You’re visiting Oahu with a toddler or a baby! Yay! Hawaii is pretty much the perfect place to travel with really young ones, so I congratulate you on a great choice and an awesome upcoming trip.
But perhaps you have heard of Waimea Falls, and you’re wondering…
Is Waimea falls good with a toddler or baby?
Luckily for you, I’ve just gotten back from exploring Waimea Valley with a toddler, and I can tell you all about it. It really is one of the most kid friendly hikes on Oahu. Here’s everything you need to know if you’re thinking of doing Waimea Falls with a baby or toddler.
Kids under 4 are free.
As of Spring 2022, adults are $20, and kids ages 4-12 are $12. There are local and military discounts available as well. For more information, see the Waimea Valley admissions page.
The path through the botanical gardens is totally toddler (and stroller) friendly.
The “hike” through Waimea Valley to Waimea Falls is .75 miles, and it is a wide, smooth, well-paved pathway.
The only thing you have to watch out for is the occasional shuttle (which is basically an extra-long golf cart) slowly and carefully traversing the pathway up to the top. They’ll slow down when they see your toddler and make sure you know they are there.
You can also take this shuttle for $10 per person if you’d like to skip the trek altogether.
But if you decide to walk it, it is a great path for toddlers.
It is a leisurely walk, and while you will not do it in the expected 20-30 minutes for adults (it took us over an hour with a freely meandering 3-year-old), it is a totally doable walk for very little legs with only one somewhat significant hill.
No stroller? You can rent a wagon.
If you don’t have your stroller with you, but your little one is a bit too small to walk it on their own, you can rent a wagon from the admissions booth for $10. Just ask while you are purchasing your tickets.
Stop to smell the flowers.
One of the great draws of this botanical garden are the amazing flora that you will encounter along the path to the waterfall. Even if you’re not all that into the plants (that sell for hundreds of dollars as houseplants on the mainland!), you’ll be impressed by these tropical beauties.
Whether or not you appreciate the variety of botanical gems that Waimea Botanical Gardens has to offer, your toddler will enjoy plants that range from colorful, to spiky, to responsive to touch, to odiferous, to just plain beautiful.
Maybe skip the guided tours.
There are guided tours that available each day, which will teach you all about the plants, or about the history of the Valley. While these are super informative and interesting, they are not ideal if you are visiting Waimea with a baby or toddler.
Guided tours are always tricky with little ones, because the group can’t be responsive to your child’s needs. But this is one in particular that I think is much better without a guide, because it is so joyful for kids to explore at their own pace.
Dress for some shade.
The walk is particularly comfortable because it is mostly shaded, but be sure that you come prepared because that does mean it is a little cooler. You might still want to bring a sunhat for those areas that don’t have as full of coverage, but know that it will be a comfortable walk even on a hot day.
If the weather is a little more mild when you visit, come prepared with a jacket. It’s just a tiny bit cooler here in the forest than out on the beach.
Plan to swim in the waterfall.
When you get to the end of the ¾ mile hike, you are rewarded with the scenery of Waimea Falls. But it goes further – this is a waterfall that you can actually swim under!
When you first enter the botanical gardens and pay your entry fee, they will tell you if the waterfalls are open for swimming. I have been multiple times, and while once it was way too cold to swim, it has been open for swimming each time.
Regardless of the time of year, it is going to be cold. Like, really cold. When we went most recently (late November), it was tough to jump in for me as an adult, but I adjusted quickly and it was comfortable. Our toddler never quite adjusted fully, and was shivering the whole time. It’s not like Waikiki, that’s for sure.
Overall, it was 100% worth it, for all of us, to jump in. My kids were so excited afterward to talk about “swimming under a waterfall” and they dried off and warmed up within ten minutes of standing in the sun just past the waterfall area.
Little ones will not be able to swim super close to the waterfall itself, where the current gets strong and pushes you back. But this is a fun experience for the adults!
There are snacks and restrooms available at the entrance, and at the waterfall.
You really don’t have to go too far between snacks in Waimea Valley.
The area where you park (or leave your tour bus) has a full-fledged café, restaurant, and bar. We had hot dogs before heading out on our trek. You can also pick up souvenirs here on your way out.
There are also vendors when you get to the waterfall. It is a little less involved, but you can get snacks, drinks, and treats just before entering the waterfall area.
There are also bathrooms and changing areas for you to change into your swimsuits.
If you really need it, there is a vendor right at the waterfall that sells swimsuits, water shoes, and coverups for seriously marked up prices. You can also utilize them for bag storage at $10 for a small bag, and $15 for a large (prices as of November 2021). There is also plenty of space to just set your belongings on the stairs next to the waterfall entrance, if you are comfortable not locking up your belongings, as most people don’t.
You will need to wear a life jacket.
But you won’t need to bring it with you.
As you approach the waterfall, there is a kiosk on the left with life jackets. You will not be allowed in the water without a life jacket. These are free to borrow, and they have all sizes available – including very small baby sizes.
These guys operate on tips only, so they are free – or whatever you want to pay them. We found that after tipping, the guy there gave us several tips about the best places to visit in the area, which was nice.
Waimea Valley was truly one of the best Oahu toddler activities that we found. I’m so glad we made the drive out to check it out. It is also an ideal thing to do with babies on Oahu because it is so stroller-friendly.
Want to leave all the gear at home?
Did you know that you can rent baby and toddler gear in destinations all around the country and internationally? For rentals in the US and Canada, the industry leader is BabyQuip. You can find them in over 600 locations, including Oahu! They have incredibly high standards for product quality and cleaning, and you get the peace of mind of having big (or small!) items delivered right to your destination doorstep.
to pin for later:
1 thought on “Waimea Falls with a Toddler or Baby”
This was so helpful! Do you know if you can get on the shuttle mid-way through the walk? Or can you only get on and off at the beginning and end of the trail?