I am just going to tell you things that worked for us and did not work for us and you can apply that to your planning if you want or you can just disregard J
So the flight:
· Tommy was great on the flight. He sat directly in the airplane seat – no booster seat, no car seat, no harness, so that worked fine. He had his iPad to play with, which he did most of the flight which was nice. They also rented a “DigiPlayer” that played movies, tv shows, cartoons – so that would be an option for entertainment as well. I would recommend flying directly if you can…it was nice to not have to change planes in Honolulu, Seattle or LA (which is normally what happens when you fly to Kona), but I think Alaska Air and Hawaiian Air both have direct flights.
· Morgan was another story. She had her own seat so we brought on her car seat (thinking she would just crash in the car seat)…no such luck. I had Mike go on with the pre-boarding and install the car seat and get everything ready for us…then I waited until the last minute to board with the kids because I wanted them to run around and get as much energy out as possible. That worked somewhat. Morgan did not really want to sit in her seat at all and really just wanted to get down and walk the plane. So after realizing that she was not going to settle down in her seat, that was exactly what we did. We traded off walking up and down the aisle with her/having her on our lap. It was similar to what we have to do in a restaurant with her…not the best environment for a 1 and ½ year old J But we made it there and back and it was well worth it!!!
· I had lollypops for the kids on take-off and landing and neither one of them had issues with their ears. Actually for the flight home, Morgan was all about the fruit rollup on take-off and landing, but I figured as long as she was sucking on something it was good.
· So as far as car seat on/off the plane, it was nice to have there to set her for moments, but also probably was not necessary.
Car:
· As listed above we brought Morgan’s car seat – so that worked great in the minivan.
· For Tommy we used a booster seat that we purchased prior to the trip. He is 38.5lbs and you have to be 40lbs and 4 years old to do that…but our pediatrician said it would be fine for the trip in Hawaii. So we just decided to fudge it a little and put him in a booster seat. But I also know you can rent car seats as well (I will talk about rentals later).
Shopping (this is more if you are in a condo vs a hotel):
· Bottom line everything is more expensive in Hawaii! So just be prepared. I had Mike buy mac & cheese for the kids and he said it was $4/box.
· There is a Costco about 5 minutes south of the airport. We did a bunch of our shopping there because it actually was cheaper than the stuff in the store (even though it gave us 3x the stuff we needed). You can also buy alcohol there which is nice because you can make your drinks and take them to the pool J It is also nice to have the bottled water.
· We also did our main grocery store run at Safeway which is a bit more in Kona (south of the airport and Costco). That worked well.
· My mom loves this fish market – we have yet to make it there, but they brought over some Ahi one night that so fresh! http://www.bitemesportfishing.com/menu.php
Stuff we packed/did not pack/rentals:
· We packed beach towels and did not need them. Both places we stayed had beach towels readily available. So don’t waste the space.
· I would definitely bring a hoodie/lightweight jacket for everyone (in case of rain) – we had rain one day and it was just nice to have…of course you are totally warm enough with shorts and a t-shirt, but it was nice to have the hood.
· We did not pack snorkel stuff for us – Tommy had snorkel stuff that his grandparents gave him for his birthday so we packed that, but the rest of us figured we would rent it over there and as it ended up, the surf was too rough to go snorkeling (the beaches were closed). And then we were able to rent snorkel gear from the hotel when we were there and go snorkeling there.
· Leave some room in your bags for little things you want to bring back (i.e. candy, etc) – and know that the bags have a 50lb weight limit.
· We also (and yes I realize how geeky this sounds) packed a power strip for charging things. We had 3 laptops, 2 phones and an iPad to charge, so it was nice to have a “charging station.”
· Port-a-crib for Morgan: we actually bought one and had it shipped over there on Amazon.com because Mike had a gift card and it was free shipping so it actually did not cost us anything. But I think renting one would probably be the way to go if you don’t do that.
· Bring a stroller for anyone under 2 and ½ - When we went two years ago, Tommy was 2 and ½ and totally did not need a stroller, so I figured, Morgan is walking it would be fine not to have a stroller. NOT TRUE! I would highly recommend the single BOB because it can be used to jog with as well as just go shopping with. We ended up renting a stroller through http://www.alohakonakids.com/index_n_rentals.html and they were very nice, but I am not sure if they deliver. I talked with the valet guys at the hotel and they said they use: http://babysaway.com/ and they deliver. I also found a rave review of them on yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/babys-away-kailua-kona So they might be a better resource…although we left the port-a-crib at the hotel and the Aloha Kona Kids came and picked it up, so they probably deliver too.
· I would recommend taking a waterbottle. Aunt Ashley and Kendall (our babysitter) brought their own waterbottles (the kind with the straw that folds into the top of the bottle) and I think that was nice because you did not have to keep carrying around different bottled waters.
Condo vs. Hotel:
· Hands down we had a better experience at the condo we stayed at (Kona Coast Resort http://www.shellhospitality.com/hotels/kona_coast_resort/) over the hotel we stayed at (Waikoloa Hilton http://www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com/) for several reasons:
o The condo had more amenities such as loaner sports equipment (i.e. volleyball, basketball, tennis rackets and balls), grass strip right outside our condo that the kids could play on.
o Ability to cook your own food/have a kitchen to make breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. Of course we dined out, but it also was nice to be able to make a sandwich for lunch instead of going somewhere. There were also BBQs all over the condo complex, so that was nice because you could go get some fish and grill it up – so good!
o Space – there was much more space in the condo – we had a two bedroom, two bathroom condo and it worked out perfectly!
· The hotel food prices were really overboard and there was not much room to keep stuff in your room, plus everything was so far away (i.e. when you left your room to go to the pool, it was not a quick easy shot back up to the room if you forgot something or wanted a water bottle). And the hotel food was pretty mediocre so it was nice again to be able to make your own food if you wanted to. – Plus you spend significantly less $.
· If it would have been just Mike and I, the hotel would have been fine, but when you add the kiddos into it, you just need more space/flexibility!
· The Hilton is a beautiful property with a ton to do, but in my opinion the rooms were not that nice and somewhat outdated.
Luaus:
· We have been to three Luaus in the Kona area:
o Royal Kona – we went to this luau about 7 years ago (pre-kids). It was a beautiful location (probably the most picturesque –with the ocean right there), the food was fine and the show was fun. All-in-all a good luau. http://www.kona-luau.com/royal-kona.htm
o King Kamehameha Hotel – this was the luau we took Tommy to about 2 years ago. It was really fun because they had activities for the kids including learning how to hula and make things. The location is cool to as it is looking out on the harbor back toward Kona so it is pretty (not as pretty as the Royal Kona, but still pretty). It was a good kid luau, not great food, good show. http://www.konabeachhotel.com/luau.htm
o Kona Village – by far the most expensive and not necessarily the best kid luau. This is the luau we went to this year because we heard it was the best. And yes the food was great and the mai tais were awesome, but for kids, it was not that entertaining. There really weren’t too many activities for the kids. The location is pretty, but not on the ocean. So I would recommend this luau for couples or adults only – not worth it for the kids. http://www.konavillage.com/contents/v/Luau Plus it is about 15 minutes north of Kona so it was a bit of a drive.
· If you want to wear matching outfits like we did, you can make a trip to a Hilo Hatties as they have a family matching section in their store. I know there is one in Kona, but not sure if there is one up at the resorts in Kohala (which Jen, is where I think you are staying). http://www.hilohattie.com/aloha/section/Family-Matching/2179.uts Or you can find outfits and bring them over…for us it was just easier to buy them over there.
· Also I always generally make Mike pay for the upgrade at the Luau…you tend to get to go first to get food and/or you table is served family style, all the mai tais are generally free (where as with the normal ticket, you usually just get one free), and you get preferred seating for the show.
