Big Island Trip Report: Volcanoes, Manta Rays, and Family Adventures— Ep 14

Exploring the Big Island: Volcanoes, Manta Rays, and Family Adventures

In this episode of Hawaii Travel Made Easy, host Marcie invites her friend Celine Brewer from Travel Banff Canada to share her recent experiences on the Big Island of Hawaii. This comprehensive Hawaii travel guide features real Hawaii family travel experiences, perfect for first-time Hawaii visitors planning their Hawaii vacation.

Celine, who traveled with her husband and two children, discusses various aspects of their two-week Big Island trip, including their reasons for choosing the Big Island, their hiking adventures, and their thrilling encounters with active Hawaii volcanoes and manta rays. This detailed Big Island travel guide covers practical Hawaii travel tips, including the necessity of water shoes, managing Hawaii vacation costs, and the importance of setting realistic expectations about Hawaii's beaches.

Essential for Hawaii vacation planning and Hawaii family travel, Celine highlights their favorite Big Island activities and dining experiences, and offers valuable Hawaii travel tips for first-time Hawaii visitors planning a Hawaii vacation. Learn insider advice about Big Island Hawaii adventures, Hawaiian Islands comparisons, and practical Hawaii travel planning strategies.

00:00 Welcome to Hawaii Travel Made Easy

00:10 Introducing Celine Brewer and Her Hawaii Trip

01:03 Choosing the Big Island and First Impressions

02:58 Chasing the Volcano Eruption

05:23 Snorkeling with Manta Rays

08:22 Exploring Unique Beaches and Hikes

13:27 Food Adventures on the Big Island

16:36 Travel Mishaps and Lessons Learned

18:26 Choosing the Right Island for Adventure

19:09 Essential Gear for the Big Island

20:17 Managing Expectations and Disappointments

22:05 Cost and Budget Surprises

23:58 Packing Tips and Lessons Learned

25:35 Planning and Recommendations for Hawaii

31:05 Comparing Hawaiian Islands

32:36 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

35:02 Conclusion and Contact Information

Contact Celine @travelbanffcanada or travelbanffcanada.com

Guest: Celine Brewer, Travel Banff Canada

Who this episode is for: Families considering a Big Island trip who want a real account of volcano viewing, manta ray snorkeling, and honest cost/expectation surprises.

What you'll learn: What a real two-week Big Island family trip looks like, including volcano and manta ray encounters, gear needs, cost surprises, and lessons learned from travel mishaps.

Places discussed:

• Big Island (volcano viewing area, beaches, hiking trails — specific names not in narrative summary)

Activities discussed:

• Volcano eruption viewing
• Snorkeling with manta rays
• Beach exploring
• Hiking
• Packing/gear preparation (water shoes specifically called out)

Restaurants discussed: Food adventures discussed as a dedicated segment (13:27) 

Guest recommendations (Celine Brewer):

• Water shoes are a near-necessity for Big Island beach and lava rock terrain
• Set realistic expectations about Big Island beaches — they're different from the classic Hawaii beach image
• Budget for cost surprises beyond the basics (flights, hotel, food)
• Volcano viewing and manta ray snorkeling were trip highlights worth prioritizing
• Learn from travel mishaps by building buffer time and flexibility into the itinerary
• Big Island suits families looking for adventure over a beach-resort trip

Related Hawaii Travel Made Easy episodes:

• How to Plan a Trip to the Big Island— Ep 51
• Best Areas to Stay on the Big Island— Ep 74
• Big Island vs Kauai: What You Actually Need to Know to Choose— Ep 101
• Multi-Gen Magic on the Big Island with Leslie Harvey of Trips with Tykes— Ep 145

Related articles:

• 10 Fun Things to Do on the Big Island for Free or at a Low Cost
• 13 Worst Big Island Mistakes People Make: A Guide to a Better Vacation
• 10 Big Island Secrets Every Parent Must Know Before Booking Your Trip!

About Your Host: Marcie Cheung is a Certified Hawaii Destination Expert who has visited Hawaii 40+ times and spent 20+ years as a professional hula dancer. Through Hawaii Travel with Kids, she helps families plan authentic, affordable Hawaii vacations that respect local culture while creating unforgettable memories.

