Family-Friendly Hotels

If you're traveling with the kids, you'll be welcomed by many of Oahu's resorts, condos, and B&Bs. Our favorite family-friendly accommodations on the island are listed below. If you're looking for a hotel that has supervised activities for your youngster, you might want to consider the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort, which has a great children's program. For a more moderately priced option, try the Waikiki Sand Villa in Waikiki or Schrader's Windward Marine Resort in Kaneohe. Embassy Suites Hotel-Waikiki Beach Walk ain't cheap but gives good overall bang for your buck while keeping your kid's social calendar full -- they offer children's programs during summer and at Christmas. Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach offers children's programs and babysitting services; plus, children stay free in their parents' room at Outrigger Waikiki and its sister hotel, Outrigger Reef on the Beach. For full kitchen facilities, look into Ohana Waikiki Malia and ResortQuest at the Waikiki Banyan.

Waikiki:

Hilton Hawaiian Village -- The Rainbow Express Keiki Club is Hilton's year-round daily program of activities for children ages 5 to 12. The program costs $50 for a full day, including lunch, and another $6 if you want the excursion, or $25 for a half-day with lunch (add another $3 for an excursion). It offers a wide range of educational and fun activities: Hawaiian arts and crafts, nature walks, wildlife feedings, shell hunting, fishing, and much more. Everything about this hotel is kid-friendly, from the wildlife parading about the grounds to the submarine dives offered just out front.

Halekulani -- Between early June and mid-August and during Christmastime, the Halekulani, possibly my favorite hotel in the islands, has a wonderful supervised program for children ages 5 to 12, called the Keikilani (Heavenly Child) Club, normally available Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm. The $50 fee (the 2nd child in the same family is only $40) includes goodies like a complimentary backpack with matching water bottle, plus lunch and admission to activities. Daily programs include crafts, games, sightseeing, and excursions to Sea Life Park, the Children's Discovery Center, the Waikiki Aquarium, or the Honolulu Zoo. On-site restaurants House Without A Key and Orchids offer children's menus, with coloring books and crayons to keep youngsters occupied.

Sheraton Waikiki -- The Keiki Aloha Program offers year-round activities for children ages 5 to 12 ($40 for one session; winter: morning and afternoon; summer: morning, afternoon, or evening), and supervised meals are available for lunch ($12) and dinner ($12). Activities include boogie boarding, kite flying, sailing on a catamaran, and watching nightly movies. The program is available to all guests of Sheraton and Westin hotels in Waikiki. Just added are Family Days (Sun and Mon), when both parent(s) and child can visit attractions (such as Waikiki Aquarium and the zoo) or participate in activities including hula, lei making, and boogie boarding. Cost is $10 per parent.

Hawaiiana Hotel -- This budget hotel in the heart of Waikiki, just a block from the beach, has terrific deals for families of four or less. Starting at $235, a one-bedroom with kitchenette (a big help on the food bill!), has two beds (a double and a single or a queen plus a sofa bed), a view of the gardens, and access to two swimming pools. The friendly staff welcomes families and will happily point out great places to take the kids.

Ilima Hotel -- Very popular with locals from neighboring islands, this hotel was designed with families in mind. The units are large, and all have full-size kitchens. Although there's no formal children's program, you'll find free HBO, the Disney Channel, and Super Nintendo video games in each room -- and the coin-op laundry is a big help to Mom and Dad. The beach and the International Market Place are both a short walk away, and TheBus stops just outside.

Beyond Waikiki:

The Kahala Hotel and Resort -- The Keiki Club is the year-round activities program for kids ages 5 to 12. Youngsters have a blast dancing the hula, making leis, designing sand sculptures, putting on puppet shows, learning to strum a ukulele, making shell art and fish prints, listening to Hawaiian folk tales and legends, and playing Hawaiian games. The cost is $65 for a full day, 9am to 4pm (including lunch); $45 for a half-day, with lunch; and $35 for a half-day without lunch.

Leeward Oahu:

JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina -- The Keiki Beachcomber Club, for children ages 4 to 12, is available daily (9am-3pm) during peak winter, spring, and summer seasons. Activities include kite flying, tide-pool exploration, snorkeling, water games, shave-ice making, beach Olympics, crab hunting, and fishing. Hawaiian cultural activities include lei making, hula dancing, and so many other activities that you're unlikely to even see the kids until you're getting ready for dinner. The cost is $58 per child, which includes all activities, lunch, and a souvenir on their first day at the club; half-day rate is $40 with lunch and $35 without.