Aloha!
When people talk about Waikiki this is the area they mean.
It's where the nicest beaches are, restaurants, fancy hotels, and shopping.
You could spend your whole vacation in this area and have a great time
The best beaches are from the Royal Hawaiian to the Moana Surfrider, it can be annoying to go there and not be a guest with littles, but it's totally worth it!
There is a parking lot here in front of the Sheraton and you just walk through the lobby and past the pool to the beach.
The next best beaches are just down from the hotels on Kalakaua called the Walls. Great beaches for kids as the walls keep the bigger surf from coming in and taking a kiddo down.
Park at the zoo - it's pay parking.
There are showers to get cleaned up next to the pier.
The beach on the other side of the pier has a lot more rocks & coral.
Most other Waikiki beaches aren't worth it, mostly it's full of coral that will just cut your feet up. The beach by the Hilton is terrible which is why they built the lagoon - the lagoon can be fun but it’s often cold / not the ocean.
Magic Island is a great lagoon that gets fresh ocean water. It's where Duke took swimming lessons with a dog :)
It's mostly locals here, the park is used for a lot of picnics as there is loads of parking, lots of great shade trees, and terrific views of Waikiki.
You can get these treats down in Waikiki between the beach and Kalakaua in a little walkway.
Here is the website: Banan
Barefoot Beach Cafe
It’s right near the zoo and the aquarium at the edge of Queen Kapiolani Park - nice place for an easy meal - at night there is live music and lots of people watching the sunsets. They do the juice in a whole pineapple thing which is amazing.
Aloha Collection
Super cute bags with Hawaiian prints.
A souvenir you'll actually use.
They have a store just outside the Moana Surfrider.
Queen Kapiolani Park
It's located between Waikiki and Diamond Head. It's huge, has wonderful trees and good places for picnics and chasing chickens.
It's home to the Zoo and Aquarium - neither are must-do's in my book
Diamond Head
Reservations Required - Linked
It's a neat hike - you are in the middle of an old volcano, you go upstairs and through a tunnel, and the views are outstanding at the top.
I don't think it's great for little kids.
It's crowded, there are dark parts, it's really hard to carry kids through it.
Paki Playground
It's our favourite in Waikiki. Shaded, has swings, and an open grass area. Every playground has bathrooms. It's really nice for littles. Fair warning there are usually a couple of homeless people around but it's fine, they tend to keep to themselves.
Kid City is AMAZING!!
Indoor playground with everything kids could ever want. Two locations one in Honolulu and one West Side
Ala Moana
Outdoor mall with lots of different stores and tons of options for food.
Target is here!
This is our favorite Poke Place
We would take it over to Magic Island and have a Picnic
Brug bakery is nothing short of MAGIC
There is a Foodland (local grocery store) that gives Whole Foods a run for its money. Great place to grab lunch or dinner.
Tanalus Lookout
The drive-up is full of switchbacks loads of trees and is great! Halfway up is a tree swing that is worth stopping for.
Manoa Falls Trail
It's a kid-friendly hike that 1.6 miles or 2.5 km.
At the end is a beautiful waterfall. When you get back to the parking lot get a smoothie to make it all worth it.
The Flats
Plan your visit at low tide and it's pure magic - you can walk out forever. We loved going here, there are some rocks when you first walk out for the kids to flip for crabs. There are showers.
I mean.....
You are walking up crazy steep old railway tracks....
Hard No.
Hanama
Hanauma is beautiful and a must-do!
Open Wednesday through Sunday - parking is first come first serve - you watch a 9-minute video before you can go down - you can either walk to take the tram.
We went when Duke was just a baby.
It's tough for babies but it gets better the older kids get.
There is a snack bar at the top but I would pack food with you.
Blow Hole
It can be really fun to see it blow! People are crazy and climb out on the rock or go down to Cockroach Beach and walk around.
It's a local rule of thumb you don't walk on out of black rocks, super dangerous.
Sandy's Beach is also known as Breakneck Beach for good reason.
The wide open fields behind the beach are perfect for kite flying.
Makapu'u
Nice hike that is crazy steep and the children will complain :) but you get to see a lighthouse on the way to the top.
There is a great lookout here that is breathtaking.
Makapu'u is a famous beach for surfing, not a family swimming beach.
Waimanalo Country Farms
Depending on the time of year they have fields of Sunflowers or a Pumpkin patch
Instagram is the best way to see what's happening
instagram.com/waimanalocountryfarms
Waimanalo
This is a stunning beach.
Almost all locals here.
There is tons of parking in the park but the best part of the beach is down by the houses. There is street parking but it's limited and no showers but there are showers in the park.
Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden
This place is breathtaking to say the least. Its not like any botantical garden I've ever been to. You are walking around a tropical forrest of sorts and the trees have markers on them telling you what kind of tree it is. The backdrop of the park is the Kanehohe Mountains which are hard to describe.
One of the highlights for us was feeding Cheerios to the Koi Fish. There are hundreds of them and they are hungry!
Kaneohe Sandbar
There are 4 hours tours that will take you out to it or you can charter your own boat. We ran out of time but I really wanted to go to it. Next time!
Kailua
These are the beaches that dreams are made of.
Parking can be a little tricky but worth it.
Kualoa Ranch
This is where the Jurassic tour is but they also have a lot more like ATV tours, bike tours, a secret beach, horseback riding, other tours, a restaurant and more!