Learn more at hawaiitravelwithkids.com

Connect: @hawaiitravelwithkids on Instagram | Book a Consultation

🌺 Join 11,000+ families receiving free Hawaii travel tips, island guides, and insider advice - subscribe now!
https://hawaiitravelwithkids.com/free-5-day-email-course-how-to-travel-to-hawaii-like-a-pro/

Transcript

Copy Transcript Copied

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Aloha and welcome to Hawaii Travel Made Easy, the podcast that helps you plan your dream Hawaiian vacation. I'm Marcy, a Hawaii travel expert who has visited the islands more than 40 times. And today, I'm excited to introduce my friend Celyn Brewer, who just got back from Hawaii. She lives in Canada and actually runs Travel BAMF Canada, a website dedicated to helping travelers plan their perfect BAMF vacation. Are you ready to hear her honest thoughts on Hawaii? Let's jump in.

SPEAKER_00 0:31

Thanks so much for joining us, Celyn. Yeah, thank you so much. I'm excited. Get to talk about something other than BAMF, which of course I love, but you know, nice for a change.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

I love that. Well, can you give us a quick rundown of your trip? Like where did you go and how long were you there and who did you travel with?

SPEAKER_00 0:48

Yeah, so we spent two weeks on the big island. So we opted to not do any island hopping and just stay on one and do it thoroughly. So I was there with my husband and our two kids who are currently 11 and 9. That's awesome. And why did you choose the big island for your trip? So, you know, being from Canada, we usually go away at Christmas, and then we also have a week-long February break. And again, being from Canada, we usually go someplace warm. So we tend to find those two trips right back to back. We go someplace beachy and we get antsy to go someplace active. So we started looking up, you know, we've been to a lot of the national parks in the US, and we were like, hey, we've never been to Hawaii, you know, Volcano National Park. Let's go down there. So that was a big driver for us to pick there and just do something a little bit more active. So we basically went there to do more hiking with our kids. I love that. And had you been to Hawaii before? So I personally have been to Maui and Kauai and Oa Oahu, sorry, and a lot. My husband had never been. And our kids actually, you know, a lot of their friends have been to Hawaii. So they've been begging us for years to go to Hawaii. So this was the first time that they were there. So it was fun to get to, you know, go someplace with them that I had already been, aside from not having been to the big island, but yeah, and introduce them to that.

SPEAKER_01 2:12

I love that. Well, what were their first impressions when they arrived? Like, was it did anything surprise them when they landed?

SPEAKER_00 2:20

You know, that's a really hard one, only because I feel like we do travel quite a lot with our kids. So they're, I mean, I'd say that they're very used to us showing up and like, today we're hiking on a volcano, and today we're going to the like, so I don't think anything was overly surprising to them. I think our my kids kind of go into it with a all right, what are we doing now? Like, where are we at today? Yeah. And funny enough, we had just been to Iceland last summer. So going to the big island with how much like lava and stuff there really felt like, oh, okay. So we just pick places that have lava and volcanoes now. And was Kilauea active when you were there? It was, yes. So that was really cool. Yeah, it I believe it was right after we landed that it was active and it was only active for 22 hours. So at the time we were staying in Kona and we were not that far from it, but we missed it. And so yeah, so we missed it then. And then as we went through our trip, we were even staying right outside of the national park. And we were watching every single night. Is it gonna happen? Is it gonna happen? And it didn't happen. We went up to Hilo, still close enough to go, didn't happen. And then we finally got all the way up north to our last place that we were supposed to be staying at. And we were about to go to bed. We just finished watching a show. My husband checked the, you know, the like he had everything. He knew like to like the live webcam, he knew like all of the websites to check for it. And it was like probably 9.30, and he's like, because I go to bed early. And he's like, oh my god, it's erupting right now. It just started. And so at that point, I believe the drive is like an hour and 45 minutes away. And so we wanted to see it obviously in the dark. So we set our alarms for 2:45 a.m. The kids had no idea we were doing this, they knew it was a possibility, but they had no idea. And so we woke everybody up at 2:45 a.m. We all got in the car. Husband and I like grabbed coffee and off we drove to catch it because we wanted to make sure we were there before sunrise as well. Because we really wanted to get it.

SPEAKER_01 4:31

That is super important, right?

SPEAKER_00 4:33

Because we wanted to see the lava and the bright red in the dark. We didn't want it to start getting light. And you know what? Um, it only was active for nine hours, no, 13 hours that time. So had we waited till we got up, we would have missed it.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

That is nuts. Wow.

SPEAKER_00 4:53

What about like once-in-a-lifetime experience? Right? And that's why we were like, you know, I mean, you know, kids, they're like, oh yeah. They're like, yeah, it's cool. But, you know, my husband, like, oh my god, like let's go to the next viewpoint and see if we can see it better. And let's go to the next, and they're just like, oh, like it's cool, yes. But so, anyways, yeah, that was quite the experience we had there.

SPEAKER_01 5:14

Oh, that sounds amazing, though. So I'm guessing that that was probably one of the top highlights of your trip.

