Should I go to Hawaii again?

Old Jan 20th, 2005, 08:52 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Should I go to Hawaii again?

We've been there 4 times, and have been to all the islands except Lanai. I have free FF miles tickets to go anywhere in the US and Mexico. We LOVE Hawaii but are thinking maybe we should go somewhere else even though we are very tempted to go to Hawaii again. We are in NJ. We went to San Diego last year (it was okay). What do you think? We are a family with a 3 and a 1 year old. We love Mexico, too, but think it is not conducive to kids (we don't want to rent a car in Mexico). Thanks.
MaxineR is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 09:01 AM
  #2  
caribtraveler
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Why do you say Mexico is not conducive to kids? Are you thinking of Cancun with all the partying college kids?
You could go south to the Riviera Maya. Much quieter than Cancun with fabulous beaches (we went last summer with our 2-year-old).
Are you open to the Caribbean? Some islands are easy to get to from NJ, especially with 2 little ones (we live there too).
Good luck!


 
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 09:10 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 833
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
No.

Yes.

Um, how am I supposed to answer this deeply personal question? Go, if you love it. If you're looking for us to tell you there's a million other beautiful places in the world to see, there are. But if Hawaii is drawing you back, why would you resist? Who here is gonna tell you "You've been there too many times, you must go somewhere else?"

um,
roxy
turn_it_on is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 09:16 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I love the coast of CA, especially north from LA to SF. Then there's the wine country of CA, as well. Heck, I even find LA and Hollywood fun and exciting--lots o' activites for kids, too.

If the earth did not move (and not in a good way) in CA, if I were to live somewhere other than ATL, CA would be my second choice.

PCH is awe inspiring, depending on the time of year you go. We went in winter and spring (January and May), and it was beautiful then. I hear there are fog problems at different times of the year, not to mention rock/mud slides. We must have picked good times to go.

Mexico is certainly more affordable than the states, however. Canada is quite affordable also. I hear Vancouver is beautiful, but I've never been myself (it's on my list).

Next week will be our first trip to HI, so I have no comparison from that standpoint (yet).

Have fun and enjoy.

DD
ddcnga is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 09:25 AM
  #5  
jetset1
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
caribtraveler~ can you tell me where you stayed in Mexico? I am considering the Playa del Carmen area. Is Akumel better? I have relatives who were at the Barcelo and loved it. Thanks for any recs.. I have two kids, 10 and 15, as well as a good natured dh. J.
 
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 09:31 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I love Paris, and although it's a pain in the butt long trip from Hawaii, I try to go as often as possible. Sure, I should try Spain and Denmark.....in due time. For now, I absolutely love Paris so I keep going back to the places that make me happy.

Come on back to Hawaii and enjoy yourself!
MelissaHI is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 09:32 AM
  #7  
caribtraveler
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
jetset1: I wish I could give you Mexico advice, but I don't consider myself an expert. We only went once, stayed in Puerto Aventuras (45 minutes to 1 hour south of Cancun - GORGEOUS beach). We're going back in June though (just booked it - yeah! - staying in Cozumel and Cancun this time). Anyway, we went to Coba, Tulum and Yalku lagoon, but we didn't make it to Playa del Carmen or Akumal.
If you do a search for my screen name on the Latin America board, you should find my trip report.
Have fun when you go. We really enjoyed Mexico (I guess that's why we're going back).
 
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 09:37 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,637
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My sister took her young family to Costa Rica and they had a blast. They took some funky cruise (small boat) and the kids joined a young people's trip up a river with monkeys swinging over head. If you're asking, maybe you're ready to experience something new!
Grasshopper is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 09:41 AM
  #9  
caribtraveler
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Ok..so silly me (says the hubby), Yalku is located in Akumal. That lagoon is amazing, fyi. The area looked very nice but that's all I know about Akumal.
 
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 11:12 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,798
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
4 times!?!
I've been to Hawaii 15 times and I keep going back.
Go,Go,Go.
-Bill
iamq is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 11:18 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 97,142
Received 12 Likes on 11 Posts
Follow your heart! While I love Mexico (Puerto Vallarta is my favorite destination) I agree it is a bit rougher travel for small children (food, water, language, currency). But there are many area you need not rent a car, PV being one of them. Mexico is simply a bit more "work" than Hawaii is IMO.

