I read somewhere recently that traveling with a toddler is type 2 fun, but then after the fact you remember it as being great and immediately wanna book your next trip. Uhh, yup. Jackson was about 16 months last October when we went to Kona for the IRONMAN World Champs followed by a week of relaxation in Kauai, and omg the flights. Let’s just say there was lots of crying, little sleep, and words exchanged with a seat neighbor. But now, gosh, it was the best to show him our favorite place in the world and when can we go back! 🌺 Here are the highlights.
what we did
You know, all the usual Kona stuff – swimming in Kailua Bay (and to the coffee boat, except we missed when it was staffed because morning toddler stuff, but also maybe IM shouldn’t be running it), running along Ali’i, the Underpants Run, a few trips to the expo for all the Wyn and Malo gear, catching up with tri friends, beach sunsets. There are a bazillion other things I want to do and see on the Big Island, but when you’re there for the race – even with extra hands thanks to family who were there, too (thank you, grandmas!) – it’s almost impossible to do them, mostly because of logistics, athlete feet-up time, all things race related. I’d love to just vacation there to take in all the sights like Hawaii Volcanos National Park, Kaloko-HonokĹŤhau National Historical Park, Mauna Kea Hilo, hiking, the list goes on. Anyway, it was a mostly relaxing week – or as relaxing as it can be with a busy toddler and 140.6 and coming down with covid the last day. Thankfully our symptoms were mild – nothing more than a head cold for a day – and then we were fine (we wore masks and stayed tucked in our condo!).
where we stayed
Nick was originally supposed to race Kona in 2021, but covid had other plans and it was canceled. We’d booked an Airbnb not far from the pier that year, but due to a miscommunication, the owner canceled our reservation so we had to find other lodging. It worked out for the best, though, as we snagged a 2-bedroom condo at the Club Wyndham Kona Hawaiian Resort about 1.5 miles down Ali’i from the pier. We loved this place for so many reasons – the Hawaiian vibe, location, amenities (so good for families!), full kitchen, air conditioning (I stayed in Kona once without a/c and never, ever again), etc. – and would stay there again and again.
where we ate
Obviously Basik Açai every day… ha! We also hit the other usuals – Kona Coffee and Tea (though tbh, the coffee was only ok this time), Da Poke Shack, Umekes Fish Market, Lava Java. As delicious as all those places are, though, one of the first things we did when we arrived in Kona was stock up on the basics at Costco (eggs, bread, yogurt, Anahola Granola, rice, quinoa, etc.) and fruit and veg at a local farmers market so we could cook most meals at the condo.
what to pack for a toddler
Like I said earlier, traveling with a toddler to Hawaii from Minnesota is type 2 fun. To make it a bit better, we brought the following gear.
New toys. We saved them for the flight and it helped some. Our picks: a board book (it was too advanced for a 16mo), little cars, pop dogs, rattle suckers, and clip-on poppers, along with a few toys we already had.
uppababy Vista stroller. We opted for this one instead of the Thule running stroller because it’s more compact and the bottom basket holds more (lesson learned from our trip to Boston). We also bought this stroller fan, and I can’t recommend it enough because Kona is hot AF.
Guava portable crib. Such a cinch to pack and unpack. We also opted to bring our full-size sound machine.
Reef-safe sunscreen. I can’t emphasize the importance of both wearing sunscreen in Kona and making sure the kind you use is reef-safe! Our go-tos: Supergoop! Sunnyscreen 50spf for Jackson and Supergoop! PLAY everyday lotion 50spf for us.
Snacks on snacks. Snacks are life with a toddler, amiright?! We packed plenty of Annie’s cheddar bunnies and applesauce pouches for the flight and then picked up more pouches at Costco when we got there.
Water bottle. Kona’s hot – bring an insulated water bottle to keep water cold. The Hydroflask 12oz kids wide mouth is great! We also brought a 40oz wide mouth, which was great, but way too big to travel with.
Swim stuff, obvs. For Jackson we packed a few Esembly swim diapers, swim trunks, and rash guards. And even though they took up precious suitcase room, we brought a couple towels and a beach blanket, and I’m so glad we did. We brought the blanket in our carryon and it was great to have on the plane.
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