SPEAKER_00 5:20

Absolutely, yeah. No, that was that for sure. And then, of course, the night snorkeling tour with the manta rays. So I, Marcy, you may know this about me, but I'm obsessed with whales. Like, I've I've been snorkeling with whales, humpback whales before. Like, I I've been on a million whale watching tours. And I we had just done a whale watching tour, and so we were like, okay, we're gonna skip Hawaii for this one. But the other thing I've always wanted to see was a mentory when I'm in the water with it. And so when I found when we found out it was there, I was like, oh, 100%. Like we need to do this. But then you like have the you know, the fact that it's night snorkeling, which we've taken our kids on night things before, and that's a hard thing for little kids to do. Like, we've taken them to the like bioluminescent bays, and we were in one in Colombia, and my son was four at the time, and he was just like so uncomfortable with being in the water in the dark. And I get it, right? And like we've done the kayaking one in Puerto Rico, and again, he was like uncomfortable with the dark. So when you do the Mantory one, which is like one of the coolest things I've ever done, he was like, he was really brave. I was really shocked. He was the first one in the water. But at that point, my daughter was like, I'm not getting in. And there was another family beside us, and the much, much older daughter was also like, I'm not getting in. And I was like, You guys gotta go, you gotta go. Like the captain's like, Everybody get in, get in, get in. You know, like you got it. So, but it did, it ended up being amazing. And like, I could hear my kids like screaming underwater, and it was just like good, good screaming, right? Good screaming, good screaming, like, oh my god, look at them! And like at one point we had like three doing like barrel rolls underneath us, and it was just amazing. So highly recommended. So, how close were you to the mantrays when you're in the water? So you get close enough that you can touch them, you're not obviously allowed to touch them, and one did rub up against my daughter's elbow and mine as it went by. That was us holding on and it like rubbing up against it, so we did not touch them intentionally. But yeah, so you're you're right there. Wow, that sounds amazing.

SPEAKER_01 7:28

I know that that's a highlight for so many people, and I do know that there's there's tours that you can bring your kids, but they don't have to go in the water, like they can stay on on the boat. I know because so many families want to do it, but their kids are young and don't want to be in the water because it is dark and things are swimming around you, and it is a it's a very unique experience. So there are options. I know if people want to do it, but their kids aren't comfortable, or a spouse isn't comfortable, but they also want to go, you know.

SPEAKER_00 7:54

So that's really good. Because actually, the one that we booked it with, they it was like, you absolutely have to be in the water, no kids stay on the boat. So it's great to know that there's options where you know people can have their kids just on the boat. Because at that point we were unsure if both of our kids were going to get in. And we kind of told them, like, you don't have a chance, like a choice, because I want to be in, so you gotta go. Totally.

SPEAKER_01 8:21

Oh my gosh. Well, so besides the manta rays and the lava, obviously, were there any specific activities like beaches or hikes or tours that really stood out to you on your trip?

SPEAKER_00 8:31

Yeah, so for sure, absolutely. Like, you know, the manta rays are always gonna just be the answer for everything. But, you know, we went down to Captain Cook and did the snorkeling there. So we opted to hike down because that was part of what we wanted to do on our trip. So making that a whole event was like to my husband and I was an amazing day. We love like hiking down there and then going snorkeling and then hiking back. And the kids really enjoyed it. I, you know, I imagine we'll get more into the, you know, things that we should have done before we went. We'll get there. Yeah. But, you know, just like having them more comfortable with snorkeling, obviously. So that one for sure was well worth it. The snorkeling was amazing. And then the other thing that we did, I at least for me, was you know, a lot of times you hear about black sand beaches or a green sand beach or this, that, and you're like, eh, yeah, it's kind of black, or yeah, it's fine. But we did the so Mahana Beach, hopefully I'm saying that right, but you can either like pay and get driven there, or you can do the hike to the beach, and so it's a green sand beach. And it was like just the like the whole environment around it and the like the like cliffs and the actual green sand was just so cool. So to be able to hike there, so we hiked it with our kids, obviously. And like the kids were like, Yeah, it's green. And I was like, Dan and I were both like, well, this is really cool. Like, this is really green. Yeah. Yeah. And just like the whole like cliffs and the crashing water, and that was a really neat experience as well. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:10

What was the hike like? Like, I've heard that it's that there's not a lot of shade, and that it's like what can you describe the hiker a little bit, like how long it is and what the experience is like?

