Why traveling to Hawaii is worth it
It's Hawaii Week at TPG! The Hawaiian Islands have so much to offer travelers, from the sprawling city of Honolulu to quiet black-sand beaches to restaurants serving inventive island cuisine. And it's possible to pull off a visit to the islands using miles and points. It just takes a little savvy planning and we'll show you how. Visit TPG's Hawaii destination hub for links to more stories about getting to the islands, staying on the islands and what to do while you're there.
Cancun, Mexico 811 miles. Maui, Hawaii 3,826 miles. Well, assuming there was a nonstop flight to Maui from Houston, which there isn't, so tack on a some extra miles for connections.
For us living in the middle of the U.S. mainland in Houston, Hawaii is easily four times as far away as some other fantastic beach destinations such as say, Cancun. It's not just distance. There's also the cost factor. Hawaii is also a pricier destination on cash or miles than many spots in Mexico, Florida and the Caribbean.
So why not save some time, jet lag and money and just take a two- or three-hour flight to a much closer beach or island? Save Hawaii for the retirees, the honeymooners and the once-in-a-lifetimers?
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The attraction of a short two or three-hour flight to a great beach sometimes wins out and draws us to spots we love in Mexico and similar, but they aren't replacements Hawaii anymore than the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas is a substitute visiting Venice. Vegas is fun, Venice, I'm sure, is great, but they aren't interchangeable.
Here's the thing. Hawaii is far, and it's OK to wait to take the trip until your kids are a good age for that long of a journey, but Hawaii is special and 100% worth it.
It's hard for me to explain with words why Hawaii is worth it, but I'll try -- and lean on photos to save us a few hundred words here and there.
Related: How to use points and miles to get to Hawaii
There's no one thing that makes Hawaii worth it, but there's a combination of things that makes Hawaii my favorite place on earth. Instead, there's a combination of many things -- some easier to describe than others.
The air
A harder thing to quantify about Hawaii is how it makes me feel. At certain times of day in Hawaii, especially at sunset, I simply can't feel the air. Because I don't feel at all hot, or cold, but rather enjoy a perfect Hawaiian temperature, it sometimes feels like floating or existing in some alternate universe. It's weird -- and sounds even weirder when I type it out -- but it's true.
The food
On a slightly more practical and tangible level than the air, there's the food. Hawaii has my favorite foods anywhere. There you'll find a unique mixture of island fruits (think pineapple, avocado, mango, etc.), rice, fish, pork, sweet sauces and strong Asian influences.
Take the poke bowl, for example, it's just absolute edible perfection contained in a bowl.
Then, there's shave ice, which when done well, tastes like fluffy, airy, flavored snow.
And there's no such thing as too much Kona coffee.
The beach
When it comes to the beach, Hawaii has more options than you could ever enjoy in a trip.
On Oahu, there's Waikiki, which isn't my favorite, but is easily accessible and has waves that are perfect for that first surfing lesson.
On the Big Island you have the luxury of choice. You can have a postcard-perfect beach at Kauna'oa Bay. (Stay right on this beach at the Mauna Kea.)
Or, drive around the island a bit and you can enjoy a black or even green sand beach -- coconut optional, but recommended.
You want massive waves or calm water? Hawaii has both.
The scenery
Of course, Hawaii has way more than 'just' beaches. You can see volcanoes. And rainforests. There's mountains, cliffs and views for days.
If you make the trip, don't miss the Na Pali Coast. Or the North Shore of Kauai. Or Volcanoes National Park. Really, start planning a few trips to Hawaii. One isn't enough.
The resorts
I'd sleep in a hut with no internet or bathrooms if that's what it took to go to Hawaii. (Well, actually I did to that in Hawaii.) Hawaii is great no matter where you stay, but I readily admit to loving some of the epic resorts. The Grand Hyatt Kauai is just virtually perfect for a family vacation, and it's bookable with Hyatt points.
The Grand Wailea is another five-star resort destination that you can book with Hilton points. If you prefer some Mickey and Moana with your Aloha, there's Aulani. If you have Marriott points at the ready, there's also the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua.
Related: Best hotel credit cards
Bottom line
Even with all that, the logistics of getting to Hawaii with a young family can be overwhelming — well, at least until I learned magic of staying on the West Coast both coming and going.
But despite the distance and effort, every time we get to Hawaii, all I can do is think about how to return. It is always worth it. We smile bigger, play longer, soak in the experience and yearn to return.