Restaurants:
· Some of the restaurants that I love while we are there (most are in Kona-I have not found a ton I love up in the Kohala area, mainly because they are insanely expensive for mediocre food):
o Kona Inn – this is in downtown Kona and has the BEST Mai Tais. They are so good. I would recommend just going for Mai Tais and pupus (appetizers) or lunch. Their dinners are pretty expensive and the food is not that great. But they have a great lunch and a great bar area – and kids can sit in the bar J Plus they are right on the harbor looking back at the King Kamehameha Hotel and from the bar you can generally see the sunset. Plus there is a grassy area before the ocean so if the kids get bored they can go run themselves to death on that grassy area. http://www.windandsearestaurants.com/konainn/home.htm
o Kona Brewing Company – I had the best chicken pesto pizza at this restaurant for lunch I have ever had. It was so good. And of course their beer was awesome! http://www.konabrewingco.com/our-pubs/kona-brewery-and-pub
o Drysdales Two – Think dive bar. It has great burgers, good fish & chips and delightful mai tais (and a heck of a grilled cheese).
One I forgot to mention in my email to the ladies is: Cafe Pesto: http://www.cafepesto.com/kawaihae-location.html My mom and her boyfriend really love this place, so check it out.
Also Mike and I love the Canoe House at the Mauna Lani, but it is very expensive and NOT kid friendly - it is a great occasion restaurant. http://www.maunalani.com/d_ch_overview.htm
Another restaurant that we heard about, but did not go to was Merrimens in Waimea http://www.merrimanshawaii.com/ - Our cab driver home from the Celebrity Chef Dinner said that he took Iron Chef Michael Symon and some other people up there for dinner and they RAVED about it. So it would have to be good :)
Beaches:
· This trip all the beaches were closed due to high surf, so we did not make it to the beach (at least to go sit there), but these are beaches that I have been to in the past and really have liked.
· Also when you go to the big island, the picturesque yellow sand beaches are generally on other islands…usually the beaches are either black sand or the resort has trucked in yellow sand J So don’t be surprised that there aren’t a ton of beaches to get to.
· Kahaluu Beach (or we call it snorkel beach): http://www.hawaiisnorkelingguide.com/kahaluu_beach_park_snorkeling.html This is a great snorkeling beach…usually you will see the turtles that live there. They are amazing! This beach is on the south side of Kona.
· Hapuna Beach – this is a yellow sands beach and very beautiful. Sometimes it can get windy, so go on a day that the wind is not high. http://www.hawaiiweb.com/hawaii/html/beaches/hapuna_beach_state_park.html
· White Sands Beach – in Kona on the main road Alii Drive. Sometime has sand and sometimes doesn’t – just depends on the current. http://www.hawaiiweb.com/hawaii/html/beaches/white_sands_beach.html
Activities:
· The only activity that I have gone on is the Fair Winds Snorkel Cruise. It is really fun, but we decided not to do it this time because I think the kids are too young, but if you are going as a couple or just need an activity it is a phenomenal experience! They even have something called snuba which is like snorkeling, but with a scuba mouthpiece so you can go underwater for longer. http://www.fair-wind.com/
· Also I have been on my fair share of golf courses (not as many as Mike, but I do like to go ride along with him). I LOVE the Mauna Kea and it by far is my favorite, but it is also the most expensive: http://www.princeresortshawaii.com/mauna-kea-beach-hotel/big-island-golf-vacations.php
· The Kona Country Club’s ocean course was what our condo was on this past trip and it looked like a nice course. My mom’s boyfriend played both the ocean course and the mountain course of Kona Country Club and liked both courses. http://www.konagolf.com/
· Mike and Tommy played this course this last trip – and we call it the peacock course because there are ton of peacocks roaming the course: http://www.makalei.com/golf/proto/makalei/
· It is also always cheaper to tee off after Noon – so you will always get a better rate, but it is also significantly hotter.
- The Mauna Lani has a kids course that probably is cheaper – we have not played it but have just read about it: http://www.maunalani.com/g_golf_keiki_course.htm
Cheers to remembering what works/doesn't work when traveling with kids!
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