Established in 1981, the Hawaii Nature Center is an award-winning organization dedicated to providing fun and engaging educational programs for children and teens. They currently have locations on both the Oahu and Maui islands. With over 850,000 program participants since their foundation, they have built a well-respected reputation within the community.
The programs are very hands-on and encourage outdoor field research. If your child decides to partake, expect them to come back messy! Be sure to set them up well with casual clothes and good hiking shoes. Bringing along a can of bug spray would also be wise since the mosquitoes can be especially rampant during the summer. Perhaps, the best part about the programs is that they're completely free!
Regardless of whether you take advantage of their programs, the Hawaii Nature Center is a great place to visit if you're interested in exploring the real outdoors of Hawaii. It is located right at the base of many popular hiking trails with a nice variety of difficulty levels and scenic views. You can enjoy a casual stroll through nature or make a weekend of it with several longer hikes that lead all over the coast.