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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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!