What To Do In Hawaii - Waikiki Aquarium #travel

While you're finished exploring the Honolulu Zoo, just down the road a bit you can visit the Waikiki Aquarium. Located at the south end of Waikiki Beach, the aquarium will give you some cool respite from the warm Hawaii sunshine. They are open from 9:00am-4:30pm daily.

Walking through the aquarium gave me an incredible sense of serenity. I watched the anemones and sea urchins wave their many tiny "arms" in the water like they were directing some great symphony. The colorful fishes darted back and forth inside the tanks as though they were in an animated conversation about finding Nemo.

I was captivated by the jellyfish and the rhythmic way they moved through the salty water. I could have stood there and watched them for days. The seahorses galloped through their little aquariums like they were on a racetrack, then wrapped their tiny tails around a plant to float and rest. I also saw corals, sea stars, shrimp, sharks, eels, starfish, and so much more!

Just outside, we saw the monk seals swim quickly and gracefully throughout their large tanks, then they clumsily dragged their heavy rubbery bodies up onto the rocks to greet the aquarium staff for their lunch. I didn't see any green sea turtles on the day we were there, but their brochure says they do have some of them. Maybe I'll be able see them the next time I go, or maybe even on the Hawaii beaches when they come up to sun on the sand!

The Waikiki Aquarium is amazing. There is plenty of written information about the creatures of the ocean near the aquarium tanks, and also the opportunity to use their audio tour equipment. It's a great way to get the family out of the sun for a few hours and learn about some of the most unusual creatures surrounding this beautiful island!

www.waikikiaquarium.org

If you have plans to swim in the ocean around Hawaii, be sure to check their Box Jellyfish Calendar, because you'll need to stay out of the waters a few days each month!

Click HERE to see what else to do in Hawaii!

Summer Sweet Treat - Bauli Mini Chocolate Croissants

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

If you're looking for a summer sweet treat that is also guilt-free, then you need to try Bauli Mini Chocolate Croissants. At just 50 calories each, you can indulge yourself with these delicious little snacks! Made with naturally leavened dough and no artificial colors, they are light and delectable.

Bigger than bite-sized, each Bauli Italian Mini Croissant is about 4 bites. The snack bags come 6 to a package, so it's easy to share with a friend. They are perfect an afternoon snack, or even an after-dinner dessert. Add a glass of milk and a slice of fruit and you have a whole breakfast meal!

Bauli Mini Chocolate Croissants have a creamy, dreamy filling of chocolate right in the middle. They also come in a Vanilla Custard flavor. These oven-baked sweet treats came out of the bag tasting freshly-made (without the baking mess in my kitchen). I highly recommend them!

Visit www.bauliusa.com to learn more 

and to see the other delicious products made by Bauli!

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What To Do In Hawaii - Honolulu Zoo #travel

On the south end of the beautiful Waikiki Beach, we discovered the Honolulu Zoo. It's the best zoo for 2300 miles in any direction! Open daily from 9:00am-4:30pm, this wonderful zoo is home to over 200 species of animals.

There are so many gorgeous birds at the Honolulu Zoo and I learned that the zoo was originally a bird park, started from the personal collection of King David Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani. A huge flock of pink flamingos greeted us near the entrance.

Honolulu Zoo features a Keiki Zoo (keiki means child in Hawaiian) that features interactive exhibits like nowhere else. They've combined playscapes with animal exhibits so children can climb up, around, and through right where the animals live, as well as places to touch some of the animals.

The hippo sculpture is a great place for a photo opp! There are alligators, tortoises, orangutans, chimpanzees, penguins, tigers, and lions. We saw an aardvark, a komodo dragon, and a gharial, which looks like an alligator with a long, pencil-shaped nose.

I even found Timon and Pumba! There was a meerkat exhibit and a warthog exhibit, but I couldn't catch either one of them standing still long enough for a good picture. The Honolulu Zoo is a fabulous place to spend the day.

There is also a beautiful Nene Sanctuary in the zoo and I learned that the Nene (below) is the Hawaiian state bird. It is a goose and is found exclusively in Hawaii. The species almost became extinct in the 1940s, but conservationists are working to protect them and increase their population.

