Hawaii is a prime vacation destination with terrific weather year round - sunny skies, temperatures in the 80s, cooling trade winds "and when it" does rain here in the islands, showers typically pass by fairly quickly. Still, even in Hawaii, there are days the sun simply refuses to shine, drizzly, gray, chilly days when hitting the beach just isn't an option. Instead of staying inside cooped up in your hotel room waiting for the rain to stop with a bunch of restless kids, why not try out a few of these family-friendly, rainy day activities:
Check out the Waikiki Aquarium, a popular daytime attraction that's ideal for those rare occasions when the weather outside is lousy. Conveniently located within walking distance of most Waikiki hotels, the Waikiki Aquarium is home to more than 3,000 marine animals with some 500 species on display! There are interactive exhibits and informative videos to watch, and the price of admission includes a free audio tour. Admission is $9 for adults and $2 for children ages 4 and up.
Go shopping in Waikiki at the Royal Hawaiian Center with over a hundred shops and restaurants, or browse among the various carts and stands at the International Marketplace for a souvenir of your trip or gifts for the folks back home. And while Dad might be a little bored at this point, there's always Ala Moana Shopping Center, the world's largest open-air shopping mall with more than 250 stores and restaurants, located just outside Waikiki.
Take the family to Bishop Museum and spend the day exploring the largest museum in the state of Hawaii, full of exhibits featuring native Hawaiian artifacts and collections of photography and artwork chronicling the history of these islands. If that seems like a tough sell for the kiddies, the museum's Animation! Exhibition (currently on display until May 25th) features popular characters from the Cartoon Network and provides a fun and educational look inside the process of animating your kids' favorite cartoons, from character design and storyboarding to voice-over work and visual effects. Bishop Museum is located in Kalihi about 20 minutes outside of Waikiki so to get there you'll need to either catch a bus or drive.
There are other options available as well: you can always check out what's playing in the local movie theaters (the Ward Stadium 16 Theaters are your best bet if you're staying in Waikiki) or (get this) book a tour with Atlantis Submarines and dive below the water's surface to avoid getting wet!
Whatever you decide to do, rainfall tends to be fairly localized in Hawaii, so while it may be raining in one area of the island, there's always a good chance it's sunny and fair elsewhere. The next time it rains, just hop in your rental car and drive; before long you'll be saying, "Aloha!" to gray skies and, well, "Aloha!" to sunny weather instead!
Umbrella or Parasol?
Umbrellas are sometimes called parasols, and parasols are often called umbrellas. So, are they the same thing? Well, in a nutshell, yes, they are in essence the same thing. According to the dictionary, the term umbrella or parasol can be defined as a lightweight and very portable collapsible canopy.
Umbrellas in the Rain
The term umbrella is usually used for collapsible canopies that are especially designed for being used in the rain. Umbrellas come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. They even come in matching and coordinating designer sets. It is not uncommon to see a man or a woman toting around an umbrella while walking outside.
Umbrellas In Modern Times
The time that most people think of using an umbrella is usually when someone is going for a stroll or walking outside and it begins to rain. Umbrellas provide shelter from the pouring rain when it is not too windy, and most people perceive that umbrellas are used only for this purpose. Well, perhaps we would do well to consider other situations when one might use an umbrella.
Parasols In the Sun
The sun is an awesome creation, perfectly designed with a magnitude of purpose. However, the ozone layer that protects us from the harmful rays of the sun has been very greatly damaged. We cannot healthfully enjoy the sun and the wonderful sunlight it gives off without the protection of the ozone layer. As a result of the ozone being damaged, the ultra violet rays from the sun can damage, dry, and even scorch the unprotected skin of humans as well as animals. These ultra violet rays may even cause diseases such as melanoma or some other type of skin cancer.
Without going to much in depth about the dangers of direct sunlight for fear of straying too much off topic, there are small measures that one can take to protect ones self from the harmful rays of the sun . One small thing that we can possible do is carry an umbrella or parasol for protection from the sun.
The term parasol is mostly referred to collapsible canopies that are used to protect against sunlight. Parasols can be a source of shade and shelter from the sun. Not only will you be protecting your skin, but you will also be a little cooler as the parasol will take some heat off of you by absorbing it for you.
So there you have it! Umbrellas are for the rain, and parasols are for the sun. Have fun with these great inventions and stay sheltered from the elements.
Both Jamie Hanson & Jay Brandley are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jamie Hanson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, Environment and Desserts. To learn more about Hawaii Activities and Tours, please go to . To book our favorite rainy day activity, please go to. Jamie Hanson's top article generates over 1500000 views. to your Favourites.
Jay Brandley has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fundraising, Hair Styles and Travel and Leisure. To find out more about great you can check out Jays website entitle. Jay Brandley's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.