The 8 Best Family Resorts On Oahu (Including The Best Honolulu Resorts for Families)
Are you thinking about taking an Oahu family vacation? Hawaii is amazing! Are you looking for the best family resorts on Oahu?
Awesome! You are in the right spot! In this post, we are going to make it super easy to know what the best places to stay in Oahu for families are. There are so many great options.
We recently took our four kids to Oahu and loved the places we stayed. I’m excited to share with you all the best Oahu resorts for families.
We will break this down into three options:
- Family Resorts on Oahu
- Family Hotels in Oahu
- Oahu Family Vacation Home Rentals
Let’s start by exploring the best family resorts on Oahu!
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Family Resorts on Oahu
There are a few things to consider when booking a family resort on Oahu. Let’s break these down first so you know where to begin.
Location
Location is key! The most popular Oahu destinations include:
- Honolulu – Waikiki Beach
- North Shore
- Ko Olina
Each of these locations offers some amazing and unique experiences. They are all great! You really can’t go wrong with location choices on Oahu.
Honestly, I wanted to stay at all of the locations so we did. You do not have to choose just one family resort on Oahu (Although it might be easier.) This is your Oahu family vacation, so design it how you would like.
Room Size
Now, if you are a standard family with two adults and two kids picking a family hotel in Oahu is going to be easy and less expensive. If your family is bigger, your choices become limited. There are only a handful of Oahu resorts and hotels that cater to bigger families.
Don’t worry we are going to mention all of the best family resorts on Oahu that allow bigger families to stay together.
Our Experience
Because we have six people in our family a standard room would not be an option. However, we brought grandma and grandpa with us which allowed us to stay in some amazing hotels that are great for kids and families. We also stayed in larger suites designed for families.
Amenities
One of the most important amenities to include on your Oahu family vacation is access to the beach and the pool. These are both important. You want to make sure the resort offers great access to both.
Many of the best family resorts on Oahu offer activities for both adults and children. At most resorts, you will find offers such as:
- Surf Lessons
- Lei Making
- Tours
- Yoga
- Ukulele Lessons
There will also be other activities at most resorts that may have an additional cost such as golfing or guided local excursions.
Oahu All-Inclusive Family Resort?
One thing to note, there are no Oahu all-inclusive family resorts. Mexico has this down, but the US does not have many options for an all-inclusive resort experience.
Oahu Family Resorts, Hotels, and Vacation Homes
Okay, now I feel like we have covered the basics. Hopefully, you have a better idea of the options you would like to look for as you decide what you think the best Oahu family resort is for your family. I am only going to share my favorites on this list. So let’s get started!
If you want more information on Disney Aulani Resort I have you covered! This is one of the best Oahu resorts for families.
Location: Ko Olina
Price: High
Luau: Yes
Disney’s Aulani Resort is hands down the best family resort on Oahu. There is an amazing pool, kids scavenger hunts, crafts, games, and kids club all available on-site. Some of the activities are free and others are an additional charge.
One thing we liked about Aulani is the option for a bigger room. We got a 2 bedroom villa that slept 9. We booked this through David’s Vacation Rentals and saved so much money (over $1000 for one night).
Beach Access
There are some really nice resorts in Ko Olina. Along the shoreline are small coves. These provide beach access to all the resorts in this area. The water is smooth and calm. It is great for paddleboarding and swimming.
These coves also have beach chairs and plenty of areas to build sandcastles.
Pool
The pool is absolutely amazing at Disney’s Aulani Resort. The pool is why this gets the vote of the best Oahu resorts for families. There are two water slides, a lazy river, a play zone, a splash pad, multiple hot tubs, and three big pools to swim in.
It is hands down the most Oahu kid-friendly resort!
What We loved
Honestly, we loved almost everything about Aulani. The pool was amazing, especially the hot tubs. We loved having a kitchen in our room. We have kids ages ranging from 6-14 and all of them loved the amenities and thought this was the best Oahu resort for kids.
Disadvantages
Aulani is located on the west side of the island. It is far away from the tourist attractions both on the north shore and the ones located near Waikiki. If you are staying at Aulani you will want to plan just to be there. (It isn’t a bad thing, there are plenty of activities)
The other thing to consider is the prices are extremely high at the Aulani gift shops and restaurants. I recommend going to Costco before you arrive and stocking up on water and snacks.
This is the best family resort on Oahu! .
