ALOHA!
So you’ve decided to make your next family vacation in Hawaii.
Good choice! 😉
And you’ve further decided to include Oahu as a part of your vacation.
Good choice again! Here’s why.
And even further you’ve decided to make Waikiki your base while on Oahu.
Yes, this is once again a good choice. Here’s why!
As you’ve probably discovered, Waikiki is the tourist hotspot. And this is where most of the hotels on Oahu are located. This can make it a convenient spot to stay, especially if it’s your first visit to Oahu.
You can find plenty to do around Waikiki to make your time worthwhile and have the best Hawaii vacation ever.
So, if you’re traveling with your family, where to stay?
Best hotel in Waikiki for families: Hilton Hawaiian Village
This is one of the most famous hotels on Waikiki Beach.
You may have seen pictures of the Rainbow Tower.
This is just one of the buildings that are a part of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. This resort is expansive, and there’s a lot to do to go with it!
This can be the perfect place to stay in Waikiki for families because of all of the kid-friendly activities offered at the Hilton, or right nearby.
There might be enough for you to do without ever leaving the resort area! But of course you don’t want to do that. 😉 There’s much to do around Waikiki!
But when you do want to stay really close to your new home away from home at the Hilton Hawaiian Village…
Side note!
See about the best shoes for hiking in Hawaii and what to wear snorkeling in Hawaii! And for Hawaii vacation ideas, see the best things to do in Waikiki that will give you Hawaii vibes!
The lagoon
One of the most famous places of the resort is the lagoon that’s right nearby.
You can go for a swim here, and there are also lots of water activities available.
There’s a rental stand located right near the lagoon too. Some are appropriate for the lagoon, and others you can take to the nearby beach.
Rental prices as of September 2017, for 1 hour / 2 hours:
- Kayak: $45 / $70
- Waterbee 1 hour: $45 / $70
- Aquacycle 1 hour: $50 / $75
- Surfboard: $45 for 2 hours / $65 for 1 day
And then more rental prices without an hourly rate:
- Raft: $17
- Boogieboard: $22
- Fins: $12
- Tube: $12
More activities nearby:
- Group SUP Yoga: $59 on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
- Surf lessons: Group for $95 / Private for $160
Here are more beginner surfing lessons around Waikiki Beach.
Here are more AMAZING water activities on Oahu.
Is the lagoon at the Hilton Hawaiian Village open to the public?
Although many call it the Hilton lagoon for convenience, this is actually a public beach. It’s also known as the Duke Kahanamoku lagoon. This means that anyone from the general public can swim at the lagoon. You don’t have to feel weird about being in this area of the Hilton Hawaiian Village even as a non-guest. (The lagoon was named after Duke Kahanamoku who was an icon in Hawaii.)
You can also rent the items even if you’re not a guest at the resort.
So when it comes to activities at the lagoon, you can have some kid-friendly (and teen-friendly!) fun even if you choose to stay elsewhere in Waikiki!
Friday night fireworks
The Hilton Hawaiian Village is also home to the famous Friday night fireworks in Waikiki.
Once again, this is something your family can enjoy without staying at the resort.
You can also see the fireworks display on the water with a fireworks dinner cruise, or from the air with a fireworks helicopter ride!
Hawaiian culture in Waikiki
This beach resort also offers a luau in Waikiki so you can experience a good dose of Hawaiian culture. Attending a luau will give you a night full of Hawaiian food and entertainment. The Hilton luau is called the Starlight Waikiki luau.
Apart from the resort, to learn more about Hawaiian culture, the Royal Hawaiian Center offers free activities for kids (and adults) too. Learning hula dance (there’s a class just for kids), how to make a lei, how to play the ukulele, Hawaiian quilting, Hawaiian weaving… and MORE! See more about Hawaiian culture activities.
For more Hawaiian cultural fun for kids outside of Waikiki, it is a must to consider making a trip up to the Polynesian Cultural Center. If you partake in all activities offered here, it will be a long day. But the best part for kids is the daytime activities. This includes hands-on activities and learning games, all while learning about Hawaiian culture! Take a look at some of the Polynesian Cultural Center activities here.
Perfect stroller walk near Hilton Hawaiian Village
Waikiki Beach stretches around 2 miles long.
The Hilton Hawaiian Village is on the far end of Waikiki Beach near Honolulu. On this end is one of the best spots to take a walk along the coast, as there is a sidewalk lined pretty much directly along the coast.
This can be a perfect spot to go for a morning walk, sunset run, or for a walk with a stroller when you’re traveling with young kids!
How much does it cost to stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village?
