15 Recommended Tourist Spots in Okinawa for a Fun Family Trip Surrounded by Beautiful Nature

Traveling with kids means lots of luggage, and deciding whether to bring a stroller can be tricky.
Many popular attractions and shopping centers in Okinawa offer stroller rentals. Some hotels also have strollers available.
If you rent a car and focus on places that offer stroller rentals, you won’t need to bring one from home.
Just keep in mind that rental cars can get booked up quickly during peak travel seasons, so plan ahead.
If you’re visiting the smaller islands or can’t get a rental car, you can also rent a stroller at Naha Airport.

If you’re heading to the smaller islands with young children, be sure to bring baby food with you.
Some hotels offer baby food, but convenience stores and supermarkets are few and far between on the islands, so you might not be able to buy any there.
Pick up what you need on the main island before heading out.

If you’re coming to Okinawa, you’ll definitely want to play in the clear blue sea.
But there are a few things to watch out for.
Okinawa has the strongest UV rays in Japan, and they get even stronger as the sun rises higher.
If your kids are playing on the beach, make sure they wear hats and use sunscreen.
Beach sandals or water shoes are also essential.
Okinawa’s beaches sometimes have bits of coral or sea glass, which can cause injuries if stepped on.
Take the right precautions and enjoy the beach safely.

Located inside Ocean Expo Park, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is one of the most popular attractions in Okinawa.
Inside, you’ll discover the amazing world of Okinawa’s sea creatures.
The main highlight is the massive “Kuroshio Sea” tank, where you can see whale sharks—the world’s largest fish—and manta rays, which were bred here for the first time in the world.

This is one of Japan’s largest outdoor botanical gardens, with approx 1,300 species and over 50,000 plants.
Enjoy tropical scenery all year round. In the “Water Garden” and “Botanical Garden,” you’ll find rare tropical and subtropical plants.
Don’t miss the baobab trees from Africa’s savannas or the sweet-smelling lotus flowers that bloom around June and July—plants you rarely see on mainland Japan.

Opened in 1992, this theme park is all about pineapples.
You can stroll through pineapple fields, see colorful flowers, and explore lush, jungle-like plants. Learn about the history of Okinawa’s pineapples through exhibits and displays.

This is Japan’s southernmost combined zoo and children’s museum.
You’ll find around 150 species of mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles.
In the zoo area, you can see rare animals like Yakushima monkeys and Ryukyu dogs, which live in the Ryukyu Islands stretching from Tanegashima and Yakushima in Kagoshima Prefecture all the way to Yonaguni Island in Okinawa.

Enjoy a puzzle-solving game based on an original story, a fruit café famous for its 1.5kg parfait made with mango and dragon fruit, and a restaurant serving Okinawan cuisine. There’s plenty to keep both kids and adults entertained all day.

Okinawa World is a popular theme park that brings together the best of Okinawa. The main attraction is Gyokusendo, the largest limestone cave in Okinawa, formed over approx 300,000 years and filled with over a million stalactites. There’s also a recreated Ryukyu Kingdom town with traditional houses, and a tropical fruit garden where you can see rare fruits like shikuwasa and lychee. There’s lots to explore!

This theme park is set in a forest of ancient ferns that date back approx 100 million years. Over 80 life-sized dinosaur models are scattered throughout the park. You’ll see favorites like Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, and the long-necked Brachiosaurus. It really feels like you’ve stepped back into the age of dinosaurs!

This permanent exhibition is run by the popular art collective teamLab, known for their work in Japan and abroad. The concept is “collaborative creativity.” Families, friends, and everyone in the same space can enjoy creating art together.
All the artworks are interactive—touch, walk, or move things and the art and sounds will change. Some pieces even let you see your own drawings of fish or animals appear in the artwork, making you feel like you’re part of the art.

Located at Cape Busena in northern Okinawa, this marine park is part of the Okinawa Kaigan Quasi-National Park.
You can watch colorful tropical fish and enjoy the beautiful ocean views.
Make unforgettable memories surrounded by the rich nature of Busena’s sea.

This animal and plant park is just a 10-minute drive from central Nago.
It covers an area about five times the size of Tokyo Dome and recreates tropical environments from around the world.
The park is divided into zones by region, so you can see animals and plants from the same area displayed together.

This nature park is in Uruma City, central Okinawa, and is easy to reach from the resort area of Onna Village.
The park is filled with lush ferns and colorful orchids, preserving the unique subtropical environment.
There are lots of activities with the theme “nature experiences that nurture the heart.” The jungle cruise on a lake, guided by a boatman, is especially popular.

This aquarium opened in 2020 in Toyosaki Town, a popular area just a 20-minute drive from Naha Airport. The concept is “zero-distance excitement and a magical experience.” You’ll get to see the wonders of nature and animals up close through creative exhibits.
Past the entrance on the second floor, you’ll find a space inspired by subtropical forests, with giant banyan trees and all kinds of freshwater fish. It feels like you’re exploring a real forest as you discover different creatures.

Just a 5-minute drive from the remote island terminal and approx 30 minutes from Ishigaki Airport, this hands-on facility lets you interact with dolphins. You can feed them, shake hands, and give signals for jumps—just like a trainer. It’s a great way to see dolphins up close, totally different from watching them on TV or at an aquarium. Perfect for making special memories.

This sightseeing center offers the famous water buffalo cart tours on Taketomi Island. Relax as you tour the village, listening to stories about island life and enjoying music played on the sanshin, all while swaying gently in the cart. The tour takes approx 20-30 minutes. You’ll see everyday island scenery, huge banyan trees, and colorful flowers like bougainvillea and, in early summer, bright red deigo blossoms. The stone-paved lanes and seasonal flowers seen from the water buffalo cart are classic Okinawa.

This prefectural forest park sits on Mt. Banna, 230 meters above sea level in central Ishigaki Island. You’ll find tropical trees, open spaces where kids can play freely in nature, and observation decks with amazing ocean views. There are also many butterflies and plants you can only see in the Yaeyama Islands, making it a paradise for nature lovers.

Renaissance Okinawa Resort is located in Onna Village.
All 377 rooms have balconies, so you can relax and enjoy the ocean view in peace.
There are modern Western-style rooms, Japanese tatami rooms, and special “Flippers Connecting” rooms just for families with kids, decorated with dolphin and turtle illustrations.
There are plenty of activities, including snorkeling, diving, and dolphin encounters. Kids can also try working at the hotel or go on a treasure hunt aboard a pirate ship.

Sheraton Okinawa Sunmarina Resort is located inside Okinawa Kaigan Quasi-National Park.
There are two towers: the Main Tower, with balconies overlooking the East China Sea, and the South Tower, decorated with Okinawan touches. Maisonette and double rooms are great for families.
You’ll love the beautiful Sunmarina Beach, one of the best in Japan.
There are plenty of marine and outdoor activity programs.
Kids can join the “Waraba Manta Club” to play on the beach with staff, try lifeguard training, or take wakeboard lessons.
There’s also a garden pool with a waterslide, so you can have fun even without leaving the hotel.
Sunset cruises are also available by reservation. Set sail from the resort and watch the sun sink into the sea.

Hotel Monterey Okinawa Spa & Resort faces Tiger Beach in northern Okinawa.
Enjoy the ocean breeze and stunning views of white sand and blue sea from your room.
The spacious grounds include a beach, sunset café, and more.

There’s a kids’ pool and an indoor play area for rainy days, so even little ones can have fun. Kids’ pajamas are provided, too. There are plenty of marine activity programs for families.
For families with kids, there’s also a special collaboration room with Miki House, available for just one group per night.