SPEAKER_00 10:19

Yeah, I don't remember off the top of my head how long it was. There definitely is no shade, and it's very dusty, so it's kind of a long like it it's very easy, it's flat. So that's not an issue. It is on the longer side, if I recall, but it's it was really hot. And there are people that drive out there themselves as well, so you have to kind of be watching for vehicles. There wasn't a ton of vehicles, but it is just one of those things where you're like, oh, a jeep's coming. We need to move over and make sure that we're not in the way. So, but but you're also on the coast the whole time, so it's pretty beautiful, right? Like you got these great views, but you definitely want your sunscreen and all of that for for the hike. For sure.

SPEAKER_01 11:00

Yeah, gotta protect yourself for sure. Yeah, yeah. Did you have any like unexpected or serendipitous moments that made your trip extra special?

SPEAKER_00 11:09

Definitely the volcano erupting. And even though we were like, why did it wait till the last place that we were at? But you know, knowing also that it was only it in hindsight only lasted 13 hours, having gone and made it there and saw it, and then we also went up by the observatory as we drove that way. So we also got to stop and see, like, you know, all of the stars without having to make that a special trip. So that was that was that whole experience was really cool. Like the best way to like end your trip, too. And you know what, you're right, like it was like because we were already like, okay, we're at our last location, we're probably just going to be doing mostly beach time now. So getting to go back there and actually experience it, I feel like if we had left and not gotten because it was such a focus for our trip because we knew the possibility was there, I think it would have been disappointing to leave. And even though the kids maybe they don't always seem so enthusiastic about things, I think it'll stick with them. Like, oh, remember when we said that saw that volcano erupting? At the time, I think they don't always process how cool it is, but they're able to come back to it later. So I think that that's oh, totally.

SPEAKER_01 12:22

My kids are exactly the same way. Like, I think we take them all over the world, and sometimes I wonder, like, gosh, why did we bring them there? Because it didn't seem like they had a good time. And then like two years later, I'll hear them telling a friend about like a special experience we had in another country that I'm like, you are paying attention, or like you like it just it's a it's fascinating to me what they what sticks with them, even though on the outside it doesn't seem like they're that interested. It's yeah, it really does make a difference.

SPEAKER_00 12:48

Yeah, and they always bring it up at the most random times. Like, remember when we were there? I'm like, Well, how do you remember that?

SPEAKER_01 12:55

But yeah, and some specific detail that maybe a Jew guide like said, like off the cuff. It's like amazing.

SPEAKER_00 13:01

Sometimes I have to be like, okay, what what are you talking about? Can you explain more? Like, where were we actually? Because sometimes they don't always remember what country we were in or what. Yeah. Um, especially when they were smaller, but they will remember those things. And I'm like, okay, you're gonna need to like run me through this memory because I can't place what you're talking about. Oh, my kids' memories are way better than mine.

SPEAKER_01 13:23

I blame them. Absolutely. Always. Let's switch gears a little bit and talk about one of my favorite things, which is food in Hawaii. What was the best meal that you had on the big island and why was it so good? Yeah, so I'll be honest, we didn't eat out a lot.

SPEAKER_00 13:38

Umessed opportunity. I know, I know. And you know what? To be honest, that is something that we do a lot on our trips is you know, we get Airbnbs, we cook a lot for ourselves just to keep the budget down. So this one in particular, we knew going to Hawaii was going to be a little bit more expensive. So as we were booking it, we had made sure that we had places that we could cook meals. And don't forget, at the time that we were there, the exchange rate between the Canadian dollar and the US dollar was like it was pretty bad. So uh we were all like, you know, not only is it expensive, but on top of that, when you're, you know, paying $1.45 or whatever it is, it it makes a big difference. That being said, we did go out to eat. I would say the shave ice that we had. We went to Akaka Falls State Park, and there's like a little town outside of there, and there's the Aloha General Co. And they had their shave ice there was like we were all like, oh my god, oh this is amazing. So that was a really big part for it. And then when we were in Hilo Cafe Pest, so we ate there a couple of times. It was amazing. This is so good, yeah. So good. So yeah, they went. We had a one night where we were trying to go, I can't remember, we were trying to go someplace else, and it ended oh no, there was a food truck that had tacos, but my kids really wanted the nachos, and so we tried to go and they didn't have any chips. Okay, so fine. We all had tacos the first night. So we went back the second night and they still didn't have all they didn't have guac and they didn't have chips. So we were like, oh we're not gonna like so we went back for a second night at Cafe Pesto because my kids were just like thought it was the best thing ever.

SPEAKER_01 15:23

So that's awesome. If you could relive one day of your trip, what day would it be and why?

