Poipu.

Agreed.

Poipu, specifically Kiahuna Plantation. There are some 2 bedroom units. Renting directly from one of the owners is cheaper.

http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/hawaii/kauai/south/poipu

Also consider the Point at Poipu which is a timeshare but you can rent those via vrbo and other ways. Really great location & a nice property.

Another vote for Poipu as a nice family friendly place. Look into VRBO as early as possible so you get the best pickings.

I LOVE Kiahuna Plantation -- the units are nice, the grounds are gorgeous, and it's on a great beach. Do be aware, however, that the units do not have A/C, and the pool is across the street at the tennis club.

We took our kids to Kiahuna for a family vacation years ago, and this winter DH and I are returning for a few days. Yes, the pool is not up close, but the beach is, and the grounds are simply beautiful. Great family place.

Kiahuna is wonderful! We just came back from Kauai last week and had a great time. Skipped the pool since the beach was awesome. The grounds are great and well maintained. My boys even made a few friends! Perfect for kids. The location is convenient too.

Hanalei hands down...depends on your needs. If pool is focal point, Hyatt or Sheraton in Poipu. Kiahuna is nice too. If true authentic open beaches, Hanalei, Lumahai, Anini on the north shore. All the local families and kids gather by the river at Lumahai, jump off the pier or surf together in Hanalei. Find a affordable cozy cottage, walk to the shoreline, savor the slower wider open pace...plenty to accommodate the little ones...beaches in Poipu are not as expansive,uncrowded or ease of access compared to any in the country. Condo/ hotels vs. homes too...up to what resonates with your family.

Lumahai beach is known to be one of the most dangerous beaches on Kauai isn't it? I guess if they stay out of the water there they will be ok.

I LOVE north shore of Kauai, but for a December beach vacation with 3 kids, I would NOT stay up north. Definitely stay in Poipu.

I'm also a fan of Kiahuna Plantation and Poipu Beach. Our kids loved snorkeling and playing in the waves. They never missed the pool. Several restaurants are across the street so if you don't feel like cooking it is a short walk. I agree about not staying up north in December.

Don't mean to hijack, but what about a December stay with older kids (teens and pre-teens)? Is the north shore more appropriate or would we do well to stay in Poipu too?

This past December, it rained Christmas day, then was clear cloudless kona winds and gorgeous for 3 days after, then cool and overcast during new years...and the rain came up from the south side(Poipu)...so..there are no real set rules on weather although north shore is wetter and tons of waterfalls,etc compared to Poipu in general. Funky surf season as well,meaning, Lumahai was epic to swim YET none of us go if its dangerous/big waves. (Poipu has 2nd most ocean tragedies island wide, Hanakapi'ai down Na Pali is first)...the little clean river is wonderful to sit next to on a sunny day to cool...all the kids play there. Contrast to Poipu, where its easy to jump out of your condo to a little rocky shoreline with thin stretch of sand....good enough for what most seek. ALL depends on your kids...if they are content with daily pool/shallow beach reef= Poipu. Hanalei affords more country style adventures.

Thank you - that's helpful. From what I've heard, the past few holiday seasons have had more than expected rainy/cool weather. Which concerns me a little because I'm married to a sun seeker who will get grouchy if there's too much rain (by contrast, I would be happy to hike all day in the rain). But the kids are all pretty adventurous and strong swimmers, so I'm thinking they would enjoy a more exciting ocean experience. I lived in Hawaii when I was a kid and I remember how great it was to swim/ boogie board during the winters. I also remember thinking that I might never find a place more beautiful than the north shore of Kauai. I can't wait to go back!!

I don't understand what a "more exciting ocean experience" means.

More exciting = bigger waves.

SInce your kids are young, I would look at great play areas as well as beaches. So consider the Lydgate Beach on the East Shore..Lydgate has reef protected swimming, lifeguards, local families, And the two great playgrounds, Kamalani I and II, one right on the beach, one a few blocks away. Not your ordinary playgrounds.
Two nearby hotels/condos are the Aston Aloha Beach Hotel, only a wiode grassy ara separates the hotel from the beach. It has hotel rooms as welll as two bedroom cottages.

