Category Archives: Travel Tips

4 Ways to Prevent Seasickness in Kids

snorkling-in-hawaii

Follow my tips to prevent seasickness so your child can enjoy that boat trip to the special snorkeling spot.

Hawaii is the perfect location for boat rides and cruises, but when your child gets seasick and motion-sick, these fun activities become a nightmare. Don’t despair– kids who are prone to seasickness don’t have to miss out on these aspects of your vacation!

Our daughter gets miserably seasick and we’ve found several things that prevent seasickness. Just follow my tips to ensure a happy, enjoyable boat ride for your land-lover!

One of my favorite cures for seasickness is accupressure bands. Sea Bands (http://www.sea-band.com) are knitted wrist bands that apply pressure to an accupressure point on the inside of the wrist. The steady pressure helps relieve symptoms of nausea without any side effects. You can find these online and at many local drugstores. Put them on before you depart. They’re a must for both me and my daughter!

Another great trick for calming an upset stomach is Ginger Chews. Ginger has been used for thousands of years to quell feelings of nausea. These soft ginger candies also taste delicious, so you won’t have to deal with coaxing little Jimmy to take his foul tasting Dramamine! Have one in advance of the expedition and bring a handful along to chew as needed.

Your location on the boat can make a big difference in how you feel, as well. Staying on deck in the fresh air is far better than going down below, where every motion of the boat is far more exaggerated. The excitement and fresh air above deck can also play a big part in avoiding seasickness– with so much to look at, your child won’t have time to dwell on the fact that he or she normally gets sea sick.

Stay drug-free!- I wouldn’t recommend Dramamine or other anti-seasickness drugs– they don’t usually do much except leave you drowsy and groggy for the rest of the day. Nobody wants that on vacation!

The surest way to avoid seasickness, though, is to avoid the cause altogether. While taking a boat ride out to a snorkel spot sounds fun, there are just as many snorkel spots that you can reach from the shore! Why wreck a whole day with motion sickness when instead you could plan a day with no potential for seasickness?

Kids stay free at these Hawaii Resorts

Kids stay free at Hawaii’s Big Island Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa!

Kids stay free at Hawaii’s Big Island Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa!

Pleasant Holidays is offering some specials for a limited time. Great prices and kids 17 and under stay free!

Oahu: Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
5 Nights from $721 per person, Kids 17 & younger stay FREE.

Hawaii’s Big Island: Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Kids 17 & younger stay FREE! 5 Nights from $657 per person

Kauai: Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach
Includes complimentary airport shuttle service PLUS Kids 17 & younger stay FREE! 5 nights from $661 per per person

Maui: Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Kids 17 & younger stay FREE!
5 Nights from $797 per person

Haleakala, Maui kids adventure

The sun glows through clouds at Haleakala National Park.

The sun glows through clouds at Haleakala National Park.

The highest point on Maui is the peak of Haleakala. This is a popular destination because of the fantastic views from the Haleakala Visitor Center (at 9,750 feet). On a clear day you can see into the crater which looks so much like the moon that American astronauts trained here when they were preparing for their lunar landing.  Looking in the other direction, you can see the West Maui Mountains, Molokai and Lanai.

We usually try for an early morning arrival at the lookout – best odds for a clear view into the crater. This time we were on a cruise around the Hawaiian Islands and by the time we got off the ship, got the rental car and took in a few other adventures, it was mid-afternoon when we started the long drive up the mountain.

Our two kids loved stretching their legs in this beautiful Kula pasture.

Our two kids loved stretching their legs in this beautiful Kula pasture.

Make the drive up Haleakala part of the adventure

It’s a beautiful drive through the upcountry Maui towns of Olinda, Makawao and Kula. You’ll see rolling green pastures, cows and horses, and drive through sweet-scented eucalyptus forests. On the way up, we pulled over and let the kids run through a grassy field. It was a wonderful break from the driving and we all had a great time. Just make sure you don’t park near one of the many blind curves!

The view from the top of Haleakala

Rare silverswords just steps from our car!

Rare silverswords just steps from our car!

The clouds were beginning to roll into the parking lot by the time we got to the top of Haleakala. We saw beautiful and very rare silversword plants growing right next to the parking area. We also got very close to several nene geese – also endangered. The Haleakalā National Park is home to many endangered species. (You can learn a lot about the parks plants and animals at the visitors centers.)

Clouds usually fill Haleakala crater by mid-day, and since we arrived close to sunset, the crater was filled with billowy white. In spite of not being able to see into the crater, we had a fantastic time.

The thick clouds engulfed the summit.

The thick clouds engulfed the summit.

The kids wore as many warm clothes as we had with us. We watched as the sun slowly sank towards the horizon. Every once in a while the clouds would clear enough to see the rest of Maui Island. Other times, we were engulfed in a cold fog, glowing orange from the setting sun.

It was dark and we were all starving by the time we got back to the ship, but we all agreed it was a fantastic Maui day!

PLANNING FOR THE TRIP WITH KIDS:

Bring plenty of snacks and drinks, fill up with gas.  Stores and services are at least 30 minutes from the top. It’s about 2 hours one-way from Kahului and slightly less from Wailea.

The view of West Maui from the summit.

The clouds parted and we had a spectacular view of West Maui from the summit.

Be prepared for extremes in temperatures; very cold weather, rain or very hot, sunny weather.

Check the Haleakala Park site before driving, the road can be closed during severe weather:

Park is open 24hrs, three visitor centers have different hours with the one at the top open at sunrise and closed by 3:00.

More fun familiy activities in Maui…