SPEAKER_00 15:31

So if I had to relive just one day of our trip, we did this Pune hiking trail in the Hawaiian Paradise Park, and that hiking trail was just like I don't want to use the word magical, but it was like magical. It was, you know, these overhanging trees, and there was, you know, these cars that like basically nature had taken over and were growing through, and like just the whole hike itself. It still had some of like the old cobblestone, and like knowing that like this was like this old historic road that they used to use, and then it ends at this like stunning beach with like sea turtles, just it was that hike, and I know like people were like, Yeah, hike in the trees, but I don't know, there was something really special about it. So I I'm trying not to say the mantays. Sorry, I'm trying to think of something else other than the manta rays, right? We know the manta rays are a given, yeah. So if I could do that hike with the sea turtles at the end and then do the mantays at the night, that would be that'd be the day. Oh, that sounds perfect.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

All right, so I know we alluded to this earlier, but every trip has its hiccups. So I want to know if you ran into any travel mishaps or delays or challenges or things you would do differently.

SPEAKER_00 16:46

Yeah, so every trip does have its hiccups, doesn't it? So right before we left, I was actually on a girls' trip and we were leaving the next day. And that night my husband texted me and he's like, So, our first year BNB just canceled on us. Oh, no way. So we're I'm sorry, what now? So that was fun trying to, you know, he he had to manage with most of that, but we managed to figure it out. It was actually in the same complex that we had already done. So that was one little thing. Other than that, the trip went like fairly smoothly. I would say that parking can sometimes be an issue, but we are definitely early birds. So we once we kind of figured that out, we were like, we knew that if we were going to a busy beach, we were gonna get there early, and that was fine. Or parking was limited. So that was, you know, something that I think you really run into anywhere, but it's just kind of figuring it out and you know, planning your days so that you're not dealing with, you know, or having a backup plan, right? Was yeah. So that was that was about it. The only other thing I would say, and this is probably just a little bit more lack of research on our part, is just knowing about the beaches on the big island. And, you know, our kids were so mentally prepared to do like a bit of boogie boarding every day. And there was a lot of places that we went swimming that didn't even have beaches, or it was hard to find actual sandy beaches. So that was a really big learning for us for there.

SPEAKER_01 18:16

Yeah, that's a really good point. I think a lot of people assume that all the Hawaiian islands are pretty similar. And so when they think Hawaii beaches and the big island is just, it's so unique. It's such a it's just such a unique island that I think that that's not emphasized enough that it's not usually the island you go to if you're looking for like a beachy vacation, but it's definitely good for hiking and snorkeling and volcanoes, obviously, all the outdoor adventury stuff. That's like my go-to island for sure.

SPEAKER_00 18:43

And that's why we picked it, really, was for all of the hiking and stuff. We just kind of had this idea that, oh, and at the end of the day after our hike, we're gonna go sit on the, you know, the beach, or we'll do like a beach day in between. And we managed around it, but you know, it wasn't without like an extra trip to Walmart to buy, you know, watershoes so that you know we could swim off the rocks and stuff like that. So it was just again, could have done more research.

SPEAKER_01 19:08

Totally. Well, no, I'm glad that you brought up watershoes because normally I tell people that you don't really need watershoes in Hawaii because you know, you're not supposed to like walk on the coral and stuff like that. And so all the other islands, I mean, I really think you don't need them, but the big island, I feel like a hundred percent you need them. Like even the beaches right outside of the resorts, like it's lava rocks and it is hard. And like, especially with little kids, you're definitely gonna want to make sure that they have water socks, watershoes on. It's the only island that I wear watershoes consistently because you know, I've got my precious little feet and I don't want them all cut up by the rocks and everything. And so it's something that I'm always trying to make sure people know is that they that watershoes on the big island are a super good idea.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

Yeah, and that's that's I mean, that was the big part of it is like so much of the lava runs right into the water. So a lot of times if you're going swimming or like Captain Cook, like we talked about, yeah, we didn't want to carry flippers all the way down there, but we're like, but how are we gonna manage walking on these rocks to get into the water exactly without watershoes? So it was something we knew we had to to bring there. That was that was one little part we figured out before. Good.

SPEAKER_01 20:13

I'm glad you figured that out before anyone got injured for sure. Was there anything that didn't quite live up to your expectations on the big island?

