Snorkeling, Surfing & Submarines in Hawaii With Your Grandchild

Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).

Afternoon: Program Registration: 3:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived.

Dinner: At the hotel

Evening: Introductions. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions after dinner. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day; pavement, sandy beach, uneven terrain. Surfing lessons & canoe-wave riding for approximately 3 hours. Surfing uses muscles not commonly used in the neck and back, and requires that participants to be confident swimming in the ocean. Previous neck, back, shoulder, or knee injuries may prevent participants from joining in the surfing lessons. If you opt out of surfing, you will still have the opportunity to canoe surf and enjoy the beach with the group.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will learn from a series of local experts who will give lectures and lead field trips. Meals will primarily be served at hotels and local restaurants with some picnic lunches and some meals on your own to explore local fare and venues of your choice. Travel and transfers will be via bus, motorcoach, and/or van depending on local conditions and schedules at the time of the program. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/current conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Next, we’ll put on our bathing suits and go on a short walk to the beach for instructions from Waikiki’s highly trained surf instructors. We’ll practice popular local beach activities including surfing and outrigger canoe wave-riding. Surfing uses muscles not commonly used, especially in the neck and back, and requires that participants to be confident swimming in the ocean. Previous neck, back, shoulder, or knee injuries will likely prevent participants from partaking in the surfing lessons. Please notify Road Scholar in advance if you are planning to opt out of the surfing lessons so we may plan accordingly. If you opt out of surfing, you will still have the opportunity to canoe surf and enjoy the beach with the group.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Surfing lessons may continue into the afternoon for some; The afternoon will be at leisure to explore Waikiki or relax at the beach.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 70 miles, approximately 2 hours riding time plus stops. Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day; some uneven terrain, dirt trails, pavement.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll depart by bus to explore the underwater ocean world off Waikiki in a passenger submarine. We’ll dive up to 100 feet and see the marine environment including tropical fish, sea turtles, sharks, reefs, sunken ships, and other underwater artifacts seen. As the marine animals are in their free flowing natural habitat, what we’ll see is different each day. We’ll return back to the hotel, where you will have free time until we depart for our afternoon activity.

Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Afternoon: Mid-afternoon, we will travel on bus to a local farm for a cultural experience and dinner with a local Hawaiian group. We will "talk story", learn about the aina (land) through the eyes of a Hawaiian, and enjoy Hawaiian dinner together.

Dinner: You are invited to island-style paina (gathering) hosted by a local for dinner.

Evening: We will continue our cultural exchange after dinner and ride back to hotel mid-evening. Prepare for check-out and flight transfer tomorrow.

Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles on pavement, sandy beach and uneven terrain. Previous knee, back, neck, shoulder injuries may impact your ability to join surf lessons. The flight from HNL to ITO is approximately (1) hour. Getting on and off busses; driving approximately 20 miles for airport transfers, approximately 1 hour depending upon traffic.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will walk to Waikiki Beach for more surfing instruction with our local experts. After the field trip, we’ll return to the hotel and get ready for our flight to Hilo.

Lunch: Location will vary according to flight schedules.

Afternoon: We will board a bus and ride to Honolulu International Airport, then board our flight to Hilo on Hawaii Island. After arriving in Hilo, we will collect our luggage and take a motorcoach to the hotel.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer tomorrow.

Activity note: Getting on/off busses; driving about 130 miles throughout the day, approximately 3.5 hours total aboard bus depending upon local traffic. Hiking up to 2 miles throughout the day on uneven terrain with 400 feet of elevation gain. Elevation at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is 4,100 feet.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will check out of the hotel, board a bus, and set out with a local expert on a field trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. From the National Park Service: “Hawaii Volcanoes National Park displays the results of at least 70 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolution in the Hawaiian Island-Emperor Seamount chain — processes that would thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture.” We will go on a 1.2-mile walk over various surfaces, some of which are uneven in the National Park through the native volcanic environment and may take a moderate hike with uneven ground and a slippery slope with handrail. We will also make stop at different points of interest, determined by the evolving conditions of this fascinating geologically active area.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: After lunch, we'll board the bus for our journey to the opposite side of the island. Arrive at the hotel in the late afternoon and check in.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Getting on/off busses; driving about 10 miles throughout the day, approximately 45 minutes depending upon local traffic. Walking approximately 1.5 miles throughout the day on paved, sand or uneven terrain. Swimming and snorkeling in the ocean. Walking to the luau 1 mile each way.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will start our day with a class at the hotel led by a local marine expert who will tell us about the marine environment of Kona and the Big Island of Hawaii. We’ll then depart for a beach where we’ll explore tidepools and go snorkeling. Hawaiian sea turtles are spotted frequently and might be up close with snorkelers. Do not touch the turtles as they are protected and violators may be fined! As the marine animals are in their free flowing natural habitat, what we’ll see is different each day. We’ll return back to the hotel late morning.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy the local fare of your choice. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity to see and do what interests you most in the Kailua-Kona area. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Dinner: Tonight we’ll have a traditional Hawaiian luau where the puaa kalua (roast pig) is taken out of the in-ground imu (oven) — the centerpiece of an elaborate, multicourse offering of traditional island fare.

Evening: At the luau, we’ll enjoy a performance of music, song, and dance conjuring myths and stories from throughout Polynesia.

Activity note: Getting on/off busses; driving about 50 miles throughout the day, approximately 1.5 hours depending upon local traffic. Walking approximately 1.5 miles throughout the day on pavement. Swimming and snorkeling from a boat. Getting in/out of ocean using stairs on catamaran.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will board a catamaran to snorkel along the Kona Coast. We will learn about the marine life then jump in the water and experience the adventure of seeing for ourselves!

Lunch: Served onboard the snorkel vessel

Afternoon: Our catamaran will return to shore in the early afternoon and we will then walk back to the hotel. The remainder of the afternoon will be free to continue exploring Kailua-Kona independently, spend time with fellow Road Scholars, or just relax.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy local fare.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Getting on/off busses; driving about 50 miles throughout the day, approximately 1.5 hours depending upon local traffic. Walking approximately 1.5 miles throughout the day on pavement. Swimming and snorkeling from a zodiac boat using a ladder to get in/out of the water. Zodiac boat ride may be bouncy based on ocean conditions.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: After walking to the pier, we will board a zodiac boat and head down the coast to Kealakekua Bay, a marine preserve. This is also where the first extensive contact between Hawaiians and Westerners occurred with the arrival of Captain James Cook in 1779. With its natural wind protection and remote location, Kealakekua Bay is an ideal snorkeling location for opportunities to see a variety of coral fish. Our vessel will then take us back to shore.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like in historic Kailua-Kona.

Afternoon: We will return to the hotel with some time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Dinner: At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: At the hotel. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!