When I asked my daughter where she would like to celebrate her 4th birthday she immediately said Chuck E Cheese.

Making the reservation was very easy. The person who answered the phone was friendly, courteous and helpful. She was able to answer all my questions and even offered suggestions I hadn't thought of.

When arrived, everything was already in place. The food was good, the service was great, and the kids had a blast! The show, although a little corny for adults, really entertained the kids and got them on their feet dancing.

The best part was that I pretty much didn't have to lift a finger. They did the setup, cleanup, and everything in between. When some of our guests arrived late, they even warmed up the pizza for them! Now that's great service!

I also like that it's secured where every child is stamped with the same number as their parents so that no one can leave with the wrong child. This made me feel a little more comfortable letting my 7 year old roam around by herself.

I'm so glad that my daughter chose to have her birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. I hope she wants to go there again next year!

If we lived on Maui we would definitely purchase season passes. The Maui Ocean Center is a great place for kids to learn about sea life in Hawaii.

They have all kinds of exhibits from Hawaiian Sea Turtles to sharks to manta rays and are displayed in a way that you'll get the full effect on how magnificent these creatures are. My kids also enjoyed the touch pool where they could gain hands-on experience on how these creatures actually feel.

Our favorite part of MOC is the acrylic tunnel that goes through a 750-gallon open ocean exhibit featuring various fish, sharks, rays, and turtles. It's a once in a lifetime experience and your kids won't want to leave!

The only thing is that it does get very windy there so make sure you have everything secured . . . especially long hair. I remember heading for the gift shop just so I could by a hair band. :-)

It's not an all day event which is good for little kids. You could probably get through everything in about 60 - 90 minutes. There's also a great view of Maalaea Harbor and lots of cool photo ops!

Waikele Premium Outlets is an outdoor mall with over 50 retail and department stores such as Old Navy, Borders Books & Music, Armani Exchange, Carters, Osh Kosh, KMart, & Game Stop.

They also have some great family restaurants like Chili's, Genki Sushi, and McDonalds. Our favorite is Jurisons Inn where you can enjoy some local plate lunches and bentos. They're known for their fried noodles and mochiko chicken so don't forget to try those!

My kids favorite part of this outlet mall is the free trolley rides. You can hop on at any designated stop and just ride around all day. It takes about 15 minutes to make a complete round and it's lots of fun for the kids!

Paki Park is our family's absolute favorite park to visit when we want to get outdoors for some fun. It's conveniently located near Waikiki and has lots of street parking.

This park has lots of big trees which are perfect for picnics. There's also a playground for the kids and even a swing set which is sometimes hard to find at Hawaii playgrounds. We really like that there's either a stone wall or chain-link fence to keep the kids safe. And yes, there's also a public restroom on the property.

The best part is that the park faces the giraffe house at the Honolulu Zoo. While enjoying your lunch, you can often see these beautiful animals having their lunch as well.

Our kids love it here!

I recently chaperoned my daughter's field trip to the Honolulu Zoo and I have to say it's gotten so much better since the last time I was there.

We must have visited at a good time because we were able to see a lot of the animals playing and lounging in their natural habitat. We especially liked Rusty the Orangutan's new spacious home and watching the Siberian Tiger pace back and forth.

However, what makes this zoo great for kids is the Discovery Center. Here my daughter had the opportunity to do a lot of hands-on activities which included being in a fish tank and a chicken coup!

There's also a playground where the kids can run around and burn off extra steam. It's located right across the concession stand and it's a great area to have a picnic. Btw, you can bring in your own food and drink which really helps keep your costs down. However, don't forget to at least get the shave ice. It's perfect for a hot Hawaiian day!

While you're there, don't forget to check out their other events like Twilight Tours, Snooze in the Zoo, Junior Zookeeper Program, Breakfast with a Keeper, & Star Gazing.