We just got back from 5 nights away on the beautiful island of Kauai. This was our first big travel trip with all 5 of us (we have a 6-year old, a 3-year old and a 9-month old). It was a really special trip and something I hope our two older boys can remember and hold onto.

I was really mesmerized by the weather of the island. It felt significant to me. There’s something so beautiful about the way it switches from the rain to beautiful clear sunny skies so quickly. It feels like this beautiful natural rhythm. Something about it resonated with even the nature of our trip. There were tougher (more rainy) moments of our trip (whiney/tired boys, Thatcher almost breaking his nose on a rope swing, screaming tantrums in the middle of a beautiful botanical garden, crying over the coral). And just as quickly as these moments started, we would turn a corner into a beautiful clear sky (snorkeling with both older boys- holding their hands and pointing at all the colorful fish, swimming next to sea turtles, sweet afternoons of shave ice and iced lattes in mason jars, and the most beautiful sunset sky with boys in Hawaiian shirts and smiley faces). There was rain, but it never lasted long and there was lots of beauty right after it passed.

Lance and I love packing in as much as we can into trips- especially being on a beautiful island, we wanted to do and see as much as possible with three little kids in tow. It was definitely not the most relaxing, but it was packed to the brim with adventure and sunshine and we wouldn’t have changed much about it!

I spent a lot of time researching and finding good spots to eat/adventures to do that were suitable with a baby and young kids. If you too are planning a Kauai trip with your family, I hope this can help!

Where We Stayed

We stayed on the North Shore at the Westin Princeville. We loved our stay here! It exceeded expectations and really felt like the perfect spot for families. The pools were beautiful and big. Our boys especially enjoyed the Keike pool that was by the main pool. There is a small slide with turtle structures with water spouts. The slide/pool is small so even Hudson felt a little big for it but I would say more ideal for ages 2-5ish. The bigger pools were great with beautiful views and felt more natural with large lava-looking rocks. Our favorite pool was closer to where our room was and was an infinite pool overlooking the ocean. The hotel also felt kid-friendly beyond the pool. When we arrived, they were handing out dole whips. They also gave all the boys these cute passports with instructions on how to collect stickers throughout our stay. Read to the end to see what they received as their “prize.” There also is a lot of open grass, which is especially nice for our soccer-loving boys. The hotel also has a relatively full calendar of activities that happen on a daily basis, a lot of them are geared towards kids. We did the Koi fish feeding!

Day 1: Travel Day + Welcome to Kauai!

After a long travel day (definitely not used to traveling with 3 kids). We made it! Everyone was tired and hungry, so after we got our Tacoma Truck through Turo, we got food at the Costco food court and once the boys came back to life after pizza and hot dogs, we did a quick shop there for groceries. This Costco is close to the Lihue airport and definitely better prices than other grocery stores on the island.

Our room wasn’t ready when we arrived so we walked around and naturally, boys played soccer. Once we got settled into our room, we got to see Uncle Happy who graciously welcomed us with beautiful leis, amazing fresh juices from Kauai Juice Co. , yummy baked goods, and delicious mangos, papayas, and pineapples. Such generosity and hospitality. All week we got the fresh tastes of Kauai from his gifts. The favorite was definitely the mango which we used every morning on yogurt bowls.

It was already getting late especially for us on CA time, but boys really wanted to go into pool so we let them jump in and Hudson excitedly took photos with his underwater camera from Grammy!

Day 2: Snorkeling at Tunnels Beach + Hanalei

All three boys woke up at 3:30 am Hawaii time. We tried to get them back to sleep but they were up and ready to go, so we took advantage of this earlier start and headed to Tunnels and made it close to 7am. This lot fills up quickly so it was nice to easily get a parking spot. More soccer was played while we waited for Thatcher to wake up from his early nap (that’s what happens when you wake up at 3:30). We walked along the beach about .5 miles to a good, calm snorkeling spot. Thatcher loved it! Hudson not so much and he had a lot of fear over the coral, so somehow snorkeled and cried at the same time. He was a lot happier building on the sand. Lance and I took turns snorkeling. It was really special to go out with just Thatcher and hold his hand as we swam and were both mesmerized by all the colorful fish! It was SO nice that Thatcher learned how to swim early on this summer. It really allowed him to fully snorkel which was so cool. We had these full-face snorkel masks for the kids and they worked great! Tunnels is a bit of a drive from where we were staying (30ish minutes), but definitely worth it to go at least once.

The boys enjoyed swinging on rope sings hanging from a tree we were set up at. It unfortunately ended badly when an exhausted Thatcher swung it and it hit him square in the nose and he started gushing blood. Thankfully, bleeding stopped quickly and pain subsided quickly. It definitely could have been worse. Lance and I were thankful we avoided the ER on this trip.

