Things to do at resort and around KoOlina

[nanceetom]

We are taking our family to KoOlina, flying in from Charlotte. We have been to KoOlina and thought the property was lovely, but now having 3 boys with us ages 13, 12 and 10, we're wondering if there's enough to do, without breaking the bank to keep everyone busy. We loved the property itself, but do not remember if they had any activities during the day for pre teen kids. We did not snorkel, but was wondering how the lagoons were for that. Last year, we went to the Marriott Desert Ridge, and they had so many things to do with pool activities, sushi, salsa classes, etc. kids loved it. We don't remember, since we didn't have an interest on resort activities, but I'm sure the boys would like to do a few things, not sure if there were any?
We will have a rental, so do plan on going to Pearl Harbor, Missouri, Punchbowl Cemetery. Trying to think of ideas that would be fun for kids and their parents that are not too $$.

 

[tahoe]

https://hanaumabaystatepark.com/

Get there early for parking.

 

[dgf15215]

Am there right now and have attached a photo I just took for you of the poster in the elevator about the day's activities. There are a lot of kids here, we look right down at the pools and see a ton of really young kids in the closest one but lots of other kids around the place. The Dole Plantation isn't far and they have a few activities that might interest boys that age including a guided train ride through the plantation and the world's largest maze. Plus a constant line for their pineapple ice cream - heck, even we stopped there on the way to the North Shore the other day for the ice cream. https://www.doleplantation.com/tour-packages/

Good luck!

 

[Dean]

There are lots of things to do in HI. I'd agree with the Dole Plantation but add a trip to Haleiwa, drive along the north shore, Punchbowl (national cemetery), Pali Lookout, circle island drive, walk Waikiki, explore Ala Moana Mall, flea market, Bishop Museum (among others including Missouri, Bowfin sub & Air museum), explore churches. We did Chief's Luau rather than the one at the resort (same entertainers) and really glad we made that choice. It's only a couple of miles from the resort and easy to get to.

 

[ml855]

Our family really enjoy hiking. When our boys were younger we hiked Diamond Head while visiting KoOlina. There were great views from the top. We also visited the North Shore, did some snorkeling, visited pearl harbor, etc. Mostly we stayed at the resort and enjoyed the pools and lagoons.

 

[littlestar]

We walked the beach path from Marriott over to Disney Aulani and bought Dole whips at Disney’s little concession stand near Aulani’s lagoon. (My favorite is vanilla and pineapple together).

 

[hangloose]

There is plenty to do for kids at Ko Olina. We took our two this past year for the first time and they loved it. They were just a few years younger than yours.

At the resort, there are several pools which are excellent for kids (waterfalls, slides, etc). The lagoons are great and safe to swim in, given very little current. They are't the best to snorkel in though, as they are mainly sandy bottom with limited coral. You can at times see sea turtles, monk seals or some smaller fish on the sides near the rocks. Inside the resort, there is a kids activity center which runs daily arts/crafts events (example image above from dgf). There is a billiards room, which my son really loved daily. They also have a kids lounge where they show movies, have ping pong, puzzles and various board games. A quick walk along the walking path could go by the marina or down to Aulani, which is fun to walk through.

On Oahu, there are plenty of activities. Just depends on what activities you want and how far you want to drive. Last trip, we did the Dole Plantation. It was VERY touristy and we actually did not enjoy it. We also trekked up to Haleiwa to see the North Shore. Kids loved seeing the huge waves and surfers. Just note, we weren't comfortable with our kids getting in the water there....so they just watched...given the surf conditions were high. We took a picnic. Nearer to Honolulu is Waikiki beach, Ala Moana shopping, Pearl Harbor, Missouri, Haunama Bay (great for snorkeling with kids!, arrive early!), Diamond Head, Waikiki Zoo, etc.

When on a family budget, just staying at the resort and then traveling a few days to local beaches, seeing Pali lookout, hiking Diamond Head, walking Waikiki, seeing North Shore, etc....are all great options. Part of our fun in Hawaii is seeing the natural beauty in different spots of the island. If you want a slightly further trip, Oahu has the only green sand beach in Hawaii. Pretty neat, but it's a little bit of an adventure via car and walking. Check it out via Papakolea Beach.

Lastly, if the kids first time to Hawaii...I do suggest a luau. Ko Olina has a good one. Some luau's will provide a show only ticket (no dinner), to reduce cost. With a family of kids, this can be a good option given most kids don't eat their money's worth at the pricey luau.

Enjoy.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

We are taking our family to KoOlina, flying in from Charlotte. We have been to KoOlina and thought the property was lovely, but now having 3 boys with us ages 13, 12 and 10, we're wondering if there's enough to do, without breaking the bank to keep everyone busy. We loved the property itself, but do not remember if they had any activities during the day for pre teen kids. We did not snorkel, but was wondering how the lagoons were for that. Last year, we went to the Marriott Desert Ridge, and they had so many things to do with pool activities, sushi, salsa classes, etc. kids loved it. We don't remember, since we didn't have an interest on resort activities, but I'm sure the boys would like to do a few things, not sure if there were any?
We will have a rental, so do plan on going to Pearl Harbor, Missouri, Punchbowl Cemetery. Trying to think of ideas that would be fun for kids and their parents that are not too $$.

