Going to Hawaii on a family vacation is an adventure that your children will remember and reminisce for years to come. A family trip, however, needs a bit more prep and planning than a solo trip or a couples’ getaway.
Here are 20 tips that will help you make the most of your family vacation in the Hawaiian islands, which offer diverse vacation experiences with something for people of all ages and preferences.
- Pick a family-friendly hotel or seaside resort that offers plenty of activities and play space for children, so that you can have some time of your own. Look for a room with kitchen where you can conjure up some quick meals and control your expenditure on food.
- Check the weather forecast for the week of your stay as well as a few days prior. Pack necessary clothing for the kids depending on the local temperature. Take extra clothing for the younger ones to save on laundry bills.
- Avoid making the first couple of days hectic for your children. Allow them time to take it easy, get over flying fatigue and familiarize themselves with the new surroundings. Save the maximum action for the middle of your trip.
- Ask your child what he or she wants to do. Give them interesting options and plan activities in such as a way so that everyone gets to do something they love.
- Don’t forget to spend quality private time with your spouse, to avoid feeling frustrated or weary from entertaining the kids all the time.
- Book a hotel or resort with a kids club, a water park, gaming zone, full-service kitchen and babysitting facility depending on what type of support you’ll need when you want to get away for a romantic evening.
- Even if you generally don’t like to plan a lot and like to explore thing at your own pace, when you’re out at a new locale with kids, it’s best to make prior reservations for activities and restaurants and buy sightseeing tickets in advance, particularly during the peak tourist season.
- If possible, don’t plan your Hawaii trip around the school holidays. Flights and accommodation are way cheaper in the off-season months of May and October, and the beaches are not crazy crowded. However, some activities and experiences may not be available when tourist flow is minimal.
- Don’t leave your hotel room unless everyone has applied generous amounts of sunscreen.
- According to Alan Hayes from TodayOahu.com, one way to make your trip to Hawaii unforgettable is by doing at least one thing you’ve never done before. The island of Oahu is particularly popular with families because of the numerous unique experiences it offers for children.
- If visiting the Oahu Island, don’t forget to take your family to the Diamond Head Crater, Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial.
- Encourage your children to try local Hawaiian cuisine, a beautiful fusion of various international cuisines and native Hawaiian foods, and help them experience the state’s rich culture—it might be a long time before they visit Hawaii again.
- Get the kids a guidebook that lists local activities and set an “exploration budget” for each child.
- Don’t try to do everything. You will end up exhausting yourself and the children, and will likely end up overspending. Instead, make each day a nice mix of a unique experience and plenty of free time.
- Do arrange for at least one adventure for the entire family. Every Hawaiian island has plenty to offer when it comes to bespoke adventure activities, from scuba diving, kayaking, helicopter rides, whale watching to hiking through a volcanic crater.
- Carry snacks when going out for excursions. Kids can get hungry when you least expect it, and a handy snack on a boat ride or a hiking trip will save the day.
- Remember to pack regular and emergency medication for all. If traveling with an infant, take formula and other essential items if you feel you may not find them locally. The last thing you want on a vacation is to feed a baby something their body is not used to.
- Teach your kids about how to stay safe in a new place, without making them anxious or overly conscious about their safety.
- Entrust an older child with taking photographs. It will keep them engaged and away from gadgets.
- Let each child bring back a keepsake of their own as a memory of a special vacation.
