My oldest child recently turned 15 and decided they preferred a trip to a big Quinceañera. They love everything water and the beach and when I asked where they wanted to go, the first words out of their mouth was “Hawaii”. But they didn’t want the full adventure trip we did for their tenth birthday. They wanted a relaxing trip, with some adventure but plenty of beach and pool time. I was able to find a great place in Kona on the Big Island, where we hadn’t been before, and we spent five days exploring Kona while making sure to get plenty of R&R in. Check out how we turned a trip to the biggest and one of the most diverse islands of Hawaii into the perfect relaxing Quince trip.
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How to Get There
The only way to the Big Island unless you live there is to fly. There are two major airports in Hawai’i, Kona and Hilo. Kona is where the majority of tourists fly to as its on the side of the island with better weather and closer to the resorts. Hilo also has resorts, but more rain.
We could not get a direct flight to Kona from San Francisco or Oakland, so we had to fly through Las Vegas. There are many flights that go through Honolulu as well.
We flew using Southwest (April 2025, before SWA announced a change to assigned seats and paid bags). Hawaiian Airlines (now a subsidiary of Alaska Air) also has several flights from major airports.
What We Did
There are so many things you can do in Hawai’i and Kona. We chose to have a very relaxing vacation, so we limited the activities we did. But what we did do, we highly recommend.
- Luau – We went to the Luau at the Royal Kona Resort, which focuses on the Spirt of Polynesia. It’s on the lawn right by the waterfront. The seating was family style so we got to meet other people there and have great conversations. The drinks were flowing with waiters always coming around to make sure you had one. And they even took requests and made Shirley Temples for the kids. The food was fantastic and easy to get. And the show was amazing. We saw dance styles from all over Polynesia and it ended with a dazzling fire dance display for all.
- Snorkeling – We went with Hang Loose Boat Tours to do the Night Manta Ray Adventure. Kona is known for its amazing fish, but the Manta Ray snorkel was a new experience we wanted to try. The boat takes you out late at night, and then you get to hold onto a light board as these incredibly large and surprisingly docile creatures come up and barrow roll right in front of you. I have snorkeled all over the world and this was the first time anything came so close to me and I had such an interactive experience. It’s only available in Kona in Hawaii, so be sure to book this experience if you are visiting the Big Island. It’s incredible.
- Grand Circle Tour – We wanted to see the natural wonders of the big island, but we didn’t want to do all the driving required to see them. That is where the Big Island Grand Circle Tour with Wasabi Tours came in. Kona Chris took a small group of us on a circle tour of the island where we saw black sand beach, an erupting volcano, lava tubes, waterfalls, and outlooks, all while listening to cool stories and history (or napping) in the van on the way. It was the best eleven hours ever!
- Beach Time – Who doesn’t go to Hawaii and not visit the beach?!?! All the beaches in Hawaii are public beaches. Few resorts in Kona have swimmable beaches so you may need to travel a bit if you want to relax on a beach. We spent all our beach time at Magic Sands State Beach Park, mostly because it was close to our resort. We were told there were some bigger, calmer beaches north of the airport, but it was about a 30–50-minute drive from Kona depending on where you are staying. The waves at Magic Sands were rough, but the kids loved that and are good swimmers. Never spend time at a beach without a lifeguard, the water can be rough around the island.
- Pool Time – Honestly, the pool at our resort was amazing with lots of chairs and a poolside bar that took room charge. We spent a lot of time there. I napped in the chairs, drank one too many pina coladas, and went in for a swim when I wanted to cool down. The kids did handstand contests, made friends, and occasionally came to ask if they could get a drink or food and charge it to the room. Sometimes, that is what you need on a relaxing vacation.
Where to Eat
We tried quite a few places in Kona and it was surprising hit or miss this vacation. But we had 3 places that we all agreed were our favorites.
- 808 Grindz – We ate here three times for breakfast. Fast, good, and super filling. I loved both the rice and spam, the monos, but my favorite was probably the macadamia nut pancakes with coconut cream syrup. And the coffee – chefs kiss.
- Magic Sands Grill – We ate here after the beach and had some fantastic food. My husband was always about the poke and loved the bowl they offered on the menu. My oldest and I had burgers that were juicy and fantastic. Plus we got to sit by the water and look at it as we ate our lunch.
- ABC Stores & Grocery Stores – Kona Chris told us the best place for poke was the KTA Super Store. We stopped at ABC Stores all the time to buy the Spam Musubi as a snack or even breakfast. It’s the cheapest and easiest way to get good food that is local and easiest on the wallet.