SPEAKER_00 20:21

I mean, I think, like I said, the beaches, and I hate to like, you know, say that they didn't live up to expectations because that was really just not knowing, and now that we we know, other than that, we did go to the Kalua Beach Park, hopefully I said that right, which was known as like a snorkeling school. And so it has like this protected bay, and it's got like, you know, it's protected by this offshore reef and stuff for gentle water. But what we didn't really appreciate was that like even if it's a little bit windy, the currents there were so strong that everybody that was trying to snorkel there was in such a tight little space. It was really like it was not enjoyable. And we did it as like a practice before we hiked down to Captain Cook Memorial so the kids could practice with their snorkeling gear. Yeah, that's super smart. Except it was so windy that day and the currents were so strong and everybody was trying to stay in, and there was no room, like it was just it didn't end up being as good as I think it should have been. So that one was a little bit of a disappointment, but other than that, I couldn't really list anything else. That's great.

SPEAKER_01 21:26

I mean, if that's the only complaint, like that's not bad.

SPEAKER_00 21:31

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 21:32

Yeah. Did you experience any like tourist traps or overrated attractions?

SPEAKER_00 21:37

You know, because our trip was so focused on hiking, and then like some of the beaches, we didn't really pay for a whole lot of things. Um so I it didn't feel overly busy, it didn't feel like we did anything that were like this isn't worth it. Yeah, so for us, because our focus was, and I think we made the right choice with the right island with our focus. It's turned out really great and we have no regrets about that.

SPEAKER_01 22:04

That's perfect. Well, you brought up costs. And so I'm kind of curious about like how did the costs compare to what you expected? Were there any like budget surprises or anything? I know Hawaii is expensive, and the with the Canadian dollar versus the US dollar, that that wasn't in your favor this trip.

SPEAKER_00 22:19

Yeah, yeah. You know, we all like we always had in our head that Hawaii was going to be a very expensive trip, especially talking to other people. When we started looking into it, you know, we found some great flights, so we jumped on it. We were like, yeah, absolutely, let's do it. This is perfect for February. Hotels were probably a little bit more expensive than we were hoping they would be, but we weren't unhappy with any of it. Our budget actually ended up coming in much lower than we expected. Probably because yeah, probably because we did so much hiking and didn't pay for a lot, but we also did, you know, all of the things that you do. We shopped at Costco when we got there. We made sure we had like easy snacks and stuff like that that we could bring. You know, we cooked a lot of meals. So we didn't stay at a resort. So we we had just been in Mexico in December. And at the tail end of that trip, we were at a resort. So we're like, well, we feel like we've just done that. Um we bought some of the stuff there, you know, going to Walmart and stuff like that. So we didn't, you know, we didn't have we brought carry-on, so we didn't have to pay for, you know, luggage fees or any of that kind of stuff. So yeah, and we were able to find like some really decent, like priced like watershoes and beach towels and boogie boards. So perfect. Because that was the one thing that the kids wanted as well was boogie boards, and we're like, well, we're not gonna buy that in Canada if we can even find it.

unknown 23:38

No.

SPEAKER_00 23:38

So it was nice to in February, right? Exactly. You can't even find bathing suits in February. So it was nice to be able to go down there and just buy that stuff when we were there. And then as we typically do, you know, on our last date, we find some kids that don't have them and pass them along. And that's what we need with the pool noodles and all of that.

SPEAKER_01 23:55

Right. Yeah. Absolutely. Well, you kind of talked about that you do carry-on only. Was there something that you wished you had packed but didn't? Or something that you brought that you didn't use on your trip?

SPEAKER_00 24:07

Um, so we had we had actually bought our own snorkel gear before we went down. Uh, okay. We didn't bring flippers down. We just we expected to be snorkeling, I think, more than we did. And we wanted to be able to just do it on our own. So we've had some mishaps on some other snorkeling trips. So we just wanted to make sure the kids were like getting in the water and more comfortable with it. We didn't actually end up using it as much as we thought we would, but we were so glad to have it because, you know, the Captain Cook Memorial and stuff like that. Yeah. Um, we packed rain jackets, which we never used. Oh, interesting. Because February on the big island, I mean, that can be really rainy. Yeah. So we actually had fantastic weather. We like two of the days that we were driving from place to place, we had rain. But then when we got where we were going, it had stopped raining. So we didn't even use them. If anything, I'd say that like we used what we brought, except we brought more clothes, which, you know, you know that goes you bring all this clothes and you're like, oh, but we're gonna like wear these shorts for an hour a day. So you just wear the same ones for four days. Absolutely. I'm like, well, I guess we didn't need that much clothes. If anything, we bought more things when we were there than we were expecting to. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:17

How was your luggage coming back home? Was it still were you still able to do carry-on?

SPEAKER_00 25:21

Yep. Yep. I managed to well, boogie boards, obviously, we left, but we brought home our watershoes and our beach showels and all of that stuff and you know, shoved it in there.

