Hawaii recommendations anyone?

rockychryslerb2010

DH and I are starting to plan our first big vacation with E, and we are thinking of going to Hawaii.  Are we crazy for flying from the east coast to Hawaii with a 6-9month old?  I'm thinking of stopping somewhere in CA first to break up the flight.  Any recommendations for where to stay / things to do?  We have just started researching, but I think we're most interested in Oahu, Kaua'i and Maui.  Are we missing out if we don't visit the other islands?  The must do's for this trip include: Pearl Harbor, beaches and do some hiking / see a waterfall.  What else should we do?  Has anyone done those luau dinners?  They always look like fun on TV but are they really fun or just cheesy? 

Oh, my parents will be coming with us so we will have some help with E so we can get out and explore solo.

BLT20051

Oahu - North Shore, the Punch Bowl, Polynesian cultural center, Diamond head.

Maui - Mt. Haleakala, Grandma's coffee(on the way up the mountain), Ulupalakua Ranch/Maui's Vineyard(pineapple wine to die for).  Drive the road to Hana, there are tons of places to see waterfalls and hike along the route, bring cash for the little fruit/juice stands. In Hana there's a great little spa that we went to https://www.luanaspa.com/, even if you don't go to the spa, the restaurant attached is amazing and if you ask nicely they'll give you directions to a cute little red sand beach on the other side of the hill. Amazing place. O'heo Gulch Pools(Seven Sacred Pools).

This is the luau we went to. I liked it because it was very traditional and a blast.

That's all I can think of at the moment. I miss Hawaii.

ETA - Also, when you get there, ask about any flea/farmers markets. Those are usually full of people dancing/singing and great shopping. So much fun.

BLT20051

tairairat:

Lurker here.

Kaua'i is awesome!  The Na Pali coast line is great for hiking.  When DH and I were there we went on a snorkeling trip, went zip lining and did a helicopter tour.  We saw the waterfall where the helicopter in Jurassic Park lands!  (Kaua'i is the movie island).

Oh, for dining out, Brennecke's  on Poipu Beach has some really good food.

I don't know of anything baby friendly though.

We did a helicopter tour of Maui and it was awesome! They even recorded the flight and gave us a copy of the DVD. Well worth the money.

BlueEyes313

We were just in Hawaii and I agree with the recs from PP's. I have to say though I wouldn't bring a 6-9month old to do any of those activities.

princess101

You can totally do the flight. We did Cali to Boston when our first was 3 months old and it was fine...just break it up like you said..baby will probably sleep the whole time. Paci or a bottle on takeoff (or nursing) helped us a lot.

Hawaii, we did this when Ry was 13 months old and it was fine. I would imagine 6-9 months would be easier in that you can put them in a carrier or stroller and they stay entertained. I would say to pay the fare for baby's own seat...it's sooo much nicer when they have a carseat to sit in so your arms get a break! 

 As for things to do, the Pearl Harbor memorial is right next to the Bowfin ( a submarine you can tour) and the USS Missouri so you can see all three in one stop. Get there early because the line gets super long. We went early and the water was so calm and beautiful it was amazing. 

Waterfall hike on Oahu was LOOOONG when we went and there's a chance of getting leptospirosis so I really, really wouldn't recommend it with a baby. The Polynesian cultural center was neat, but I wouldn't spend the money if you don't have a whole day to spend there. DEFINITELY do a luau, we did Germaine's the first time we went and it was great. The second time we went we did the luau at the Hale Koa (a military hotel) and that on was also amazing. 

A good breakfast restaurant is Eggs N' Things on Oahu...long lines but well worth it for the banana pancakes and other island variety breakfast foods. 

Snorkeling was absolutely awesome at Hanauma Bay. Someone recommended this to us and we had a blast. We let Ry play in the water and he loved it. There's also grassy areas where you can set a blanket and one parent could sit and play with baby while the other snorkeled.

Definitely check out the North Shore, doesn't take all that long relatively to go around the whole island if you have a few hours to spare.

We booked through priceline on Oahu and got the Waikiki Hyatt Regency for $100. It was ocean view and gorgeous. Well worth it. Also, the Hawaii Prince Hotel was on the marina and we paid $80 a night through priceline for that. It was also amazing but I liked the amenities at the Hyatt Regency better..nothing like a beachfront massage! 

Ok, so this is not suuuuper long, but I hope it helps. We got the Go Oahu card and got our money's worth but you have to do a LOT of stuff and plan pretty well to make it worthwhile. 

Excitedtostart

I'm mostly familiar with O'ahu, but you can't go wrong no matter what island you pick. If there;s something you've always wanted to see, go to that island. You can't do it all, and while it's totally feasable to island hop, don't make yourself crazy trying to go to too many places. 

https://www.gohawaii.com/oahu is a good site to check out for ideas, history and tips.  

I would also recommend the PCC - but it's an all day thing. It;s similar to Epcot with the different countries. It's fun, and they put on great productions. It's a dry facility as it's run by the Mormons, so if you're looking to get a beer you won't find it. 

Pearl Harbor is very moving, I encourage everyone to go there. 

