'Tis the season…for direct flights to Hawaii!
Hawaiian Airlines has just begun their seasonal non-stop service between Oakland and Los Angeles to Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i Island while a second flight will be added from LA to Maui, starting on June 11. The airline also has direct flights from New York. Later this year, Virgin America, another family-friendly airline, will begin direct flights to Honolulu and Maui from San Francisco.
We especially love Hawaiian Airlines because they are the only domestic airline to offer complimentary meals onboard. Seriously. Everyone else is charging but Hawaiian Airlines includes a meal with the ticket price. Recently, the airline introduced locally-made gluten free snacks (available for purchase) as well as amenity kits in all classes on international flights.
Meanwhile, the airline continues to offer its special Keiki Pack, a kids-themed in-flight entertainment package, priced at $4.99 which includes unlimited access to specially selected movies (like Rugrats and Hannah Montana), TV shows, albums and games. Kids can also get excited for their Hawaii adventure by watching the Scenic Hawaii channel which has sights and sounds of the islands.
Alas, flights to Hawaii can get pricey in the peak August travel season, and indeed we found flights from LA to Honolu on Hawaiian for about $700 a person in early August. But if you can be flexible with your travel dates and times, you can get cheaper fares.
Once you get to Hawaii, where should you stay? Well, here are few top, kid-friendly resorts that won't break the bank.
Kauai Beach Resort: This plantation-style resort has an initmate feel but with all the amenities your family needs such as four pools, including a kid-friendly one with a sand bottom, a 75-ft. lava tube waterslide, two restaurants and a lounge with nightly entertainment. Best of all, rooms start at just $135 a night, with other deals and specials offered as well. The resort does charge a daily $20 resort fee.
Hilton Hawaiian Village: This is the largest resort in Hawaii and home to Waikiki's largest pool, longest waterslide and the world-famous, five-acre salt-water Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon. Currently, the hotel is offering a Sweet Suite Sale with a 20% discount on the resort’s family-friendly suites. Rates start at $319 a night. There's a $30 resort fee charge but that includes internet access; PS3 console games/movies; cultural activity lessons; resort audio tour; outdoor exercise classes; personalized postcard; dive in movies and local, toll-free and credit card calls.
Hilton Waikoloa Village: This hotel boasts the most popular luau on the Big Island as well as the Dolphin Quest educational center, a four-acre ocean-fed lagoon with hydro-biking, and snorkeling, and the 25,000-sq.ft. Kohala Spa. Rates start at $199 a night but a Family Fun package that's currently being offered includes breakfast for four. The $25 resort fee at the property includes internet as well as hula, lei making and ukulele lessons and an in-room PlayStation 3 with unlimited movies and games.
Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa: Wailea is the place to stay in Maui but it can get extremely expensive. Rates are still on the high side for the Wailea Beach Marriott but the hotel is offering several deals this summer. We enjoyed the restaurants at the hotel (including two from “Top Chef” alum Sheldon Simeon) and the children's water playground. Some rooms are dated but we did spy a few renovated rooms available. Two more bonuses? A Starbucks on-site and a laundry room for guests to use. Rates start at $324 a night, plus a $30 resort fee.
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