Especially for Kids

Taking a Submarine Ride -- Climb aboard a real sub with Atlantis Adventures (tel. 800/548-6262), which will take you down into the shallow coastal waters off Lahaina to see plenty of fish (maybe even a shark!). Kids will love it, and you'll stay dry the entire time.

Riding the Sugar Cane Train -- This ride will appeal to small kids as well as train buffs of all ages. A steam engine pulls open passenger cars of the Lahaina/Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad on a 30-minute, 12-mile round-trip through sugar-cane fields between Lahaina and Kaanapali. The conductor sings and calls out the landmarks, and along the way you can see Molokai, Lanai, and the hidden parts of Kaanapali. Tickets are $23 for adults and $16 for kids 3 to 12. Call tel. 808/661-0080 or visit www.sugarcanetrain.com for details.

Tour of the Stars -- The stars over Kaanapali shine big and bright because the tropical sky is almost entirely free of pollutants and the interference of big-city lights. Amateur astronomers can probe the Milky Way, see Saturn's rings and Jupiter's moons, and scan the Sea of Tranquillity in a 60-minute star search on the world's first recreational computer-driven telescope. This cosmic adventure takes place nightly at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort, 200 Nohea Kai Dr. (tel. 808/661-1234; www.maui.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/activities), at 8, 9, and 10pm. The cost is $30 for adults and $15 for children 5 to 12 (children 4 and under are free).

Seeing Sharks, Stingrays, and Starfish -- Hawaii's largest aquarium, the Maui Ocean Center (tel. 808/270-7000), has a range of sea critters -- from tiger sharks to tiny starfish -- that are sure to fascinate kids of all ages. At this 5-acre facility in Maalaea, visitors can take a virtual walk from the beach down to the ocean depths via the three dozen tanks, countless exhibits, and 100-foot-long main oceanarium.

Getting a Dragonfly's View -- Kids will think this is too much fun to be educational. Don a face mask and get the dizzying perspective of what a dragonfly sees as it flies over a mountain stream, or watch the tiny oopu fish climb up a stream at the Hawaii Nature Center (tel. 808/244-6500) in beautiful Iao Valley, where you'll find some 30 hands-on, interactive exhibits and displays of Hawaii's natural history.