My son and I really enjoyed a visit to the well-designed Maui Ocean Center during the So Much More Hawaii trip, but what made it super-special was our local blogger guide, Liza.
Liza writes A Maui Blog, and she and her family took us all around the island, including a drive up the Haleakala volcano (ooh, silverswords) and a scrumptuous meal at the Paia Fish Market, where my picky son actually devoured seafood! It was all mixed up in pasta, but still….
We spent hours in the Maui Ocean marine park, which has touch tanks, live coral, turtles, naturalist presentations and a focus on Hawaiian sea creatures and culture.
In the video below, we had just finished watching a live demo in the aquarium tank with a diver, narrated by a lively guide who exploded various myths about sharks and captured audience attention even in a packed room.
If you can’t see the embedded video box below, here is the direct link to the video on my YouTube channel.
Just So You Know Disclaimer: The state Hawaii Tourism Authority through Cilantro Media paid my way to Hawaii for the So Much More Hawaii bloggers tour, and also paid most of my expenses while I was there. I paid for Liza and her son’s entrance, my own and my son’s, and was reimbursed later. By the way, I used a military discount for one ticket, a AAA (American Automobile Assn) member discount for another, and Liza as a Hawaii resident could ask for “kamaaina” local rates. Always ask if there are available member discounts, at any tourist attraction.
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I could not imagine how happy you are spending precious item with your children, I am happy for you. The place of Hawaii definitely one of the best place to visit.
It’s a lovely park, but to me an aquarium in Hawaii will only ever make a certain amount of sense. There are so many opportunities to go out and see marine life in the wild within a few miles of the place that it’s a little sad to see it in a tank. For those who can’t make it into the water or to the more remote wildlife areas, it’s great though.
I agree with Ian. Of course, we are big adventurous adults that would rather spend 1/2 the day or more going to see this sort of stuff ourselves out there in the ocean. Looks like a neat place there on Maui. Thanks for sharing Shelia!
Ohhh, looks & sounds like great fun! We’re excited that Hawaii is on our agenda this year & the aquarium reminds me of the fun we had at Musée Océanographique in Monaco, the one at Legoland in Norway, one in Portugal and a few others on our world tour.
So much fun to add zoos & aquariums to family travel!
Oh how I miss the Maui Ocean Center. LOVING your blog by the way… off to wonder around some more….
Much luv from Texas! http://themomwhotravels.blogspot.com/