I am planning to go to Hawaii for the first time with our 5 and 12 year old. I want to go to Pearl Harbor as I am a us history teacher. We also love the beach and want to do a few things the kids would enjoy, laua etc,
I think we should go to Oahu and Maui but am concerned about cost.
I am picky about cleanliness and must be right on the beach. I am not traveling to Hawaii and not stay on the beach.
I need help. There is so much info. I am overwhelmed. What is the cheapest, but best plan for us?

I think the islands you've chosen will work for your needs. I would consider renting a condo or villa. Hawaii is not a cheap vacation. I think doing a serious evaluation of your budget is in order.
Also I want to recommend a great series of books. They can be purchases from www.wizardpub.com They are written by locals and are very helpful. They have great hotel reviews, but not so much on condos.

When we went several years ago (also first time for family) we chose Maui and Kauai, one week each. Maui had tons of activities and Kauai was very relaxing with better beaches. I think Oahu is more like Maui with plenty of activities. Of course, maybe that is what you want.

The whole family enjoyed a luau (shop around for good deals or spend two hours at a time-share presentation for tickets).

We chose condos on both islands for the convenience of lying around in the morning for breakfast, etc.

www.pleasantholidays.com has virtual tours of many properties.

good luck and have fun.

Our first trip to Hawaii included 3 nights on Oahu. We loved Pearl Harbor and I wouldn't miss it for the world. At the time we went, a survivor recalled his experiences with pictures and a narative. It was very touching and even my youngest, 7 at the time appreciated it. A condo may cost you more per night but you would be able to prepare some of your own meals. Of course, you could always have cereal and milk in any hotel room. Hawaii is the United States which MacDonalds, Burger King, Subway, and plate lunches everyhere. In fact the first dollar menu we saw at McD's was on Maui in 1998. Check Orbitz and Expedia. The Kaanapali Beach Hotel appears to have reasonable rates on Maui but you may find the hotels at Kihei a bit more affordable. When we go to Oahu we stay at the Hale Koa, which is a good option for military families. You didn't say how long you have to stay there but if your budget allows, for the first trip, I think 3 nights on Oahu, 5 on Maui and the rest on the Big Island makes for a really diverse trip. There are few places on earth where you can show your kids a real, active volcano.

I agree with you, Dawn -- I didn't particularly need to stay right on a beach, but I was darned if I was going to travel all that way, be that close to an active volcano, and not go see it! The bleakness of the freshly created volcanic surface, and the experience of the sulfur vents (sights, sounds, smells!) were the highlights of the 10-day trip for my kids.

Thanks for the info. I did not think about the volcano, but I think my son would love it.
I know Hawaii is not a cheap vacation, but I also can't go first class all the way. I looked at the Grand Wailea and about died when 500-600 a night prices came up.
We think we would like to spend about 10 days in Hawaii and trying to figure out the least expensive way to see what we can.

Hi Lomillerin

Isn't it great to share something dear to your heart with kids? I took kids to Hawaii too and it is still one of my most memorable trips. Since you are a US history teacher you have a golden opportunity here to share Hawaiian history which has become American History. I read up, when I took the kids I mentioned. Fascinating stuff.

There is a film you can order from PBS called, "Lilioukilani: Hawaii's last Queen". A quick primer is "The concise history of the Hawaiian Islands" by Phil Barnes. This gives really fun facts (88pages). One that sticks out for me is that King Kamehameha tattooed the inside of his eyelids and then flip them inside out to freak out the enemy. They thought he was a ghost when he did this. Kids love that one! May have pulled that from "Shoal of time" by Daws, which is longer and more involved. The Hawaii Story by Queen Lilioukilani is a favorite of mine because it is a personal account of the monarchy. Reading it lead me to seek out the Volcano at night, her number one suggestion for the area.

I hope this helps.

The history of the Polynesians in this region is truly extraordinary. Hula goes back 1000 years. Before the Hawaiians had a written language the accompanying mele (chants) recorded the history. In some instances they even proficised about the future. Hula holds a lot of pride for contemporary Hawaiians taping into that in your reading and sharing that with your kids would provide an enriching experience. A video I know of "the Hawaiians: the story of an island people" expressed this very clearly for me, shared significant sights that put it all into context (Hawaii Public television and distributed by (Apple Mountain Company). (I found this at Mele.com)(A great source for Hawaiian concerts, videos, CDs).

There are tons of historical sights on Oahu, Iolani Palace is a must in my opinion, and the bishop Museum is great. I also like paying attention to ancient sights on your drives like the birthing grounds heading out to the north shore. the healing stones now on display in Waikiki. Did you know that Waikiki was once known as the healing place? Same trip I sat next to a make a wish kid suffering with lukemia he had this tremendous draw to Waikiki from the east coast. I told him how the Queen use to refer to it.

Paying attention to this will give your kids a strong sense of those that went before, those that remain. ?NOTHING BETTER THAN THAT EXPERIENCE WHEN TRAVELING well for me anyway. Did not mean for this to sound like a lecture but I get excited about this stuff.

some other sources to become more familar with Hawaiian history. The Polynesian connection is critical in my opinion but you also might want for yourself to have a sense of the wave of immigrants that now live in Hawaii. The Japanese are a big part of modern Hawaiian. They developed the prime products of Coffee and Macnuts. The Japanese Cultural Center is a good place for this. There use to be an exhibit here on the Pearl Harbor years ago and how that impacted the community here. A nice accompaniment to your pearl harbor visit. AN EXCELLENT MOVIE; "the picture bride". Although the kids might not appreciate as much as you and your wife, shows how 10,000 brides came to Hawaii.
The Hawaiians with Juliee Andrews is good but dated and Holywooded if there is such a term. Whale Rider while it is about Maourirs will give you a sense of the movement behind cultural preservation with Polynesians. Your 12year old will enjoy this. I also love "from here to eternity". The landscape shots here will give you a sense of what has been lost in the last 40 years and great picture in its own right.

Ok

Wow, I am excited to go now. I am ready for vacation.

PS Lomillerin consider the bulk of your time in a condo rental. You will have more space and more money. I was half a block from the rental in my unit.

Here is one place we rented on Kauai compare the prices. You can also return to the home page and check out options on Mauai.
http://www.vrbo.com/14942