Tourist Traps and Contrived Experiences

So far on our trip to Hawaii we have been hanging out at the beach, shopping at the local markets, and learning to surf with the locals as our teachers.

Today, we thought we would visit some of the recommended sites for the kid’s education sake.

First, we stopped at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

When we arrived and saw the huge parking lot filled with tour buses, our hearts sank.

When they charged us $8 for parking and then asked $49 each to enter the park, we just stared at each other.

I don’t know what happened, but we just didn’t want to. Everything looked contrived and stale. (I was actually on a Polynesian isle, I didn’t want the theme park version.)

So we left.

Then, we went to Kualoa Ranch.  (The 4,000 acre ranch where they filmed Lost and Jurassic Park.)

Again, long lines of people being herded around like public school fourth graders made my stomach sink.

The Jungle Tour, The Movie Tour, The Horse Tour, and a huge gift shop distracted from the amazing green mountains behind.

But the ranch was beautiful. The petting zoo was awesome.  (Baby goats climbing trees.) And the steaks we bought (it is a working cattle ranch) will be lovely on the BBQ tonight.

We left without paying for a tour or a trinket.

I prefer the kind of day where I’m not being told what kind of experience to have.  Good to know.