Don't forget to go to Diamond Head while you are in Honolulu. Climbing Diamond Head will offer spectacular views of the ocean and the island.

Be sure to dress for the long upward climb using proper footwear and bring water. Some parts of the trail are quite steep and narrow so take your time. Persons of all ages are seen on the trail, so it's a fun thing to do. Obviously don't forget to bring your cameras or cell phone cameras, and bottles of water.

Diamond Head is a now defunct volcano that the US Military used as a good lookout location during WWII. They also had anti aircraft weapons there and you'll be able to stand in and view their lookout locations.

Most of all; Have fun!





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[Fasttr]

If you are exploring by car, I recommend the Shaka Guide apps that you can download to your smart phone. Just search Shaka Oahu for the Oahu one. They have them for every island. Downloading the app to check it out is free. Then you pay to download specific tours that you decide to take....around $5 per tour download as I recall. You can download the specific tour before you head out for the day, so it does not use data during the drive, but it gives you turn by turn directions (knowing where you are on the map via GPS in your phone) as well as tons of interesting facts, places to see, hikes to explore, off the beaten path places to eat, etc, etc. The Shaka guide dude is pretty funny. My kids still will make references from our Shaka tours such as "ono grinds brah". Its worth checking out. We saw places on each island we never would have seen without it.

 

[Swice]

A few years ago when my boys were that age there were several standouts:
1. The chief-- whether at the hotel or off site, the chief was the hit! Fia Fia
2. With boys: count on a FULL day at Pearl Harbor/Missouri.
3. The KCC Farmers Market -- University of Hawaii Kapi'olani Community College4303 Diamond Head Rd Honolulu, HI 96816 It's open Saturdays. Vendors sell food that you can eat there. Also a good place to buy food and take back to your unit. Example: Drinking from a coconut-- they cut it and give you a straw and it's MUCH cheaper than the tourist places. They probably will not like it so it's better not to spend a lot of money in the tourist areas.

 

[BobG7734]

We are taking our family to KoOlina, flying in from Charlotte. We have been to KoOlina and thought the property was lovely, but now having 3 boys with us ages 13, 12 and 10, we're wondering if there's enough to do, without breaking the bank to keep everyone busy. We loved the property itself, but do not remember if they had any activities during the day for pre teen kids. We did not snorkel, but was wondering how the lagoons were for that. Last year, we went to the Marriott Desert Ridge, and they had so many things to do with pool activities, sushi, salsa classes, etc. kids loved it. We don't remember, since we didn't have an interest on resort activities, but I'm sure the boys would like to do a few things, not sure if there were any?
We will have a rental, so do plan on going to Pearl Harbor, Missouri, Punchbowl Cemetery. Trying to think of ideas that would be fun for kids and their parents that are not too $$.

We were there last August with entire family for 10 days...6 adults and 5 grandkids ages 5-13...They all loved it and are pressing to return anywhere in Hawaii. I'm trying to book time in Maui for Feb 2020...so far not a lot of luck with points. Ko Olina has a lot to offer at the resort itself with the different pools and lagoon. For the lagoon look for the "take one leave one" float drop near Hale Moana...the kids found all sorts of floatation devices! We did not do the Luau...too expensive and not worth it from reading all the reviews...you can see most of the entertainment from the balconies or near the main entrance lobby/overlook area, they all preferred MpnkeyPod! We arranged a private tour of Pearl Harbor from Ko Olina...highly recommend Donna's Tour (see Trip Advisor reviews or PM me for more info on her)...the tour included RT van transportation for all 11 of us from Ko Olina, PH and battleship admission, private tour group (which bypasses the crowds), refreshments and a great commentary from Donna and her assistant. Other activities included parasailing at Waikiki, hanging out at Waikiki beach and exploring parts of Honolulu; early morning hike of Diamond Head (older ones did that); a day trip to the North Shore and Wiaimea Falls; and a snorkeling/lunch/dolphin trip from the nearby Harbor (walking distance). We didn't rent any autos from the airport...used "go808express" private shuttle service which was highly reliable and in total not that expensive since each group was arriving/departing at different times. Enterprise has an office at Ko Olina which was used for daily rentals for our day trips. We also did family photos (using the photographer at Ko Olina) which came out fantastic.

Enjoy the trip and we have fingers crossed for Maui!!!