Next we headed back towards our hotel and stopped in our favorite town, Hanalei! We were still dealing with tired and grumpy boys (remember that 3:30 am wake up), but Lance, Thatcher and I all jumped off the pier. Hudson was groggy from his short nap and refused to do it. I had to have a bit of a heart-to-heart with the boys as we faced another melting down tantrum back at the truck. This seemed to ground everyone and we had better moods the rest of the day.

We then did another short drive from Hanalei Pier to Wishing Well Shave Ice. This was our favorite spot to stop for shave ice. This little area is super cute with a couple shops and really great coffee at Wishing Well Coffee. It feels slightly more local over at this end and not as crowded. Boys were happy with their shave ice and Lance and I got a much needed caffeine fix. All their iced drinks come in mason jars that say: “Slow Yourself Down.” This was a much needed reminder for me, that I hope to tangibly take back now that we are back to the daily grind/chaos of everyday life.

Rest of the day was spent resting at hotel, eating dinner at the hotel restaurant Nanea Restaurant and Bar (this was a very casual, convenient spot for dinner, especially with kids), and jumping into the pool.

Day 3: Queen’s Bath + Back to Hanalei Bay

Another early start today but much better with a 5:30am wake up for the boys! I squeezed in my 5-mile run and enjoyed a beautiful run along a path that led me perfectly 2.5 miles to the beach in front of the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay (it did require 200ish steps down once you reach the gate of hotel). I even saw what I am assuming was a Hawaiian Monk Seal. Traveling with kids is a lot, so I very much enjoyed these few peaceful miles to myself. Once I got back, Lance got his turn for a solo run and then we packed up and headed to Queen’s Bath!

The start of the trail is in a residential area of Princeville so a really quick drive from where we were staying. The lot is super small and fully full by the time we got there. A nice Hawaiian patrol guy saw us waiting for a spot and told Lance to park at the Makai Golf Course (less than half a mile from trail). We all got out and as Lance was driving over, the patrol guy told me he was going to go back and give him a ride! He gave us lots of shakas and kindness. The boys did a great job on the trail- it was really muddy and slippery and Hudson especially seemed to finally adjust to travel and sleep and did a great job leading and navigating. He also showed a lot of bravery jumping into the “bath.” He was a little nervous but once he finally jumped, everyone cheered for him. Thatcher even jumped off with Lance. Declan hung out in the baby carrier. The way back was a bit rougher for me and I slipped and fell a few times. The big boys and I made it out but all three of us were super muddy! Lance went ahead on the trail with Declan so got the truck basically by the time the boys and I finished. We headed back to the hotel to clean off all the mud and then went back to Hanalei!

Hudson enjoyed our time back at Hanalei Bay much more this day. He jumped off the pier and this time we all went into the water. Lance brought Declan out in the baby floatie with Hudson and then Thatcher and I swam out to meet them by the pier. This was one of our favorite spots of the trip because it provided fun for our older boys (pier jump) while also being so calm that Declan could be right there enjoying time in the water.

We went back to Wishing Well for more shave ice and this time an iced matcha for me. Again, this was a favorite spot of our trip. Lance and I kept talking about how there is just something special about Hanalei- we both love it so much. This day, it was rainy while waiting for shave ice but the wait/rain didn’t seem to matter much. I nursed Declan and enjoyed talking to a family who was dog sitting for their friends in Princeville. They sparked the idea to see sea turtles at Anini (which we would do later in the trip). We had so many nice conversations with different families throughout our time! Something so nice about having lovely conversations with strangers.

We headed to Kilauea for the first time of the trip. We took a brief stop to point out the lighthouse to the boys and then met Uncle Happy for dinner at Kilauea Fish Market. Great spot for fresh fish wraps and burritos! They also have a good kids menu here. I had heard it gets really crowded but we went for an early dinner and it was relatively quiet. We even saw them wheeling in large fresh Ahi. Boys entertained themselves with the chickens, cracking open freshly fallen avocados and tree climbing.

Ended this long adventure day with a dip into the pool! It was such a beautiful sky and we met a sweet mom with teenage children. Her daughter told us we make having kids look like fun, which was so sweet and something I really want to be intentional about portraying.

Day 4: Pool Time + Limahuli Botanical Garden

We started the day a lot slower than the previous couple days and boys finally got to play in the Keiki Pool and go down slide. This was also the time we did the 9:30 am Koi fish feeding. We then packed up and headed to Hanalei. We met Uncle Happy and Lance and Hudson helped pick out fish and sushi rolls from The Hanalei Dolphin, while I waited in the truck as the little boys napped and it lightly rained.

