The Big Island of Hawaii is one of
those vacation destinations that can bring pure enjoyment and amazement
to kids of all ages. However, planning and traveling to Hawaii
with kids is a big challenge! Air travel nowadays is an exercise
in patience and endurance - things not easily done with kids.
Having traveled to Hawaii many times over the years with kids, we've
written this article specifically to address how to best prepare for
this long journey.
Choosing your Travel Itinerary
It all starts here. When you are searching for the cheapest plane
tickets to Hawaii, pay attention to the actual itinerary itself.
If your flight departs really early, how will your family and kids
respond? Can you turn your family into early risers and make it to
the airport without too much stress? Remember that the early
morning flights are usually full and things such as the TSA security
line will be backed up.
Other things to consider when
choosing your flights - is it better to have two long legs (for
instance, Atlanta to Honolulu) or would it be better to break things up
(for instance Atlanta to Los Angeles to Honolulu). The latter
requires one additional plane transfer, but will allow your kids to
disembark, stretch their legs, and get some hot food and drinks.
Pack for your Flight
Once you get to the airport, being prepared and packing right will help
smooth things out for you. Make sure you pack plenty of snacks for
your kids - remember a flight to Hawaii is much longer than traveling in
the continental United States. After you pass through security,
purchase plenty of beverages (water, juice, milk) for your kids - they
will get thirsty. We like to pack an insulated sippy cup or sports
water bottle (such as those made by Camlebak and Polar Ice) and simply
pour the drinks into those containers - it will minimize spills and keep
the drinks colder longer.
How can you entertain your kids on
those long flights? Every parent has their technique for this.
However, we suggest packing portable DVD players (and movies) for your
kids to watch. Don't forget a set of headphones so that they can
listen privately on the plane! We recommend a headset that fits
over your kids' ears, preferably noise-cancelling. Another gadget
we love to bring on long trips (or any trip for that matter) is our IPod
(IPod Touch or other media player). It is compact, light weight,
has a long battery life, and you can download hours and hours of
programs, movies, and TV shows for your kids to watch without having to
carry dozens of DVD discs.
Don't forget to bring your child's
car seat. The easiest thing to do is simply check the car seat at
the airline ticket counter when you check your luggage. Car seats
do not count as a check-in bag, so this is not only the easiest, but
also economical thing to do. We recommend packing a stroller for
your trip to Hawaii. On the Big Island, the attractions are spread
out, and even in towns such as Kailua-Kona, the parking is sparse.
You will end up walking all over the place - and a stroller will help
you immensely. If you are a runner, consider bringing your jogging
stroller - there are plenty of places to jog (you'll see people jogging
everywhere in Hilo and Kona.) Most Big Island beaches are
stroller-accessible. An alternative to the stroller is a baby
carrier backpack which we found invaluable on a recent trip to Hawaii.
Kids' Packing List
Make sure you read our Hawaii Packing List article that lists things to
pack for your whole family. However, in this article, we would
like to point out the kid-specific things to pack.
-
Rash Guards for your kids.
These are the shirts that are made of lycra and your kids can wear
at the beach, in the pool, and in the ocean. They will keep
your kids warm and also they are typically SPF 30-50 and will keep
your kids from getting sun burnt.
-
Hats. Make sure you pack
a couple of good hats to keep the sun off your kids heads and faces.
A baseball cap will do, but a wide-brim bucket-style hat works even
better. Many are made out of lightweight nylon materials that
will also keep heads cool.
-
Footwear. As a minimum
pack one good pair of walking shoes. Often your kids will be
wearing flip flops or sandals, but, especially on the Big Island,
there is a lot of walking around and shoes will fit and feel better.
Also if you plan on doing any hiking at the
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park or at other locations (check out
our Big Island Hiking Guide), make sure you
have comfortable shoes and socks.
-
Life Jackets or Snorkel Vests.
If your kids are non-swimmers or weak swimmers and your kids have
their favorite jackets/vests at home, make sure you pack them too.
This way they will feel most comfortable in the water and also swim
safely.
-
Snorkeling Gear. You can
pick up a quality set of snorkeling gear for kids at a Target or
Wal-Mart or Sports Authority in your town. Find a set that
fits your kids and pack these too. Don't worry, if you don't
own a set or don't have room in your luggage, you can always rent a
set from a vendor such as Snorkel Bob's.
Jet Lag
Even of you are taking a short flight from the West Coast, you will
end up being jet lagged once you arrive in Hawaii. The good thing
is that Jet Lag going west always seem to feel a little better than when
traveling east. I like to take advantage of my jet lag every time
I fly from the mainland to the Hawaii. The first couple of days
after arriving Hawaii, your internal clock will be skewed - as such, you
will likely go to bed much earlier each night and rise much earlier too.
That is not a bad thing in Hawaii! I use this as an opportunity to
make an early start on the day's activities - whether it be hopping in
the car for an early drive to the Volcano or to hit the beach while they
are empty and the waters are calm. Also, since Hawaii is located
at a much more southerly latitude than the rest of the United States,
the sun rises and sets evenly throughout the year summertime daylight is
about 6 AM to 6 PM. So, wake up early and take advantage of the
day!
Check out our
Big Island Family Vacation article with
advice on what activities to do and attractions to best see with a
family.
Related blog posts about
Traveling to the Big Island with Kids:
Read our next article: Packing for your Trip
