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“One night, my 3-year-old asked me if she could sleep in my bed. I told her no. She said, “That’s not fair! Why does Daddy get to sleep in your bed?” READ MORE
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Hawaii is the perfect place to fall in love with your kids again My idea of a relaxing Mother’s Day is to spend time WITHOUT children. We work so hard tending to their needs year-round, it’s nice to have a designated day off at least ONE day out of the year, isn’t it? Well, thanks to a scheduling blip in what was supposed to be a Spring Break trip, my daughters and I ended up going to Hawaii over Mother’s Day, of all days. It was my fourth trip to the islands, their first. Ever since Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch” came out years back, my children have been enamored with the land of hula skirts, pineapples and missing consonants. We chose to visit the Big Island. Specifically, the Kona Coast. When I traveled there about 10 years ago, I was smitten with the stark Crayola contrast between black volcanic rock, lush green resorts, deep-blue water and white-sand beaches. It’s twice the size of all the other islands combined, and its land mass grows every day from lava bursts out of fiery Kilauea, so there’s a lot of ground to cover. While there are many places to nest with the family on the Big Island – condos, villas, bed-and-breakfasts, budget hotels and campsites – we opted to stay at a few luxurious resorts. After all, it was Mother’s Day, and I was up for some pampering. Dolphins and Disney-like rides: If you’re looking for a family-friendly place to stay on the Big Island, 3 words: Hilton Waikoloa Village, named the #1 Top Family Resort in Hawaii by Travel + Leisure Family Magazine in 2006. This massive, 62-acre masterpiece is a city unto itself. Once you unpack your bags here, you really don’t have to go anywhere else. To get from one end to the other, you can either take a very ambitious walk through tropical gardens (thank goodness for the hammock midway through), hop on the Swiss-made trams that wind around the resort or climb aboard one of 12 Disney-engineered boats that ferry guests continuously from their rooms to within easy walking distance of 3 freshwater pools, restaurants, a museum, the sports club and spa, and the grand, open-aired lobby lorded over by a very chatty parrot. The resort is in the middle of a $90 million renovation (scheduled for completion in 2008), but you’d never know it. With the exception of a few closed-off areas and men walking around in tool belts, guests can enjoy resort living as usual. My daughters, ages 13 and 9, felt they were “too grown-up” for Camp Menehune, the kids’ club that caters to 5- to 12-year-olds. But they were easily entertained at the Kona Pool with its sparkling waterfalls and 175-foot twisting water slide. I even slid down it TWICE, proving to my incredulous daughters that I can be a free spirit, too. The centerpiece of this resort is the world-renowned Dolphin Quest experience, where you can wade in a saltwater lagoon with 10 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Assisted by a handler, you’ll get to touch them, shake their fins, rub their bellies, kiss their noses and mug together for a keepsake photo. (Ours is right here on my desk to remind me of less stressful times.) Soon, guests will be able to enjoy Dolphin Quest Village (currently under construction), which will include an education portal and video production center. Splashing around with these beautiful creatures is an absolute MUST-DO activity for your family! Hilton Waikoloa Village 69-425 Waikoloa Beach Drive Waikoloa, HI 96738 808.886.1234 Toll-fee reservations: 1-800-HILTONS hiltonwaikoloavillage.com HEAVEN ON EARTH From the moment we stepped into Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, we knew were someplace special. Their attentive staff greeted us with chilled hand towels and cups of POG (an island drink made from pineapple, orange and guava juices that my kids insist on mixing up in our kitchen even today), and placed fresh, sweet-smelling orchid leis around our necks. It felt so . . . Hawaiian! In contrast to the buzz of activity at the Hilton, the Four Seasons is a place where you can relax, reflect and rejuvenate. Stressed-out mommies will find welcome refuge in the resort’s signature oceanfront bungalows stocked with every imaginable amenity. One of my fondest memories is of me, a book and a chaise lounge on my lanai overlooking the ocean. Deadlines? Errand-running? I forgot-about-it! But lest you think your children won’t have fun here, think again. They can splash around in 3 oceanfront swimming pools or play in the surf right on the resort’s private beach; snorkel offshore or at King’s Pond, a man-made home to nearly 3,000 reef fish and a handful of eagle rays; weave bracelets and Christmas ornaments from leaves at the Cultural Center; or, as my daughters did, spend hours at Kids For All Seasons – a complimentary children’s program that includes rock-wall climbing, canoe and hula lessons, lei making, tide pooling and an activity center offering up PlayStation 2 C-Box, billiards, foosball and ping pong. It was no more than 30 kid steps from our bungalow and I had to practically drag my daughters out of there. Ladies, do yourself a huge favor: Immediately book a massage at the acclaimed Hualalai Sports Club & Spa – hands down, the most incredible spa and fitness center I have EVER been to! You could easily spend your entire vacation there. On Mother’s Day, I indulged in the 90-minute Polynesian Niu Coconut Scrub, a signature treatment that includes a body polish, face and neck massage, a warm body wrap and a moisturizing finale of lotion and coconut milk – an ingredient I thought was apropos on Mother’s Day. Afterward, I smelled like a big fruit salad, but felt like a delectable dish. