Q. Stephanie L of Colorado and her husband plan to introduce their baby to the Big Island of Hawaii and want some ideas for baby-friendly hotels and activities.
A. Congratulations on your new baby. It’s great that you will able to spend 10 days with your daughter in Hawaii. Since she is so young, you should consider this a wonderful time to relax all together.
You wrote that “Our daughter will only be 6-months old, and we’re not sure what activities are appropriate for the 3 of us. This is our first time traveling with our baby.” That is so exciting, and we hope you will put aside your concerns and see this as a fun getaway for all.
In our experience, the activities you can share with your 6-month-old are often those you would enjoy while she naps (like a sightseeing drive while she’s in her carseat, or a cool drink at the hotels’ oceanview bar while she’s in a carrier or stroller). However, there are fun activities in which she can participate i nher own way, like lying in the shade on the beach and strolling through some of the Big Island’s towns.
You have mentioned that outdoor activities, eco-adventures and recreation are your passions, so you will want to book a resort hotel with good childcare so that you can pursue some of these activities while baby remains at the hotel. For example, while you can put her in a backpack carrier and explore Volcanoes National Park on a hike, she will not be able to accompany you on a flightseeing excursion or a snorkeling trip.
However, Hawaii has strict childcare laws, and hotels should only recommend caregivers from licensed, bonded agencies. We hope you will be able to plan some time together as adults — especially midday when the sun is hottest – knowing that a trusted caregiver will watch the baby in your room.
We suggest you check out some of the resort reviews that our traveling families have contributed to the site in: Family Travel Forum Hawaii State Directory.
Your hotel budget range gives you lots of options, and if you don’t find an all suite hotel you like, you can consider booking a condo apartment such as the family-friendly Aston Resorts. [see Aston Hotels on the Big Island]
Here’s a detailed review of the Hilton Waikoloa Village on The Big Island, one of the most popular family resorts. Here, you’re sure to find good childcare, as well as so much to do on property that you won’t want to venture off every day.
Around and About The Big Island of Hawaii is a multi-day road trip around the Big Island that highlights the top attractions, so please take a look. Your baby will not be happy driving too many hours in a hot car, but this story should give you some ideas for daytrips, and some other towns you might want to spend the night to break up any long drives.
For general information on vacations with infants and toddlers, you can visit the special Tiny Travelers section of FamilyTravelForum.com that is devoted to travel with under-5s.
You will find lots of tips, practical advice and more vacation ideas there.
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