O'ahu Outings: Hawaiian Reef Animals Tour

Where: The Waikiki Aquarium
When: Mondays at 10:00 am, and Thursdays at 1:00 pm
Cost: $2 per person with Aquarium Admission
Who: For ages 4 and up - ideal for ages 4-11

The Details: With summer holidays fast approaching, the talk on the playground is all about summer outings that can entertain (and perhaps even educate) keiki during the break. A great option: behind-the-scenes tours at the Waikiki Aquarium!

My pre-schooler and I recently attended the Hawaiian Reef Animals Tour, and we both had a wonderful time. After checking-in at the front desk, we met an Aquarium Educator in the lobby who enthusiastically led us around the exhibits to see some favorite marine creatures and learn lots of little-known facts. On this sleepy Thursday, my keiki and I were the only ones registered for the Reef Animals program- so the  educator tailored the tour to our interests.

After our private tour of the exhibits, we were led to a behind-the-sceenes room where some of the creatures are raised. We fed urchins (and learned the difference between the 'ina and vana species), learned how to care for brittle stars, and touched a variety of tide-pool creatures like sea stars and sea cumbers. For my pre-schooler, this was the clear highlight of the afternoon, both because she got to meet so many creatures and because we were learning behind-the-scenes secrets.

The tour ended at the big reef pool outside, looking at many fish found in the reefs just beyond the aquarium's gates. My Little One again enjoyed learning about creatures she often sees in the wild, and holding some sociable hermit crabs. After we said 'goodbye' to our tour guide, we ended the afternoon with a walk though the park and a cold treat from the Barefoot Beach Cafe.

Tips:
- Call ahead (808.440.9011), as the tour occasionally gets booked by school groups or summer camps.
- Parking is available for free in front of the aquarium, but there are limited spots. Street parking is a good option when the lot is full, so have some change handy for the meters.
- The tour takes about 40 min to an hour, and then you'll want another 40 min or so to explore the rest of the aquarium.
- After you've had your fun at the exhibits, head through the park towards Waikiki central. Near the Barefoot Beach Cafe, you'll find a little sea wall - walk along it to peak down at many of the fish you've just seen, in their natural environment.
- While the Aquarium Educators tailor their tours to the particular audience, there are other behind-the-sceenes tours specifically designed for older kids. You can learn about other Aquarium programs here.