The Gould Family of 7 (three generations including grandmothers, parents, and three children ages 15, 15, and 12) escaped the Pennsylvanian winter in December and spent 12 days soaking up the sun in Hawaii!  They began their vacation on Maui with a 5-night stay at the all-suites and newly renovated Fairmont Kea Lani. The breathtaking setting, impeccable service, great food, tons of activities, and beautiful suites were greatly appreciated by all. While the youngest child preferred to hang out at the resort with its amazing pools and slides, daily activities, cultural events, and more, the rest of the family took turns exploring the island in several different ways. Their favorite was the helicopter ride, during which they marveled at the insane aerial views and loved hearing about the history of the island from the pilot. A classic Hawaiian luau, watching the sunrise at Haleakala, and a slightly boring zip line rounded out their Maui experiences. Their next stop was the Big Island where they first flew into Hilo for an overnight at the Volcano House hotel. This hotel sits right on the edge of the rim of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The group enjoyed some incredible hiking down into the crater and New Year’s Eve with a volcano view at the hotel restaurant. The following day, the family drove onto the Kohala Coast with a stop along the way to see the black sand beaches where they were treated to watching several sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach. The Fairmont Orchid was their home for the next four nights and they loved the low-key vibe of this hotel.  Some of them took surf lessons in Kona and really enjoyed a half-day private fishing charter which resulted in one of the teens catching a 300-pound blue Marlin!  Mom let us know that this was a vacation that everyone loved.  It was a special trip during which they created lifelong memories that they will never forget!