SPEAKER_01 25:32

It all fits. I love it. So now's your time to be able to help other travelers plan their trips to Hawaii. And I'm curious if there's one thing that you think you did really well in planning your trip that you'd recommend to others.

SPEAKER_00 25:47

I would say I know people tend to want to see everything. And making that decision to just go to one island and stay there. I think my husband, he did most of the like planning on where we were gonna go and how long we were gonna stay at each place, really worked out well because we had days where we could do hiking, we had days that we could do beach, and it was such a good mix of all of it. The two weeks didn't even feel like two weeks, and we just did the big island. So I can't imagine, even in that two weeks, having thrown in like another island or two. Like it just felt like it was nice to get to know each place. We our kids were, you know, we were all comfortable and well rested, and you know, we had three nights at every place, so I wasn't feeling like I was constantly packing or unpacking our stuff because that's usually how it goes when we move along. So I have to spend a ton of time packing everybody's stuff. So yeah, like I really enjoyed going there and like doing the island properly and you know, seeing all of it. Now I can say I have seen the big island.

SPEAKER_01 26:54

No, I totally agree with you. I think especially like out of all the islands, the big island just really does need the most time because it is it's so much bigger than people think. Just the drive times between all the places. I think you did it really in a smart way of picking several places to stay so you could explore those areas because it's just like I'm always surprised how long we're in the car to get anywhere on the big island. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:19

And I actually had felt that way a little bit in some of the other trips that I had done too, that like it takes a long time to drive to some of these places. So it's nice to be able to stay closer and minimize that time in the car. And even in like the last place we stayed, like we had to drive half an hour to get to the beach every day. Now, keep in mind we were like purposely staying in an Airbnb to be a little bit further away. But that was, you know, a big part of our day that we spent every day driving. So anytime you can minimize that.

SPEAKER_01 27:49

Yeah, I totally agree with that. If you could do your trip all over again, what would you do differently?

SPEAKER_00 27:56

Well, I probably would have asked more questions about the beaches for sure. Just to not necessarily that it would have changed anything, but that I would have gone into it with different expectations and had been able to set that expectation with my kids because they had in their head that they were going to be boogie boarding every single day. And we did find some great beaches for that, but it wasn't like at the tail end of every day that we could just go hang on the beach or do a hike in the morning and then beach in the afternoon. So I think just setting those expectations. I'm not unhappy about it. I just had we known that, you know what, in this part of the island, you're probably not gonna find any boogie boarding beaches, so don't expect it. And then I would have definitely had my kids practice with their snorkel gear more at home. So my older one is in competitive swimming, so they use snorkels in the pool. So she was definitely much more comfortable with it. But my younger, even though we've taken them on other snorkel tours, they've always just worn their goggles because they're not as so they kind of like put their head in and take them out. And that's just a comfort level with being in the water and also how much we actually do beach vacations because a lot of times we're hiking. So I would have just had my youngest practice a little bit more. He he managed it, he did great, he put in like the proper goggles and all of that, but I think it would have been nice to have him a little bit more comfortable with that, even if it was just at the pool, right?

SPEAKER_01 29:17

Totally. Yeah, that's a really good point. It's and it's something that you can practice at home, even in the bathtub. I know we've done that before with our kids and they're little, is just practice in the bathtub and just to get comfortable with it because I mean it's such a foreign, foreign concept. It just feels, you know, like it's not it doesn't feel natural to like stick your head in the water and be able to breathe and stuff. It's it's a lot to process, you know.

SPEAKER_00 29:37

Even for them, like, okay, you can't breathe through your nose, like your mouth only. And to like, okay, now I need to do that, right? And he wanted to use his snorkel with his goggles, and I'm like, no, because if you accidentally breathe in like your nose when you're not thinking, like, I just no, yeah, we need to do this properly. It's tricky.

SPEAKER_01 29:53

Well, every kid is so different too on what what they can do, you know.

SPEAKER_00 29:57

Yeah, and comfort level in the water, right?

SPEAKER_01 29:59

Not everybody feels the same. So no, totally. Do you have any tips for first-time visitors who might be feeling overwhelmed about planning their Hawaii vacation?

SPEAKER_00 30:10

I mean, I'm lucky enough that I get to know you. So, like when we decided to go there, you were the first person that I went to and just like, you know, we had a quick chat about it. So obviously go to the experts makes a big difference. I wish I had, you know, come to you more specifically about the beaches, but if you know somebody, you know, I know it can get overwhelming. I get that. So having somebody that you know that you can go to and ask some specific questions makes a big difference. And then, you know, I don't feel like I get Hawaii, but like it's not the place to be overwhelmed. It's the place to like relax and chill out. So, you know, while having a backup plan is a good idea, I think it's just one of those like try not to stress about it and enjoy where you are. Totally.