A nearby condo , easy walk t beach and playgrounds, is Kaha Lani. Castle Resorts has rooms there, or you can go via VRBO.

The other advantage of the East Shore is if you feel like doing some island exploring one day. YOu can head north to the spectacular scenery of the north shore (but not safe swimming in December( or south to the above mentioned Poipu area. ON E Side, yo willl also be close to bigger markets (Safeway, Costco) where you can load up on food

Note alos, Poipu is more consistently sunny than either the East or North areas

more exciting = bigger waves = drowning victims - - - so said the victims that found Lumahai 'epic to swim' at before they took their last breathl

how are the water conditions at Lydgate these days? Have they improved?

As always, ocean safety is not a laughing matter. Just recently paddleboarders rescued three people in trouble and at very high risk of getting pulled out of the harbour into open ocean due to a riptide. This is often considered a safe harbor beach - Kalapaki.

Unless you consider ocean safety a laughing matter, you will be WATCHING the "more exciting ocean experience" with your 7, 5 and 2 year old, not going in the water on the North Shore in December.

Let's not get the OP with the little kids confused with txtree with older kids who wants the exciting ocean experience who butted in on this threaad.

Lookin Glass, sadly no, Lydgate is murky a lot of the time, the County dredged the area and the water circulation is not good there anymore now. Still a nice calm beach though, just not good for swimming, sorry.

Suzie, you're right -- I had missed that entirely.

Jamie, thanks for the update. What a shame about the water at Lydgate! it was one of our favorite beaches for the kics, and later grandkids. Havent been for about 5 yrs.

Sorry for butting in and confusing folks.

remember Lydgate has a secondary sewage treatment facility right there across from the soccer fields...grey water is used to irrigate all those fields and areas around the playgrounds. The rock pond took a beating throughout storms and was filled with plastics and organic/logs/branches runoff debris from Wailua and Hanapepe rivers...is not back to where it was last year as stated above even with best effort dredging . east side of Kauai gets the brunt of the trades/choppy swell...although a life guard is at Lydgate and Kealia, same with Hanalei and Haena..the north shore beaches are gorgeous and pristine, keeping your "sense of responsibility" is key to remain safe. SO many beaches that guest never get to visit are right before their eyes...on the way to Lumahai(epic safe gorgeous), Waikokos is a quick pull off, 10 second walk down to a protected shoreline even if surf is elevated...same with Anini...vibrant reef protects shoreline from surf with access right off the little onelane road to wade and snorkel.
Vistors do get in trouble as stated above by sf737 and looking glass when unaccustomed to winter surf conditions; stay out if above your capabilities...us life guards these days do not sit unaware as tranquil bystanders and let you wander into dangerous conditions > pro active is the way to prevent harm before it occurs..job requires a vigilant eye on guests BEFORE you venture into surf with a newly purchased Costco boogie board without fins... December has seen epic tiny surf days and sunny warm weather perfect for visiting families more often than large surf and rain. the weather is dramatically different each year with no rules. Just go with it...if kauai were Palm Springs, you could guarantee a dry,hot sunny vacation 24/7...doesn't work that way...

I was confused by the use of the word epic here. Other than the references to a long poetic style, I found this.

epic: of unusually great size or extent; of heroic or impressive proportions.

Epic means large.

jamie - thank you for confirming my concern about current conditions at Lydgate.

Mike, considering your expertise as described in the third person on your website/blog/advertisement on your profile page, I am stunned by your cavalier attitude regarding ocean safety, and seasonal patterns. I would think per your resume, that you would be more cautious with mainlanders, who do not know how quickly ocean conditions change in the middle of the Pacific.

" Mike was employed as a Maui county fire fighter/EMT, handling extreme situations on Molokai, Lanai and Maui. As an Oahu county life guard, sharing his love of the sea meant remaining vigilant of hazards."

a very lucky young man was rescued at Lumaha'i yesterday by an off duty firefighter

http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/off-duty-firefighter-assists-in-water-rescue/article_b0f023ca-5d57-11e2-a1df-001a4bcf887a.html