An "Iconic" Family Adventure

Our next stop was the Royal Hawaiian in Honolulu. This hotel definitely gave more resort vibes than the many high-rise hotels along the beach. A beautiful hotel with activities going on all day. This part of the trip we chose to keep lower key (not so many activities), so we could enjoy the beach and pool. The pool at the hotel was tiny to say the least, but we also had access to the hotel next door that had a nice pool with a couple of water slides so that worked out perfect.

Hotel activities we attended included a hula lesson, a historical tour that was very informative, and a lei making session. In addition, we were surprised to find out that an annual (on the 4th of July) canoe race was going to occur right on the beach behind the hotel. The races took place all day and were exciting to watch.

Outside of the hotel, there was a TON of shopping and food. We tried malasadas, cocoa puffs and Hawaiian shaved ice (all of which were delish). We did try to save $ where we could so we traded in some points for a gift card to Hard Rock Honolulu, which was very good and had a live band!

We were able to walk to the Zoo and Aquarium, though it was a bit far. The Aquarium was inexpensive, but also very small. They did have a star attraction though with Emo Nemo (below). The workers there were very friendly and informative…chatting with the kids and showing them all sorts of creatures. The Zoo was close by, cost a bit more to get in, but decent in size. We got to see a lot of the animals and was just an overall nice way to spend some time outside in the fantastic weather.

Of course, in Hawaii, a luau is a must, and our hotel happened to have one of the most popular ones around. It was a bit pricey but included a 3- course meal over the span of 3 hours and included 3 drinks per adult. The music and dancers were very good, and the kids loved the fire performers.

Last but not least, we hit up the Sea Life Park (an Uber drive about 30 min away). Fun Fact: The Sea Life Park is where the movie 50 First Dates, with Adam Sandler, was filmed. The drive was super-scenic and beautiful. I had wanted to get my kids a dolphin encounter but wasn’t able to that day, they do offer them though.

Overall, the entire trip was a success and a fantastic experience. We made some great memories, and the “pink hotel” was definitely a memorable place to stay.

Why is the Royal Hawaiian iconic?

• The Royal Hawaiian opened on February 1, 1927, and was styled in the Spanish/Moorish style popular in films of the time.
• King Kamehameha I had his home where The Royal Hawaiian stands today, and Queen Kaahumanu’s Summer Palace was previously located on what is now the resort’s Coconut Grove.
• Referenced or seen in films, movies and even video games, such as Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi,” an episode of “Mad Men” and Tony Hawk’s Underground.