SPEAKER_01 30:57

I mean, it's such a beautiful place. So it's yeah, you want to be relaxed. You don't want to be stressing out about your itinerary or anything. So I know that you visited Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island. If somebody only had time to visit one of those islands based on your trips, which one would you recommend and why?

SPEAKER_00 31:14

Based on what I have done. Now, I didn't travel to the other islands with my family, traveling the way that we do. So they were a little bit different. One was a, you know, a girls' trip, one was, you know, with a group of friends. So they were all a little bit different. I would probably say it really depends what you're going there for. So we knew we wanted to hike, so that's why we picked the big island. So I think it's really important to know what you want your trip to look like and then look at the different islands for that. So I think you would be better to speak to that, but just like which one is better for the different activities.

SPEAKER_01 31:51

That's a good point because they really are so different. And I think, you know, people think that, oh, you can just go to any island and they're interchangeable, but they are just so unique, and it really does depend on what you're looking for. Adventures, waterfalls, hiking, beach vacation, shopping, attractions. I mean, they're all they're just so different, depending on the islands for sure.

SPEAKER_00 32:12

Yeah, even if you feel I'd say like on the big island, like Kona and Hilo are quite big, which was a quite a surprise to me because I wasn't used to that having like I've been to Honolulu, but I knew that going into it. But the other ones, like, yeah, they don't really have any great big cities like that, or at least not that I went to. So that was like a bit of a shock to me.

SPEAKER_01 32:34

Yeah, that's a really good point. So I know that you and your family travel a lot. And how do you think that this trip to Hawaii compared to other kind of beach vacations you've done anywhere in the world?

SPEAKER_00 32:46

I would say, if anything, I probably enjoyed hiking on Hawaii more than some of the hikes we've tried to do in other places. And I feel like the the weather and the temperatures in Hawaii allowed a lot more for that as opposed to going to someplace like Mexico where it's extremely humid and extremely hot. Like I go to those places and I'm like, I don't feel like hiking when I'm here. Or, you know, you go to like we've been to Thailand, and I'm like, I don't really feel like hiking in the jungle because it's so hot. Whereas I felt there, like, yeah, it's hot, but like you get in some shade and it just is it's such a great temperature. At least it was when we were there that it was comfortable to go hiking and end at the beach, still warm enough for the beach and doing those active adventures. So that's what I would say was like really nice about going there.

SPEAKER_01 33:38

Yeah, it sounds super manageable. Like if hiking is a priority for you, it's a manageable place to do it. That's great insight. So, do you think you'll be going back? And if so, what's on your Hawaii bucket list for next time?

SPEAKER_00 33:50

Oh man, you know what? Right now we don't have any plans to go back. Only because we have so many other places we want to go. I know your bucket list is so long. We were just talking to our kids on the weekend and we were talking about like, man, we only have like five summer trips left to do with our daughter before she's gone that aren't already planned. So, like, we need to start thinking about where we want to go and how we split that time. Having said that, we actually never really know where we want to go. It, you know, like we'll come to December and we're like, oh, we got a jet, like a February trip to plan. Where should we go? And it's usually how we're feeling at the moment, how flights are looking, what's going on in the world. And so who's to say? We could be back there next year for all I know.

SPEAKER_01 34:38

It's not yeah, I know there's lots of factors to consider for sure. All right, so finally, this is my last question for you, Celine. Can you sum up your trip to the big island in just three words?

SPEAKER_00 34:50

Okay, this is gonna come as a really big shock to you when I say these three words, okay? Volcano, manta race. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 34:58

That totally does sum up your trip. Well, thank you so much, Celine, for being on Hawaii Travel Made Easy. Where can people find you if they want to know more about Banff Canada?

SPEAKER_00 35:10

Oh, yeah. Well, thank you for having me. It was actually really fun reliving the trip and going through some of the pictures to refresh my memory and stuff. Yeah, anybody coming to Banff, you can find me at travelbanfcanada.com. And, you know, basically that as part of Instagram or Facebook or anything, any of those places will do. You can usually get a hold of me through one of those channels.

SPEAKER_01 35:33

I love that. Well, that's it for today's episode. I'd love to hear from you. Have you visited Hawaii? What was your experience like? Send me a DM on Instagram at Hawaii Travel with Kids or check my blog for more Hawaii travel tips. And if you found this episode helpful, please subscribe and leave a review because it helps more travelers plan amazing Hawaii vacations. Mahalo for listening, and I'll see you in the next episode. Aloha.