Hawaii’s Best Family Resorts

The Hula, island dining, crystal clear water, live music, and vibrant cultural events – it’s easy to see why Hawaii has become synonymous with paradise. Start planning your family holiday by reading our list of the best family resorts in Hawaii, as voted by you. You’ll find Hawaii’s best family resorts on the islands of Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. Exemplary facilities and features such as pools with epic waterslides, surf lessons, cultural activities and snorkelling tours to meet turtles set these beachfront resorts ahead of the rest.

1. Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort

Honolulu, Oahu

Families will find everything they need at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. Nestled in lush greenery overlooking Waikiki’s widest and most stunning white sand beach, the resort boasts five towers of luxurious accommodation, 18 dining options, five pools, and the longest water slide in Waikiki. Indulge in water activities such as swimming, stand-up paddle boarding and aqua-cycling at Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon. Kids will love the fun activities at Camp Penguin, while parents enjoy a rejuvenating spa treatment at this family-friendly resort in Hawaii.

2. Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa

Ko Olina, Oahu

Add a sprinkle of Disney magic to your Hawaiian holiday at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa. Enjoy engaging activities tailored for children of all ages, Hawaiian-inspired cultural experiences including fireside storytelling and lively pool parties featuring traditional dances, as well as unforgettable encounters with beloved Disney characters. Drift along the river or take a plunge down the Volcanic Vertical water slide at the Waikolohe Valley pool area. Or explore the underwater world as you snorkel with the tropical fish in Rainbow Reef private saltwater lagoon.

=3. Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort

Honolulu, Oahu

Just steps from the sand in the heart of Waikiki, Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort offers families the opportunity to immerse themselves in the beach lifestyle. Delight in local dining options, live music and entertainment, as well as events and activities that provide a taste of Hawaii’s rich heritage, or pamper yourself with a spa experience while soaking in the breathtaking views. The resort’s oceanfront rooms and suites offer stunning vistas of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head that only add to Outrigger Waikiki’s extraordinary resort experience. Take a stand-up paddleboard yoga class, learn the ukulele or enjoy a surf lesson.

=3. Ka’anapali Beach Hotel

Lahaina, Maui

Nestled along the beautiful Kā’anapali Beach in Maui, Ka’anapali Beach Hotel ensures kids are well taken care of. A plethora of daily activities, a whale-shaped swimming pool, snorkelling adventures, cultural garden walks and canoe rides await the whole family. The resort embraces Hawaiian culture through activities such as hula, the history of Olelo (the Hawaiian language) and ukulele lessons. Pu’u Keka’a (Black Rock), situated nearby, offers opportunities for snorkelling, cliff jumping, and stand-up paddleboarding. Choose from ocean or garden view rooms or spacious Ocean Front Family Suites accommodating up to nine.

4. Turtle Bay Resort

Kahuku, Oahu

Turtle Bay Resort is set on the North Shore of Oahu, and is a laid-back beach resort where guests spend their days snorkelling among sea turtles, horse riding along ocean trails, perfecting their golf swing then mastering the Hawaiian Hula. The resort has more than 340 hectares to explore, including a coastline of idyllic bays. The property’s magnificent views alone are enough to make it hard to leave. Kids will pick up surfing easily as lessons are taught by local pros, then make a splash in the keiki (kiddie) pool, featuring a 24-metre water slide.

5. Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort

Honolulu, Oahu

A pool day never looked as good as it does at Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort. Reserve a hale (traditional hut) or punee (sun lounge) and partake in ‘swim, sunbathe, sleep, repeat’ time. Bottle service and the full Kani Ka Pila Grille menu are even available poolside. After the sun sets, extend your pool paradise experience under star-studded skies, with live Hawaiian music lulling you into a state of bliss. There is also a range of other activities if you want to swap the pool for paddleboard yoga or try your hand at the ukulele – which is why this particular property makes it into the top five of our best family resorts in Hawaii list!

6. Embassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach Walk

Honolulu, Oahu

With spacious suites ideal for families and a complimentary made-to-order breakfast, Embassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach Walk provides the perfect base for all your Hawaiian adventures. Relax on the Grand Lanai balcony on a chaise lounge alongside a heated pool, whirlpool spa and children’s pool. Head to the beach for some snorkelling, stand-up paddleboarding and surfing. If you fancy shopping, the boutiques of Kalakaua Avenue are only a block away from this fantastic family resort in Hawaii.

7. Aston Waikiki Beach Tower

Honolulu, Oahu

Positioned right across from Waikiki Beach, Aston Waikiki Beach Tower is one of the best family resorts in Hawaii. It offers guests a home-away-from-home experience with a fitness centre, yoga room, swimming pool, jet spa, and recreation deck overlooking the shore. Every suite has floor-to-ceiling windows that connect the room with the sea beyond, and there are even weekly Hula, ukulele and lei-making lessons, and yoga sessions,

8. Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort

Maui

Luxurious, beautiful and entirely dreamy, Grand Wailea is a beachfront family-friendly resort in Hawaii with well-appointed rooms and contemporary interior design. There are nine pools spread across six levels, all connected by a river that carries swimmers along gentle currents and white-water rapids. There’s a pool with a swim-up bar for the adults and a Lava Tube slide for the thrill-seeking teens. There are four jungle pools with slides and rope swings for kiddies, and even a sand ‘baby beach’. As if that isn’t enough, there’s a healing garden and beauty lab, and restaurants on-site.

9. Sheraton Waikiki

Honolulu, Oahu

If a day floating on North America’s longest oceanfront infinity pool is your idea of the perfect day in paradise, then you’ve come to the right place. Sheraton Waikiki is a family-friendly resort offering this and a range of other water fun, including the Helumoa playground with a 21-metre water slide, two large whirlpools and an interactive fountain area for kids. The kids’ program will have young travellers five and above bodyboarding, cookie decorating and crafting throughout the day. Poppins Day Care also offers care for children from three months to 12 years old.

10. The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki

Honolulu, Oahu

Opened in 1927 and known as the ‘Pink Palace of the Pacific’, The Royal Hawaiian is a luxurious family-friendly resort with heritage. There are five eateries and bars on site, from casual through to fine dining, and the spa ensures guests are blissed out during their stay. There’s a fitness centre, swimming pool, water slide and whirlpool, or guests can enjoy the sun, surf and sand on the private beach. Every Monday and Thursday evening the resort hosts a feast called Aha Aine, a traditional Luau, and the property even facilitates cultural activities, too.

Keep reading:

45 things to do with kids in Hawaii
Why Hawaii needs to be on your travel wish list
Family-friendly travel guide to Hawaii

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