Family & Maternity Photos in Hanalei Bay, Kauai

Hanalei Bay is one of my favorite places. I came here with my family when I was a teenager and have the best memories of searching for shells, swimming in the calm waters, and jumping off the pier with my childhood best friend. When Nick and I were planning a vacation to Kauai, I knew a visit to Hanalei Bay was a must. Since this trip came at a special time—Will was one week away from turning two, and I was well into my second trimester with baby number two—I also thought it would be sweet to capture some family photos while we were there.

Here are some (okay, a lot) of our favorite pictures from our morning at Hanalei Bay, which began with playing around on the pier, strolling along the sand, and then changing into swimsuits and jumping in the water—plus one really big smooch.

These photos were taken by Kauai photographer Erin Gregerson, who was just lovely to work with. I highly recommend her for family photos if you're into capturing candid moments and find yourself in Kauai!

If you're interested, I wore this off-the-shoulder top with distressed denim maternity shorts, plus an off-the-shoulder maternity dress as a coverup. Will's shorts, striped t-shirt, and shark-print swim trunks are all from GAP. Nick doubts anyone cares about what he's wearing, but so as not to leave him out, he's got on Patagonia board shorts and a Lululemon t-shirt (because he loves Lululemon). And here's where we found our amazing pineapple float! 

Here are more details on our stay in Kauai's north shore and south shore.

Family Vacation to Kauai: South Shore

After a beautiful time in the north shore of Kauai, we headed south to sunny Poipu Beach. We knew the north—with its lush greens and overall Jurassic Park vibe—would be hard to beat, but Poipu was just as perfect. We stayed at the Kiahuna Plantation, the same spot where my family spent some wonderful vacations when I was a teenager. It was a bit surreal to come back two decades later with my own family this time! We lucked out with a bungalow just steps from the beach, but it was the plantation's expansive lawns—complete with hills and bridges—that were a toddler's paradise. Here's how we spent our time in the south.

The perfect beach set-up: shades, sand boys, and a colorful striped blanket.

Every night, Will loved announcing, "Sun going down!" Since we had our own kitchen—a big plus!—we'd then head back to our bungalow to make dinner or hit up the shared grills on the lawn.

The Kauai Plantation Railway, aka "plantation choo choo," was a huge highlight for our little train lover. We even got to stop and feed some pigs along the way! This off-the-shoulder dress was perfect for throwing on over a swimsuit and heading from beach to train and everywhere in between (other favorite stops included Bubba’s for burgers and shakes and Lappert’s for ice cream).

Will must have logged at least three miles one night running all over the lawn playing Frisbee. He showed off his new counting skills, shouting to ten (occasionally leaving out a number or two), and then demanding that we throw the Frisbee "way up high!" It was actually more like fetch.

Our last night of vacation was magical. The plan was to take a few family photos on the beach, but there wasn't much beach left! Will and I waded into the water and after a few bigger-than-expected waves, we were soaked. I figured that would be it for our mother-son photos, but Will was loving it. So we stayed and played in the waves—in our clothes—until the sun set.

The rare family shot! Thank you, kind person, for offering to take this for us.

Running on the sand while holding hands with dad was another favorite beach activity for Will.

Washing off the sand one last time...for now! I can't wait to come back someday as a family of four.