Is it worth flying from ATL to HNL? (Atlanta, St. Simons: spring break, how much)

[Soccernerd]

I was brainstorming vacation destinations for next summer or perhaps spring break. I was originally thinking Clearwater, but I noticed that Delta has a daily nonstop flight from Atlanta to Honolulu. Neither my husband nor I have been to Hawaii. I determined that we'd have enough Delta Miles and hotel points to essentially cover lodging and flights for our family.

Now my to get to my question:
Is it worth flying 9-10 hours with 3 kids to Honolulu for an urban beach? Hawaii is obviously warm year around than Clearwater and has a different culture. Of course Clearwater will be plenty warm in let's say June so that's not an issue. Also, is Kona or Maui worth the extra cost and stopover?

[back2atl]

Tough call. We enjoyed Hawaii because we were living in CA, only a 5ish hour flight away. Decided we wouldn't go from Atlanta because of the time change and long flight. And with the Caribbean so close.

That being said, if it's on your bucket list...maybe go. Of the Atlantans I've known that went they've all enjoyed it. They all commented on how far / how much time change but had fun.

I'd recommend researching the islands and the hotels based on what kind of trip you want. Personally Honolulu didn't sound like what we were looking for. We went to north shore of Kauai and loved how quiet and low-key it was. Would probably go to Maui if we ever went again. Hope that helps.

[Soccernerd]

I just remembered Key West! It's obviously a much shorter flight and well it's probably more like Maui or Kona than Waikiki. I'll have to look into it.

[PeteATL41]

HI is a great place to visit at least once - i just wouldn't stay in HNL too long. Go to Maui, Kona, etc. as a few others suggested... Key West is great fun, but nothing like HI

[metalmancpa]

It really depends what you want out of your trip.

Recently I went to Honolulu, two times each for 3 weeks. It felt so iconic being on Waikiki Beach looking at Diamond Head. That feeling to me was important. But I didn't have kids so it was much more fun in the evening bar hopping etc. It's a touristy shopping (higher-end) city and fun. Plenty of more secluded beaches around the island which you can get to in short order. But of course there's the cost, and I saved a lot visiting my daughter (no hotel) and using her car (no rental), so it was only the flight cost plus how we lived in those 3 weeks. I've never been to the other islands so I cannot comment.

[Soccernerd]

Yeah Waikiki seems to have more of a night scene than the other islands, and that's not we're looking for. I suppose we can look into spending a couple of days in Oahu and then maybe couple of days on another island.

[AtlJan]

It's a long flight, and as metal says above, it depends on what you're in to. I like Maui (small towns, California-vibe, quirky surfer with beautiful beaches) and the Big Island for rain forest, volcano, etc. The culture is unique and the scenery is lush, as all the pictures attest. We didn't spend much time on Oahu at all.

Of course, you can see similar tropical environments in Costa Rica, Caribbean locations, etc. You'll see volcanoes, rain forests, a different culture, with a much shorter flight and no jet lag from Atlanta.

[Iconographer]

My mother wintered in Hawaii for 17 years and never got used to that non-stop flight; she and my stepfather would usually decompress mid-journey for a couple of days in San Francisco or Vancouver.
I agree that after a couple of days on Oahu, your kids will start to get antsy. Really, to me Maui is the most kid-friendly of the islands; my girls had a wonderful time there.

15 Best Things to Do on Maui with Kids

I would pass on Key West; not really very kid-friendly and the (man-made) beach is crummy.

Hawaii is a great destination for West Coasters, but I just don't have patience for the distance anymore. There are so many beautiful Caribbean islands that are so much more accessible: Turks and Caicos (my husband's favorite), St. John, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, St. Barts, St. Kitts and Nevis, the Caymans and Tortola.

[AnsleyPark]

I would recommend the Caribbean over Hawaii. Easier flight and, in my opinion, prettier and a much more unique culture. I would check out the USVI and the BVI. The Bahamas is also a good choice.

[Soccernerd]

We're not interested in Mexico or the Caribbean. It'll be Florida, Hawaii, and maybe Hilton Head or St. Simons.