The Honolulu Zoo also features lots of open grassy areas and playground areas, so it's a great place for a group outing. There are several places to eat and a gift shop, whose profits help support wildlife conservation.

The Honolulu Zoo features tropical forest animals, tropical giants, primates of the world, and an African Savanna section. There is so much to explore and learn! I was very impressed at how hard they work to keep everything so clean.

The Honolulu Zoo is located at 151 Kapahulu Avenue and you can check out their website at www.honoluluzoo.org. They will even host your birthday parties, special events, and company parties.

On Wednesday nights through August 10th, stop by the The Wildest Show In Town, featuring live local entertainment, including music, ukulele giveaways, snacks, crafts for kids, and much more, for just a $3 entry fee!

www.honoluluzoo.org

Click HERE to see what else to do in Hawaii!

Weekly Giveaway Linky - Wednesday Wealth (June 22 - 28)

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Sara Lee® Snacks Peanut Butter Crème Filled Cakes

Disclosure: I received BBUSA product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Now that the kids are out of school, I'll bet you're busy planning local day trips to keep them busy. Maybe you'll plan a trip to the zoo, a picnic at the local park, or a day at the beach. When you fill up your cooler with sandwiches and drinks, be sure to add in some of the new Sara Lee® Snacks Peanut Butter Crème Cakes!

Your kids will be delighted to discover these convenient individually-wrapped treats in the cooler. Made with real peanuts, these deliciously rich and moist chocolate snack cakes are made with a light and fluffy peanut butter crème filling and wrapped in a smooth chocolate coating. Sara Lee® Snacks Peanut Butter Crème Cakes come six to a box.

These Peanut Butter Crème Cakes are delicious and convenient! The cakes are bigger than I expected, and make the perfect dessert for a picnic lunch or a sweet mid-afternoon snack. And since you're the mom, you can even hide in the pantry and eat one for breakfast if you want! When you take your treats along with you on your day trips, you can avoid the high prices of concession stands.

Visit Sara Lee® Snacks, made by Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc. for more information. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter to be first to hear about new products!

Enter below to win a prize package that includes the following: Two Boxes of Sara Lee® Snacks Peanut Butter Crème Filled Cakes, Five Sara Lee® Snacks Coupons valued at $4 each, and one custom Sara Lee® Snacks Travel Leisure Blanket valued at $15!
Eligibility: US residents, 18+. Ends 7/2/16.

Tropical Summer Fragrance Mists from ActivESSENCE

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Now that you're on the prowl for great new summer clothes, you should also be indulging in some fabulous new summer fragrances! ActivESSENCE Time-Release Fragrance Mists allow you to completely revamp your fragrance wardrobe, while providing your skin with essential oils and vitamins A, C, and E, leaving it feeling nourished, hydrated, and supple.

These five great summer scents are value-priced at just $7.99 at Walgreens, CVS, Target.com, Amazon.com, and Drugstore.com. The tropical weather here in Hawaii gave me the chance to really put their 12-hour claim to the test and I'm happy to say the scents do last all day! French Vanilla Lavender is a combination of spring lavender and water lily, topped with notes of Asian ylang ylang to enable relaxation and rejuvenation.

Moroccan Orchid and Amber combines amber with exotic Asian orchids to create this enticing, skin-nourishing scent. The Exotic Cherry Blossom scent combines tangy grapefruit, warm sandalwood, and spiced apricot to create a tropical scent for sweet skin renewal.

ActiveESSENCE Tropical Coconut Coast blends coconut blossom and exotic tiger lily to offer you the perfect tropical escape for your senses. These wonderful mists are the perfect replacement for heavier winter perfumes. They are cooling and refreshing without being overpowering.

Citrus Splash is a fun blend of juicy lemon and garden mint for an invigorating, refreshing summer scent. This one is available exclusively at Walgreens. I'm really having a hard time choosing a favorite scent! I do a quick all-over ActivESSENCE mist right after my morning shower, and then before bed, I mist again just to treat my sun-parched skin to the moisturizing benefits.

Shop for ActivESSENCE at Walgreens, CVS, Target.com, Amazon.com, and Drugstore.com. Don't forget that the limited edition Citrus Splash is only found at Walgreens! Learn more at www.instyleactivessence.com. You can even follow them on Facebook.