Family Travel Guide to Oahu with a Baby
Baby Scout at 6-months old in Oahu, Hawaii.
Baby Scout at 6-months old in Oahu, Hawaii.
Hawaii is a popular place for Americans to travel with their babies, my parents took me to Hawaii for the first time when I was just a couple of months old. Visiting the islands truly feels like an escape to paradise, but you don't need a passport because you aren't leaving the country. Getting a passport for a baby can be a hassle, so this is a big bonus. There's also no Zika is Hawaii so it's a great place to have a baby moon while pregnant!
The people of Hawaii are very welcoming to families and children, you'll find ample baby friendly dining and activities. In this guide you’ll find the best beaches, places to eat, baby-friendly activities and my top parenting travel tips.
Baby-Friendly Day Trips in Oahu
Eat Favorite Hawaiian Foods
I have a complete guide to everything you need to know about Oahu. At the bottom of the blog post I have a section for foodies and it includes where to find:
Shaved ice
Malasadas - “Hawaiian Donuts”
Poke
Hawaiian açaí bowls
Hawaiian BBQ
and so much more!
Dole Plantation
The enormous Dole Plantation in central Oahu is one of the most popular attractions on the island. Kid and baby friendly attractions include lunch at the plantation grill, a stroll through the gardens, or a ride the Pineapple Express train. You can also find the famous Dole Whip dessert!
Stroller Walks Through Waikiki
Many areas of Hawaii tends to be more “off the beaten path”, meaning the lack of sidewalks can make it tricky to push a stroller. Waikiki in Honolulu has a main oceanfront walking path that provides excellent ocean views, great window shopping and yummy eats.
Interstate H-3 / John A. Burns Freeway
Oahu literally has “the most beautiful highway in the world” and it can be the perfect drive for a fussy baby. When Scout wouldn’t go down for her nap, all we had to do is drive along the H-3 highway and enjoy the views while she slept in the car.
TED’S BAKERY
This was one of our favorite stops during our trip to Oahu. Ted’s Bakery is very popular on the North Shore and is located adjacent to Sunset Beach. They serve traditional Hawaiian BBQ “plate lunch” and are famous for their original chocolate haupia cream pie.
SHRIMP TRUCKS
A fun and easy way to enjoy lunch or an early dinner with a baby is to hit up one of the many shrimp trucks you’ll find around the island. These are so popular that there are many tour buses that make the rounds to these shrimp trucks. Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck is a favorite with the locals.
Stroller & Baby-Friendly Hiking
For a leisurely hike or walk on the islands of Oahu, the below trails are stroller-friendly but still provide great views. You can also put your baby in a carrier, just try to make sure there’s plenty of ventilation.
Central Oahu Regional Park - A free public park with walking trails and playgrounds. Located at 94-801 Kamehameha Hwy, Waipahu, HI 96797.
Pearl Harbor Biking Path - This is a 10-mile paved trail that begins in Halawa Landing and goes all the way to Waipahu. Trail head begins at Blaisdelle Park.
Farmers’ Market
One of my favorite things to do when I travel is visit the local farmer’s markets. The bounty of fresh produce varies so much in each region of the USA, and this is especially true in Hawaii. On the island of Oahu, Kapiolani Community College Farmers’ Market is the best option. Keep an eye for local fruits such as guava, taro, li hing mui, lilikoi passion fruit and pineapple.
Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden
This beautiful 400 acre park is free to the public! You can either walk or drive around the property, it’s a great place to take a baby for a drive if you’re trying to get them to sleep in the car. There are several types of gardens to explore.
Pu’u ‘Ualaka’a State Park
This calm lookout spot sits very high on a mountain and provides excellent views of the island. You can drive up the whole way so you don’t have to worry climbing steep terrain with a baby. At the top you’ll see panoramic views of southern Oahu from Diamond Head to Pearl Harbor.
Surfer and seal on Sunset Beach on the North Shore of Oahu.
Best Oahu Beaches to Explore with Baby
Ko Olina Secret Lagoon
This spot is a very calm beach for swimming and offers warm and shallow waters for babies and young children. There’s free parking and it tends to be less crowded than other spots.
LANIKAI BEACH
Voted the best beach in America, this popular spots has stunning turquoise blue waters and small islands off the shore. The waters are calm and waves are small for the kiddos. One thing to note, there’s only street parking available and it can get a bit busy during the weekend.
Kualoa Beach Park
During our stay in Oahu we visited Kualoa Beach Park and spent half a day having a picnic and playing in the shore. There’s plenty of parking and easy beach access. The waves are very calm and you can see China Man Hat Island in the background.
Honolulu Zoo
We have visited Zoos all over the country with our baby Scout and I often find them very accommodating to babies in strollers. The Honolulu Zoo has over 42 acres in walking paths and animals to explore. They have large trees offering shade and children under 2 years old are free.
Tips for Traveling to Hawaii with a Baby
Plan for a Flexible Schedule
When you start building out your Oahu vacation itinerary, make sure to be realistic about what you can comfortably do with a baby. Be sure to leave lots of room for nap times and feeding schedules. Always have a plan B incase your baby is not feeling the activity for the day.
Hawaii is Expensive
If this is your first trip to Hawaii, you’ll quickly learn that purchasing groceries and any kind of shopping is extra pricey. Come prepared with plenty of baby formula, baby food, non-perishable snacks, etc.
On the island of Oahu there’s four Target stores and six Walmarts. If you need any baby supplies these are your best options.
If you book a hotel room with a kitchen, you can do some light cooking and possibly save money. On Booking.com you can filter by hotels with kitchens which is super helpful.
Plan Extra Time for Driving
There are many parts of Oahu where you won’t see many people, but in the shopping and more populated areas you can hit pretty bad traffic. We particularly had a hard time finding parking in areas close to Honolulu. Leave extra time in your plans in case you run into this issue.
Car Rental
The most convenient way to get around the island is with your own car, especially if you’re traveling with a baby. We use Booking.com to find the best rates and availably of cars to rent. Make sure you have a carseat with you for baby. Keep reading to see how you can rent a car seat if you don’t want to bring yours on the plane.
Flying with a lot of baby gear can be a pain, so many parents opt to rent essentials such as strollers, car seats, pack-n-plays, etc.
With the website BabyQuip, you can rent baby gear from local Oahu families for a low daily rate. You can also use babysaway.com to reserve baby gear.
Some hotels are extra baby-friendly and they will have baby strollers and equipment to lend or rent for parents.
If you just need a lightweight stroller while on your trip, you can stop into Target or Wal-Mart and find some for under $30.
Sun Protection for Baby
Make sure you have enough sun protection for baby.