Location: North Shore
Price: Moderate-High
Luau: No, Polynesian Cultural Center is the closest Luau.
Turtle Bay is located on the North Shore. This is a family resort in Oahu you do not want to miss. The pool is amazing, the rooms are big, and it is close to all the fun activities for kids on the North Shore such as the Polynesian Cultural Center, Dole Plantation, Best Hikes on Oahu, Shark Cages, and the Oahu Jurassic Park adventure.
Oahu Accommodations for Families
Turtle Bay has a main lobby with standard hotel rooms. But they also have many vacation home rentals for larger families that you can book on VRBO. (We will talk about this more later.)
Beach Access
The waves on the North Shore can get very large. At Turtle Bay, there is a public beach that is located right next to the property. It is a cove that is protected from the large waves. This area is my favorite place to snorkel on Oahu. There are lots of fish.
Pool Access
There is a water slide, hot tubs, and large pools to swim at. This pool is what makes Turtle Bay one of the best family resorts on Oahu. The view from the pool is amazing as well.
Advantages
Turtle Bay is one of the only resorts on the North Shore. It is very nice and close to so many fun things to do on the North Shore. The location is fabulous! If you love golfing this is a great choice as well.
Disadvantages
If you want to stay at Turtle Bay you have to book very far in advance. Especially if you want a larger room that will fit an entire family.
Turtle Bay is at the top of my list of the best resorts in Oahu for families.
These Marriott resorts are some of the best family resorts in Honolulu!
Location: Waikiki
Price: Moderate
Luau: Yes, on Mondays and Thursdays
Both the Royal Hawaiian and the Sheraton Waikiki share amenities. We loved staying at the Royal Hawaiian. It is located right on Waikiki beach.
You can easily walk out of your room and be on the beach. It is beautiful. They offered the kids lei’s when we arrived. (Our kids loved that!)
There are lots of free classes, lessons, and activities that are included in your stay.
Beach Access
The Royal Hawaiian has better beach access than the Sheraton. Waikiki is one of the best beaches in Oahu and to have direct access to it from the hotel room is incredible.
We woke up early every morning and hit the beach before all the crowds came. It was fabulous. You can takes surf lesson, build sandcastles, or have easy access to all of the excursions on Waikiki (parasailing, whale watching...)
Pool
The Royal Hawaiian’s pool is nothing to write home about but the Sheraton Waikiki has an amazing pool. There is a fun waterslide your kids will love to go on over and over again. My kids loved swimming and using the slide.
What We Loved
We loved that the amenities were shared between both the Royal Hawaiian and the Sheraton. It was nice to have access to that pool.
Our most favorite part of staying here was the beach access to Waikiki. It was phenomenal. The rooms were really nice. It is a great choice for an Oahu hotel for families.
Disadvantages
The one huge disadvantage of both of these resorts is that unless you are a family of 4 you will have to book two rooms. We were lucky to have grandma and grandpa with us. Other than that, there wasn’t anything we didn’t like.
If you are looking for the best Honolulu resorts for families, this is a great choice.
Location: Waikiki
Price – Moderate
Luau: Yes, Tuesday, Thursday, Fridays
When it comes to family resorts on Oahu the Hilton Hawaiian Village is a great option. There are family suites available that can accommodate a family of six.
The pool is fantastic and it offers great beach access. There are also hula lessons and lei-making classes available to take.
Beach Access
Pool
The pool at Hilton Hawaiian Village has been voted the best pool in Waikiki. This pool makes this one of the best kid-friendly resorts in Oahu! There are waterslides and waterfalls! It is amazing!
Advantages
Honestly, if you want to stay on Waikiki Beach at a resort. This was one of my top picks. It was one of the only Oahu family resorts that offered a room big enough for a family at a decent price that still had direct access to Waikiki.
Disadvantages
We didn’t stay at this location on our last trip so I am not sure if there are any disadvantages. I have read lots of reviews and all of them are pretty positive.
Location: All Over
Price: Low: High
Vacation home rental in Oahu is a great option. There are lots of choices on VRBO. Some of these homes are in popular tourist areas while other locations are off the beaten path. There really is something for everyone.
Advantages
More space is probably the number one reason to book a VRBO. You will most likely have access to a washer and dryer which is nice! Some VRBO’s are attached to resorts and access to those amenities is included. (Turtle Bay)
Disadvantages
One of the biggest disadvantages of renting a vacation home is hoping the host follows though. We have heard horror stories of people getting to their vacation rentals and it wasn’t what they expected.
