Rainy Day Activities for Kids in Hawaii

We pulled these 18 rainy day activities 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.

18 adventures found

Hana, HI

Wai'anapanapa State Park Cabins

Simple state park housekeeping cabins at the Hana black sand beach, one of the few affordable ways to actually sleep past the Hana road

  • Lodging
  • Ages 2+
  • Overnight
  • Paid

Hilo, HI

Imiloa Astronomy Center

Hilo center pairing Mauna Kea astronomy with Polynesian wayfinding, plus a full-dome planetarium running daily star shows.

  • Science
  • Ages 4+
  • ~3h
  • Paid

Hilo, HI

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory

Free factory tour with macadamia nut samples, orchards, and nature trail. Free. Works from toddler age. About an hour. Stroller-friendly.

  • Nature
  • Ages 2+
  • ~1h
  • Free

Hilo, HI

Mokupapapa Discovery Center

Free NOAA visitor center on Hilo Bay with a 2,500-gallon reef tank and life-size monk seal and albatross models hanging overhead.

  • Museum
  • Ages 2+
  • ~1h
  • Free

Hilo, HI

Pacific Tsunami Museum

Hilo Bayfront museum on the 1946 and 1960 tsunamis with survivor accounts, photographs and a wave tank showing how they form.

  • Museum
  • Ages 7+
  • ~1h
  • Paid

Honokaa, HI

Kalopa State Recreation Area Cabins

Group cabins and tent camping in cool misty native ohia forest above the Hamakua Coast, a half hour from the Waipio Valley Lookout

  • Lodging
  • Ages 3+
  • Overnight
  • Paid

Honolulu, HI

Battleship Missouri Memorial

Walk the deck and interior of the battleship where WWII ended, from the surrender plaque to the bridge and sixteen-inch gun turrets.

  • Museum
  • Ages 5+
  • ~3h
  • Paid

Honolulu, HI

Bishop Museum

Honolulu's state museum of Hawaiian history with a walk-through erupting volcano, planetarium, and koa-wood Hawaiian Hall.

  • Museum
  • Ages 3+
  • ~3h
  • Paid

Honolulu, HI

Hawaii Children's Discovery Center

Oahu children's museum in Kakaako with a mini TV studio, a pretend supermarket and a walk-through model of the human body.

  • Indoor Play
  • Ages 1+
  • ~3h
  • Paid

Honolulu, HI

Hawaii State Art Museum

Free downtown Honolulu museum of contemporary Hawaii art with a hands-on family gallery, activity kits and a sculpture garden outside.

  • Museum
  • Ages 3+
  • ~1h
  • Free

Honolulu, HI

Honolulu Museum of Art

Courtyard-built Honolulu art museum with a world-class Asian collection, free child admission, and weekend family art days.

  • Museum
  • Ages 4+
  • ~2h
  • Paid

Honolulu, HI

Iolani Palace

The only royal palace on US soil, with guided tours of the throne room and the upstairs room where Queen Liliuokalani was imprisoned.

  • Museum
  • Ages 5+
  • ~2h
  • Paid

Honolulu, HI

Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum

Restored seaplane hangars on Ford Island still bullet-scarred from 1941, holding a Japanese Zero, a B-25 and flight simulators.

  • Museum
  • Ages 5+
  • ~3h
  • Paid

Honolulu, HI

USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park

Walk end to end inside a real WWII submarine at Pearl Harbor, past stacked bunks, torpedo rooms and a cramped control room.

  • Museum
  • Ages 5+
  • ~2h
  • Paid

Honolulu, HI

Waikiki Aquarium

Small Waikiki aquarium of Hawaiian reef life with monk seals, giant clams, a jellyfish gallery and a shallow outdoor touch tank.

  • Aquarium
  • Ages 1+
  • ~1h
  • Paid

Laie, HI

Polynesian Cultural Center

Interactive Pacific Island cultural park with hands-on activities and evening luau. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. Easily a full day.

  • Nature
  • Ages 3+
  • ~8h
  • Paid

Lihue, HI

Kauai Museum

Small Lihue museum of Kauai history with koa canoes, Niihau shell lei, and a relief map explaining the island's interior.

  • Museum
  • Ages 5+
  • ~1h
  • Paid

Wailuku, HI

Maui Ocean Center

World-class aquarium with underwater tunnel, touch pools, and turtle lagoon. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip.

  • Nature
  • Ages 2+
  • ~3h
  • Paid