A Spectacular Sight
A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE TWIN FALLS
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A Family Vacation in Hawaii
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YOUR GUIDE TO HAWAII, USA
YOUR GUIDE TO HAWAII
When you consider the hassle-free logistics behind it, a vacation to Hawaii with kids is likely going to be the most fun you’ve ever had with your family that will also be so easy to come by.
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Your Hawaii Family Vacation:
Paradise Made Easy
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And if you’re visiting from continental United States, you don’t need to jump over the usual hoops of securing a passport, foreign currency, and often even obtaining visa and come across language barrier. In this manner, a Hawaii trip can be considered to be golden. But Hawaii is such a versatile destination that it’s considered no less golden for a flawless honeymoon getaway or celebrating a special anniversary.
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"A family trip to Hawaii will mean getting plenty of sunshine virtually no matter what time of the year you make the trip."
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A family trip to Hawaii will mean getting plenty of sunshine virtually no matter what time of the year you make the trip. Given the hectic lives we all lead, and the scheduled vacation times for the kids, Hawaii takes away that last excuse for you not to travel: time constraints. Of course, you’d still need to plan for school holidays, but you’re no longer trying to beat the unpredictable seasons, whether it’s the snow, rain, or hurricane.
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"You’ll find hotels and resorts of all sizes and shapes in all of the major Hawaiian Islands – these include Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Island of Hawaii."
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You’ll find hotels and resorts of all sizes and shapes in all of the major Hawaiian Islands – these include Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Island of Hawaii. Here, you can spend a life that could be as laid back or as adventurous as your family chooses. But we’ll break down the best places to stay, dine, and the ultimate adventure activities for everyone.
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Hawaii Family Vacation:
How to Travel to Hawaii
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Look out for deals, which are generally quite frequent for a popular tourist destination like Hawaii. You’d probably find Hawaiian Airlines as the most convenient one for nonstop flights from mainland US, and also between the islands themselves. But don’t forget to check out fares on American, United, and JetBlue airlines. Additionally, others such as Delta, Alaska, Virgin America, Allegiant, and WestJet all make frequent nonstop flights from the major cities of western US. Remember too that Southwest Airlines, which now flies to Hawaii, still lets you check-in two bags (up to 50 pounds each) for free, so for larger families or if you’re planning on bringing your child’s playhouse with you, this would be the way to go.
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"You might even find it more economical if you purchase two one-way tickets."
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A word of advice on airfare purchase. If you’d like to save money (who doesn’t?), then get a roundtrip flight to Hawaii first before getting tickets for the inter-island hops. You might even find it more economical if you purchase two one-way tickets. The airfare between the major Hawaiian Islands don’t waver a whole lot, so it makes sense to take your vacation one step at a time.
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And unless you live near one of the western states, you can forget about taking a nonstop flight, and so flying time is going to ridiculously long, even though you’re going to remain within the confines of the United States. Flying from New York or Boston, even with a short layover which you won’t be able to avoid, it would take you 15 to 18 hours on average to get to Hawaii. So you’ll be thankful that you’ll also gain six whole hours flying from the East Coast, which would cancel out some of the lost time. (Don’t worry, time is a harsh adversary, and you’ll lost those six hours on your return flight from Hawaii, but at least you’d already be in high spirits after your vacation in paradise.)
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"How many islands should you visit? Of course, this depends on personal choice."
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This also raises the important question, how many islands should you visit? Of course, this depends on personal choice, but keep in mind that since the flying time is considerable, you might not make this trip too often. Our advice, again, would be to plan on visiting at least two islands, and if possible, more.
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Hawaii Family Vacation:
What To Pack On Your Hawaii Trip
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Hawaiian shirts are made for Hawaii, right? Well, the answer is a little complicated, but if you plan on sticking just to the beaches and lowland areas, that’s probably all you need, with shorts and sandals to go along. But don’t be fooled if you will be traveling to anywhere mountainous, such as Haleakala National Park on Maui, which could be absolutely freezing.
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Hawaii Family Vacation:
What To Do Upon Arrival In Hawaii
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When you reach Hawaii, your first act should be to rent a car. Naturally, you should have made prior arrangements before getting on the airplane, in which case you’ll have the car waiting for you. To enjoy Hawaii in the proper way, and to give the kids the flexibility and freedom they need during the many hours you drive to reach the spectacular locales, this is not only the best way, but pretty much the only way.
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"You should plan ahead to make advance reservations."