Another disadvantage would be the fact that you have a cleaning fee attached to your bill. This is probably fine if you plan to stay in the unit the entire trip however if you want to hop around to different areas it might not make sense.
Vacation homes are a great option for a Oahu family vacation.
Other Family Resorts on Oahu to Consider
The resorts listed above are the best family resorts on Oahu. The following family resorts on Oahu are runners-up.
7. Courtyard Marriott North Shore
Location: North Shore
Price: Low – Moderate
Luau: No, Polynesian Cultural Center Next Door
Marriott’s Courtyard is a fantastic place to stay if you are visiting the Polynesian Cultural Center, the hotel is in the same parking lot. The pool is fantastic! There are games and bike rentals available. It is a more affordable option on the North Shore.
We have stayed at this Oahu family resort many times. We love the amenities. In fact, when I checked in they gave me a box of Hawaiian chocolates. It is a great place to stay on your Oahu family vacation
This is one of the best family hotels Oahu has to offer on the North Shore.
8. Marriott Ko Olina Beach Club
Location: Ko Olina
Price: High
Luau: Yes, Tuesday Nights
Marriotts Ko Olina is a great option if you are a Marriott Vacation Club member. The rooms are large and accommodate more people. This is a really nice resort.
Personally, if I am going to stay in Ko Olina with kids, I am going to choose Disney’s Aulani because the price is very similar but Disney is geared towards kids.
Are you Ready to Book a Family Resort on Oahu?
These are the best family resorts on Oahu!! I am excited about your Oahu family vacation and I hope that my top choices for the best family resorts on Oahu help you decide where you want to stay.
My family loved visiting the Oahu family resorts in Hawaii! It is a great place to make memories!
One Last Piece of Advice for Family Hotels On Oahu
There are so many hotels in the Waikiki area. You want to make sure you have direct beach access when booking in this area.
We have stayed at several hotels near Waikiki Beach (trying to save money) It was not worth it. Some of these hotels are run down (furniture from 1950) and still charge a resort fee.
Facebook Community
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Bonus!!!
I put together this awesome Free food guide of the best places to eat on Oahu. You have to eat while you are on vacation right?!! I will email you a copy. Click – Free Oahu Eating Guide
Wow, there are a lot of choices on Oahu to stay with my family. I personally love when the hotel has a great pool as well as great beach access so that’s for highlighting this feature.
Those are the most important to me too!
Great info! Aulani is on my dream list, but it’s good to realize that it may not be convenient to other areas. When we go someday, I imagine us doing some resort hopping to see all the things we want to see. Great tip about making sure you have beach access. That makes a lot of sense. I’ll tuck this info into the back of my mind for when we finally get to go!
Beach access is really important to me. It comes with a cost but it is worth it!
Wow! These are some of the best family resorts on Oahu I’ve ever seen! Aulani is on our bucket list as we hope to get there in the next year. Fingers crossed, 2022!! 😉
They are my top picks!
Some day we will make it to Hawaii… apparently not this year… but can’t wait until I can finally set foot on one of those gorgeous beaches!
It is worth it!
Love this curated list of the best family resorts on Oahu. I can’t wait to return to Hawaii.
It is such a wonderful place!
That pool looks so inviting. I can see myself there relaxing.
I am ready to go back!
This is a great guide to resorts on Oahu! Hawaii is on my list!
Hawaii is amazing!
These all look so beautiful. A big, spacious pool is so enticing, but pair that up with the ocean in Hawaii and I am sold!
Me too! It is amazing!
I am so ready to book one of these family resorts in Oahu. They all look so beautiful – a slice of paradise.
It really is paradise!
What a great list of the best family resorts on Oahu. I would literally stay at any of these gorgeous properties! Excellent picks!
They are all pretty amazing!
This is a great, comprehensive list of accommodations. I like how you listed the advantages and disadvantages of the properties.
I think it is nice to know the good and the bad!
These resorts looks amazing! I would go to pretty much any of these… if I ever make it to Hawaii… sigh!
I hope you get to go one day!
Wow! What an amazing list of resorts. Very helpful for those planning a trip. I hope to visit Hawaii sometime!
It is so amazing! I hope you get to go one day!
How exactly do you choose out of these best family resorts on Oahu? So many amazing perks to all of them.
I think I wanted beach access and great pools!