The Honolulu Festival is happening this weekend. It involves multiple venues, many performances, a parade and fireworks so check it out, I'm sure you'll find something that interests you. There are also a few free concerts, some children's theater and other fun to be had. Check out the details on all these events on the Weekend Events Page.
Feel free to share events I missed with others as a comment to this post and if you find the Weekend Events Page helpful, please tell your friends about it! Mahalo and have a great weekend!
February 29, 2012
February 28, 2012
Fishing at Kawainui Marsh
I don't have much experience fishing, so when friends invited us to meet them at Kawainui Marsh to do a little fishing I thought it would be a great chance for my kids to do something new.Our friends had a basic pole with string and a simple hook on it and they had brought bread for bait. The kids took turns fishing and by the end of our time they had each caught at least one fish.
The fish aren't very big (if you look VERY closely you can see a fish on the end of the line in the above picture) and we tossed them all back in the water.
What an adventure for the kids! They strategized and planned, fished and had fun. Thankfully no one got hooked with the hook and amazingly no one fell in the water!
Do it yourself on Oahu
Location: I'm sure there are fish all along the marsh. We went to the mauka (mountain) end of Kaha Street which is off of Oneawa Street. There's a park there and we walked on the sidewalk toward the canal and fished right where the trail behind the marsh begins.
Hours: The park and parking lot at the end of Kaha Street are closed from 7pm to 7am.
Parking: We parked at the parking lot at the park at the end of Kaha Street.
Facilities: There is a porta-potty at the park.
Other: • Read my post about the Trail along Kawainui Marsh. It's a great place to ride bikes or run or walk. • There are lots of ducks here, so take stuff to feed the ducks if that sounds fun to you.
February 27, 2012
Scenic Sunday: Cool Clouds
Scenic Sunday...because I never get over the beauty of these islands.
I confused my kids one day by pulling over to take a picture of the clouds.
These clouds might mean something to a weather person but to me they just looked neat and unusual.
February 23, 2012
Elephants at the Honolulu Zoo
To learn more about the Honolulu Zoo, read my blog post titled The Honolulu Zoo. To just learn about the new elephant exhibit, continue reading below.
We haven't been doing a good job of putting our zoo membership to use this year but we are trying to change that, starting with a visit a couple weeks ago.
It was the first time we had been since they FINALLY finished the new elephant habitat. They've been working on that project for longer than I can remember. I've heard some complaints about it but I have to say it is 100% better than where the elephants lived before. It always made me so sad to see the elephants in their tiny little space surrounded by concrete and I like their new spot.
The elephants get to walk on the ground now, not just stand on concrete, they have a water feature and they have lots of dirt which they were covering themselves in when we were there. And their new area is much bigger than their old one.
But like I said at the beginning, this new spot for the elephants is a huge improvement over what they had before and I'll enjoy seeing the elephants much more than I did in the past.
On a different topic, the peacocks are aggressive! Beware of leaving small children unguarded, especially if they have food. The peacocks help themselves, and aren't easily chased off. My daughter started the day excited to see the peacocks wandering around and ended by wanting to be picked up whenever one was anywhere in sight.
Do it yourself on Oahu
Location: On the corner of Kapahulu and Kalakaua Aves. at 151 Kapahulu Avenue, Waikiki, Hawaii
Hours: 9am to 4:30pm daily; Closed on Christmas
Cost: General Admission: $14 adults and $6 for children ages 3-12; Kama'aina/Military: $8 adults, $4 children ages 3-12. (Keep reading for my zoo membership recommendation.)
Parking: The zoo parking lot is adjacent to the zoo along Kapahulu Ave. This lot is metered parking. Memorize your license plate number (or park near one of the pay stations) and then pay with credit card or cash at the pay station. No need to put your receipt on your dashboard, the parking attendants check when your parking is expired electronically using your license plate number. If I remember right, parking here is $1/hr and you can add time remotely using your phone, how cool is that?! You can also park for free in the Waikiki Shell parking lot which is along Monsarrat on the other side of the zoo.
Facilities: The zoo has restroom facilities in several locations. They have a couple of places to get food and drinks including the Kapahulu Market. There is a gift shop by the main entrance.
