I've visited Hawaii more than 40 times and I know ALL the tips and tricks for planning the ultimate Hawaii family vacation! I offer free Hawaii planning email courses. I also send weekly emails on Fridays where I share my top things to do in Hawaii with kids, the best family resorts in Hawaii, and my ultimate packing lists! Mahalo!
Honest food picks from our last Hawaii trip
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Aloha Reader, We just got back from Oahu and Maui, and before I get into all of it, I need to tell you about 7-Eleven. Because it's going to come up and I want you to be prepared. Hawaii's 7-Elevens are not like the ones at home. They make a mochiko chicken musubi that I first had when I was pregnant with my oldest, and I have been going back ever since. It is one of the best snack deals on the island and I will not be taking questions. If you see one, stop. Okay. Now the rest of what we ate. On Oahu, acai bowls are everywhere, but Waffle & Berry and Tropical Tribe are the ones worth finding. Waffle & Berry does theirs thick like ice cream, which my family is completely obsessed with. Tropical Tribe is right on the beach in Waikiki, so even if the bowl were just okay, the setting would carry it. It's not just okay though. We also hit Musubi Cafe twice, once in Waikiki and once at Ala Moana, because musubi is always a good idea and theirs delivers every time. If you're heading toward the North Shore, Kahuku Farms is worth the drive. Everything in their cafe is good, full stop. And my 12-year-old officially declared Seven Brothers to have the best burgers on Oahu, which is not a title he gives out lightly. We also stopped at The LookOut at Wai Kai and the food was solid, good to know about if you're in that area. Maui had some serious standouts too. Sweet Hula had the best acai bowl of the whole trip. Waikomo Shave Ice uses fresh fruit syrup, and once you taste it you'll understand why it matters. Coconuts Fish Cafe is one we come back to every single trip, and it is still just as good as the first time. There's something really nice about a place that never lets you down. Cafe O'Lei is a must if you love fish. We did their plantation location this time and the sautéed fish is honestly the best I've had anywhere. I also love their Kihei location if that's where you're based. And if you find yourself in Upcountry Maui, the Ulapalekua Ranch Store does a great burger and feels like a real discovery out there. More from both islands coming soon. Aloha, Marcie |
Aloha! I'm Marcie with Hawaii Travel with Kids
I've visited Hawaii more than 40 times and I know ALL the tips and tricks for planning the ultimate Hawaii family vacation! I offer free Hawaii planning email courses. I also send weekly emails on Fridays where I share my top things to do in Hawaii with kids, the best family resorts in Hawaii, and my ultimate packing lists! Mahalo!
Aloha Reader, People assume that after 40-plus trips to Hawaii I sit down and a perfect itinerary just appears. It does not. I still work through the same set of questions every single time, in the same order, because skipping any of them is how you end up with a plan that looks great on paper and falls apart on day two. Here's exactly how I build a Hawaii itinerary from scratch. Start with the island, not the activities. This is where most families go wrong. They find a cool snorkel tour or...
Aloha Reader, Our first Hawaii trip with kids was planned within an inch of its life. I had a spreadsheet. Color coded. Every restaurant researched, every activity slotted into a time block, every drive timed out to the minute. I was so proud of that itinerary. We were going to see everything. We saw a lot of things. We also spent half the trip rushing between them. Someone was always hungry at the wrong time or tired at the wrong moment and the whole day would unravel because we were already...
Aloha Reader, My oldest has been to Hawaii about 12 times. At this point he has opinions. On our last Kauai trip he decided he wanted to do a serious acai bowl taste test. Every morning, a new spot. He kept mental notes, compared textures and toppings, took the whole thing very seriously. By the end of the week he had a definitive ranking. Sunrise Coffee won, if you're curious. That trip is a good example of what Kauai does to people who are ready for it. It slows you down in the best way....