Dear Hawaii, We’ll Be Back

By Cheryl Ryan

We just returned from an epic Hawaii family vacation. Our family has been growing during the shutdown. So with our new additions, Gus, 18 months and, Zoey, 3 1/2 months, we set out to stay in a house together on the big island of Hawaii. I had some concerns. After all, it’s been a generation since babies have been part of my travel plans. 

But of course, once in the tropical air of Hawaii, all concerns just drifted away in the breeze. Truthfully though, there are things that I’ve forgotten and new ways of doing things that I’ve had to adjust to, but mostly it doesn’t take long for that child-rearing muscle to kick back in and it’s just all so fun. 

My husband and I arrived first. We were there to set things up and receive the Insta Cart and baby equipment deliveries. Honestly, these millennials know how to use the delivery economy in spectacular fashion.

Within an hour, a crib, the Snoo Smart Sleeper*, toys, high-chairs and strollers began showing up at our house. Insta Cart followed shortly afterwards with diapers, wipes and all the food and booze we could possibly use in a week. It was so much easier than schlepping all the baby stuff across the Pacific and spending the first few tropical Hawaiian hours in a grocery store!

* A Snoo Smart Sleeper (for those without grandchildren) is the latest bassinet invention. You strap the baby in (something that literally resembles a straitjacket) face up. When you turn the bassinet on it starts gently swaying and plays soft womb sounds through installed speakers. If your baby wakes up and starts to cry the piped-in womb sounds and the shaking increase in intervals as the baby’s crying gets louder and louder. It gets pretty raucous in there. Yup, you read that right. It’s crazy and it works.

So much to do

Now back to Hawaii…once we were all set up we settled into our daily routines. Since we were working around naps and eating schedules during this trip we stayed close to the resort swimming, hanging at the beach, snorkeling and golfing (in shifts of course). The kid pool had a fantastic water slide which this Grandma could not get enough of. 

We cooked dinners at the house and had pizza delivered to the beach before sunsets and bedtimes. Things are changing but it’s all so fun.

Although we stuck to the resort on this trip, the big island of Hawaii has eight climate zones and is one of the most ecologically diverse places in the world. You can find tropical monsoon, tundra and desert zones all within an hour’s drive. As tourists, most of us end up on the dryer parts of all the islands. It doesn’t make sense to travel all that way to sit in the rain. But some really amazing hiking and activities can be found throughout the island and we are looking very forward to trying some of these as our family gets a bit more mobile.

Here are a few great excursions that we’re looking forward to with or without all the kids. 

Hilo lava tubes

The Honomu Goat Dairy

Akaka Falls State Park

Two-Step snorkeling

Wishing you all safe travels. And please share any of your tricks for family fun travel. We’re always looking for simple, fun places to go with a group of 10 and growing.