As you can imagine, prices vary depending on when you’re planning your vacation and what type of room you’re booking, so have a look here to check prices for your date:
- See prices here for Lagoon Tower and Kalia Tower
- See prices here for Rainbow Tower, Ali’i Tower, Tapa Tower, and more
More family-friendly hotels in Waikiki
Here are a few more hotels to have a look at in Waikiki:
- Sheraton Waikiki: This hotel is located in a central part of Waikiki, and it has a pool with a waterslide.
- Aston Waikiki Beach: This hotel has a kids program for 12 and under in which kids eat free at some top Oahu restaurants, and they also get free admission to top Oahu tourist attractions too. See program details here.
- Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach: This hotel has a baby-sitting program for 14 and under that includes Hawaiian cultural activities. See program details here.
You can walk the full 2 miles of Waikiki Beach, including along the Sheraton boardwalk pictured above.
Waikiki hotels with kitchen
One of the top expenses for your Hawaii vacation can be food, especially if you’re a family of 4 or larger!
So food can be an easy place to a save a bit of money. You can do this by looking for hotels that have a kitchen so you can prepare some of your own food.
Here are some Waikiki hotels with a kitchenette:
- Grand Waikikian: This is near the Hilton Hawaiian Village for those family-friendly activities. The suites have kitchens.
- Ohana Waikiki East by Outrigger
- Aqua Bamboo Waikiki
Otherwise, if you’re not interested in making use of a kitchen, many hotels in Waikiki will come with a fridge and microwave. This still gives you a few more options for cheaper food. So just look out for these amenities as you’re searching for the perfect hotel in Waikiki for your family vacation.
Take a look at the map of Waikiki hotels for the locations of these hotels and more.
Waikiki hotels for big families
If you’re looking for a hotel room that sleeps 6 or more people, have a look at these best Waikiki hotels with 2-bedroom suites.
Or, if you’re a family of 4 and you want separate rooms for adults and kids, maybe it’s something you want to look at too.
Even if you’re not looking for 2 separate rooms, this list of hotels can be good to look at. As much of the time, the same hotels will have other offerings that can sleep your family of 5 or family of 6. A few of these hotels also have 3-bedroom suites if that’s something you want to consider too.
Cheaper alternative to Waikiki hotels
Consider an airbnb vacation rental on Oahu so that you can instead spend that money on amazing tours on Oahu! If it’s your first time booking through this platform, you can get a discount on your Oahu airbnb here.
Family fun in Waikiki
For some activities on Oahu that everyone in your family will definitely remember, take a look at some of these adventures. These are some of the best experiences that are sure to create memories that will last a lifetime!
And of course, there are plenty of outdoor activities on Oahu that you can do for free, or cheap, right near Waikiki!
Waikiki Travel Guide:
- 2 mile walk on Waikiki Beach
- Best snorkeling spot in Waikiki
- Best hike near Waikiki
- Bike rental in Waikiki
- Free hula show in Waikiki
- Getting around by bus from Waikiki
And if you want to head a little further out from Waikiki, there’s even more!
- Best waterfalls near Waikiki
- Best short hikes on Oahu
- Best snorkeling spots on Oahu
- One day on the North Shore
- Best things to do on windward Oahu
HAPPY WAIKIKI FAMILY TRAVEL PLANNING!
There are affiliate links on this page. Among other partners, as an Amazon Associate, I may receive a commission.
🐠 Here are things you must consider packing!
- Swimsuit or swimming shirt aka rash guard
- rash guard: swim set for women and swim shirt for men
- Water shoes
- Waterproof phone case (so you can capture pictures of fishies underwater!)
- cheapo phone case OR waterproof camera
- I also have this "camera" wrist float to attach to my cheapo waterproof phone case so my phone won't sink to the bottom of the ocean in case I somehow let go of it. (Mine does stay afloat - test this for yourself before completely trusting it!)
- Swimming goggles or snorkeling mask set
- Reef-safe(r) sunscreen
- lightweight travel towel:
- walking sandals:
I also don't go snorkeling without a personal swim float buoy. Not only does it help to keep me visible, but it makes for a perfect way to rest out in deeper water! Oh, and it also serves as a dry bag so I can take stuff into the water with me.
Another way I have taken valuables into the water with me is to wear a travel money belt that I don't mind getting wet with salt water (it's not waterproof but I have several so I just use one of them) and then I put things in a ziplock freezer bag, and put that freezer bag in the money belt.
There are also designated waterproof waist pouches that you can store your valuables and take into the water with you.
see more:
- What to wear hiking
- What to wear snorkeling