Explore a Rugged Playground in Kauai, Hawaii
Don't let the name fool you. The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa has a lot to offer adrenaline-fueled families. It's so kid-friendly you can take your tot and still get out and explore Hawaii's wildest island. It's also breathtaking: The Hyatt sits on 52 acres (21 hectares) of the southern coast, overlooking the Pacific.
Just make sure to take a break from golf and tennis to explore the island’s 552 square miles (1,430 square kilometers): hike sections of the rugged Nā Pali Coast's Kalalau Trail for access to dramatic oceanside cliffs or paddle the Hanalei River to the mountain-ringed Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge. Sign on for a guided coastal kayaking trip or blast by bike from the rim of Waimea Canyon to the Pacific (12 miles/19 kilometers) of paved downhill. Use the resort as your adventure launchpad—the concierge can help you set up anything from helicopter tours to surfing lessons.
Where to Play
Toddlers experience pint-size thrills splashing in a two-tiered pool and saltwater lagoon, and kids who are tall enough get to ride the 150-foot (46-meter) waterslide. Outside the resort's gates, hike, kayak, cliff-jump, and swing like monkeys on the Kipu Falls Zipline Safari ($138 for children ages 7 to 14; $178 for adults; www.outfitterskauai.com).
At Day's End
Book a babysitter with the concierge or enroll kids three and up in Camp Hyatt for a day of koi fish feeding, hula lessons, lei-making, and palm-frond weaving, then go explore Kauai. End the day in private lava-rock showers at the resort's 45,000-square-foot (4,180-square-kilometer) Anara Spa before hula dancing at the resort’s Kauai Luau.
- Nat Geo Expeditions
Details
Doubles from $470; www.grandhyattkauai.com
