Keiki-friendly Kauaʻi Activities
Whether you’re traveling with children or call Kauaʻi home, family-friendly activities are always a must to keep the littles entertained and engaged. Here on Kauaʻi we are lucky enough to enjoy nature’s playground with our many kid-friendly beaches and hikes. Keiki-friendly outings should be enjoyable for the whole family, so we’ve collected a list of activities that appeal to both children and adults!
- Kauaʻi Animal Education Center – Kapaʻa
Kauaʻi’s own animal rescue petting zoo! Kauaʻi Animal Education Center (KAEC) designs programs that educate and provide interaction with rescued native Hawaiian and farm animals. The farm purposefully propagates medicinal, edible and native plants for both animals and people. The park-like setting is perfect for a keiki tour where guests are able to interact with the animals (and even feed baby goats!) The goal of KAEC is to educate the community on sustainability through farming and animal husbandry in a fun and educational environment.
- Lydgate Beach Park & Kamalani Playground – Wailua
With options for land and sea fun, Lydgate has it all! On the lifeguarded beach, there are two protected pools surrounded by rock, which make for easy keiki swimming, as well as a fair amount of snorkeling from small reef fish that filter through. Picnic areas oceanside make for an easy lunch spot, and nearby bathrooms add to the convenience. Across from the beach is Kamalani Playground, a maze-like wooden play structure decorated with keiki art and shaded by ironwood trees. Swings, slides, tire walks and other opportunities to explore are right at your fingertips. Recently, the playground has added an all- inclusive playground, the first of its kind on island, designed for keiki with developmental disabilities.
MORE ON LYDGATE BEACH PARK HERE
- Na ‘Āina Kai’s Splash & Play – Kīlauea
This monthly event at the Botanical Gardens and Sculpture Park sells out QUICK, so be sure to plan ahead. A fountain and baby pool provides hours of entertainment for the kids, with a walk-through gecko maze, jungle tree house, and several other features for children to explore. Sidewalk chalk is readily available for your little artist to add to the group art wall, and outside snacks are permitted as food and drinks are not sold on property. Need a post-splash and play plan? Rock Quarry Beach is right down the road, and very family-friendly! Weather permitting, Splash & Play is on one selected Saturday a month. Hours are from 9AM to 1PM with the last entry is at noon.
- Kauaʻi Plantation Railway – Līhuʻe
All aboard! This open-air train ride is roughly 40 minutes, as the conductor narrates the history of Kilohana Plantation with stops to feed the farm animals along the way. The ride is perfectly timed for children, with lots to see. There is also a lunch tour which includes disembarking the train for a plantation and orchard walk, lunch from The Plantation House, animal feeding, a visit with the alpacas, a view of the international hardwood forest, native Hawaiian trees, and a banana patch!
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS
- Anaina Hou Community Park – Kīlauea
Mini-golf, nature trail, playground and more, Anaina Hou has something for everyone. Enjoy 18 holes of mini-golf surrounded by tropical botanicals and grab a bite to eat at one of the food trucks afterwards. The Hawaiian history-based playground will keep the little ones busy, and the weekly farmer’s market features soly Kauaʻi grown produce and Kauaʻi made crafts. Down for a hike? The Wai Koa Loop Trail entrance is accessible from Anaina Hou and perfect for a nature walk with kids. Choose how far you’d like to go on the 3.7 mile trail, and enjoy the sights along the way.