Other: A zoo membership is worth purchasing and will save you money even if you only visit a handful of times in a year. You can find membership info and even join online here.
More info:
We haven't been doing a good job of putting our zoo membership to use this year but we are trying to change that, starting with a visit a couple weeks ago.
It was the first time we had been since they FINALLY finished the new elephant habitat. They've been working on that project for longer than I can remember. I've heard some complaints about it but I have to say it is 100% better than where the elephants lived before. It always made me so sad to see the elephants in their tiny little space surrounded by concrete and I like their new spot.
The elephants get to walk on the ground now, not just stand on concrete, they have a water feature and they have lots of dirt which they were covering themselves in when we were there. And their new area is much bigger than their old one.
The electric fence to keep them in definitely takes away from the possibility of this looking like a natural habitat. Talk about a heavy-duty electric fence.
But I didn't find it to be near as ugly as the chain link fence they've put up to keep people away from the electric fence. I thought that was kind of an eyesore.
Do it yourself on Oahu
Location: On the corner of Kapahulu and Kalakaua Aves. at 151 Kapahulu Avenue, Waikiki, Hawaii
Hours: 9am to 4:30pm daily; Closed on Christmas
Cost: General Admission: $14 adults and $6 for children ages 3-12; Kama'aina/Military: $8 adults, $4 children ages 3-12. (Keep reading for my zoo membership recommendation.)
Parking: The zoo parking lot is adjacent to the zoo along Kapahulu Ave. This lot is metered parking. Memorize your license plate number (or park near one of the pay stations) and then pay with credit card or cash at the pay station. No need to put your receipt on your dashboard, the parking attendants check when your parking is expired electronically using your license plate number. If I remember right, parking here is $1/hr and you can add time remotely using your phone, how cool is that?! You can also park for free in the Waikiki Shell parking lot which is along Monsarrat on the other side of the zoo.
Facilities: The zoo has restroom facilities in several locations. They have a couple of places to get food and drinks including the Kapahulu Market. There is a gift shop by the main entrance.
Other: A zoo membership is worth purchasing and will save you money even if you only visit a handful of times in a year. You can find membership info and even join online here.
More info:
on Oahu Mom; Honolulu Zoo Webpage, 808-971-7171
February 22, 2012
February 25 & 26, 2012: Weekend Events
It's a short and sweet list this week, but there are a few fun things happening on island this weekend so check out the newly updated Weekend Events Page for the scoop on family friendly fun. If you know of events I missed, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post or on my Facebook page.
February 21, 2012
Ice Palace Hawaii
Taking our kids to the Ice Palace has been on our bucket list and we finally made it happen. An upcoming school field trip motivated us to get it on the calendar so our son would have some experience under his belt before he went with his class.
It felt odd to put on long sleeves and long pants and get out sweatshirts, socks and mittens when it was a beautiful warm day outside but when we got into the Ice Palace we were glad to have our warm clothes on. We got our skates and got ready to head out onto the ice. (Sounds easy but with a 3 and 6 year old it took a little bit of time to get shoes changed, sweatshirts zipped up, mittens on, bathroom trips made, mittens back on, etc. - but I don't need to tell that to you that, if you're a parent then you know how it goes!)
One end of the ice rink is sectioned off for beginners and they have little walker-type things to use in this area. This makes it much easier to help a beginning skater without ending up with a back injury yourself and it also helps them gain a bit of independence sooner than they would without it.
Do it yourself on Oahu
Location: 4510 Salt Lake Blvd. #B6, Honolulu, Hawaii 96818 in the Stadium Mall Shopping Center
Hours: Check their website (linked below) for current public skating hours.
Cost: $8.90 for every skater, includes skate rental. No charge for parents who are there to chaperone children but will not be skating.
Parking: Free parking in the adjacent parking lot.
Facilities: There are restrooms here as would be expected. They also have lockers for rent and quite a few arcade type games. There is a snack bar where you can order pizza, hot dogs, nachos, fountain drinks and other basic fast-food items. There are bleachers, tables and chairs and an area upstairs for birthday parties.