Shopping is everywhere, but if you need a mall for whatever reason (bathing suit strap breaks, whatever) the Ala Moana Center in Honolulu is very large. If you're looking for Hawaiian Childrens books, there are 

For souvenirs, check out the Aloha Bowl Swap Meet - https://www.alohastadiumswapmeet.net. It's a great place to buy t-shirts, towels, kukui nut leis (coo-coo-e nuts look like leis made out of polished chestnuts), etc. Part of the swap meet is actually a swap meet, like a big garage sale. The other half is wholesale vendors. This is the part to go to, the merchandise is the same quality that you'll find in the cheapy tourist stores but for much cheaper - You can get several t-shirts (4 or 5) for $20, towels 3 for $20, etc. This is the place to get stuff for your friends and family. They're usually cash only, and it's only there Weds and Saturday, so plan accordingly. 

Hanauma Bay is excellent, it's a sheltered cove, great for snorkeling, the beach is protected so the water isn't choppy. Get there early! This is a hot spot for tourists and locals, so it gets crowded. The beach won't be bad, but if your goal is to see the fish you need to be there when the water is still clear. Enter before 7 am and it's free, you can bring a cooler with food and drinks. There is some shade, but those spots will be taken early, so plan accordingly. This is a place o get here by 7 am, I know it seems really early, but by 11 am the water starts to get cloudy because the sand gets stirred up and it gets very crowded. I love Hanauma, so I'm not steering you away at all. But if you want to see sea turtles, get there early. The parking lot is small, so by getting there early will help. 

Waikiki beach is great, but if you're looking for something different check out Bellows in Waimanalo on the East side. It's an air force base, but the beach is open to the public on the weekends. This tends to be frequented by locals, so it's very family friendly. 

If you're looking for a non-beach activity, check out the Byodo-in Temple in the Valley of the Temples. This is a Buddhist temple with one of the largest Buddhas outside of Japan. The grounds are an animal sanctuary as well, with huge koi ponds, swans, peacocks, turtles. It's very peaceful and quiet, a great place for a quieter morning or afternoon. https://www.byodo-in.com/

 

I would also recommend driving up the Nu'uanu Pali to the lookout. This is at the top of the mountain where Byodo is at the bottom. The Pali is a cliff overlooking Kaneohe Bay (Bellows is down there). It's culturally significant as well as being visually stunning. It's windy up here, so bring a jacket! The trade winds bellow unobstructed across the ocean until they reach the Pali (cliff) and SMACK! All that wind is driven upwards. You'll notice how windy it is when you get up there, but stick your head out over the side (very safe) and you'll feel like you're in a jet engine. 

https://www.gohawaii.com/oahu/regions-neighborhoods/windward-oahu/nuuanu-pali-lookout 

Iolani Palace and the Bishop Museum are great if you're into history and need a break from the beach. They're in downtown Honolulu and easy to walk to. 

The Dole plantation is a fun trip if you're up by the North shore. Whatever you do, don't buy pineapples there, the mark-up is ridic. 

https://www.thebus.org/ is the website for the public transit system, aptly named The Bus. It's a well run system, and you can get most places using this if you don't rent a car. 

I've stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and the Ilikai hotel, both on the beach and family friendly. Even if you don't stay at the hotel, check out the Hilton Hawaiian Village for their grounds and cultural artifacts. The Royal Hawaiian is a hotel on Waikiki from the 1920's. It's elegant, luxurious and pink! They have a Mai-tai bar that is amazing. Go there, if only to walk around. 

Places to eat: 

Breakfast: ABC store. Convenience stores all over the island. Great place to get a quick muffin and a coffee and be on your way. 

Lunch: I bring a soft sided cooler with me in my suitcase. Fill it with some ice from the hotel and stop by a super market or ABC and grab sandwiches or whatnot. 

Dinner: We save with breakfast and lunch and then splurge on dinner. Here are some of our favorites: 

Hula Grill https://www.hulagrill.com/

Roy's https://www.roysrestaurant.com/

Shore Bird* https://shorebirdwaikiki.com/

House Without a Key at the Halekulani  https://www.halekulani.com/dining/house_without_a_key/

*Shore Bird is a fun restaurant in that your dinner is served raw and you cook it yourself on a grill the size of a normal kitchen. They have people to help you, or you can ask it to be cooked for you. There's also a huge salad bar. If you've never had grilled pineapple, try it - just grab some off the salad bar and toss it on the grill. 

Halekulani is one of the most beautiful places I've ever eaten. Th dining room is outside and they have traditional Hawaiian music and hula nightly. They have a strict dress code, so dress nicely. It's not formal, but dressy. It's expensive, but it's one of the best dinners I've ever had. 

In addition to travel guides, if you're interested in the Hawaiian culture I would look for a book on that as well.

Hawaii is a very family friendly place, it's definitely a place to bring kids. It's also much more than just Honolulu. I would suggest renting a car for at least a day or two and drive around. Kailua town is another favorite place to go, over by Kaneohe. Haleiwa (Ha-lei-e-va) is the north shore and equally beautiful. 

Excitedtostart

Good lord. Sorry for the ramble. 

princess101

Excitedtostart:

Good lord. Sorry for the ramble. 

 

I can tell by both of our responses why we're friends. :P

Excitedtostart

princess101:

Excitedtostart:

Good lord. Sorry for the ramble. 

 

I can tell by both of our responses why we're friends. :P

LMAO.

One last thing OP: Do not underestimate the power of the sun. Hawai'i is so much closer to the equator than the rest of the US. Whatever your normal sunscreen use is, double it. Wear hats and bring t-shirts that are comfortable. You don't want your vacation spoiled because you got a terrible sunburn! 

Enjoy your trip. I lived on O'ahu when I was younger, and we were lucky enough to go back last year. It's amazing, you'll love it!