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With snorkeling, surfing, swimming with dolphins and the heart-racing thrills of a water park, O'ahu, Hawaii is the perfect destination for your next multi-generational family trip.

With snorkeling, surfing, swimming with dolphins and the heart-racing thrills of a water park, O'ahu, Hawaii is the perfect destination for your next multi-generational family trip.

Ten miles east of Waikiki on highway 72 is the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, a state underwater park, which has a beautiful crescent shaped beach and the best snorkeling on the south side of O'ahu. The bay is sheltered and the water is usually calm. Plus, as a safety-oriented and family-friendly bonus, there are lifeguards.

The beach is located down a steep hill. Upon arrival, before you walk down or take the trolley, look out over the bay for magnificent views of the reef and schools of glittering fish.

The nature preserve accommodates all levels of underwater explorers. For novice snorkelers, there are plenty of brilliantly colored parrot fish (bright blue, pink, aqua and yellow) and many other reef fish close in. Experts can go outside the reef to find bigger coral heads and fish, but even they shouldn't go when the water is choppy.

The best time to visit Hanauma is early morning or mid afternoon when there's room in the parking lot. (When the lot is full, they don't allow drop-offs.) Call (808) 396- 4229 for more information.

Another spot sure to please is Sea Life Park, located a mere ten-minute drive east of Hanauma Bay. For various ticket prices, you can swim with dolphins, pet and kiss a dolphin, ride on a dolphin's belly as it swims on its back or swim with sea lions.

One of the park‘s newer events, "Sea Trek" is even more unusual. Wearing a "bubble" helmet attached to an air hose, children over 13 can walk on the bottom of a 300,000 gallon aquarium that is 18 feet deep. The tank has more than 2,000 reef animals and organisms, a whole ecosystem, including manta rays and turtles and a 3-foot white tipped shark.

There is a spiral ramp surrounding the aquarium so that everyone can watch the sea creatures from above and below. General admission also includes shows with performing dolphins, penguins and sea lions.

For more information, call (888) 349-7888.

The north shore of O'ahu is world-renowned for its monster waves and expert-level surfing. Surfers come from all over the world to test their skills here. The biggest waves, sometimes over 30 feet high, crash ashore from November through February of each year. Those that can, should surf, while those that can't, will still have an excellent outing watching surfers compete at Sunset Beach, Waimea Bay Beach and the Banzai Pipeline.

From May to September, the best surfing (in calmer waters) takes place on the south shore at Waikiki beach, Diamond Head beach and Kaka'ako Waterfront Park where experienced surfers come in the morning.

Novices can experience the thrill of surfing without risk. At Waikiki Beach, families can hire a 29-foot outrigger canoe complete with sea-worthy captain and paddle out to where the surfers wait for that perfect wave. It's an exhilarating ride as the canoe surfs in towards the beach.

For more information, call (808) 259-2500.

Hawaii Adventure Water Park is the place where your kids can surf three to four foot waves on Da Flowrider or hurtle down 50 foot tubes on the Volcano Express while the adults lounge by the pool. There are even plenty of rides and wading pools for small children.

Call (808) 674-9283 for more information.

Ready for more? To learn about other opportunities for traveling with the whole family, read "A Mammoth Experience."