In Oahu, budding surfers young and old can take lessons with Hans Hedemann Surf, which has several locations on the island. The surfing school, which has coached its share of celebrities such as Adam Sandler and Cameron Diaz, offers private surfing lessons for kids under 13. For 1 or 2 hours, kids will start off with land lessons on safety and technique, and then hit the waves under the care of instructors who are trained lifeguards with CPR certification.

Where to stay in Oahu? One of the the surf school’s locations is at the Kahala Hotel and Resort, a member of Leading Hotels of the World. Children will love the hotel’s private dolphin lagoon, where they can watch or cavort with - depending on age - 6 bottlenose dolphins. The hotel’s Keiki Club - keiki is Hawaiian for child - keeps kids busy with lessons Hawaiian marine life, lei making and other fun activities.

Adults will appreciate Kahala’s spa, named Best New Hotel Spa by Departures in 2003. The spa is complemented by the CHI Health Energy Fitness Center, where personal trainers can assist with workouts, and where a daily menu of yoga, aerobics and Pilates will help stretch you out for those surfing lessons.

The Kahala Family package, valid from January 8 to December 20 2008, gives families two rooms with the second at 20% off. Included is a one-day pass for one child to the Keiki Club (worth $65). Rates begin at $720 per night (for two rooms).

As if you didn’t know this…

Well, maybe you didn’t, which is part of why you visit us - hopefully frequently - to dig up deals and more importantly, news, on where you can best plan your family vacation.

Forbes Traveler has done a piece that you should check out on the 10 best family-friendly hotels in the US.  Just as important, they’ve noted that catering to families is on the rise, as more and more adults are bringing their youngsters along on luxury trips.  According to sources quoted in the article, September 11 and the fact that marketing professionals in charge of recreation are themselves becoming parents are two huge factors in why hotels are becoming more sophisticated in their approach to attracting families.

The top 10 hotels are (listed here in no particular order):

• The Broadmoor, Colorado
• The Breakers, Florida
• Enchantment Resort, Arizona
• The Homestead, Virginia
• The Kahala Hotel & Resort, Hawaii
• The Peninsula, New York
• The Resort at Paws Up, Montana
• Topnotch Resort & Spa, Vermont
• Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka’upulehu, Hawaii
• The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, New Hampshire

All resorts and hotels with some concept of pampering and luxury for both adults and children.  We love it.

The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, copyright DNC Parks & Resorts at THE BALSAMS, LLC

Trying to make last minute Memorial Day plans? Good - then it’s not just us. We kept thinking “Gee, we should do something for Memorial Day”, but somehow the thought never translated into action. Now here it is, just 3 weekends away - and we have no plans. Which is, to us, absolutely unacceptable. So, as usual, we started looking to see what could possibly still be out there for people like us, and here’s a sampling of what we found:

Hawaii
The LA Times recommends trips to Oahu for Angelenos: needless to say, the beach is always a big draw for children. The Sheraton Moana Surfrider and the Royal Hawaiian (also a Sheraton property) are offering reduced rates for Memorial Day weekend: $239 for a double that’s normally $380 at the Surfrider, and $269 for a double at the Royal Hawaiian, down from $445. The Keiki Aloha Program is available to guests of both hotels, where kids 5-12 are treated to a daily itinerary of fun. (While the Times recommends booking via Expedia to get deeper discounts for booking air and hotel together, we’ve found that this is not always the case. Do your homework to be sure of getting the best rates overall.)

Sheraton Moana Surfrider, copyright Starwood Hotels (more…)