Hawaii Family Holiday Planning: Finding Family-friendly Accommodation
I’m off to Scotland next week again, last trip was a very quick one in January.
My mum needs help and this time I’m going for four weeks and taking Mr11 with me. It’s going to be like this for a while.
We don’t know when our next proper family holiday will be, but it’s very enjoyable and even restful to plan one.
Hawaii is on the list and I’ve been checking out accommodation that’s good for families and making plans.
Hawaii island views
Next will be checking out the many things to do and deciding what would work for our family on a Hawaiian holiday. And then flights need to be researched too.
I can have all the research done so that when we have, one day, some actual dates… we can easily put it all into action.
Here’s my research so far. (And can I add, this is an excellent way to pass the time when it’s winter in Australia!)
Here’s what you’ll find on this post:
Hawaii Luxury Beach Houses
Family Resorts in Hawaii
Finding Family Holiday Deals for Hawaii
Word-of-mouth: HSK Readers Recommend These Resorts
Things To Do On A Hawaii Family Holiday
Magnificent views from a luxury villa
Hawaii Luxurious Beach Homes
May as well start at the top!
There are some totally amazing, luxurious beach houses available in Hawaii. These would really suit our family now our kids are older and don’t need such a lot of looking after.
A villa by the beach or some other self-contained accommodation suits families so well as you can cook for yourself- saves a fortune when you have starving teenagers who blow the budget every time you eat out.
Our family is also large and we love a lot of space to spread out. Once or twice we have paid for three hotel rooms and that can be crippling. So a large villa works really well for us.
When my kids were younger though, a resort was always my first choice. Or camping!
Places to look for villas in Hawaii are:
Famous Waikiki beach and it’s many hotels
Family Resorts in Hawaii
My first approach is to go visit a few of my favourite family travel bloggers to see where they have stayed and what they say.
I remember well reading Chantelle from Fat Mum Slim’s posts from two visits to Hawaii with her young girls.
The Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa
This is where Chantelle has stayed and she has described in great detail on her posts.
Hawaii Diaries Part One
Hawaii Diaries Part Two
Just reading around all the Hawaii posts on Chantelle’s blog gives a comprehensive account of great things to do in hawaii with young children. Highly recommend a read over there.
Read more about the Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa and check out its prices here.
The wonderful Aulani Resort’s water park
Caz and Craig from yTravelBlog have been in Hawaii very recently and have many, many posts on what to see and do there. Like Chantelle they have two young girls.
They have posted video reviews of the hotels they stayed in:
Here’s their video on the Hilton Waikoloa Village on Hawaii Island:
Check out their video on the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel, Wakiki Beach here.
Their video review of the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel in Maui is here.
The Outrigger’s gorgeous ocean views
Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort
One of my best pals stayed here a couple of years ago and recommends it. She loved the location and said the hotel was very comfortable. There’s no kids club here though so if you’re looking for that, check out some other places.
You can check out the prices and availability of the Outrigger Waikiki Beach resort here.
Family Holiday Deals in Hawaii
If I’m looking for a cheaper alternative to these resorts or villas, then I know where to go.
Hawaii Holiday Deals on Expedia
Expedia has a list of family resorts, check them out here.
There’s a whole section about Hawaii on Expedia here.
Also very useful is the Expedia deals finder, find it here.
Booking.com Deals in Hawaii
Bookings.com is always useful for last minute deals.
Booking.com
Volcano! A must-see for our family when we visit
Word-of-mouth: HSK Readers Recommend These Resorts
Grozdana M. Hilton Waikoloa Village, Big Island. Everything you need! We stayed at Kings Landing in the village – 2 br apartment with all the facilities!
Hyatt Centric, Waikiki. Looks modern and hipsterish but the lounge pool is perfect for kids. Restaurant is affordable and great quality! And you get to keep the reusable water bottles
Sue H. Grand Wailea Maui- awesome pools
Melissa K. Disney Aulani Resort is gorgeous. They do a buffet breakfast with the Disney characters.
Stephanie B. We did Disney Aulani for three nights and our kids (6 & 4) loved it and still talk about it. Great kids club you check your kids in and out of, great food options, multiple pools with water slides; salt water pool with fish for snorkelling.. very big though!
Then we stayed at Four Seasons, Wailea which was out of this world incredible. Food, service, pools etc all exceptional. Kids loved it too. My husband went diving and could hear whale song! Cost an arm and a leg all up but I’d go back in a heartbeat!
Anne Mc. Hilton Waikoloa – heaven on a stick!!! (Plus you can use Hilton/Amex points to pay!) Perfect for families, we went when mine were in Year 5 and Year 2
Lisa R. Definitely the Grand Wailea Maui. It’s on the pricey side, but has the best pool/water slide system I’ve ever seen. The only pool lift in the world. Will keep the kids (and big kids) entertained for days.
Penny C. Aulani Disney Resort was brilliant for a family. My kids has an absolute blast in all the pools and at Aunty’s Kids Club.
Jess P. Turtle Bay Resort, Oahu is fabulous! Loved everything about it! Would go back in a heartbeat, although I loved everything about the North Shore!
Things To Do On A Hawaii Family Holiday
Check out the Go Hawaii website first and foremost, it’s the state’s tourism authority website and has heaps of info.
The Hawaii Admirer blog is run by an Aussie now living in Hawaii.
yTravelblog and FatMumSlim also have excellent advice on fabulous family activities. We are so going swimming with manta rays when we go!
Other articles I’ve found and will revisit are:
Hawaii With Kids: Little Adventures on the Big Island on National Geographic’s Intelligent Traveller website
Choosing Which Hawaiian Island Suits Your Family on Huffington Post
Traveling to Hawaii with Teenagers by photographer Lee Foster
Hawaii Travel Guide by Nomadic Matt
Lava spouting
I always buy a real guide book too, usually a Lonely Planet. The Lonely Planet website has lots of info and videos on Hawaii too.
There Hawaii Lonely Planet guide is here. Bookmarked!
There are in fact lots of specific guides to parts of Hawaii too, check them all out here.
I’d love to watch big wave surfers… but definitely NOT surfing the huge waves
Right, I am all set up… well, I need to read a bit more. But I’ve collected here all the links and info I need to plan a Hawaii family holiday.
Now all I need is the time… oh yes and better save up some money.
Hope you find this useful too.
Please please so share your own Hawaii holiday experiences in the comments, I’d really appreciate that and other readers would too.
Cheers
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