We did a quick stop back at Hanalei Bay. We ate lunch on the sand and Hudson did a final pier jump of the trip. We then kept driving to Limahuli Garden. This was the one thing I really wanted to do. You do need to make a reservation online and buy tickets (kids are free). It was beautiful, but felt like we kind of had to rush through since we had an overly tired 3-year old that kept screaming that he wanted water and of course we left our bottles in the car. The highlight for Hudson was catching a lizard outside of the garden- he was so proud. He also enjoyed looking for the different plants and he received a sticker at the end for finding all of them.

Spent our evening making dinner with Uncle Happy at the BBQ grills at our hotel. We took some family photos, boys played more soccer, and we tried to chase the sunset by driving to an outlook point in Princeville. We were a little late, but it was still beautiful.

Day 5: Our 9 Year Anniversary, Anini Beach + Ahi Lele Fire Show

Celebrating 9 years married on vacation is a bit different with little kids, but we ended up having a great family day. It started with another peaceful run for me and Lance walked along the trail to the beach from the hotel.

We did a little pool time and then packed up and headed to Anini Beach. This was on my list to visit since it is super calm and good for little kids. I also was determined to see sea turtles and the family I met at shave ice said they were close to the boat dock. I really enjoyed our time here. The waters were super calm and we did see multiple sea turtles here! It was really special to show the boys- they were amazed. Hudson also conquered his fears over the coral and really enjoyed swimming out to see turtles. Lance and I took turns. I first swam out with Hudson and then he took Thatcher. It is a pretty far swim and you see nothing for a while, but then you finally hit the reef and we almost instantly saw the turtles. Hudson counted 4! I was so proud of each boy for swimming out this far and getting to experience the turtles with each of us. And Declan was happy playing in the water!

We went back to Hanalei one final time! We let the boys each pick out one souvenir from a shop in the Ching Young Village. Hudson picked a Hawaiian Fish Hook necklace and Thatcher picked out a little turtle (both of which broke by the end of the day, but Lance fixed them on the plane home with Gorilla Glue). I wish we spent more time shopping around in Hanalei but we were on a time crunch with tired kids. We had one last shave ice and mixed it up by going to JoJo’s. It was yummy, but we like overall feel at Wishing Well better. I was getting really tired so I had their cold brew shave ice and it was delicious and the exact pick-me-up I needed.

We made the drive back to our hotel. We made a quick stop at the Hanalei Valley lookout. Jumped into the pool a final time and then got ready for the Ahi Lele Fire Show!

I had heard amazing things about this fire show and it did not disappoint! When we asked the boys what their favorite part of the trip was, they quickly responded: “the fire show!” This show is held at the Anaina Hou Community Park, which has so many wonderful offerings: mini golf (we didn’t have time to do this, but this would be another great family-friendly activity option), a farmer’s market (every Saturday), an incredible playground (our boys asked to play a few minutes before we went to dinner at the show and they had so much fun), and lots of shows and events!

We are so thankful we got to experience the fire show as a family. It was so well done and such a special end to our trip. It felt authentic and heartfelt and incorporated beautiful storytelling and music. It was also so engaging especially for little ones. I was a little concerned the boys would get antsy, but all three were mesmerized the entirety of the show. There was beautiful music and hula before the fire show started and the older boys even took the stage and learned a hula dance! If you are looking for a fun experience for your family (especially if you have young children and experience options are more limited- I highly recommend getting tickets for the fire show).

The whole atmosphere is great for little kids- lots of open space and more casual feeling. We all really enjoyed the Hawaiian dinner buffet too. This past week since being home, the boys have re-enacted the show in their bedroom multiple times- it clearly had a big impact on their little minds. Thank you Ahi Lele Fire Show for such a wonderful time!

Day 6: Good-Bye Kauai!

We packed up and then took boys to get their treats from the Princeville Market at the hotel. The boys turned in their passports filled with the stickers they collected and each got to pick out a candy. It was a sweet way to end.

We headed to Kilauea to say good-bye to Uncle Happy. Lance and I got avocado toast from Trilogy (we had heard their avo toast was amazing and it was pretty good). The boys got cinnamon rolls from Kilauea Bakery. A local mom sat at the bakery with her baby and toddler reading books. Part of me longed to stay and linger on this island a little more and read books to the boys at the Kilauea Bakery, but I know one day we will be back, and I’ll be sure to back some books in my bag to do the very same thing as her.

What a wonderful trip. There is just something about Kauai. Even in the chaos of traveling with three young children, I really feel like the Lord used our time away on this beautiful island to give our souls the very rest we needed. Can’t wait to come back.