We were fortunate to take a family trip to Hawaii this summer. For those who haven't followed my whole story, The Hubs and I's first big trip was to Hawaii, and then we got married there. It's a special place for us, we simply love it. Makena is even named after the beach we got married on. It's such a wonderful place with stunning scenery, fascinating history and culture, and such good food. We've been back several times over the years, but hadn't gone since the boys were born because of the distance. We were so happy that we waited until the boys were a bit older to take them because they were able to do so many fun things on the trip. It was one of the most memorable and special trips of my life. It is not lost on me how lucky we are to be able to take our kids on adventures like this.
I'm planning travel posts from our trip soon, but for now, I just wanted to share my favorite family photos from the trip. I've divided it up into three posts, which start with our week on the Big Island of Hawaii. The second and third posts take you to Kauai, including the magical north shore near Princeville, which, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
First stop is the Big Island of Hawaii! After a very long flight (which the boys did surprisingly well on), we were all smiles at the resort.
We had stayed at the Hilton Waikaloa Village many years ago and swore that when we had kids, we'd bring them back. And we did!
We were all loving how beautiful it was and our view of the dolphin lagoon, where they host dolphin encounters.
One of the coolest parts of this resort, and one of the big reasons we wanted to bring the kids, was this amazing ocean-filled lagoon. It's full of amazing animals and fish, but in a more controlled environment for kids to snorkel. The boys were so excited to give it a try, and they quickly mastered it.
This time the lagoon was FULL of amazing sea turtles and we got to snorkel and paddleboard with them all week. We also saw a spotted ray and so many cool fish.
It was amazing to see them up close.
The other fun thing for kids and adults is a dolphin encounter.
The boys got to swim with this cutie and loved it.
The dolphins area was also around the lunch restaurant, so we got to eat them with them swimming around us daily. It was so incredible.
We also got dressed up for dinner most nights.
This area of the island was once covered in black lava, and it was so cool to share the geology lessons with the boys about how land is made.
And we had some incredible food. Everywhere we ate had the best fish you've ever had, and we had meal after meal that was so delicious. I'm still dreaming about it.
And we watched lots of gorgeous sunsets.
Plus, we went on a search for the best shaved ice we could find. This one was the winner on the Big Island.
We did two other big adventures here. The first was taking a day trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We were able to explore the park and teach the kids so much about volcanoes.
The volcano had been erupting from that spot recently, and we missed a big explosion by just one day, but this was still really cool to see. The smoke plume is where you've seen the videos of lava spewing out of the volcano recently.
We were also able to walk through a lava tube, which was another wonderful lesson for the kids. And yes, it was raining the day we did this!
And finally, the highlight of the whole trip for everyone was night snorkeling with manta rays! We all went out on this boat at night and swam with the giant, gentle rays. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I posted a video of it here.
We had so many adventures on The Big Island, and I loved showing the boys such a fascinating place. There is no place else like it!
Next, we flew to Kauai, and I'll pick up the stories and photos there.
If you are curious about our other trips to Hawaii over the years and our wedding photos, check out my Hawaii travel page.
More Hawaii Travel Posts:
- Top 12 Can't Miss Sights on Kauai
- Top 10 Experiences at the Grand Hyatt Kauai
- Best Kauai Eats
- Kauai Na Pali Coast Hike (Hanakapiai Trail)
- Maui Lava Hike
- Volcanoes National Park on The Big Island
- Top 10 Experiences at the Hilton Waikoloa Village
- How to Stay in Wailea on a Budget
- Haleakala Sunrise & Upcountry Maui
Leave a Reply