When it comes to family holidays, I've never really thought about traveling very far.
After all, my children are still very young and so the temptation to stay closer to home is strong. Less time spent on public transport, less change in water and food, more familiarity...but lately I've been wondering if we're doing holidays right.
I mean after all, we want to explore as much of the world with our children as possible - so surely casting our net a little wider and exposing them to new cultures and cuisines could be a great thing?
With that in mind, I've been browsing some long-haul holiday destinations recently and one holiday spot has really grabbed my attention.
Hawaii!
Although I've long lusted over Hawaii in movies, it's never been somewhere I seriously considered visiting with the kids - I'm not sure why. Perhaps its the distance, but since they fell in love with Moana - they've asked more and more questions about the Polynesian Islands that the beloved character hails from, and while discussing it with them...i've come to wonder whether perhaps a visit to Hawaii would be something we'd actually all enjoy. (Although Moana is only known to be Polynesian and isn't confirmed to be from Hawaii, the actress who voices her character is and so these were the Islands I thought of when answering their questions!)
Maui in particular is somewhere I have always wanted to visit, renowned for being home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and also offering some of the worlds best whale-watching too. Strolls through the historic Lahaina town or watching the sunrise at Haleakala make this the perfect holiday destination. And with such beautiful Hawaii house rentals available it becomes all the more appealing, knowing that we could have a beautiful home away from home for the duration of our trip.
After all, traveling with children can be difficult when it comes to routines, bedtime and so on so to have the comfort and familiarity of a home environment as well as the ability to self cater, and the privacy that a villa holiday affords too would be ideal. And I was surprised by just how affordable some of these villas are! Especially considering how luxurious they look and how ideally located they are too.
So what about Maui makes me think that this could be the perfect holiday destination for our family?
1) Winter Whale Watching
Did you know that from December-April the waters of Maui become home to the densest population of humpback whales anywhere in the world? Around a staggering 10,000 of these magnificent creatures come here to mate and give birth every year, making it the perfect spot for a whale watching tour! Just how amazing a sight would that be to see?
2) Beautiful Beaches
My boys love nothing more than a good beach to run about on, and Maui is home to some of the most breathtakingly beautiful white sand (and red and black sand!) beaches in the world. Infact its said that Maui in particular has so many miles of sand that you could visit the beach every day for 3 months and never touch the same spot!
3) Food!
With amazing fresh local produce on hand, it's little wonder that Hawaii is famous for its culinary delights ranging from seafood to farm-to-table fare. Kalua pork and chicken long rice are two dishes I would love to try, and of course...the famous shaved ice!
4) Culture
With its warm, welcoming "Aloha's", grass skirts, conch shells and "Lei" - those beautiful flower necklaces given to welcome newcomers - and evening luau's and hula dances, Hawaii is known for its celebration of culture and language. I would love my boys to experience a culture so far removed from their own, and so welcoming and beautiful.
5) Water Sports
Kite boarding, wind surfing, paddle boarding, snorkeling and surfing are all popular sports in islands such as Maui which would keep Daddy entertained while the boys and I lazed on those gorgeous Hawaiian beaches each day!
With so much to offer and such beauty too, Hawaii has fast moved up our list of places to visit!
Hawaii is a family-friendly holiday destination with most restaurants welcoming children and offering childrens menus, booster seats and high chairs. Grocery stores stock well known brands, too so you don't need to worry about your little fussy eater going hungry!
Some noteable places of interest to visit with children include Pearl Harbor - where you can step inside a WWII-era submarine, Kamokila Hawaiian Village which features outrigger canoe rides and traditional craft demonstrations and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park where you can watch traditionalhula kahikodancing and chanting on Hawaiʻi, the Big Island.
There are also numerous museums of interest including
ʻImiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaiʻi - a hands-on multimedia astronomy museum and 3D planetarium and Hawaii Children's Discovery Center - a great indoor playground for little ones. There are plenty of aquariums, farms and zoos to visit too.In short you certainly won't go bored on a family holiday to Hawaii!
The best way to fly from the UK is to connect in LA - which could be the perfect combination holiday! Certainly something I'm seriously considering.
Have you visited Hawaii? Would you consider it as a holiday destination with young children? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences, as well as where you'd most love to visit with your family!
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