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Oahu Luxury Family Vacation to Waikiki

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How to plan a kid friendly Hawaiian vacation

Day five started with waking up to coffee and this view.

It really doesn’t get any better. We had a leisurely morning, or at least Emmy, Maddie, and I did. Pete and Ashley headed to a CrossFit Box for a workout… 

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I can’t get enough of these views. From one direction of our suite we have Diamond Head, the next towards the south, and then another direction up to Waikiki. The warm breeze and the scent of the ocean are the perfect touches to a perfect getaway.

lotus honolulu at diamond head boutique hotel

I’m also totally loving the authentic Hawaiian decor. 

Koa Pancake House

We tried a couple spots for breakfast and they were all really busy so we asked a local at a gas station (not kidding) for recommendations for his favorite breakfast place, and he said we had to go to Koa Pancake House. As soon as we walked in, I knew we were at the right place. We must have looked a little out of sorts because someone immediately came to us and asked if we were first timers. You order at the counter, sit at a table, and everything is brought to you. Following yesterday’s unintentional bargains, we hit the jackpot on this one. The portions were huge, the food delicious, and breakfast was less than $30 for all five of us. The place was filled and with good reason. Emmy was quite excited about her sprinkle pancakes!

Lotus Honolulu at Diamond Head amenities

We relaxed for a bit, had fresh lemon water in the lobby, and then headed up the coast to the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Chinaman island hawaii

We stopped at Kualoa Beach Park, Mokolii Island (Chinaman’s Hat) for Emmy to stretch her legs… aka run around like a crazy kid, and then finished the hour or so drive. The colors of the water over here are the prettiest blues and greens…

dole whip hawaii

The first thing we did was get a Dole Whip at the Polynesian Cultural Center. It’s a must do on the island for sure.

Polynesian cultural center for families

Then we explored the different villages. I have a full post set just to share all about this great place… but here are a few pictures for now. We definitely could have spent a full day here.

what to do at the Polynesian cultural center

Then it was luau time! Emmy had her first Pina Colada (alcohol free of course).  Pretty much she just wanted to be able to drink out of a fresh pineapple. 

best pina colada luau hawaii it's a lovely life family travel bloggers
I can’t wait to share all about the luau with all of you. It was a definite highlight of our trip. The food was amazing and everyone was so friendly. Plus the entertainment was awesome.

Here is our day 5 video recap:

Have you ever been to a luau?

Heather Reese
the authorHeather Reese
Heather Delaney Reese is the storyteller and photographer behind the lifestyle and family travel blog, It's a Lovely Life®! For the past decade, she has vacationed over 150 days a year with her family. She is a vegan, and loves being by the water, spending time with her children, husband, 2 Shih Tzus and Cat.

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