Oah'u and Aulani Family Trip

As parents, we know that a relaxing vacation with kids is a bit of an oxymoron. But, when you’re going on a family trip, all you need is a little bit of planning, preparation, and, most importantly: flexibility. I wanted to share a few tips from our Hawaii trip that helped make traveling with kids more manageable. We spent the first half of our trip in the busy Waikiki Beach area of Honolulu and ended our trip at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, located on the west side of the island in Kapolei.

Packing Tips

Packing cubes are a lifesaver. They worked well for switching hotels because we only unpacked the cubes we needed for that particular hotel. We had different cubes for outdoor clothes, pool clothes, and pajamas. They were even helpful for sorting our clean and dirty clothes so I didn’t have to subject myself to the mom “sniff test” that we all know so well.

Oah'u and Aulani Family Trip on Hello Rascal Kids

Pre-Trip Research

Take time to research places to eat, but don’t give yourself a strict list that’ll feel like a letdown if you stray away from it. Give yourself plenty of options that can fit whatever mood you and the family are in at that moment. Be sure to take time to enjoy the local eats that you can’t get at home! We make sure to avoid chain restaurants when we travel so we experience new things, while also supporting the local businesses who are trying to make a living. Our philosophy is that when we visit a place, we want to really experience it, so we use our meals to do just that.

Prepare for Time Change

If your trip involves a time change, make sure you discuss how to prepare for this because time differences are hard on kids! Even though it was only a three hour difference, the boys were asleep long before sunset and awake at 6:00am for breakfast. It took us a few days to adjust but we took advantage of being up early and started our day before most of the travelers were out and about.

Beach and Poolside Planning

Spending time poolside or at the beach in the sun is draining by itself, so pool time planning is essential to make sure you don’t over exhaust yourself on day one. During the pandemic, our haven became the beach, so we have a system down that makes the experience much easier and more enjoyable.

○ Pack light. When you’re not weighed down by a ton of beach or pool items, you’re able to get to the other essentials much easier, such as finding a chair or a place to set up a towel.

○ Bring activities so you and the kids don’t get bored. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming; we usually brought along a kite, a ball, or a shovel.

○ Assess what you need the more you go. We went to the beach about 20 times in 2020, and we figured out that we were more comfortable when we had chairs, a mat, and an umbrella. Find what works for your family!

○ Check in with yourself and your family to make sure you’re not overstaying what your body can handle.

○ Stay hydrated. It’s always hard to remember this one because you’re in the water, but hydration is necessary to keep up your energy levels. Constantly carry water when you’re at the pool, and make sure you hydrate the night before, too.

○ Divide and conquer when it comes to responsibilities! Assign tasks to your family while on trips so you don’t feel overwhelmed on your own. You can even give your little ones small tasks – even though they can’t do the big things, taking care of the little things (like picking up the toys or folding the towel) will take a surprising load off of you.

○ Bring snacks. The second the kids get out of the pool, they realize how hungry they are. The sooner they get some snacks in their belly, the better the day is for everyone.

○ Sunblock is a MUST, whether you’re in the pool or not.

○ Take any extra measures you need to protect yourselves and your family from the sun, because a nasty sunburn can ruin an entire trip. We personally use rash guards for the boys so they aren’t always shirtless, which gives them a little extra protection from the sun.

Making New Friends

Don’t be afraid to meet people. On this trip, we went to a sushi restaurant and saw an elderly man sitting alone, completely enamored by the boys. He was interacting with Ben and AJ, so we started talking to him. One thing led to another and, next thing we knew, Albert was buying the man a drink! We found out that he went to Dartmouth, John Hopkins Medical School, and that he even served in the Navy. Albert talks to people all the time. It used to strike me as weird, but I’m so used to it now and it’s given us the chance to meet many different people whose stories we would have never known otherwise.

Some Plans Don’t Go As Planned

Try not to get discouraged. Travelling with kids is extremely difficult, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still be an amazing time. Sometimes they’ll get tired or fussy, but try to make the best of it. We made the trip up to the Lanai lookout, and I was disappointed because the boys were fast asleep by the time we got there. I wanted to wake them up, but Albert suggested that I go out there and enjoy it anyway. I was able to climb over the cliff and figure out the best path so, by the time the boys did wake up, it was easy to navigate and find our way around.

Tips for Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa

We knew we really wanted to maximize our three days/nights at Aulani. When we decided on going to that resort, we knew we were gonna stay and experience everything the resort had to offer in our limited time. Rather than explore the area, we took advantage of Aulani being all-inclusive. We had everything we needed and it worked out really well for us. Because we never left, it actually made our time there seem much longer. If traveling there during COVID, make sure you set your expectations realistically. For our entire Hawaii trip, we knew there were a lot of things we weren’t going to be able to do because of the pandemic, so we went with the mindset that we were going to make the most of it. The same goes for Aulani. Don’t expect the full Disney experience, because a lot of things have to be different for safety reasons. It can still be an incredible experience with the right expectations.

Final Thoughts

Make a list of 3 things that each person wants to do, so everyone has a voice on the trip. Be open-minded to the plans that other people have, because it’s their trip, too! Albert and I made a list before we left, and we were a bit at odds about the things the other wanted to do. I wanted to go to a Luau, but he was doubtful that the boys would be able to sit through it. He wanted to see the turtles, which I wasn’t too excited about. When it came down to it, we were both pleasantly surprised – the boys loved the Luau, and I enjoyed myself while watching the turtles.

This was our first long family trip during the pandemic, so a bit of planning came in handy. We made lasting memories that this mama will forever cherish.