Other: It's hard to remember when it's 80° outside, but it's cold inside the Ice Palace so dress accordingly. Don't forget to take socks and if you have mittens take them too! • It's also helpful to take cash or small bills (they have a change making machine) if you plan to use the lockers. • Have feet measured if you're not sure what size of ice skates to get. The skates don't correlate directly with regular shoe sizes.
More info: Call 808-487-9921 or visit the Ice Palace Hawaii's website
It felt odd to put on long sleeves and long pants and get out sweatshirts, socks and mittens when it was a beautiful warm day outside but when we got into the Ice Palace we were glad to have our warm clothes on. We got our skates and got ready to head out onto the ice. (Sounds easy but with a 3 and 6 year old it took a little bit of time to get shoes changed, sweatshirts zipped up, mittens on, bathroom trips made, mittens back on, etc. - but I don't need to tell that to you that, if you're a parent then you know how it goes!)
One end of the ice rink is sectioned off for beginners and they have little walker-type things to use in this area. This makes it much easier to help a beginning skater without ending up with a back injury yourself and it also helps them gain a bit of independence sooner than they would without it.
Don't let the exterior of the Ice Palace keep you from paying it a visit. My son loves the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover" and that applies to the Ice Palace. Here's the outside:
Here's the inside
Beginners can skate in the rest of the rink too, but the little walker devices have to stay in the area designated for them. Our kids wanted to venture out into the big part of the rink after awhile and had fun making their way around the big loop.
The Ice Palace was a fun family outing for us. We skated until the kids were ready for a break and then got pizza while the Zamboni cleaned and resurfaced the ice. Then we skated some more until we were all ready to go. We turned in our skates, put on our slippers, took off our sweatshirts and mittens and headed out into the beautiful Hawaiian sunshine. I love winter in small quantities and a morning at the Ice Palace was a perfect amount of winter for me!
Location: 4510 Salt Lake Blvd. #B6, Honolulu, Hawaii 96818 in the Stadium Mall Shopping Center
Hours: Check their website (linked below) for current public skating hours.
Cost: $8.90 for every skater, includes skate rental. No charge for parents who are there to chaperone children but will not be skating.
Parking: Free parking in the adjacent parking lot.
Facilities: There are restrooms here as would be expected. They also have lockers for rent and quite a few arcade type games. There is a snack bar where you can order pizza, hot dogs, nachos, fountain drinks and other basic fast-food items. There are bleachers, tables and chairs and an area upstairs for birthday parties.
Other: It's hard to remember when it's 80° outside, but it's cold inside the Ice Palace so dress accordingly. Don't forget to take socks and if you have mittens take them too! • It's also helpful to take cash or small bills (they have a change making machine) if you plan to use the lockers. • Have feet measured if you're not sure what size of ice skates to get. The skates don't correlate directly with regular shoe sizes.
More info: Call 808-487-9921 or visit the Ice Palace Hawaii's website
February 19, 2012
Scenic Sunday: Kailua Bay
Scenic Sunday...because I never get over the beauty of these islands.
Kailua Bay as seen from Kaiwa Ridge on the Lanikai Pillbox Hike
This post is linked to Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.
February 16, 2012
January 18, 19 & 20, 2012: Weekend Events
President's Weekend is here and there are lots of family friendly activities and events happening this weekend. You and your family can watch a musical, visit the Great Aloha Run's Fitness Expo, take a tour at Kualoa Ranch, go on a guided Reef Walk, head to the Free Family Sunday at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, go to a family dance party and more. Like I said, there's a lot happening! Check out the Weekend Events Page for all the details.
Even though the list is long this weekend, I'm sure I missed an event or two so feel free to use the comments to share other events with our Oahu Mom ohana.
Have a great weekend!
Even though the list is long this weekend, I'm sure I missed an event or two so feel free to use the comments to share other events with our Oahu Mom ohana.
Have a great weekend!
February 9, 2012
February 11 & 12, 2012: Weekend Events
I just updated the Weekend Events Page for this coming weekend. Check it out if you are looking for ideas for family-friendly events and activities happening this weekend!
If you know of events I missed, feel free to share them with others as a comment to this post.