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And that goes for all the islands you’re visiting, and so you should plan ahead to make advance reservations for all the vehicles before you boarded your flight. With kids in tow, the last thing you want is to get stranded in an airport on a tropical island without ready means of transportation.
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Hawaii Family Vacation:
A Brief Introduction To Oahu
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Most tourists visiting Hawaii arrive at the capital city of Honolulu. One reason for this is obviously convenience, with flights here generally being the most frequent and the least expensive. This makes for a great opportunity to see Oahu. If you’re returning from the same island, you might find it easier to enjoy the uniquely relaxed environment of Oahu right before you depart. In this case, you should be ready for your first island hop shortly after getting in. However, if you find it too challenging to plan for this on your already chaotic family trip, then plan to stay here for a while. You might not know until you leave this island how much laid-back life on Oahu is.
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If you’ve heard about Pearl Harbor (and I’m guessing that you have) then Oahu will be especially significant to you from a historical standpoint. The Pearl Harbor National Memorial there serves as a poignant reminder of the wars that have often ravaged humanity. Even little kids, who might not get the full gravity of the place, will still love visiting the memorial.
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"To get a great far-reaching view of the surrounding landscape, you’d need to hike up the crater wall."
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As for natural vistas, you’d love Diamond Head, inside the huge volcanic crater that looks almost built as a symbol of what picture-perfect is really about. To get a great far-reaching view of the surrounding landscape, you’d need to hike up the crater wall to reach the top. Before you start off, make sure that everyone in the family, and especially the kids, are up to it.
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Hawaii Family Vacation:
What To Do In Kauai
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Out of all the Hawaiian Islands, our family is especially fond of the underrated island of Kauai, and a cursory glance at some of the jaw-dropping images would show you why. Filled with lush vegetation, green folding meadows, and corrugated mountains, this Pacific island will impress all nature lovers. The island, weirdly, is a habitat for wild chickens which roam around everywhere in droves; they’re innocuous, and can often play a part in keeping your kids busy.
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"Prepare to be mesmerized when spotting the incredibly picturesque green valleys sharply ending on the coast."
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If you can take a helicopter ride of paragliding on this island, prepare to be mesmerized when spotting the incredibly picturesque green valleys sharply ending on the coast of Pacific Ocean. If you watch closely, you’ll find that the mountain edge is lined with countless small and unnamed waterfalls that elevate Kauai’s coolness factor to an altogether different level.
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"The waters are normally warmer around Kauai, and there is opportunity for your family and kids to take surfing lessons."
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Out of all the hiking trails through Kauai – and there are plenty – the ones towards the Napali Coast are the most scenic ones. The hikes here are moderately difficult though so make sure you are willing to take your kids with you on these, especially of they’re younger. Scenic lookouts here include Waimea Canyon and Waipo’s Falls, and both promise to dazzle you with their magnificence. The waters are normally warmer around Kauai, and if your family or kids are interested to take surfing lessons, there is a number of opportunities for that.
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Hawaii Family Vacation:
What To Do In Maui
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You can never go wrong with Maui. No matter which direction you decide to visit it’s going to be a scenic drive. In fact, some of the spots look so beautiful that you might not be tempted to get off from the back of the steering wheel. By all means, as long as you’ve parked responsibly, venture along the numerous hiking trails, stopping to take pictures along the way. While driving, you might actually enjoy the hairpin bends that lead you up to the top. Keep an eye on your kids, however, since even though mine didn’t feel nauseous, many do. On the bright side, that gives you one more excuse to get off the car and discover nature’s greeneries in all its glory.
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Your chief strategy over the first full day you spend in Maui should center around catching the first glows of an unearthly sunrise from the top of Haleakala National Park. More than anything else, this is because it’s generally easier for visitors from the mainland US who’d tend to remain jetlagged and so wake up very early to make this happen.
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"You will be hiking in a place that’s not unlike the lunar landscape."
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Don’t forget you’re going to reach an elevation of over 10,000 feet, so this is where your warm clothes will come in handy. Temperatures can get below freezing but it’s hard to see how that can bother you when you’re hiking in a place that’s not unlike the lunar landscape. But while the moon might be lifeless, Haleakala certainly isn’t. We recommend making a reservation beforehand in order to not experience a rude awakening.
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During the next day or two, you should absolutely drive along the world-famous road to Hana. The road is contorted and twisted with hairpin turns and dotted with waterfalls, sometimes double or even triple. Plan well – this journey can remain indelible in your family’s collective memory as one of the absolutely stunning drives of your lifetime.
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