Where We Stayed
We stayed in the Kona Coast Resort, which is part of the Wyndham properties. We had a one bedroom suite with full kitchen, two bathrooms and a lanai (private balcony). The property is huge, has two pools (though the quiet pool was being renovated while we were there), a hot tub, and two bars/restaurants. We can also rent DVDs and games for free to bring to your room. There is a store on site where you can rent beach and snorkel equipment by the day or week. The space was huge so we were comfortable, and the kids loved the pool. I loved the bar right by the pool. There were also a ton of activities but we never actually made it to any of them…
Getting Around
Kona has some public transit, but it’s really just around Kona and the resorts. There is Lyft and Uber on the island, but not as much as bigger cities like Honolulu, so expect to wait for a ride.
Honestly, the best way to get around is to drive. You will need to rent a car if you want to have relative transportation and leave not only the resort, but the Kona area. Be prepared, renting a car in Hawaii is expensive. But it’s necessary if you are traveling to the Big Island.
What to Bring
- A fantastic swimsuit: You want a swimsuit that you love and makes you feel amazing. And do not worry about what others say. You do you and #justwearthesuit. I love these bottoms from Target and these tops from Target. I got a new suit for this trip, this red one from TikTok Shop. My daughter, it turns out, had outgrown her suits before the trip 🙈. She did the trip with one high waisted bottom from Target, and a few rash guards, including one from Roxy. My oldest loves their Amazon Basic Rash Guards and swim trunks. They come in an array of colors.
- A beach coverup: Everyone walks straight from the beach to the stores or lunch here. A nice beach coverup you throw over your swimsuit lets you go straight to lunch after the beach or pool, with a little bit of modesty. I got this new one from Amazon, and it even had pockets! My daughter loves this cover-up from Children’s Place.
- Breezy Sundresses with Pockets: Who does not love a good dress with pocket? When I am in hot climates, I love to wear a nice breezy dress, but have the option of pockets to store my phone, hotel key, etc. I picked up one of these dresses from the TikTok Shop. And of course, I loved my Athletic Dress from Old Navy!
- A Fun Sunhat:You need a sunhat to protect your face from the beautiful but harsh Hawaiian sun. I love this packable sunhat . Check out these great kids’ ones at Amazon.
- Good Sunglasses:As I get older, I find that I need sunglasses more and more to protect my eyes. I love polarized sunglasses. I have tried (mostly in vain) to get my kids to wear them. They always pack them, but they never wear them…
- Waterproof Phone Case: We have four of these waterproof phone cases that we use whenever we are remotely near water. I like them at the beach particularly because you also keep the sand out of the phone. Then you can take them into the water with you to get spectacular photos up close of your kids playing in the waves
- A Good Day Bag: You need a bag that will carry all the essentials for the day (hand sanitizer, sunscreen, your phone and wallet, snacks, etc.) I used this CHERUTY backpack on our day long tour.
- A Roomy Beach Bag: In Hawaii you are going to spend a lot of time at the beach and the pool, so have a roomy bag that holds the towels, sunscreen, books, water proof pouches, all the things. I use a bag that folds down to save room in my bag and has little structure.
- Reusable Bags: Hawaii does not give out plastic bags and encourages everyone to bring reusable totes for all your shopping. Make sure to have one ready for any of your shopping needs.
- Reusable Water bottles: Like the bags, Hawaii is conscious of how much plastic the tourism industry generates. There are locations everywhere to refill your water bottles. Help cut down on plastic waste and make sure to still get in your water intake. I love this pink one that I use daily to encourage drinking more water.
Most importantly, I want to list what not to bring because it will save you time, space, and frustration:
- Beach Towels: Your hotel should provide them. Packing them takes up precious space in your suitcase and you must wash them when you get back. Ditch the frustration.
- Sunscreen: There are places all over the island that sell sunscreen. Do yourself a favor and buy some when you get there. You will go through more than that travel sized bottle anyway. Worried about having leftovers? That is easily solved. Find someone who is checking in while you are leaving and give it to them. They will use it and you have helped save the planet a little less plastic pollution.
Give us a beach and/or a good pool and we are generally happy as a family. But Hawaii is a special place for us. Its where we have built so many memories as a family. Every new island we visit adds a new layer that just builds on that. Hawai’i, the Big Island, brought us into a new stage in our family. We have two teens now, and as they grow, the needs and wants of them change. The trips we want change. As they feel more stress in their daily lives they too need the relaxing vacations we as adults need. Sure, they want some adventure, but sometimes they also just want to sit in a pretty place and read, watch their phone, or just chill out. Sometimes they want to play like they are kids again. This vacation gave us that opportunity. The spiritual aura of Hawaii and the Big Island lives in us, and we will continue to take it in until it’s time to go again and get another fill.
* Starred Photos taken by Atma Photography