Hawaii Vacation with Kids

The whole family will love boogie boarding or body surfing on one of the great beaches in Hawaii, like world famous Waikiki Beach.  Waikiki even has a cheeseburger in paradise restaurant.  The kids will love it.  They can get any kind of toppings they want on these world famous burgers.  Don't forget the Honolulu zoo.  It is a small city zoo, but it's worth taking a tour.  The flamingo pond in the front is sure to please the kids and will offer a great photo taking opportunity.  The Waikiki Aquarium is another fun family stop.

It has a touch pond for the viewing pleasure of the kids and adults alike.  Lastly, the bishop museum is worth taking a tour.  They have demonstrations on the art of making lei's as well as hula dancing performances.  Before leaving the island take the kids to visit the world famous beaches of the North Shore.  It's worth the drive to see the very beaches where world class surfers congregate.   

When visiting Maui a sure bet is the Maui Ocean Centre, home to the largest tropical fish aquarium in the United States.  The dolphin statues out front make a great background for a souvenir photo.  Don't forget to check out the whaling museum located in Lahaina.  If you are visiting during the winter months go ahead and take a whale watching tour from the Lahaina harbour.  It's sure to please. The beaches at the resort are of Ka'anapali are fun for kids as well.  Most of these resorts have awesome pools for little swimmers.  Some even have water parks within the hotel themselves. Parents should take advantage of the kids programs at these resorts for some quiet time to themselves.  

On the big island of Hawaii take a drive through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  You can see active volcanoes and possibly some lava flow from the comfort and safety of your own rental car.  Next take a ride over to Waimea and take the kids for a horseback ride through the valley.  You could do an all day excursion complete with lunch, or perhaps just pony rides for the little kids. Lastly you could go to North Kohala and try kayaking.  This is a great place for beginners.   

The island of Molokai will offer some good old fashioned rest and relaxation in an authentic Hawaiian atmosphere.  You could rent mountain bikes and explore the island together.  Be careful, however, not to go too far off the trails, because it's easy to get lost on the mostly undeveloped island.  On this island you should consider renting a house so the kids will have plenty of room to spread out.  Also there aren't too many hotel options here on Molokai.        

Hawaiian Souvenirs

Hilo Hattie's is the big souvenir store. Unlike, the name suggests there are not located strictly in Hilo. It's a big chain store that has several locations on just about all of the islands.  Hilo Hattie's is famous for all different types of souvenirs, but their crowning glory is, of course, the Hawaiian shirt.  Every tourist needs a Hawaiian shirt.  You will also find the other stapes, such as homemade chocolate covered macadamia nuts.  These are sure to please every grandma.  They also have a wide assortment of hula dancing dolls, perfect for your brother-in-law.

They have the standard dash board version, as well as the world famous hula lamp.  I was surprised by the extreme variety available in the hula lamp.  You can find cheap plastic hula lamps for as little as about thirty dollars; and the hand crafted more classy (if there is such a creation) hula lamp that can be as much as two hundred dollars.

Perhaps the goofiest souvenir, in my opinion, is a real live coconut.  You can actually ship a real coconut back home.  It usually costs about thirty bucks.  I say, save your money, I'd rather have the dash board hula dancer.  Coconuts are not the only live things that are frequently shipped from Hawaii as souvenirs.  The live lei industry is very profitable in Hawaii.  You can have a fresh flower lei sent back to grandma to go with those macadamia nuts.

Tiki statues are another popular Hawaiian souvenir.  Hawaiian legends say than the ancients, who carried a Tiki statue with them experienced, an immediate run of good fortune.  Today, you can find these statues just about anywhere.  My favourite is the tiki statue that doubles as a bottle opener.  You can have good luck while drinking your beer.

Ukuleles are another popular Hawaiian souvenir.  These are miniature guitars that have been prevalent in Hawaii since ancient times.  Again, just like the hula lamp, you can spend anywhere from about thirty bucks and up (really up).  Some of these Ukuleles actually cost thousands of dollars.  The work ukulele actually means "jumping flea" in Hawaiian. This refers to the way the player would strum around the strings.  

There are many different souvenir shops on all of the islands from which to choose your gifts.  In addition to Hilo Hattie's, there is the old stand by the ABC store.  This isn't the type of ABC store that you think of on the mainland.  It's really just like a convenience store moulded into a souvenir shop.  They are on just about every corner in Honolulu.  Another spot for cheap souvenirs is the flea market on Oahu.  It's located in the parking lot of a stadium on the northern side of Oahu.  Here you can find everything from knock off purses to hand carved tiki statues.  Whatever you are looking for, Hawaii is sure to please you all.