Hawaii with a 5 year old

[southernbelle77]

Has anyone been to Hawaii? What was it like and did you have a good time? Particularly, anyone stayed at the Hawaiian Hilton Resort in Oahu?

Also, we will be taking dd who will be almost 5, is it suitable for young children?

When are you going there?.

Have been to the Hilton Hawaiian Village a couple of times now and have enjoyed each visit there, what would you like to know about the resort?. Its a nice resort for children (there is a kids club and half days are available but you need to book this in advance), the Superpool does get very crowded though in the afternoon. Its very much self contained and has lots of shops and restaurants on site, would strongly suggest you buy supplies like water, foodstuffs etc from the ABC store as it is much cheaper. Their beachfront is very nice with both calm and shallow water. Sand is soft but can become hot to walk on. The boat dock for the Atlantis submarine is on this beachfront area.

If you want to shop I would recommend a visit to the Ala Moana shopping centre nearby. The Waikiki area is built up (its certainly not quiet at all), would suggest you take a trip to the North Shore to see its more peaceful side. The Sea Life Park is worth a visit as is the Aquarium at the eastern end of Waikiki Beach. The Cheesecake Factory restaurant on Kalakaua Avenue is well worth a visit too (go early though as its very popular).

www.tripadvisor.com has photos and reviews, these will also give you more information.

It takes a long time to get there, after the 11 or so hour flight to the West coast, the second flight to Oahu takes around another 5-6 hours. These flights tend to leave early evening.

Any other questions just ask.

Thanks AttilaTheMeerkat, it sounds great!

We went with DD when she was just 1. Obv we didnt have to keep her entertained as much as a 5 year old but i remember them having a good zoo in Waikiki and aquarium. We went on a island tour and to pearl harbour. The beach is lovely and the shopping centre is also good as mentioned above.

Consider other islands too. We also went to Kaui and Lanaii. They were fab.

We went in January with our 1 and 2.5 year olds. We stayed at the Ko'olina beach club on Oahu. There are 4 private lagoons and the beaches are quiet - perfect for kids. If you can, I would pick Ko'olina over Honolulu. Waikiki beach can be a bit crazy and crowded, but there is tons to do.

The Hawaiian Hilton VIllage is super for little ones. Like Attila said it is very self contained and the ABC stores will save you loads of money!

Rental cars are cheap, but parking fees can add up. We loved having a car to drive around the island. Some things worth seeing with kids - the Dole plantation, Polynesian Cultural Center, the aquarium, the North Shore and the Pearl Harbor Memorial for adults.

Have a wonderful time!!!