From snorkeling and kayaking to hiking and zip-lining, families vacationing in Hawaii find there’s a lot to see and do on every island. The highlight of the getaway for the children, however, could wind up being something they did at their hotel. Check out these resorts’ special diversions for their youngest guests.
OAHU
Horsing around
Fledgling cowpokes will love Turtle Bay Resort’s Keiki Horsemanship 101, a fun, information-packed introduction to horses. At the barn they’ll learn about different breeds of horses and types of feed, how to brush a horse, the parts of the saddle and how to tack up. They’ll also give their new four-legged friends treats and mount one for a ride along the shore. The littlest kids can sign up for the Pony Experience, which includes brushing a miniature horse and going on a short ride around the barn.
Keiki Horsemanship 101: 10 a.m.-noon Monday, Wednesday, Friday; ages 7-14; $129. Pony Experience between 10 and 11 a.m. and 12:40 and 2:20 p.m. daily; ages 2-6; $35; 15 minutes. 293-6020; turtlebayresort.com/horsemanship and turtlebayresort.com/ponyexperience.
Spa-tacular
Spa indulgences aren’t just for grown-ups; the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina welcomes youngsters to its Naupaka Spa & Wellness Centre to enjoy rejuvenating treatments. Among the Keiki o ka Aina (Children of the Land) Therapies is the Hawaiian Hula Princess, which transforms little girls into royalty, local style, with lip gloss, a glittery floral tattoo, a keepsake grass hula skirt, and flower lei and hair adornment.
Available by appointment; ages 4-11 for manicures, pedicures and the Hawaiian Hula Princess and 12-17 for facials and massages; $35-$180; 25-50 minutes. 679-3200; bit.ly/FSOahu_KeikiSpa.
MAUI
Swim like a mermaid
Remember the 1989 Disney blockbuster “The Little Mermaid”? Kids who saw it likely have kids of their own now who can cavort underwater just like the heroine, Ariel, thanks to the Fairmont Kea Lani’s Mermaid University. They’ll learn how to swim with tails; listen to legends about Kananaka, a Hawaiian mermaid who lives in the waters off Lahaina; and receive gifts, including goggles and a diploma for graduating from the class.
December 23, 27 and 30 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. It will be offered weekly beginning in January (day and time to be determined); private sessions can also be arranged. Ages 7-12, $110-$180, 90 minutes. 875-2290; bit.ly/KeaLaniMermaids.
Passport to aloha
The Aloha Passport for Kids program is a 12-stop journey around the Ka‘anapali Beach Hotel that blends recreation with education. First, youngsters are given a Hawaiian name and find out its meaning. Then, they gain valuable insights into Hawaiian history and culture as they dance a hula, string a lei, learn common Hawaiian words and more. Their smiles grow bigger as they collect prizes such as a flashlight, backpack, water bottle and T-shirt just for participating.
Year-round at children’s leisure during their stay; ages 4-12; free. 661-0011; kbhmaui.com/experience/maui-family-vacations.
HAWAII ISLAND
A swinging time
As its name implies, Mauna Lani Resort’s Keiki Golf Course was designed for children. The only one of its kind in Hawaii, the nine-hole course has greens, sand traps and lava hazards with 3, 4 and 5 pars just like a regulation course. The holes’ yardage ranges from 44 to 131 yards, and their names provide clues about what to expect. For example, the 4-par “Wipe Out” uses a surfing term to describe a green that’s “like the toughest wave you will ever ride.”
Daily, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (till 6 p.m. in the summer); ages 5-17; $25 for keiki, including clubs, and $35 for adults plus $15 for a three-club set, if needed. Kids under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. 885-6655; maunalani.com/golf/hawaii-golf-resorts.
KAUAI
Learning through discovery
The Young Voyagers Club, the St. Regis Princeville’s children’s program, offers activities that incorporate science, culture, art, adventure and fun. Ocean Pulse takes kids to the coast where they kick off their shoes, pick up nets and buckets and wade close to shore, keeping an eye out for specimens they can study on the beach (e.g., snails, small crabs and juvenile fish) or take back to the club to examine under a microscope (e.g., shells and seaweed).
Daily, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and 5:30-8:30 p.m.; ages 5-12. Full day, $98, including lunch; half-day (9 a.m.-noon or 1-4 p.m.), $49; evening, $69, including dinner. 651-3452; princeville.biz.
AND FINALLY …
Playtime with dolphins
Dolphins are known for their intelligence, speed (they can swim up to 25 miles per hour) and echolocation, a biological sonar ability that enables them to “see” via reflected sound waves. Dolphin Quest at the Kahala Hotel & Resort on Oahu and the Hilton Waikoloa Village on Hawaii island invites kids to encounter these fascinating mammals up close. Depending on the option, they’ll be able to feed dolphins, touch them, play games with them and assist with training activities.
Daily, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; infant-17 (some activities require an accompanying adult); $99-$700; 15 minutes-5-1/2 hours. Kahala Hotel & Resort, 739-8918, bit.ly/dqoahu; Hilton Waikoloa Village, 886-2875, bit.ly/dqhawaii
Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.
