountain bikes and explore the island together. Be careful, however, not to go too far off the trails, because it’s easy to get lost on the mostly undeveloped island. On this island you should consider renting a house so the kids will have plenty of room to spread out. Also there aren’t too many hotel options here on Molokai.

Top

Hawaii- The Perfect Vacation for Families

Hawaii, translated from the ancient Hawaiian language should mean paradise, because that’s what it is. Hawaii has a climate that varies only several degrees in temperature year round and the sun always shines. The rainy season is in January, but it isn’t so rainy that it deters visitors. In fact, winter is one of the most popular times of year to visit Hawaii. This is probably because it is cold and dreary just about everywhere else in the United States. Hawaii makes for the perfect getaway for Californians because it is only about a three hour flight.

Hawaii makes for a great family vacation because of the wide variety of activities or no activity at all. (if laying on a perfect sandy beach is your thing) All of the islands offer a variety of family friendly activities. Such as swimming or surfing on one of Hawaii’s amazing beaches. Wakiki is a family friendly beach located on the island of Ohau. The waves are long and shallow offering a good family atmosphere. Wakiki is a good place for beginners to learn to surf because the waves or not so treacherous. Because Honolulu is a big city, you can even find fast food to satisfy those hungry youngsters.

While on Ohau, be sure not to miss the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. This memorial is both powerful and sorrowful. After watching a brief movie depicting the horrific attack on Pearl Harbor, visitors will take a short ferry ride out too the memorial. The memorial actually floats on top of the sunken ship. Once you get off the ferry, you can walk back to the wall that lists the name of every person that died that dreaded day in December.

Ohau is also home to the Wakiki Aquarium, the Honolulu zoo, and the Sea life park. The park has a 300,000 gallon tank, where you can see sharks, rays and thousands of reef fish. You can even swim with the dolphins here. The kid’s will love the dolphins.

The island of Maui hosts the Maui Ocean Center, which is the largest tropical aquarium in the United States. Maui is also a good place to windsurf, and has tons of different waterfalls. The resort area of Ka’anapali is located on the western coast of Maui, and is home to the island’s best golf courses. This is where you will find the large high-rise resorts. They have plenty of pools for the kids to swim in. The beach here, however, is not quite as kid friendly as Wakiki Beach. The rip currents can be strong and Maui is much windier that Honolulu. The calmer beach at Kihei, might be a little more kid friendly.

If horsebacking riding is more your style, you should visit either the North Shore of Ohau, or the big island of Hawaii or Kaua’i. Of course, don’t forget the Luau. Luaus make for great family fun and can be found on any of the Hawaiian islands. The fire eaters and beautiful Polynesian dancers are sure to impress kids of all ages. Whatever your idea of family fun, Hawaii is sure to please.

Top