Holiday in Hawaii the family-friendly way

The prospect of a family holiday in Hawaii may seem like a tricky affair; how could you possibly get to see all the islands with kids in tow? However, there is a family-friendly way to make the most of Hawaii – by cruise ship.

The beauty of Hawaii cruises is that your accommodation travels with you,which means you avoid packing up every time you move resort. Let’s take a look at some of the other advantages of cruising in the Hawaiian archipelago…

Sail between the islands

There are six major islands to visit in Hawaii: Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui and Hawaii’s Big Island. A cruise holiday can take you to all six islands in the archipelago, and you can hop off at every one and get a real sense of the diversity here. 

For example, Big Island is Hawaii’s youngest island and covered in lava landscapes. It’s here that you’ll find Kilauea Volcano, the world’s most active volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, along some fascinating, lunar-like landscapes.

By contrast, to the northwest sits Kauai,Hawaii’s oldest island. With its richcarpet of tropical rainforest and incredible birds, insects and wildlife, Kauai is the best place for a wildlife discovery trip with the kids.

The contrasting landscape between these two major islands is just one of the reasons why island-hopping is so worthwhile in Hawaii – in just a few days you can sample everything from incredible beaches to lush rainforests, volcanic deserts to high-altitude scenery.

Family-focused travel

Hawaii cruises are well-equipped for families, and many feature crèche facilities and entertainment for children, leaving you chance for some well-deserved R&R on Hawaii’s world-class beaches. Don’t miss surfing lessons on the legendary Waikiki beach on Oahu, seal-spotting on Poipu beach on Kauai, and the sweeping white sandy shorelines of Hulopoe Beach Park on Lanai.

With all that surrounding water, there are plenty of family-friendly water activities to take part in. Go snorkelling, count outrageously colourful marine life from the deck of the ship, go on a whale-watching trip, swim with dolphins – whatever the age range of your kids, you’ll find plenty of water-based activities to enjoy.

Hawaii is packed with culture too, and the locals are incredibly welcoming to families. Kids will love trying to hula, the local traditional dance, and it’s a great way to get children involved in Hawaiian history and culture.

So if you fancy introducing the kids to the land of grass skirts and (non-alcoholic!) piňa coladas, try taking to the ocean waves to get the full experience these truly tropical islands have to offer.

Image by Dave Gingrich, used under Creative Comms license