We are going to Hawaii at the end of the month with our 4 1/2 year old, 7 year old and an 18-year-old family friend (part graduation trip, part built in babysitter,since it is our 15th anniversary). We can't decide on two major things: whether 10 days on the big island is too much with the kids (they have been to maui a couple times, sheraton and fairmont kea lani) but never the Big Island. We have only been to Big Island once and that was about 10 years ago.
So, should we split between Big Island and Maui or Kauai?
Secondly, where to stay on Big Island. I was all set on Mauna Lani but then read posts here and on tripadvisor that didn't talk too highly of the pool (for kids, not us) or the beach. Have read all the posts here but am still looking for thoughts from folks in a similar situation as ours in terms of family member ages and interests (pool, places to walk to, etc)! So am now looking at the Fairmont Orchid. We loved the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea. Have only toured the Hilton, and then was when it opened as a Hyatt.
Lastly (ok this is three questions): Are there running paths near any of the resorts on the Big Island as there are in Kaanapali and Wailea?
Thanks for any and all tips.

I would say that 10 days on the Big Island is too much. Definitely s[lit your time between the Big Island and Maui. Mai will be a nice contrast to the BI since there is more to do there (nightlife, etc.)
I stayed at the Mauna Lani a few years back. The hotel and service were excellent, but it's more of a place for adults. I don't recall seeing very many kids there. It's a real old money type of place. I think in your case you would probably prefer the Hilton Waikoloa Village. I went to check it out while I was on the BI and there is plenty there to keep the kids occupied.

http://www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com/

FWIW we will be on the BI for 9 days later this summer and after looking into the attractions I would say there is alot to do. There are many places of interest to see and some, such as VNP can take an entire day. Look into the attractions in depth and see for yourself. If you like an active vacation I think you will be fine. Also I have heard the pool at the Marriott is pretty cool, i.e. kid friendly. Cheers,Larry

One more important factor to cinsider. The Hilton has no beach. If you want beach then try the Marriott or the Hapuna Prince

The lack of a beach at the HIlton has never been an issue for me. There is a lagoon and the green sea turtles swim in and out of it. Its man made but its nice. The beach is not that far away and there is a shuttle to take you there. We have been to the Big Island twice and if you do not plan to spend some nights in VNP, then 10 days is a bit long. I would split my time 6 nights and 4 nights, with the four nights on Kauai, since you have been to Maui before. We love the North Shore of Kauai, it is breathtaking and is a sharp contrast to the Kohala coast of the Big Island.

With the ages of your kids, and the fact that you've been to Maui, I'd come to Oahu for part of the trip.

There's the zoo, brunch on the beach, Sunset on the beeach (big screen movies ON the beach -free- on weekends), the childrens discovery center, Hanauma bay snorkling, aquarium, fight the wind at the Pali lookout, head to the north shore for a shave ice, Dole's maze.

Visit Iolani Palace, Bishop museum. Pearl Harbor, or Byodo-In temple. Not sure of the starting time for Bon Dances, buyt kids love those. Do the easy Diamond Head hike. Watch the torch lighting and fireworks, and of course, just wander Waikiki Beach.

We stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa 2 years ago- it's a perfect place for kids. While it doesn't have a beach right there, the lagoon would be where I would want to watch a 4 1/2 yr. old. And you aren't far from good beaches. The dolphins are fascinating to watch, too. Lots of things to do- I could easily spend 10 days there- go see the volcano, lava flow, tour the entire island. We're going back in December for 8-10 days.
Jan

Ten days is *not* too much time for the Big Island. In fact, if you want to explore the island in depth you'll discover it's not nearly enough time.

Exploring Waipio Valley, horseback riding in Waimea, Volcanoes Nat'l Park, the Green Sand Beach at South Point, the black sand beach at Punaluu, snorkeling or scuba diving in Kealakekua, Captain Cook, Place of Refuge, stargazing on Mauna Kea; Hawaii Botanical Tropical Gardens, Akaka Falls and other attractions along the Hamakua Coast, Hilo etc etc there is more than enough to keep a family occupied for ten days.

Mauna Lani's beach is actually bigger and better than the Orchid's. The rooms and service are better, too. If proximity to a fantastic beach is a priority then skip both hotels and stay at the Hapuna Beach Prince.

Our family (2 adults and 2 kids, 11 and 14 years old) spent 11 days on the BI in November last year, and we would have enjoyed another couple of weeks there. We split our time between South Kona, Volcano, and the Kohala coast. Next time, I won't spend any time in Kohala, just South Kona and Hilo.

10 days on the big island in my opinion is almost not enough. Remember the drives between hilo and kona side?

I always think less is more with travel if you decide to stay there are certainly hikes, picnics swims you can plan to fill up that time. ? but you have not been in 10 years. Me thinks your heart might be aching a bit, go with whatever you want to see.

Oh no, now my heart is aching and I can't get back this year!!!!

10 days on the Big Island is definately not too long. I have been many times and still have a list of things I want to do and see. I love the Big Island! You could spend 10 days just on one side of the island. fdeclarlo had a great list of sites and activities in his post.

Message: My husband and I spent our honeymoon at the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island in June. When we began planning our trip, I had a difficult time researching the Fairmont online and was really struggling between the Fairmont, the Mauna Lani, and the Four Seasons. In retrospect, we made a great decision. We LOVED the Fairmont!

HOTEL: First, the grounds of the hotel are spectacular. They're very well maintained and were the best grounds that we saw. We did visit the 4S and the Mauna Lani and we were so happy we chose the Fairmont. The hotel has a very luxurious feel and the grounds are so lush in comparison to other hotels that we visited. We had a standard room with breakfast included and the room was very large. We had a partial ocean view room - you could see the ocean from the lanai - but the best part was being situated above the spa / garden area where we could sleep to the sound of the waterfalls.

MEALS: The breakfast buffet at the hotel was great. It's normally $26 per person, so we were happy that we got it included in our package. There is a large selection of hot and cold foods, as well as breakfast and lunch items. The outside dining area is beautiful as well. The beach bar (and Brown's Beach House) is a great place to eat as well. It is expensive - we spent $80 our first night for a light meal - sandwich, fish, and drinks, but you have to expect that. The guava smoothies are great!
OTHER MEALS: We ate at the Beach Tree Bar and Grill at the 4S and had a great sunset meal. The Canoe House at the Mauna Lani was fantastic as well. Our favorite place was Merriman's Cafe at the King's Shops in Waikaloa - it's a casual Mediterranean cafe with great food at a reasonable price. We went 4 times! Try the mango sodas - they're great.

BEACH: This was the one area that concerned me about the Fairmont in reading past reviews. We ended up loving it. It's a small, enclosed lagoon, so it's very protected from the waves. We experienced great snorkeling in the mouth of the lagoon and just outside of it. We saw numerous sea turtles every day (along with some eels!) and really enjoyed the lagoon. We did visit other beaches in the area and enjoyed them as well. It was just nice to use the activity card and snorkel right at the hotel. The beach didn't get overly crowded.

OTHER BEACHES: A-Bay (just south of Waikaloa) was a great beach - there are plenty of water activities for everyone - it's very picturesque. Kiholo Bay was a long hike, but great for snorkeling. Hapuna was a nice beach, and so was Beach 69, but Beach 69 was kind of rough when we were there.

Feel free to ask any questions you might have!