Sleepier than Maui, it's an easy place for kids to get up close and personal with nature as well as Hawaiian culture. The black sand is formed when hot lava strikes the sea, breaking into bits carried by the ocean current along the coastline. After passing a multitude of coffee farms, we find all the white sand we want and plenty of traditional fun in the sun along the Kona-Kohala Coast. The sprawling 1,200-room resort is so big, boats ferry visitors around. The kids will love the resident baby sea turtles and visiting prehistoric caves and tidal pools.
Every junior guest gets a stuffed sea turtle to take home.
The small Kona Village, right next to the Four Seasons, is a trip back to old Hawaii. Families stay in individual thatched-roof cottages. The kids' program for those 6 and older also is free and focuses on Hawaiian culture, crafts and water life. The resort boasts one of the island's best petroglyph fields. Ask about substantial AAA discounts on regular Aloha fares.