Smile Central: The Best Kid Activities at Koloa Landing Resort — and Beyond
“Watch me! Watch me!” your littlest one yells from the top of the lava-rock-shaped water slide. He disappears and moments later flies out of the tube, legs splayed, howling with laughter before splash landing into the pool upside down. He pops up out of the water with a mad grin and shouts to you, “Nailed it!”
This is his 46th water slide run of the day.
With its long list of fun activities for all, you decide that Koloa Landing is a vacationer’s dream — at any age. Sure, it offers a slew of wonderful amenities and upscale touches perfect for adults, sophisticated travelers and romantics, but you love how it scores high marks in pretty much all categories for its kid visitors, too.
Your entire brood has announced that they are never leaving.
And the best part? The dearth of electronic devices! Everyone is out here enjoying paradise. So what are some of the best kid activities of your family’s stay at Koloa Landing Resort so far? Here are a few in no particular order:
- Enjoying those aforementioned pools with water slides. The resort has three pools total: a large tropical family pool perfect for frolicking with the gang, a serenity pool (meant only for adults who relish a little peace after all the play time) and a showstopping, heart-pounding, eye-popping main pool that is ready to make your kids’ vacation fantasies come true. Hailed as one of the “Best Pools in Hawaii” by the Los Angeles Times, this sprawling, multi-tiered extravaganza boasts 4 acres of wetted bliss, including an infinity edge, swim-through grotto, and jacuzzis. The most fun: Videotaping each other taking crazy rides down the water slides. The bigger kids make bigger splashes but the little ones have the best speeds and the goofiest faces.
- Playing pool games galore has been a highlight, too, including hide-and-seek in the waterfall grotto with new friends. Koloa Landing offers up a list of the best family swimming pool games, too.
- Taking over a huge cabana for the entire day and ordering piles of tropical fruit and sweet potato fries and enjoying a front-row seat for all the pool action.
- Going snorkeling after securing gear at the Activity Hut and then exploring in the huge bay located just off the resort! Swimming with a sea turtle, getting schooled about the schools of fish and spotting a humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa — aka Hawaii’s state fish.
- Surfing at world-famous Poipu Beach! Even dad takes a lesson to brush up.
- Scuba Diving with a pro at the nearby and well-loved Koloa Landing shore dive spot where your older kids get to see bandit angels, dragon morays, eagle rays and a couple of rather distinguished frogfish.
- Booking a ziplining adventure through the concierge at nearby Koloa Zipline that boasts the longest single ride on the island. Your two littlest kids get to ride tandem. Maybe mom will be brave enough to open her eyes next time.
- Catching fish on a day excursion and grilling it up at the poolside barbecues with other fun families — then heading to the resort’s firepit on the main lawn to roast ooey gooey s’mores together for dessert under the stars.
- Whale watching along the Napali Coast. Since Kauaians do not believe in keeping sea life captive, the only way to glimpse Hawaii’s finest creatures is in their natural habitat. You all hop on a comfy catamaran and fly across the turquoise waters up the Western coast. Pods of spinner dolphins race alongside you and Humpback whales breach close enough that you can (almost) see them smile.
- Indulging in a beach day at any number of glorious spots just a few minutes walk from your home base. Your big kids go body whomping in the waves while your littles spend hours scavenger hunting and making some of the tastiest sand pies you’ve never eaten.
- Enjoying a few fun rainy day activities that you might have missed if there hadn’t been that incredibly beautiful downpour! Read more here in our recent blog about all the fun things to do in kauai when it rains.
- Searching for waterfalls brings you all face-to-face with some of God’s loveliest handiwork: Hanakapiai Falls near Ke’e Beach and breath-taking Wailua Falls where you get your best family photos of the trip. Thank you, rain!
- Piling on your villa’s comfy couches for an awesome family movie night on your HD widescreen (though agreeing on that movie isn’t quite so easy!)
- Squaring off in a sibling golf challenge on the huge putting green at the center of the resort. The only thing lovelier than your son’s golf swing is the expansive tropical views.
- Your older daughter’s first foray into yoga is at one of the many complimentary classes on the lawn.
- Enjoying a rooster-serenaded stroll down to Lappert’s Ice Cream for salted caramel coconut waffle cones at the Shops at Kukuiula. Your daughter counts 13 baby chicks along the way.
- Riding up the coast in your super cool rental Jeep with the top off and Hawaiian music wafting on the radio. Hello paradise!
The kids’ smiles say it all. And their questions are pretty great, too:
“When are we coming back?” (even though we haven’t even left yet) and the ever-popular, “Why can’t we just LIVE here?”
— Erica Karlin, Koloa Landing Resort
For more fun activities for kids (and their families), check out our blog on what the local pros call the Top Ten Must-Do Activities on Kauai or check in with a member of our expert concierge team. Never-ending adventure awaits at Koloa Landing Resort. Book your stay today! Your kids’ memories are like a gift that keeps on giving.