Every year I ask my family the same question: “Where should we go this summer?”
I want to choose something new. Choosing a place we’ve already been seems like a waste of an opportunity for my 9 year old son experience different placescultures and people. Moreover, I also want to see new countries and continents. But I keep booking Kauai – we just can’t stay away.
For the past six years, my little family of three has flown from California to Kauai three times to visit the sea turtles at Poipu Beach, hike beautiful coastal trails, drink Mai Tais at the hotel bars, and watch the sunset from our lanai.
It’s easy to enjoy the outdoors on Kauai. Thanks to Nicole Findlay
I want to show my son the world, but there’s something about The Garden Isle
Every time we arrive at Lihue Airport, we are greeted by chickens. I love them – my camera roll is full of the feathered locals. Palm trees sway outside the terminal and the air smells fresh and feels soft, especially after five hours on a plane. And with the windows open and Hawaiian music on the radio, the drive to our hotel always marks the official start of a week of swimming, snorkeling, hiking and relaxing on the beach.
We are a family that loves spending time outdoorsand Kauai makes it easy.
The author and her family enjoy visiting the beach and seeing sea turtles during their vacations. Thanks to Nicole Findlay
We have a favorite hotel
Usually not book the same hotel twice, but the Koloa Landing Resort on Kauai really stole my son’s heart, and he’s only young once. Here there is tropical greenery everywhere, interrupted by red, orange and white accents. Plumeria flowers cover the ground and the floral scent is more relaxing than any candle I have at home.
More than once I’ve followed my son over a teak bridge, past a cascading edge and water slides hidden in the landscape, until he sees exactly what he’s looking for: the lava cave. There is no easy way to keep your hair dry. You swim underwater or go straight through a waterfall. It’s my son’s favorite part in the huge 350,000 gallon main pool.
Long after we leave Kauai, my son always asks when we can go back.
The author’s son likes to visit the ‘lava cave’. Thanks to Nicole Findlay
I’m torn between new adventures and family traditions
As a parent, I hesitate between wanting to show my son as much of the world as possible and creating family traditions by returning to the places we already know we love. I don’t think there’s a right way to travel – maybe it’s a combination of new adventures and establishing traditions with old favorites.
Sometimes people get caught up in the number of places they’ve been. I do that too. There are plenty of locations I’d like to check off my list. I didn’t do that traveled to JapanGreece or the Scottish Hebrides, and I can’t wait to visit them.
But there’s something to be said for returning to a place that feels special: a place with things you look forward to. For me, it’s my morning beach walks in Kauai, where I choose to listen to the waves instead of my ’80s workout playlist. I don’t have to keep track of my miles because I’ve done the trails so many times that I already know how far I’ve walked. My husband loves the relaxing tropical atmosphere of the island, and my son can swim for hours in our favorite hotel pool.
I’m not sure where we’ll travel next, but I do know one thing: I’d like to explore new places, but I’d also like to cave again.
