The beautiful Hawaiian Islands are a fun family vacation spot for grandparents with grandchildren. Share a getaway in the paradise of Hawaii with travel tips and ideas.

Planning a Hawaiian vacation with grandchildren? With many grandparents raising grandkids these days, multi-generational trips are necessary and a lot of fun. It's also nice for Grandma and Grandpa to have special time with grandchildren they don't see often. Whatever the case, Hawaii is perfect for travelers of all ages.

The Hawaiian Islands are beautiful, unique in culture, and great for both relaxing and keeping busy with fun activities. There are also many educational, historical and scientific wonders to explore with grandchildren.

Resources for Traveling to Hawaii

With all the great places to go and things to do on the Hawaiian Islands, describing them all is beyond the scope of this article. However, following are three excellent resources that can be explored online.

Franko's Maps offers incredibly detailed and beautifully illustrated maps of Hawaii vacation destinations. As stated on the website, "Each guide map is like a condensed guide book on one page providing contact information and phone numbers for everything there is to see and do at a destination. Activities, attractions, scenic sights and historical locations are all listed with recommendations and suggestions."

Map designer Frank Nielsen (a.k.a. 'Franko') has extensively studied and truly loves the Hawaiian Islands and the ocean, and this comes through on his colorful waterproof maps and fish identification cards (a great product for the grandkids). These items will keep travelers on track and also serve as cool souvenirs. Grandchildren will learn a lot enjoying these high quality products.

This reviewer recommends grandparents order maps of their intended island destinations in advance. If traveling to many islands, one can save money by ordering Franko's Hawaiian Island Trip Planner (photo below), consisting of 4 individual maps (Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island of Hawaii) and a Hawaiian Islands Fish Card (also pictured). Ordering this value pack saves about 30% over the cost of individual items.

MailOrderHawaii has terrific Hawaiian calendars, postcards, note cards, red dirt dyed "Real Dirt Shirts" and other fine gifts from the Islands.

The Hawaii Discount Activities company (website online) is a business that helps families plan Hawaiian activities and adventures at discount prices. Just a few of the hundreds of vacation activities Hawaii Discount Activities can arrange for visitors are luaus, volcano helicopter trips, Pearl Harbor tours, Maui scuba diving, surfing lessons and more.

Ideas for Grandparents Vacationing with Grandchildren

• Read Hawaii with Kids! (by Rachel Christmas Derrick, Open Road Publishing, 2007) for great ideas for traveling with children. In this handy book one will find info on family-friendly hotels, restaurants, activities and more. According to the book, family travel in Hawaii is among the fastest growing trends in the state. Because of this, it is easier than ever to travel with children. Good news for grandparents!
• Teach the grandkids a few Hawaiian words before the trip. Ohana means "family." Keiki (KAY-kee) means "children." Aloha, of course, means "hello" or "goodbye," but it can also mean the spirit of aloha, which includes meaning trust, tolerance, graciousness, friendliness, caring and love. According to Hawaii with Kids!, aloha "encompasses the ideal of healthy interaction among human beings and between people and their environment." Another word everyone should learn is mahalo (mah-HAL-low), which means thank you.
• Remind grandchildren that Hawaii is one of the United States. The rest of the states are referred to as "the mainland."
• Keep it simple. Hawaii is a place to relax and enjoy. Tempting as it may be, try not to overbook the vacation. Leave time for enjoying each other, as well.

Other articles of possible interests may be Hawaiian Real Dirt Shirts, Franko's Maps: A Business Success and Active Seniors Unique Adventures.

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Special thanks to Franko & the Franko's Maps family for general help and advice.