Quick Family Trips (2 Hours or Less) in Hawaii
We pulled these 60 quick outings out of our full catalog of kid-friendly spots in Hawaii. Every listing has the ages it suits, what it costs, how long to budget, parking notes, and what to pack.
60 adventures found
Wai'anapanapa State Park
Hana, HI
HikingBlack sand beach with sea caves, lava tubes, and blowholes on the Road to Hana. Paid entry. Best …
Diamond Head State Monument
Honolulu, HI
HikingIconic volcanic crater hike with panoramic Waikiki and ocean views. Paid entry. Best from about age …
Manoa Falls Trail
Honolulu, HI
HikingRainforest hike to a 150-foot waterfall through a tropical jungle near Waikiki. Paid entry. Best …
Akaka Falls State Park
Honomu, HI
HikingEasy paved walk to a jaw-dropping 442-foot waterfall through tropical jungle. Paid entry. Works from …
Manta Ray Night Snorkel
Kailua-Kona, HI
SnorkelingSnorkel with giant manta rays gliding below you in an unforgettable night encounter. Paid entry. …
Punalu'u Black Sand Beach
Naalehu, HI
NatureVolcanic black sand beach famous for Hawaiian green sea turtles basking on shore. Free. Works from …
Hawaii Tropical Fruit Farm
Captain Cook, HI
NatureGuided tour tasting 60+ exotic fruits straight from the tree on a family farm. Paid entry. Works …
Garden of Eden Arboretum
Haiku, HI
NatureJurassic Park filming lookout in a tropical botanical garden on the Road to Hana. Paid entry. Works …
Maui Zipline
Haiku, HI
Aerial-AdventureFamily zipline course through tropical scenery with lines for kids as young as 5. Paid entry. Best …
Twin Falls Maui
Haiku, HI
HikingEasy waterfall hike with swimming at the first stop on the Road to Hana. Free. Best from about age …
Laniakea Beach (Turtle Beach)
Haleiwa, HI
NatureReliable spot to see Hawaiian green sea turtles basking on a North Shore beach. Free. Works from …
North Shore Surf Lessons
Haleiwa, HI
SurfingLearn to surf on gentle summer waves with certified North Shore instructors. Paid entry. Best from …
Ohe'o Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools)
Hana, HI
SwimmingCascading waterfall pools flowing from jungle to ocean in Haleakala National Park. Paid entry. Best …
Thurston Lava Tube (Nahuku)
Hawaii National Park, HI
HikingWalk through a 500-year-old lava tube surrounded by prehistoric tree ferns. Paid entry. Works from …
Pololu Valley Trail
Hawi, HI
HikingSteep trail to a remote black sand beach in a dramatic cliff-lined valley. Free. Better for ages 6 …
Hilo Farmers Market
Hilo, HI
NatureHawaii's biggest farmers market with 200+ vendors, exotic fruits, and tropical flowers. Free. Works …
Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory
Hilo, HI
NatureFree factory tour with macadamia nut samples, orchards, and nature trail. Free. Works from toddler …
Mokupapapa Discovery Center
Hilo, HI
MuseumFree NOAA visitor center on Hilo Bay with a 2,500-gallon reef tank and life-size monk seal and …
Pacific Tsunami Museum
Hilo, HI
MuseumHilo Bayfront museum on the 1946 and 1960 tsunamis with survivor accounts, photographs and a wave …
Rainbow Falls (Waianuenue)
Hilo, HI
NatureEasy drive-up 80-foot waterfall with morning rainbows in the mist. Free. Works from toddler age. …
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park
Honaunau, HI
NatureAncient Hawaiian place of refuge with carved figures, temples, and sea turtles. Paid entry. Best …
Waipi'o Valley Lookout
Honokaa, HI
NatureDramatic 1,000-foot cliff lookout over the sacred Valley of the Kings. Free. Works from toddler age. …
Hawaii State Art Museum
Honolulu, HI
MuseumFree downtown Honolulu museum of contemporary Hawaii art with a hands-on family gallery, activity …
Honolulu Museum of Art
Honolulu, HI
MuseumCourtyard-built Honolulu art museum with a world-class Asian collection, free child admission, and …
Iolani Palace
Honolulu, HI
MuseumThe only royal palace on US soil, with guided tours of the throne room and the upstairs room where …
Koko Crater Railway Trail
Honolulu, HI
Hiking1,048-step staircase up a volcanic crater with panoramic coastal views. Free. Better for ages 8 and …
USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park
Honolulu, HI
MuseumWalk end to end inside a real WWII submarine at Pearl Harbor, past stacked bunks, torpedo rooms and …
Waikiki Aquarium
Honolulu, HI
AquariumSmall Waikiki aquarium of Hawaiian reef life with monk seals, giant clams, a jellyfish gallery and a …
Lanikai Pillbox Hike
Kailua, HI
HikingShort steep hike to WWII bunkers with stunning views over Lanikai Beach. Free. Best from about age …
Byodo-In Temple
Kaneohe, HI
