CAROLYNE RANDOE
Mum of two and TV Presenter on Channel 10’s ‘A Taste of Travel’
FEATURED ITINERARY
HAWAII & LOS ANGELES (DISNEYLAND)
Family snap at Lahaina, Maui
The perfect family getaway
One of the nicest and most exciting holidays we’ve had with the kids so far would have to be Hawaii and Disneyland (LA). Hawaii was our initial holiday plan, but hey, when you’re flying that far, why not tack on another few hours and squeeze in a Disney adventure.
“Disneyland was such a far off, unattainable dream for me as a child, that I was thrilled to give my two children the chance to experience it when they were the perfect age to soak up all the cheese!”
Carolyne Randoe
Even my husband enjoyed Disneyland, and he’s a scrooge from way back. It’s such a clean, well organised and, of course, friendly place that it’s impossible not to get swept up in all the colour and sing-a-long, and hug every furry character you can find.
Hawaii on the other hand is just a great place to unwind and it’s so beautiful. Naturally the beaches are incredible and there’s also plenty of adventure, depending on the islands you visit. So I found it catered for everyone in the family.
Pool fun at Sheraton Waikiki
Our favourite activities
Disneyland (LA)
Visiting Disneyland in LA is a big undertaking. There’s the original theme park, but also the California Adventure Park next door. It takes time and planning to make the most of your days. What you see and experience really depends on the age of your kids. So with a 6-year-old girl, lining up for 2 hours to get a photo with Anna and Elsa from Frozen was essential. As was the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse live show. The fireworks over Sleeping Beauty Castle on our first night was a real highlight.
We contemplated a Disney Hotel as they’re right on site, butit was an extra $2000 and simply not worth it. We stayed at Sheraton Park Hotel and the 10 minute walk from our accommodation to Disneyland was a nice way to start the day and a chance to eat our cream cheese breakfast bagels. Regular buses made the trek home easy for tired legs.
Jacob vs Disneyland. Disneyland won!
Hawaii (Maui & Oahu Islands)
The activities in Hawaii are endless. Trips to volcanoes, treks to waterfalls, snorkelling with turtles. The trickiest part is trying to get the kids out of the hotel pool! In Maui we stayed at The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Kaanapali and loved it. Maui’s a big island and this was a great place to base ourselves. The pool was amazing – waterslide, waterfalls, tunnels. The only downside was that the heated spa was adults only, and my kids love a spa.
Feeding the fish at our hotel, Maui
Indi getting ready to snorkel at Molokini Crater, Maui
The Old Lahaina Luau was another highlight. Big buffet of nice food and a little bit of Hawaiian culture for the kids. In Waikiki (Oahu) we stayed at Sheraton Waikiki. The pools were great and just metres out the gate you’re standing on famous Waikiki Beach. I was reluctant to stay in Waikiki after a backpacker experience years before, but it was fun! Waikiki Beach is lovely. Clean, warm water and it lives up to the hype.
Our top tips!
Hawaii
- The Road to Hana is considered one of Maui’s highlights – a curvy, coastal road that takes in black sand beaches and thick jungle. But be warned, it takes hours! I didn’t count on a car sick husband and bored kids, and once I committed to those narrow, winding roads, it felt like an eternity before I could turn around. In hindsight they were probably a bit young for the trip.
Disneyland (LA)
- Disneyland – We had three full days here and we definitely could have done with one more. You need to start early as the gates open to avoid the queues, but then there are some incredible shows and fireworks at night that you don’t want to miss. So we found a rest and a swim back at the hotel in the middle of the day worked well.
- I’d highly recommend pram hire for US$15 a day. In fact on the last day we got one for our daughter India as well. It meant we could move around quickly and cover more ground, and it cut down on a lot of whingeing.
- When it comes to eating, thank god for California Pizza Kitchen. I think we dined there six nights out of 13. Cocktails for Mum and Dad, pizza and crayons for the kids. Everyone’s happy!
Black sand beach with Jacob in Maui
Images supplied by Carolyne Randoe