Kokololio
This beach is amazing - To the right is a great beach for swimming and there is a natural mermaid pond here that is just magical.
Walk along the beach to your right. The mermaid pond is just in front of the 4th house. Don't go in the shallows past here - it's not that safe for swimming depending on the tide.
Malaekahana
We loved "camping" here. Rustic beach cabins that are just a stone's throw from the beach. They are closed for renovations but keep it in mind for the future. It was totally our Happy Place.
I can't say enough good things about it.
Food Trucks
One of our favourite stops to grab lunch and pineapple juice in an actual pineapple. We liked the Huli Huli Chicken from Mike's
Waimea Falls
Botanical Garden & Cultural Site with a 1-mile waterfall hike and cultural activities. I haven't been here in a million years but it's very popular.
North Shore
Every beach on the north shore is someone's favourite beach. In the winter most of them aren't swimmable but it's still really nice to drive up here. My advice is to go early in the day and maybe not at all on Saturday and Sunday - it gets crowded fast and it's only one lane.
Haleiwa
Perfect beach town, a great place to look for trinkets, stretch your legs, and find some lunch.
Pali
This is one of our happy places.
It's a great lookout point and the winds get crazy here!
Bring bubbles to add to the magic.
West Side also known as the Leeward Side
North of your resort. It's fine but it's not for tourists.
Just south of where you are staying is Kapolei, there is a Target, Costco, Safeway, and Foodland. This is mostly a military town. There is a waterpark which your kids are sure to see from the car - we never went so I can't say anything about it, it's mostly geared for locals I think.
Random Things To Know
There are two McDonalds on the North Shore.
These saved a meltdown a couple of times :)
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Hawaii has Instacart
You can have everything delivered to wherever you are staying.
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Pearl Harbor
I just find it incredibly sad. There is a part of it that you can go look at military planes but it’s more of just something to do to pass the time
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Duke and I explored a lot in Hawaii and I found so many people who went out of their way to be kind and helpful to us in a way I wasn't used to on the mainland.
The Island in general is very respectful to mothers with their kids.
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Kids are keiki in Hawaiian
Something to add to a Google search when looking for things for kids in Hawaii
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Loco Moco is a breakfast everyone goes nuts for.
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The Royal Hawaiian is the big pink Hotel, the gift shop has a lot of pink things in it!
It can be nice to walk through the lobbies of the big hotels, they always have interesting shops, beautiful displays, and huge flower arrangements.
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Duke's is great for a buffet breakfast or a sit-down meal, their fried rice is my favourite, I even tracked down the recipe. There is valet parking out front on Kalakaua or a huge parking lot at the International Market Place - Enter the parking lot from Kuhio Avenue. The International Market Place has a food hall and some shops. There is also a great tree inside.
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It rains every day, but it usually stops pretty quick
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There are so many rainbows!!
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There are no shopping bags in Hawaii for the most part you can buy one, but sometimes they are out of cheap ones.
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ABC Stores
This is the go-to store for trinkets, snacks, towels, and beach floaties. They are literally everywhere.
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If you want some nice Hawaiian decor Soha Living is the place to get it. They have a few locations around the island. They also have a Keiki store which is adorable.
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Coco's Trading Post is another gem for clothing and accessories and the most perfect straw hats you've ever seen.
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Don Quijote is a Japanese grocery store that is an experience, to say the least.
They have a lot of ready-to-eat Japanese food inside plus cheap souvenirs.
It’s not our thing for a variety of reasons but loads of people like it
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Luaus can be a lot of fun, if you are staying in Waikiki they will bus you out, most are a bit of a drive so just be prepared with littles.
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Whole Foods has 3 locations - great for lunch or dinner.
One is right near Ala Moana Mall.
They have special edition Hawaii shopper bags that are super cute.
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All the apartment buildings in Waikiki have names and some of them have great vintage signs. This person documented all of them and sells a book or prints.
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I cannot express how much I dislike this place. It's crowded, overpriced, and so boring. The train ride is the biggest feature but you will wait longer to buy tickets & for your turn than it takes for the train. Dole Whip is nice but you can get it in town. Town is what locals call Honolulu.
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Starbucks has a special Hawaii Collection of tumblers and mugs. You can usually get them at Target - Ala Moana for sure!
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This is the Children's only after-hours urgent care location.
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Almost zero shells to be found on Hawaiian beaches - it's just not a thing.
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Oahu has some of the best trees - Article Link
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This is a popular local clothing store called Fighting Eel
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Matching Aloha wear is a thing.
It's totally adorable and so many people do it, tourists and locals alike. Plan ahead and get your matching outfits before you go or check out ABC stores or Hilo Hattie
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Orchids are everywhere in Hawaii and they are oh so beautiful.
While we were living there I wanted to become an Orchid expert.
I read every book and article I could find, I talked to people at Botanical Gardens, and nurseries. I think I learned everything there is to learn about Orchids.
Let me save you the effort. Don't bother, they are the most finicky plants ever, and it can take years of perfect soil conditions for them to grow back their flowers after that first blooming. When all your blooms are gone off your plant, feel no guilt when you huck that thing in the compost and buy another one.
Rinse and repeat forever.
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Buy a bunch of lei's and take pictures like this!
Grocery stores sell leis for a reasonable price.