Family Friendly Places: Onekahakaha Beach Park and Panaewa Rainforest Zoo

Long gone are the days of dangerous off-roading, hiking, and beaches lacking facilities.  Now I am all about places with bathrooms (squatting in the bushes doesn't count), showers, parking, and so forth.  That's what I get for having a baby.  But lucky for you, I can now share with you a couple of family friendly places.

Onekahakaha Beach Park
Quite frankly, the best beach for children on the island.  The beach is sheltered by boulders so you don't have to worry about your youngin' getting swept out to sea by those dangerous rip currents.  There is a paved parking lot, several picnic benches, pavilions, restrooms, showers, and, most importantly, shade.  Shade is the one thing many Kona beaches lack, or at least shade close enough to the water so that you can keep an eye on your little one(s).

This beach can get crowded on the weekends.  The pavilions are usually reserved for birthday parties and such, so don't expect to snag one on the weekend.   There are picnic benches, but again, if you go on the weekend, be prepared for them to be taken.  There are some grassy areas, so bring a beach mat or even a towel.  If at all possible, try to make it out here on a weekday.

Sand.  Yes, there is actually sand at this east side beach, so bring the beach buckets and shovels if you have any (if you really want toys you could grab some at Wal-Mart).  Sand is something most beaches on the east side lack.

There is also a tide pool full of marine life for the older children to explore.  Just make sure they wear footwear.  There is good chance they will slice open their foot or step on the painful wana if barefoot.

A view of the beach on a Saturday.

Panaewa Rainforest Zoo
First off, let me warn you that this is not a HUGE zoo with tons of exhibitions.  Regardless, I love this zoo.  There is lots of greenery, with much of it labeled with the plant species to educate you on the native flora.  You don't need to worry about losing your child in massive crowds.  There are picnic benches and some tables so that you can bring your own lunch.  There is a playground.  These are some of the reasons why I like this zoo.  Oh yeah, and most importantly, IT'S FREE.

Meet Namaste', the zoo's White Bengal Tiger and star attraction.  You can watch the zookeepers feed him whole chickens at 3:30 PM daily.  Another fun thing to see is the monkey exhibit.  Lots of funny-looking, curious primates to scope out.  The zoo also has wild boars, deer, numerous species of birds and lizards, and anteaters.  There is also a petting zoo on Saturdays from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM.

If the zoo alone is not enough to tire out the kids for a early bedtime, allow them some time at the playground.  The playground is located in the zoo.

So yes, if time allows you, please visit our local zoo.  Like I said, it is free, but PLEASE donate to ensure that is remains free for families to come.  If "adopting" an animal sounds like fun, you can also do that too!  There is a gift shop that offers drinks, but bring your own snacks because there are no snack carts to be found.  The zoo is located off of Highway 11 (click for detailed directions) and is open from 9 AM to 5 PM daily.