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai 72-100 Ka`upulehu Drive Mailing address: P.O. Box 1269 Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 808.325.8000 Toll free 888-340-5662 fourseasons.com/Hualalai AS OCEANFRONT AS YOU’LL EVER GET Down the Queen Ka`ahumanu Highway, past the airport to the south, sits the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa, a jewel of a resort you’d recognize from aerial photos. The resort rests on a lava bed so close to the ocean, it’s practically on top of it. In fact, I was told by a staff member, that they don’t allow resorts to be built this close to the ocean anymore. My girls spent hours on the 200-foot lava tube waterslide, what a surprise. But the magnificence of this resort was not lost on me. Keauhou means “new beginning” and my soul absorbed all the inspiration it could get. Probably the best memory made here was the tandem massage with my 9-year-old on an outdoor, covered patio at the impressive Ho’ola Spa. To watch her experience the joyful pleasure of her first massage while waves crashed around us was, well, I don’t have the words for it. But the memory is indelible. Another signature experience at the Sheraton is watching the manta-ray feedings at night. These 2,000-pound sea creatures with wing spans of more than 20 feet feed off tiny organisms that are drawn to the resort’s lighted waters. By moonlight, it’s an incredible sight. What I especially loved about this ocean-hugging resort is that it’s within easy walking distance to Keauhou Bay, a hub for several first-class snorkeling cruises. On our last day, we hopped aboard the Hula Kai, a 55-foot power catamaran, for a 5-hour snorkel adventure to 2 exclusive diving spots. The $155-per-person charge includes a buffet breakfast, drinks and a barbecue lunch. In January 2008, the Hula Kai will become an “adults only” boat. Her sister vessel, The Fair Wind II, will continue to run its family snorkeling cruises. We had been told by the captain that we might spot a few sea turtles. Sure enough, we encountered one. My oldest, thinking she could swim with the turtle, just as she did the dolphins, paddled eagerly toward it. But the turtle was much faster and not in the mood to play. As this magnificent commander of the sea glided away from us and headed west, we swam back to the boat, to the east, ready to begin our journey back home. Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa 78-128 Ehukai Street Kona, HI 96740 808.930.4900 sheratonkona.com IF YOU GO: To help plan your family vacation on the Big Island, contact the Big Island Visitors Bureau, toll-free at 800-648-2441 (bigisland.org). A knowledgeable staff will help you put together the perfect getaway for your bunch based on your budget and particular interests. Just make sure you have at least a week to spend in Hawaii. With a 5-hour plane flight each way, you can subtract 1 full day of travel from all the fun. Here’s a sampling of family-centered activities on the Big Island that can’t be missed: Dolphin Quest: When in Hawaii, do as the Hawaiians do — swim with the fishies. As I mentioned earlier, one of the highlights of our trip was the Dolphin Quest at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. They offer a variety of dolphin encounter packages for all ages. Put this at the top of your “must-do” list. Go on a snorkeling cruise: Snorkeling off a boat is really the best way to see the largest variety and colors of fish — and turtles! — since the captains of these expeditions know exactly where to anchor. And while you’re in the water finding Nemo, they’re onboard cooking up a tasty lunch. Attend a luau: Want a real taste of Hawaiian tradition? Celebrate the foods, dances and songs indigenous to island natives at a luau. Try poi for the first time or maybe some Kalua pig. My daughters were tickled pink at the purple taro-root rolls, beautiful hula dancers and fearless fire-eaters. Manta-ray night dive: The lighted waters along the Kona coast attract scores of manta rays at night, looking for food. Take part in a diving and snorkeling expedition, or watch this amazing ritual from a number of hotel and restaurant balconies. Eat dinner at sunset: Many restaurants have outdoor seating. Insist on a table as close to the sunset as possible. You won’t even need to take pictures because, trust me, the kaleidoscopic memory stays with you. Explore the waterfalls and rainforests on the Hilo side: A great way to see the Big Island up close is to take a nice drive from the beaches and resorts on the Kona side (west) to the lush, tropical rainforest on the Hilo side (east). Break up the trip into 2 days so your family can fully enjoy the beautiful waterfalls and volcanos along the way. Spend a day at the beach: If you like Orange County beaches, then you will LOVE the white-sand beaches and turquoise-blue waters on the Kona Coast. Helicopter over a volcano: Although we did not do this because I’m such a chicken about helicopters, I wish we had. I talked to tourists who said that seeing the lava flow from above the volcano was an unforgettable experience. FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BIG ISLAND: > It is the largest and youngest of the Hawaiian islands. > Kilauea is the most active volcano on earth. > It’s considered the “golf capital” of Hawaii. > Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world at 13,796 feet. > It is home to the Ironman Triathlon World Championship held every year in October. > There are really only two seasons, though it seems like one: Summer runs from May to October, with an average temperature of 85 degrees F; winter plays out from November to April, with an average daytime temperature of 78 degrees F. |
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