My family will be celebrating a birthday this weekend. I was ready to plan a big old birthday bash but my son just wanted a few friends over to play tag and outdoor games so I took my event-planner hat off and we're going to have a small group of kids over to play tag (and eat cake too of course). Can't believe I'm going to have a 7-year-old in just a few days!
I hope you have a great weekend!
If you know of events I missed, feel free to share them with others as a comment to this post.
My family will be celebrating a birthday this weekend. I was ready to plan a big old birthday bash but my son just wanted a few friends over to play tag and outdoor games so I took my event-planner hat off and we're going to have a small group of kids over to play tag (and eat cake too of course). Can't believe I'm going to have a 7-year-old in just a few days!
I hope you have a great weekend!
February 7, 2012
Banzai Pipeline on the North Shore
Ah, winter. Those who say Hawaii doesn't have seasons haven't lived here. Sure they're mild, but there are seasons none-the-less. Winter means more rain, cooler temperatures (especially in the mornings and evenings) and big waves on the North Shore.
A couple weeks ago we had friends visiting who wanted to see the North Shore. The surf report said waves were around 15 feet and when we got to Pipeline we discovered there had been a surfing competition there earlier in the day but it had been called off because the waves were too big. There were still a lot of surfers and bodyboarders in the water and we joined the spectators lining the beach and had fun watching them most of the afternoon.
If you haven't made it up to the North Shore yet this winter you should add it to list of things to do. It's an entirely different place this time of year than in the summer and watching the big waves never gets old.
A couple weeks ago we had friends visiting who wanted to see the North Shore. The surf report said waves were around 15 feet and when we got to Pipeline we discovered there had been a surfing competition there earlier in the day but it had been called off because the waves were too big. There were still a lot of surfers and bodyboarders in the water and we joined the spectators lining the beach and had fun watching them most of the afternoon.
Pipeline really is a great place to watch bodyboarders and surfers because the main break is fairly close to shore so it's easy to see the action from the beach.
They're not quite as close as they look in this picture but this was taken with the zoom on my little point and shoot camera, not a fancy camera with a big lens. Definitely easy to see with the unaided eye.
If you just want to see waves, hit most any spot along the North Shore, but if you want to see surfers I'd recommend the Banzai Pipeline. Have fun and be safe!
They're not quite as close as they look in this picture but this was taken with the zoom on my little point and shoot camera, not a fancy camera with a big lens. Definitely easy to see with the unaided eye.
If you just want to see waves, hit most any spot along the North Shore, but if you want to see surfers I'd recommend the Banzai Pipeline. Have fun and be safe!
Do it yourself on Oahu
Location: Banzai Pipeline is located near Ehukai Beach Park which is in Pupukea on the North Shore.
Directions: Ehukai Beach Park is located along Kamehameha Hwy. between Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach near Sunset Beach Elementary School.
Parking: There is a parking lot at Ehukai Beach Park. When this is full find a spot where you can pull completely off the road that isn't marked 'no parking' and park there.
Facilities: There are restrooms and showers at Ehukai Beach Park.
Other: When there's a big swell most beaches on the North Shore are closed, and for good reason. The water is extremely rough and the currents are incredibly strong. Follow posted warnings and all lifeguard instructions. Also be on the lookout for unexpected waves that can wash quite a ways up the beach with lots of force. • Take binoculars if you have them, but if you don't you'll still be able to see a lot. • Big waves on the North Shore can mean lots of traffic on Kamehameha Hwy. Be prepared to go slow and relax and enjoy the journey.
February 5, 2012
February 2, 2012
February 4 & 5, 2012: Weekend Events
Trying to decide what to do with your family this weekend? I've compiled my weekly list of family friendly activities and events that are happening on island. Quite a few things to do on Saturday, not as many choices for Super Bowl Sunday, probably because event planners figure many people will be watching the game. Will you?
Visit the Weekend Events Page to see the whole list. As always, feel free to add things I missed by sharing a comment here or on my Facebook page. Have a great weekend!
Visit the Weekend Events Page to see the whole list. As always, feel free to add things I missed by sharing a comment here or on my Facebook page. Have a great weekend!
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