The Grand Wailea - Maui and Hilton Waikoloa Village - Hawaii

Last summer, my family and I went on a Hawaiian vacation that was perfect in every way. We started out on the island of Maui at the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. This resort is large; it occupies about 40 acres on Wailea Beach, which was voted one of the best beaches in America. My teenage boys enjoyed the Camp Grande. I know sometimes teenagers are not interested in the activities, however this is one place I had trouble getting my kids to leave! They have a huge video game room equipped with XBox 360, Playstation 3, WII and plenty of games for them. They also have a movie theatre, a snack bar, video arcade, air hockey and ping pong tables. There are also plenty of activities for the younger children as well. When they weren't busy at Camp Grande, they were at the pool or the beach. The pool they enjoyed the most was the Wailea pool which consists of nine free-form pools connected by a river that carries you along the currents. They even have slides, rope swings, caves and waterfalls. At the beach, you can snorkel, boogie board and kayak. You can rent all of the necessary equipment at the hotel. While the kids were busy enjoying themselves, we entertained ourselves at the spa and fitness center. The Spa Grande is a trendsetter and offers the latest techniques in rejuvenation and wellness. It is ranked among the "Top 10 Spas in the United States" by Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure magazine. The fitness center is equipped with a huge cardiovascular training area and an equally large weight training room. They also have numerous fitness classes which I found to be very enjoyable. The food is delicious and there are many different restaurant choices. As much as I enjoyed the fine dining choices, we equally loved grabbing a burger and fries at the pool or a healthy breakfast of fresh fruit and muffins at the cafe. The cuisine varies from one restaurant to another, yet they remain true to the Hawaiian island feel using local ingredients. After Maui, we ventured over to the Big Island of Hawaii. We stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa Village located on the Kohala Coast. This resort is breathtaking and another perfect choice for families. I have never seen prettier tropical gardens. After check-in, we took the canal boat ride to our room. You can also take an air conditioned tram or walk around the resort. We loved the resort so much that we actually never left during our 5 day stay there! Of course, we swam every day and even I enjoyed the rock water slide. We lounged poolside where the kids ate burgers and we sipped on tropical drinks served from a coconut shell. As a family we decided to experience the Dolphin Encounter and we choose the Sea Quest option. We started on a guided snorkel tour and saw brightly-colored Hawaiian reef fish and sea turtles. We then took a water scooter ride in the ocean lagoon. After all of that, we got into the water and swam with the dolphins. It was a fabulous experience for all of us. This stands out as one of my very favorite vacations and I would highly recommend the Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort on Maui and the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the big island of Hawaii to families with kids of all ages.

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