I'd stick with Hawaii for a few more years. In my experience I like different places at different times in my life... went to Mexico 1-2/year for about 10 years. Recently have gotten on a Hawaii kick for the last 3 tropical/relaxing style trips I've taken.
suze is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 12:25 PM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My girls, then 6, 6 and 8 loved Playa del Carmen. I liked it. Beautiful sugar-white beaches. We stayed at an all-inclusive. The attraction for the children was food available 20 hours per day, and pools, pools, pools w/ loud music. Well thought out kids program w/ many counselors. Attraction for us was 2 kids stayed and ate "free." Equally important-2 hours from Atlanta. Hawaii's at least 10 w/ a good tail wind.
In PDC we took the children out to snorkel a reef and to an "ecological" park, Xel Ha, where snorkeling, tubing was decent (the fish were well fed) though the park was crowded. We did not rent a car, relying on taxis, feet. My children, who went to Maui and Oahu a few months later, insist PDC was the best vacation they ever had.
I'd go to Hawaii and let the children suffer.
Lex1 is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 12:55 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 373
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
By all means, go back to Hawaii if that sounds like the best vacation for you and your family. However, it sounds like maybe you haven't given much thought to Mexico or researched the many, many possibilities there. There any many great places in Mexico where renting a car would not be necessary. What is it about Mexico you think is "not conducive to kids" who are only 1 and 3 years old? At that age, do they really care where you are?? Check out Cancun and the area around Playa del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast, and Cabo san Lucas. Lots of opportunities for relaxing beach vacations for families. You might like an all-inclusive resort.
pdxgirl is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 01:02 PM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Have you already checked to see that you can use your FF tickets to Hawaii when you want to go? When we tried to use FF miles to Hawaii, booking 6 months in advance for the low season, we were told we should have booked a year in advance; but it could have just been that our program was more restrictive. Anyway, have a great time wherever you go!
Jacee is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 01:04 PM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,715
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I just can't imagine flying to HI with a 3 and 1 yr.old but you've obviously done it and think it's ok. Unless the tickets need to be used, I personally would go to Fla. for now and save the FF for another time. I also agree there are plenty of places in Mexico where you wouldn't have to rent a car if you just want a beach vacation, but you can't get around the water/food problem. What about Bermuda? Is that included in these tickets? Great beaches, family friendly. You haven't mentioned what time of year though.
mclaurie is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 01:13 PM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You can get around the "water/food problem" if you stay at an all-inclusive in Mexico.
Wouldn't use tickets for Florida-there are many cheap fares to Florida from the northeast. I'm also not crazy about Florida.
Lex1 is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 02:19 PM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 97,142
Received 12 Likes on 11 Posts
Lex1- I disagree completely. You can run into food poisoning or pick up tourista at an all-inclusive buffet just the same as at a sidewalk taco stand!

The sickest person I ever witnessed in Mexico was a woman trying to board a flight home (I won't go into details but it had to do with a bad pina colada earlier that day at her A-I resort hotel).
suze is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 02:43 PM
  #18  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If you are using FF miles then you're not booking a package, meaning you must rent a car or use taxi going to Riviera Maya. I can't remember the price but from Cancun airport to Playa Del Carmen is approx. $80+ each way for taxi last year.
We were in Cancun and PDC last year and did not like it at all. The food is cheap, but you have to be careful about the water and food still. Cancun is a party place and we were constantly harassed about buying timeshare everywhere we go. PDC is more laid back but has lots of topless sunbathers. We stayed at a condo near the pier to Cozumel. I did not think the beach was that pretty. It was rough in late May and has a lot of seaweed on the beach, which were never cleaned. But that is just our condo.
Use plenty of sunscreen. We are not fair and have been to Hawaii a few times. The kids never had sunburn there, but they were burnt badly in Mexico, using SPF 40 . The scalp can peel if you don't use protection for the head.
Hanalei is offline  
Old Jan 20th, 2005, 03:04 PM
  #19  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We went to Hawaii this past summer and loved it. When deciding where to go this coming summer for our 1st anniversary, we kind of felt like we should be trying someplace new, but decided to go back to Hawaii. There is just something about it, I guess.

I have been to Mexico, too, and liked it, (Cancun) but there were a lot more families in Hawaii than what I saw in Mexico. If I had FF miles, I would use them to Hawaii because it seems like you're getting more for those miles. It's generally a longer, more expensive flight than Mexico, so I would rather use them to Hawaii.
beachgirl86 is offline  
Old Jan 21st, 2005, 12:21 AM
  #20  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Suze:
You can get food poisoning at any buffet. We don't really know that the unfortunate tourist was plagued by a bad pina colida, do we?
All inclusives in Mexico thrive because they control quality. They prepare food w/ purified water and serve purified water, and ice cubes made w/ it, on the premises. I already voted for Hawaii above, but not based on bad science.
Lex1 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -