Say Aloha To Oahu – With Your Littles

 

It’s safe to say Hawaii is one of the most enchanting destinations in the world. I’ve been to four of the Hawaiian Islands, and each is spectacular in its own way.  And while we know it’s romantic, and full of adventure, I’ve been asked plenty of times… “Is a Hawaii a good place to vacation with kids?”

MAUI (2006)

BIG ISLAND (2010)

KAUAI (2014)

OAHU (2017)

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And while it would be way too hard to pick a favorite, (just kidding, I could move to the Big Island, like, tomorrow…) I wanted to share how Oahu is the best Hawaiian island to visit with your kids—particularly those extra tiny tots!

Oahu offers something for every traveler; single, married, or family circus in tow. In each of these stages of my own life, I’ve been fortunate enough to have a free place to stay in Oahu as a home base – my step-sister has been a Hawaii resident since 2010. (Mahalo, Jaime! XOXO)

A year ago this month, my husband and I courageously set out on a Hawaiian adventure with our just-turned two-year-old. Oh, did I mention I was also 29 weeks pregnant?! Hawaii was a 30^th birthday present, and although a toddler and a larger-than-life bump wasn’t EXACTLY how I envisioned celebrating, pregnancy hormones make you do crazy things. All that being said, we had an amazing time.

Now let’s get real. If you’ve been on a tropical vacation without your children, you need to go ahead and place those precious memories in your mental filing cabinet. This trip AIN’T gonna be like that. However, it can be an amazing experience to see an island from a different perspective while indoctrinating your children with a love of travel.

Before I get into the list of must-do’s, here are a few tips and tricks to get your trip started:

• TIP 1: Accept the possibility that the plane ride will suck – It may not be during takeoff, or during the first hour or two. Your kid might even hang in there until hour 5. ([amazon_textlink asin=’B01J90MOVY’ text=’This guy ‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’poms2moms-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’9df991c0-4114-11e8-a185-99915007ebb0′]got us by for quite some time.) But at some point, likely over the middle of the Pacific Ocean with no land in sight, your kid will have a meltdown. Any toys, food, books, or entertainment you brought along on your epic failure of a flight will no longer suffice. You’re going to want to jump out. DON’T. Remember, at the end of your flight, paradise awaits. (For the return trip though, bring the Benadryl. See below.)

• TIP 2: Adjustment to time zones will be a harsh reality for at least 1-2 days. Use this as an opportunity to relax by the pool or on the beach until everyone is adjusted. The day after we arrived, we hiked Diamond Head with an exhausted two-year-old. Don’t do that.
• TIP 3: Use a rental company – We used Paradise Baby Co. and through them, you can rent [amazon_textlink asin=’B019EZD7T2′ text=’Bob strollers‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’poms2moms-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’b6afdd49-4114-11e8-b604-9b68b1f73093′] – (a must-have for home and vacation), beach toys, child-carrying [amazon_textlink asin=’B077987VCW’ text=’hiking backpacks‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’poms2moms-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’c8296ec5-4114-11e8-9619-dd7e9d3ccbc7′], pack and plays, booster seats, and more. Your hotel or resort may provide these things for you but if not, Paradise Baby is who you’ll want to call. (*See Trisha’s post last week for the full list of gear you’ll need to make your beach trip a success!)

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Okay, now that you’re mentally prepared, here is the ultimate guide of things to do and see in Oahu with your littles:

1.) If you love the city:

• Waikiki is your spot. Stay at the Outrigger and you’re in walking distance to the best food and shopping on the island; not to mention steps away from one of the most gorgeous beaches in the world and an epic view of Diamond Head. For lunch, check out the Maui Brewing Company and for dinner, watch the sunset at Duke’s – a Waikiki staple.

• Visit the Honolulu Zoo! There are beautiful gardens and animals galore! We did the whole zoo in about 3 hours and then walked to a nearby beach for a quick nap by the ocean.

2.) For the active adventurers:

• Hike Diamond Head. If you’re an avid hiker, it won’t be the most challenging trek you’ve ever done, but you can’t go to Oahu without doing it. Strap up those babies in your [amazon_textlink asin=’B077987VCW’ text=’hiking backpacks‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’poms2moms-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’ed32f0ca-4114-11e8-aeed-97e489b0db43′], and reward yourself with one of the most beautiful views of Honolulu.

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While you’re over there, check out South Shore Grill for their fish tacos. This is worth doing even if you don’t do Diamond Head.

• Visit the waterfalls and botanical gardens at the North Shore’s Waimea Falls Park. Again, this isn’t a challenging hike by any stretch of the imagination, but you’ll get some exercise through a gorgeous botanical garden and top it off with a dip in a waterfall:

3.) For the culture lovers:

• Pay homage at the Pearl Harbor museum and memorial. It’s a somber, but enlightening experience. The USS Arizona is still leaking oil in the harbor, almost 77 years later.

• Visit the Byodo-In Temple. This is a beautiful temple built to honor the first Japanese immigrants. Ring the giant prayer bell, feed the koi fish, and check out the wild peacocks around the sanctuary.

4.) For the beach nuts – aka my people:

• I already mentioned Waikiki, but for the most beautiful beaches in Oahu, you need to check out the windward side – around Kailua. Before you head to the beach, fill up on some pancakes from Cinnamon’s. Then, make your choice between:

1. Lanikai Beach – Described as the most beautiful beach in Oahu.

OR:

2. Waimanalo Beach – My personal favorite. The water is stupid beautiful, the mountains surrounding the beach are BREATH-TAKING, and best of all—it is the furthest thing from crowded you’ll get in Oahu; so much that you feel like you have the beach all to yourself.  (Sometimes, you actually do!)

• On the exact opposite side of the island, I also recommend checking out Ko Olina. This is right beside the Disney Aulani resort, but without staying the resort you can still relax at this picture-perfect lagoon—which is calm and inviting for your littles.

Like that tent in the above pics? It was a LIFE-SAVER for naps on the beach and protecting my little one from the scorching Oahu sun. It’s so space-efficient I was able to pack it in my suitcase!

5.) For everyone!

• Last but not least, you can’t go to Hawaii without doing a luau. Germaine’s is the luau to attend, and if you’re lucky, you might get to catch one of the most breath-taking sunsets I’ve ever seen.

There you go! I purposely left out so many other spots that might be best left for bigger kids and solo trips; the Lanikai Pillbox trails, snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, or kayaking to the Twin Islands. However, I hope that this encourages you to take a leap of faith on an journey with your little ones, while enjoying a vacation, yourself!

So now that I’ve successfully given myself travel envy of… myself… any other brave child-toting adventurers out there? Let me know where I should book my next trip!