If you’ve been dreaming of gorgeous sandy beaches and the deep blue waters of Hawaii ever since watching Moana (just me?), then today’s post is for you! The amazing Andrea Laughery is here today sharing her latest adventure in Hawaii with kids. She’s sharing all the gorgeous images from their most recent stay on Maui. Plus, tips and advice for planning a Hawaiian vacation with kids and all their favorite kid-friendly activities, places to stay and eateries.
Hawaii with kids
The soft Pacific waves are clapping up in rhythmic motion on the sand, carrying away and bringing with them new bits of coral, shells, rocks…and the occasional beach toy a child calls out for one of us to grab. The shade tent is propped up just perfectly in a way so that my legs are warm from the sun and I can see the kids digging tunnels and castles ferociously by themselves a few feet away. My husband lets out a snore from the reclined chair next to me. I sip my chilled La Croix. The emerald palms are dancing and swaying overhead in that perfect Maui breeze. Life is good.
The above scenario is what I always envision when we plan our trips to Hawaii with the kids. Somehow the tortuously long days of travel, hungry kids, lost luggage, the arduous task of organizing airplane entertainment and snacks, unplanned visits to urgent care for ear infections, countless applications of sunscreen on tiny ears and necks and noses, the formidable and sweaty trudging through deep sand carrying blankets and umbrellas and buckets of toys all end up lost in a sea of more powerful, more enjoyable memories. Make no mistake, traveling with young children isn’t at all easy breezy.
But we do it anyway! Because….wait for the cliche…it’s always worth it. Our kids already have these amazing, deep rooted memories of our family trips in Hawaii. We’ve been traveling with our kids since the time they were babies. By this point in life they are really amazing troopers and keep good attitudes and know the routine.
Family-friendly Hawaii
Every family has their own quirks and routine for travel. It’s important to always look first inward when planning a Hawaiian vacation, and less outward at what others are doing. Our family tends to err on the side of ‘outdoor adventure obsessed’ and ‘spend days searching for the best shave ice on the island.’ So, that’s also how a lot of our trip time is planned. We personally love experiences that are just challenging enough to build character. I don’t like everything to be easy for our kids. It’s okay to hike down a long trail and get hot and work your muscles. It makes you appreciate the reward and feeling of accomplishment at the end. I love pool time and relaxing too, but the times we grow as a family and push to experience something unique together are always my favorite.
But maybe you’re a big resort lover. Or you like wandering touristy shops. Maybe you enjoy spending all day at the pool. Or taking whale watching tours. Or snorkeling or going to luaus or building sandcastles or driving winding roads through lush jungles. Whatever it may be, Hawaii has something for everyone. If you go with an open heart, gratitude, and appreciate for the people and the land you are sure to leave with incredible memories for this very special piece of earth.
Every island has something a little different to offer. I advise to research each one thoroughly before making your choice! We’ve personally loved our time on all the islands for different reasons. We chose different islands depending on the season we are in and what activities we have our hearts set upon.
Hawaii planning tips & advice
- Think about whether your family would feel more comfortable in a large resort with other people (and more amenities), or something more private and simple like renting a house or a condo.
- Book flights for weekdays to save cash. However, don’t go so crazy on flight times that you sacrifice you and your kids’ sanity. We try and fly during the day so that we land in time to get kids to bed.
- Adjust to local time zone as quickly as possible, and allow plenty of downtime in the room for naps and quiet time the first couple of days.
- Consider using a local rental company to deliver things to your room for things like pack-n-plays, beach toys, and high-chairs. The less things you have to pack with you, the better!
- Remember you don’t need to do something just because you think you should. This is your vacation and your family time. If you want to spend every day of it at the pool or beach, and skip spending hours in the car driving the narrow road to Hana, then do it!
- If your family dynamics work in a way that you feel comfortable inviting other family members such as grandparents or an aunt or uncle along, that can be a great way to ensure you and your partner get some solo time away from the kids, and create positive memories with family.
- That said, putting some planning and organization into your vacation will pay off in droves and allow you to fully relax when you get there! Make lists and pack minimal, but do remember that most all of the Hawaiian islands have major stores with any items you may need or forget upon arrival.
- Keep a short list of activities or sites you may want to see, but wait to book until you get to Hawaii. You may find you don’t want to do that night manta ray dive after all, or a sunset picnic with the kids sounds better than a 4 hour long luau with hundreds of other people. Let your mood and vibe direct your plans, so keep them loose!
- When flying, reserve all technology use until the end of the flight or the kids start falling apart. We avoid small pieces/toys and stick to things like coloring, stickers, and a lot of snacks.
- If you have a newly potty trained kiddo, invest in a travel potty seat that can fold into a chair with bags, or out as a seat on the big airplane toilet. It’s the best travel investment we’ve made.
- Go with the flow. Expect that when you travel with kids things may not (definitely will not) go accordingly to plan. And that’s okay. Attitude really is everything. My husband and I always give one another a little fist bump before the beginning of a long journey. It’s our reminder to one another to not get cranky with each other and have each other’s back on whatever may come our way.
Hawaii favorites with kids
- Favorite place to stay? We like to stay on Kauai at Waipouli Village, but this most recent trip we stayed on Maui at Honua Kai Resort. For our upcoming trip to the big island of Hawaii we are renting a house through VRBO.
- Favorite Hawaii activities? Hiking, eating shave ice, and swimming in the ocean.
- Favorite thing about Hawaii? Simply being outside in the warm weather, exploring new places and savoring the laid back atmosphere of the islands.
- Kids favorite thing to do in Hawaii? The kids love the swimming pool, and I’d say if you’r traveling with small kids you definitely want to stay somewhere with a pool!
- Recommended trip length? Allow yourself enough time to adjust to time zones, get real relaxed, and figure things out before you have to pack stuff up again to leave. I say at least 10 days, but 2 weeks is ideal!
- Best kid-friendly places to eat? The Fresh Shave is the place to be for good shave ice that is made with all fresh ingredients and no artificial syrups!