NatureBeautiful Japanese temple with koi fish, peace bell, and dramatic mountain backdrop. Paid entry. …
Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden
Kaneohe, HI
NatureFree 400-acre botanical garden with dramatic mountain backdrop and camping. Free. Works from toddler …
Ke Ala Hele Makalae (Kauai Coastal Path)
Kapaa, HI
BikingScenic oceanfront bike path along Kauai east coast with beach stops and whale watching. Free. Best …
Dragon's Teeth (Makaluapuna Point)
Kapalua, HI
HikingJagged lava formations shaped like dragon teeth on a windswept coastal point. Free. Best from about …
Kapalua Coastal Trail
Kapalua, HI
HikingScenic coastal boardwalk connecting beautiful bays with turtle and whale spotting. Free. Best from …
Electric Beach (Kahe Point)
Kapolei, HI
SwimmingUnique snorkeling with dolphins, turtles, and rays in warm power plant outflow. Free. Better for …
Kilauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge
Kilauea, HI
NatureHistoric cliff-top lighthouse with nesting seabirds and winter whale watching. Paid entry. Works …
Secret Beach (Kauapea)
Kilauea, HI
NatureStunning hidden beach accessed by a jungle trail on Kauai north shore. Free. Better for ages 6 and …
Allerton Garden (National Tropical Botanical Garden)
Koloa, HI
NatureJurassic Park filming location with ancient trees in a spectacular valley garden. Paid entry. Best …
Spouting Horn
Koloa, HI
NatureNatural ocean blowhole shooting water through a lava tube with an eerie moan. Free. Works from …
Kalaupapa Lookout
Kualapuu, HI
NatureView from the world's highest sea cliffs down to the historic Kalaupapa Peninsula. Free. Works from …
Ali i Kula Lavender Farm
Kula, HI
NatureScenic lavender farm on Haleakala slopes with ocean views and lavender treats. Paid entry. Works …
Hosmer Grove Trail (Haleakala)
Kula, HI
HikingEasy shaded loop through a unique forest with native bird watching at 6,800 feet. Paid entry. Best …
Baby Beach Lahaina
Lahaina, HI
SwimmingUltra-shallow protected beach perfect for toddlers and babies. Free. Works from toddler age. About …
Maui Whale Watching
Lahaina, HI
NatureWorld-class humpback whale watching in the channel between Maui and Lanai. Paid entry. Best from …
Olowalu Reef Snorkeling (Mile Marker 14)
Lahaina, HI
SnorkelingExcellent shore snorkeling with guaranteed sea turtles over a massive shallow reef. Free. Best from …
Garden of the Gods (Keahiakawelo)
Lanai City, HI
NatureOtherworldly red rock formations on Lanai's back roads (Keahiakawelo) - free to visit, but a 4WD …
Kauai Museum
Lihue, HI
MuseumSmall Lihue museum of Kauai history with koa canoes, Niihau shell lei, and a relief map explaining …
Wailua Falls
Lihue, HI
NatureDrive-up 173-foot double waterfall famous from Fantasy Island opening credits. Free. Works from …
Lava Tree State Monument
Pahoa, HI
HikingEerie forest of lava-molded tree columns from a 1790 eruption. Free. Best from about age 3. About an …
Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve & Garden
Papaikou, HI
NatureOcean bluff tropical garden with waterfalls, exotic plants, and Jurassic Park scenery. Paid entry. …
Pepe ekeo Point Lookout
Pepeekeo, HI
NatureScenic drive through a tropical corridor with one-lane bridges and ocean views. Free. Works from …
Queen's Bath
Princeville, HI
HikingDramatic ocean-filled lava pool for experienced families in calm conditions only. Free. Better for …
Ahihi-Kina'u Natural Area Reserve
Wailea, HI
SwimmingSnorkel over lava reef in a protected marine reserve with abundant sea life. Free. Better for ages 6 …
Ulua Beach
Wailea, HI
SwimmingSheltered beach with excellent easy snorkeling and frequent sea turtle sightings. Free. Best from …
Wailea Beach Path
Wailea, HI
HikingFree, stroller-friendly paved beach walk in Wailea, Maui connecting five beaches - whale watching in …
'Iao Valley State Monument
Wailuku, HI
HikingPaved walk to the iconic 1,200-foot Iao Needle in a lush valley. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. …
Maui Tropical Plantation
Wailuku, HI
NatureTram tour through a working tropical fruit farm with tastings and zipline. Paid entry. Works from …
Nakalele Blowhole
Wailuku, HI
HikingNatural ocean blowhole shooting water 100 feet high on a dramatic lava coast. Free. Better for ages …
Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Trail
Waimanalo, HI
HikingPaved coastal cliff trail to a lighthouse with winter whale watching. Free. Best from about age 3. …
Tide Pools at Makapu'u
Waimanalo, HI
NatureNatural lava rock tide pools and swimming holes on the coast near the lighthouse. Free. Best from …