 

[BobG7734]

We were there last August with entire family for 10 days...6 adults and 5 grandkids ages 5-13...They all loved it and are pressing to return anywhere in Hawaii. I'm trying to book time in Maui for Feb 2020...so far not a lot of luck with points. Ko Olina has a lot to offer at the resort itself with the different pools and lagoon. For the lagoon look for the "take one leave one" float drop near Hale Moana...the kids found all sorts of floatation devices! We did not do the Luau...too expensive and not worth it from reading all the reviews...you can see most of the entertainment from the balconies or near the main entrance lobby/overlook area, they all preferred MpnkeyPod! We arranged a private tour of Pearl Harbor from Ko Olina...highly recommend Donna's Tour (see Trip Advisor reviews or PM me for more info on her)...the tour included RT van transportation for all 11 of us from Ko Olina, PH and battleship admission, private tour group (which bypasses the crowds), refreshments and a great commentary from Donna and her assistant. Other activities included parasailing at Waikiki, hanging out at Waikiki beach and exploring parts of Honolulu; early morning hike of Diamond Head (older ones did that); a day trip to the North Shore and Wiaimea Falls; and a snorkeling/lunch/dolphin trip from the nearby Harbor (walking distance). We didn't rent any autos from the airport...used "go808express" private shuttle service which was highly reliable and in total not that expensive since each group was arriving/departing at different times. Enterprise has an office at Ko Olina which was used for daily rentals for our day trips. We also did family photos (using the photographer at Ko Olina) which came out fantastic.

Enjoy the trip and we have fingers crossed for Maui!!!

 

[brianfox]

Ko Olina is close to Wet N Wild. Although a one day ticket can be pricey, you can pick up season passes for a great deal. Visit just a couple of times during the stay and pays for itself. It's average for a waterpark, but the kids would enjoy it.

EDIT: The Wet & Wild site would say that the season passes are for Hawaii residents, and proof of residency is needed. That has never been the case for me. No one has ever asked, even when my home is shown as CA in the receipt. The kids that work there don't care.

 

[dgf15215]

Here's another suggestion: Of course you'll want to drive up to the Northshore and visit Haleiwa, stop at Giovanni's Shrimp Truck and have dessert at famous Matsumoto Shaved Ice (and yes, it's the best you'll ever experience and surprisingly inexpensive) but a bit more than two miles up the road is Laniakea Beach where at your kids can see the giant green turtles that nest there. They weigh over 200 pounds and may look slow on the ground but are fast in the water. I've attached a photo I took yesterday. An amazing sight.

 

[SMB1]

Don't miss the dobash cake at Ted's Bakery on north shore near Turtle Bay.

 

[kds4]

We took our first trip to Ko'Olina last year with our teens (then 13 and 14). Lots of good suggestions have already been given. We enjoyed shopping at Aloha Stadium (busy flea market style with food and local merchandise). We enjoyed a great visit to the Polynesian Cultural Center with luau and tons of hands-on activities. Along the North Shore we stopped when we saw a crowd of people. Turns out there were a couple of giant sea turtles on the beach (not to be disturbed, but awesome photo opportunity). Seems it is their natural spot as there were signs erected with info on each turtle. Snorkeling in Hanama Bay was fun (bring gear from Ko'Olina if possible to avoid rental costs). If you go to Hanama, you may as well go to the nearby Halona Blowhole. We hiked Diamond Head, and it is worth it for the views. Parking is tricky (look for a spot in the small lot on the left before going through the tunnel into the crater). Enjoyed Pearl Harbor and all it offers. One thing we did not get to do is the Haiku Stairs. The actual staircase is closed to the public, but there is a legal 'back-way' to get to the top and have the same views. More info at https://www.journeyera.com/stairway-to-heaven-oahu-hawaii/.

 

[cttay217]

Have you looked at the Oahu Go Card? I know some people have mixed reviews on this, but I have used in the past in other cities and I have really found a good value in it. If you are a planner (which I am), you can really maximize your time. There is a 4 day card available through Costco for $199 per person. While this is not "cheap"- for four days of activities its a pretty good value. We are planning a 7 day stay in June with my 14 year old son and this is how we are planning to budget the cost of activities. I like knowing what my cost are going to be upfront and having it all taken care of. It has been great to show him this list of activities and tell him he can pick out what he wants to do (its been a great way to get him involved) and not worrying about the cost. He is excited about a lot of the options- PCC, North Shore Activities, Catamaran sailing, hikes, Kualoa Ranch and even Turtle Snorkeling. We will plan these 4 days (they don't need to be consecutive) which will be very busy and then leave 3 for relaxing at the resort.

 

[davidvel]

You can save a lot on $$ on meals bringing food back. Nothing like a Kona Brewing beer with Costco pizza (or anything else they sell) and a Hawaiian sunset at the pool bar after it closes in the evening...

 

[Wei339]

We took a steep hike up to Makapu'u point this year to enjoy the beautiful views and azure blue waters. As well, we climbed down to the small beach area below the Halona Blowhole Lookout and played in the water.

 

[ljmiii]

Ko Olina is close to Wet N Wild. Although a one day ticket can be pricey, you can pick up season passes for a great deal. Visit just a couple of times during the stay and pays for itself. It's average for a waterpark, but the kids would enjoy it.

EDIT: The Wet & Wild site would say that the season passes are for Hawaii residents, and proof of residency is needed. That has never been the case for me. No one has ever asked, even when my home is shown as CA in the receipt. The kids that work there don't care.

The Go Oahu card is another way to inexpensively visit Wet N Wild. If you are going to spend some time on the 'Honolulu side' of the island the Go Oahu card is a great deal...but if not, not, since most of the 'attractions' are on the Eastern half of Oahu.