Okinawa with Kids (from a Hawaii travel veteran)

Turning in soon after five wonderful nights in Okinawa, and wanted to put some thoughts down for future explorers. Traveling with wife, 12 y/o son, and 9 y/o daughter, we booked five nights at Halekulani (separate rooms). Halekulani is a Hawaiian-themed/branded resort that shares a sister hotel in Honolulu. They really lean into that vibe here, and so if you’re familiar with a basic Hawaiian resort, then you would be very comfortable here. Then add on top the superior Japanese hospitality, and you’re in for a fantastic time,

Okinawa itself is a great surprise. It’s actually larger and more populous than Oahu, if only a bit. The infrastructure is modern but it is much, much more car-centric than the mainland. We rented a car (~$75/day) and it is very easy to get around the island. The coastlines and the various terrain features are lovely here. Weather in March was mostly cloudy but pleasantly warm. No one really seems to take advantage of the water—at least this time of year. We walked along vast stretches of beach that were shared by only a few other people. We didn’t’ swim, but I think in the summer, there would be a very vibrant scene here.

95%+ of the observed tourists were Japanese. I heard some Chinese speakers and saw a few other white folks around. Lots of Japanese families seem to come here. As far as language and etiquette and everything culturally goes, Okinawa feels the same to me as the mainland.

Food is great, plentiful restaurants, easy to access.

I enjoyed visiting the American Village, which is across from one of the Marine Bases. Think Chinatown, but American. It’s a bit kitschy and Disneylandish but there were a bunch of tourists of all stripes having fun there.

Highlight of the trip was the aquarium up north and the whale shark they have. I also visited a castle—didn’t think it was that great. Otherwise we just enjoyed the resort or took outings to go shopping.

If you’re thinking about coming—do. I will come back some day, probably in the high season. I recommend getting a car and I recommend staying at a resort property. Halekulani cost me about $400/nt per room, which is not at all cheap with a family. However, it’s one of the nicest properties I’ve ever stayed at and this is what I want to spend my money on. There are many less expensive hotels available, but I think Okinawa is one of those places where the big resort properties really shine because the best natural beauty is outside of the big cities, and it’s nice to have a lot of immediately available amenities on site without a drive.