Most resorts on Maui provide programs for young guests including planned beach activities. The Westin Maui at Kaanapali Beach Resort is particularly popular with families thanks to the tropical foliage, waterfalls and parrots. The aquatic playground featuring a 128-foot slide makes childhood fantasies come true. Maui hotels and resorts are about much more than a room and a beach and many include special touches to encourage family visitors.

Children love to explore the natural beauty of Maui. A trip to Haleakala National Park is a must-do for families. The diversity of ecosystems and the exposure to so many new and different tropical species is a learning experience not to be missed. While watching the sunrise from Haleakala is popular with Maui visitors, it is not generally well suited to younger children because of the early start time and amount of waiting time involved.

The Maui Ocean Center showcases Hawaii’s underwater environment. Voted Hawaii’s Top-Rated Family Attraction by Zagat Survey, the Maui Ocean Center should be on every family’s tour plan.

Children enjoy the tactile experience of feeling things like a sea cucumber in the touch pool. A particularly interesting feature of the Maui Ocean Center popular with adults as well as children is the glass tunnel that leads into a 750,000-gallon aquarium with sharks and other colorful tropical fish swimming overhead. The average visit to the Maui Ocean Center takes about two hours, but many visitors linger longer over exhibits and choose to dine in one of Maui Ocean Center’s two restaurants.

The Hawaii Nature Center located in the Iao Valley on Maui is especially popular with children ages 3 to 8. The Center includes more than 30 hands-on, interactive exhibits as well as guided rainforest walks. Exhibits feature species native to Maui including the world’s only carnivorous caterpillar.

Maui was once considered the capital of the whaling industry and is the winter home to migrating Pacific Humpback whales. The Whalers Village Museum located in the Kaanapali shopping complex is dedicated to teaching about this important creature. This Maui museum displays over seventy species of whales. The skeletal remains of a 40-foot Sperm Whale are amazing, and children are shocked to see the actual size of this ocean giant. Admission to this Maui attraction is free.

The Lahaina Kaanapali Railroad, better known as the Sugar Cane Train, will be a hit with young train fanatics. While this Maui attraction is often rated as boring by adults, it is perfectly suited to families with younger children.

Traveling in an open-air coach pulled by a steam-engine, visitors enjoy a leisurely six-mile journey through Maui. Crossing a 325-foot curved wooden trestle provides a panoramic view of the West Maui Mountains, as well as islands neighboring Maui. Storytellers share the history of Maui during the trip.

A Maui vacation is not complete until a luau is included. Most Maui resorts and hotels offer luaus. Among the most recommended non-resort luaus are the Old Lahaina Luau and The Feast at Lele, both located in the Maui village of Lahaina. Children will be captivated by the Hawaiian dance and music offered by these Maui performers and are certain to find something they enjoy eating among the many luau offerings.

Maui is considered a top choice for family vacations. Children and Adults alike with enjoy learning the history and culture of Maui at locations all over the island.

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The first way to achieve this is to contact the Orlando Convention and Visitors’ Bureau (the CVB). They have information on hotels, attractions, vacation packages, and more. This year, at least, they are offering a Magicard. This allows the holder and five other family members to get discounts in and around Orlando.

There are Magicard discounts on tickets to all the attractions kids will want to enjoy. What’s more, there are price reductions in services such as meals for kids and child care. Discounts for some of the higher-priced hotels can be cut nearly in half by using the Magicard.

Getting a Magicard is as easy as going on the internet to the CVB and printing one off. There are some things to remember about the Magicard, though. There are blackout periods for use of it. Be sure and check to see that you can use the card on your vacation. Also, you will not get the discount if you don’t mention the Magicard at the time you make your reservations.

The CVB also lists area attractions and accommodations. They offer multi-park packages for a greater value to those who want to visit more than one theme park. There are about a dozen different theme parks to choose from on these packages.

An official Orlando Travel Counselor can be contacted through the CVB. This person can answer any remaining questions you have about the attractions, accommodations, and events in Orlando. They will get you good deals in the city, but not necessarily the best deals. You should still comparison shop to make sure to get the best prices.

You can also go on the internet and get a seven day Magic Your Way base ticket to Disney World. This ticket averages out to about thirty-two dollars a day as compared to about seventy-two dollars a day if you purchased the tickets separately at the gate. All you have to do is print a voucher and hand it in at the attraction.

To find entire package deals with airfare, hotel accommodations, and tickets to attractions, you can go on the internet, too. You can find these at sites such as Expedia and Orbitz. Lesser known travel sites such as USA Travel Mart often have the best deals. It pays to do plenty of research.

Occasionally, you will find it less expensive to buy each part of the package individually. You may have to visit different sites for each aspect of your vacation. If you choose to go this route, be sure that all your plans mesh. It takes more planning and energy, but sometimes it is worth the effort.

There are times that a travel agent can find discounted vacations in Orlando for you and your children. If you want to let someone else do the legwork, you may want this option. However, if you really want the good deals, you usually have to search the internet and elsewhere for yourself.

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Many think of all-inclusive vacations as a break from the kids.  Resort vacations may seem too expensive to share with your children.  However, with the discounts available, these types of vacations can be enjoyed with the kids along as easily as without them.  Look on the internet for resorts that offer discounts for kids.  Some resorts give children a discount identification card when they arrive at the resort.  These cards are good for free or discounted admissions to attractions and free food when with a paying adult.  These discount cards are often available for kids of ages through twelve years old.  Read the descriptions of all-inclusive vacation packages to see if kids are free.  Often they stay, eat, and play free.  Sometimes there is free child care.  There might even be nannies for one-on-one attention as a part of the overall price.  These amenities can come with surprisingly inexpensive vacation plans.  Some of these packages include physical and learning activities for the small children.  Teens and preteens can enjoy special nature and tourism activities.  Besides all this, these vacations give the adults free time to spend as they choose.  If you plan an all-inclusive vacation, go to a travel website and do your research.  Make sure you take note of whether the price quoted is for the whole group, or per person of that size group.  Often, the rate quoted will be per adult, but that will include accommodations for two kids.  Be aware of what is included in the price given and what is not included.  Usually, there are services and fees that are not included.  Of course, telephone charges are for you to pay extra.  Room service may or may not come with the deal.  You might have to pay a hotel charge of around thirty dollars a day.  There are airport fees and governmental travel fees.  There is even a September 11^th security fee of 10 dollars.  Look for resorts that bill themselves as “family-friendly” resorts.  These resorts will go out of their way to give families discounts.  They are also good at providing activities for children and teens.  Some resorts cater to single parents.  They offer them the child care or nanny service with their packages, of course.  They also don’t penalize them for traveling alone.  This is important because some resorts’ prices are based on two adults traveling with the kids.  If you would like help deciphering all the options available on the internet, a travel agent might be for you.  Actually, travel agents can come up with very good deals on resort vacations from time to time.  A good travel agent can make your life easier.  Ask your travel agent as many questions as you need to.  It is probably best to do a little research on the internet beforehand even if you are going to use an agent.  This will make you a more informed consumer.  Then, ask your travel agent about resorts and all-inclusive vacations that cater to your family’s individual needs.  There is a variety of vacations.  A knowledgeable agent should be able to point you in the right direction.  Resort and all-inclusive vacations can make for peaceful holidays away from work and school.  There are several choices within this category that offer discounts or even free travel to kids.  Whether you book your trip yourself or have a travel agent do it for you, it’s best to do your research first.   

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