I know a babymoon should be without your kids, but I couldn’t leave my little girl behind while we have fun in Hawaii. My husband and I decided to make the trip a familymoon! Also, we invited my sister because she lives across the states and we rarely see her. My husband and I were so excited to spend some family time with her. This was my sister’s first trip and Aliana’s second trip to Hawaii.
We absolutely love traveling with Aliana. She is an excellent traveler, and this was her 5th trip since she was born. Traveling with kids is definitely hard and stressful for any parent. However, the experience our babies get out of a trip is worth the challenge. Our babies get to experience a new culture, people, food, environment and make new friends. We are fortunate to have Aliana experience the love for traveling like us.
HONUA KAI RESORT & SPA
Our Hotel Experience and Amenities
The resort had everything my family needed to be comfortable. The room stayed in had two bedrooms with an ocean view. These suites mimic a home-like setting with a full kitchen and laundry room. The place was perfect for my family and could easily fit 5-6 adults with small kids. Another nice perk about the suite was the glass doors that fully open up to create an expansive indoor-outdoor space. Aliana had a vast area to play in the living room and balcony when the balcony doors were fully opened.
Amenities
Note: Most hotels will provide a crib or pack n play during your stay. Call in advance to check availability.
- Flat-screen TV in each room
- Fully equipped gourmet kitchen
- Fine linens and bath products
- Stainless steel appliances: full size refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher
- Washer & dryer
- In-suite starter kits; dish soap, towels, laundry detergent
- In-suite safe
- Direct dial phone
- Iron and ironing board
- Blender
- Toaster
- Coffee maker
- Crib (on request, additional fee)
- Bathtub and shower in each bathroom
All three pools at the resort are kid friendly. Three acres of aquatic playgrounds with waterfalls, water slides, caves, and a sandy beach pool. The pools were a huge hit for all of us. After a beautiful day at the beaches, we ended up just lounging at our hotel pools
Aliana During The Flights And How She Adjusted To Hawaii Time
We were in flight for at least 5 hours. The trip going to Hawaii went better than expected. The flight wasn’t full, so we had a whole row to ourselves. My sister also had her own row too. Surprisingly, there were also a lot of younger kids on the flight. I counted at least 10 kids around us. Aliana had about 3 short meltdowns. She wanted to go walk the aisles when the fasten seat belt sign was on. We did everything in our power to calm her down, and her tantrums lasted for about 3 minutes. Not so bad. When we were allowed to unfasten our seatbelts, I would let Aliana run around for 15 minutes at a time. She also slept on the flight for two hours, and I was able to watch a whole movie in peace.
Coming back from Hawaii Aliana slept for three hours on my husband. When she woke up, she just watched a movie and played with her toys. This time she didn’t want to talk through the aisles, and she stayed in her seat. She did snack a lot, so I just asked the flight attendants for more complimentary snacks. They were also kind enough to refilled her sippy cup with water or milk if needed. When we touched down, the people around us said she was a great traveler and well behaved.
What We Brought On The Plane With Us
- Snacks: It’s so easy to buy snacks at the airport terminal. We got some of Aliana’s favorite chips, cookies, donuts, everything she doesn’t really get at home. She is on vacation too, so if she wants some junk food, it’s okay.
- Amazon Fire HD Tablet: Since Aliana is almost two years old, she loves her shows and movies. So I downloaded some new ones on her tablet before we left. When she was awake, she loved to watch her tablet in her seat and play with some of the small toys we brought.
My husband and I thought she was going to sleep in the pack n play the hotel provided us. Nope! She cried her eyes out for 10 minutes. Since we were so tired from traveling and coming back from a couple hours at the pool, we gave in to her quick. Aliana slept with us in the bed the entire trip. Every time we go on a trip, most of the time Aliana rather sleep with us since we are all in the same room. Our king bed felt like a twin bed because of the way Aliana positioned herself to sleep. I don’t know how these small kids can take up the full king bed.
Since Hawaii is three hours behind Los Angeles time, we were concerned about the time change. The first night Aliana didn’t go sleep until 9:30pm and then she woke up at 5:30am. We were so tired! Her naps were around 2pm. Aliana was adjusted to Hawaii time in two days and started to wake up at 7:30am in Hawaii.
Items To Buy At Your Destination
Since we were in Maui, finding a store that carries diapers and wipes was easy. We got everything at a local grocery store.
- Diapers (24 pack of diapers was enough for a whole week)
- Wipes (1 pack)
- Snacks
- Milk (boxed milk is excellent if you don’t have a fridge)
- Pool/Beach toys
- Sunscreen
- Swim Diapers (1 pack)
Useful Gear We Packed
- Pocket Stroller (check-in for free at the desk or gate)
- Car Seat (check-in for free at the desk or gate)
- Travel Car Seat Cover
Favorite Places To Eat
- Paia Fish Market – 632 Front St. Lahaina 96761
- Down The Hatch – 658 Front St. Lahaina 96761
- Lahaina Fish – 831 Front St. Lahaina 96761
- The Fish Market Maui – 3600 Lower Honoapiilani Rd. Lahaina 96761
- Kimo’s Maui – 845 Front St. Lahaina 96761
- CJ’s Deli and Diner – 2580 Kekaa Drive Ste 120, Lahaina
WHAT ALIANA AND I PACKED
Since I am pregnant, I packed a little different for this trip. I packed a few bathing suits, dresses, jumpsuits, long maxi skirts, and a couple shirts that were all pregnancy friendly. Still, I managed to have an outfit for every occasion, and my clothes were able to fit in two packing cubes. One perk about having a washer and dryer in your room was the convenience to do laundry before we left Hawaii. So all I did was unpack and relax when we got home.
ACCESSORIES
OUTFITS
A LIST OF WHAT I PACKED AND WHAT IS ON MY WISHLIST FOR OUR NEXT TROPICAL VACATION
SWIMS
SUNGLASSES
SHOES
COVER UPS
HATS
BAGS
ALIANA’S OUTFITS
ALIANA’S SWIMS
ALIANA’S ACCESSORIES
ELECTRONICS
BEAUTY
Here are a few of my favorite beauty products I did bring with me
OTHER PRODUCTS I TRAVEL WITH
GO BOOK YOUR NEXT TRIP WITH YOUR KIDS TODAY!
Traveling with kids will always be stressful. Just remember you are not alone. Many families do it, so why not you? Have your babies experience other places and get the travel bug. I promise you, the joy you will see on your kid’s faces is priceless. Also, creating new memories with your family is the best ever!
