Kid-friendly places in Big Island

Resort with a large pool, lawns and roomy suites.

Suites with kitchens and a large resort pool.

A lagoon-style pool with a wading area and a long twisting waterslide.

A sand-bottom keiki pool, so small kids can wade in like it's a beach.

Hotel with a heated pool, a convenient base for the east side.

Huge resort with a tram between buildings, large pools and junior slides.

Two-bedroom suites with kitchens and a quieter pool.

Beach hotel with a renovated pool and lawns by the sand.

Resort with a shallow sandy-bottom keiki pool, lawns and spacious rooms.

Resort with a large freeform pool apart from the adults-only one, and oversized rooms.

Beachside hotel in the middle of town, with a pool.

Spacious villas with kitchens, an outdoor pool and a kids' pool.

Three pools, one shallow for small kids and one with a waterslide.

Condos with kitchens, separate bedrooms and two pools.

Vacation homes from studios to five-bedroom villas, many with indoor and outdoor kitchens and a private pool, plus the resort's amenities.

Oceanfront hotel with a pool, central to everything in town.

A big fort-style playground with lots to climb.

Hotel on the bay, close to the garden walks.

Wooden climbing structures and slides with plenty of room around them to run off a long drive.

Market with fresh fruit, baked treats and live music, beside displays on cowboy history.

Cottages and suites with garden and waterfall views, off the grid.

Wood-fired pizza and comfort food in a dining room on the bay.

Big pancakes and Hawaiian comfort-food plates.

Planetarium shows and exhibits on Polynesian navigation, so kids learn how people found these islands by the stars.

Taproom with burgers and fries at shopping-center tables.

Pancakes and macadamia-nut breakfasts with ocean views.

Oceanfront spot for wood-fired pizza, chicken and lemon fries.

Diner serving big pancakes and breakfast all day.

Island dishes in a shopping-center restaurant.

Casual burger joint with fries.

Casual grill for poke and fish tacos.

Greenhouse showroom full of bright orchids.

Pizza place with video game stations.

Hands-on science exhibits about the island, all indoors.

Rainforest paths past waterfalls down toward the ocean.

Rangers and overlooks onto volcanic landscapes, so kids can see what the island is made of. Temporarily closed.

A shallow bay behind an old lava-rock breakwater, where green sea turtles come up onto the beach.

Ponds, bridges for kids to cross, and shady lawns.

Quiet indoor museum of Hawaiian natural and cultural history, with volcanic minerals and local wildlife.

Country market with local produce, prepared food and crafts.

Macadamia trees, a self-guided nature walk and samples, so kids see the nuts growing before they taste them.

Ramen, udon and other Japanese dishes.

A saltwater aquarium, marine-life models and interactive ocean exhibits, so kids can meet the reef without getting wet.

Italian restaurant for pizza and pasta.

Carved kiʻi figures along a coastal walk through a sacred place of old Hawaii.

A waterfall you can see from right by the car, so even the smallest walkers make it.

An offshore reef keeps the waves small and the bottom slopes in gently, with big shade trees along the sand.

Malasadas rolled and fried in view through a window, some filled with haupia or guava, plus big local plates.

Pastries and breakfast plates on an open lanai above the coffee trees and the bay, with geckos and birds for company.

Acai bowls piled with fruit.

Short rainforest walk to a viewpoint over a tall waterfall.

Laid-back brewpub with casual meals.

A window onto the factory, so kids can watch the cookies and chocolates being made.

Food-court stop for Japanese noodles, sushi and boba.

Furikake chicken and generous plates to share.

Soft shave ice and tropical ice cream flavors.

Open-air market with tropical fruit and local snacks to try.

Casual oceanfront tables with live music and simple food.

Market deli with musubi, malasadas and takeout plate lunches.

Coffee shop for acai bowls and breakfast bagels.

Shopping-center market with farm fruit, honey, bread and live music.

Brewpub with pizza, shoyu chicken and chicken strips, and relaxed outdoor seating under palms and tiki torches.

Town market for local fruit, flowers and handmade souvenirs.

Beachside restaurant where the lawn games sit next to the tables.

Tropical shave ice in a shopping center.

Japanese pastries for a sweet snack.

Market at historic stables with prepared food, local produce, crafts and live music.

Small, casual spot for fresh poke bowls and udon.

Fresh mochi in bright colors, strawberry the famous one, so kids get to pick by color.

Burger counter with fries to share.

Rooms inside the national park, so the craters are minutes away in the morning.