While Oahu is the largest and most visited island in the state of Hawaii, Maui is maybe the most pristine and naturally beautiful. Maui is considerably less developed and natural than places like Honolulu so there is a considerably less commercial feel on this island. There are excellent resorts in Maui and no shortage of family fun activities such as snorkeling, boating, hiking, and enjoying some of the best and most beautiful beaches in the world.
Based on our personal experience, we would highly recommend renting a car because Maui has lots to see and significant distances between destinations. In fact, many of our favorite activities/things to see in Maui are on the Road to Hana; a 64-mile drive starting in the town of Paia and ending a little past the town of Hana. The drive to Hana is truly about the journey rather than the destination. All along the narrow, very scenic windy Road to Hana are sites to see such as waterfalls, picturesque gardens, distinctly unique beaches, and street vendors selling delicious local fruits and food.
If we were to recommend just one must-see/do activity in Maui, it would be to drive on the Road to Hana and see all that it has to offer and our recommendations below include stops on the Road to Hana.
Our Top 5 Travel with Kids Tips for Maui, Hawaii
#1 Whale Watching
Whale watching is an experience we have tried to do several times on vacation trips to several destinations but the timing had never worked out. Fortunately for us that when we were finally able to go on a whale-watching tour, it happened in one of the best whale-watching destinations in the world (Maui). During the winter breeding months of November to May, humpback whales migrate to warmer water in the tropics and subtropics. The Hawaiian islands in general are a top destination for these whales.
Maui in particular attracts a lot of whales not far from the shore and most whale-watching tours guarantee at least one whale sighting. On our tour, we saw at least 8-10 whales and a couple of the sightings were up close and surreal. It is an incredible and memorable experience to see and learn about these giant marine mammals in their natural habitat. Our kids had a fantastic time on this tour and something we often bring up when remembering our trip to Maui.
Lahini(west Maui) is a top place to do a whale watching tour, we highly recommend doing this activity while in Maui. If you plan to do this activity, we highly recommend that you make an advance booking as these tours do sell out.
Click on this hyperlink to book a highly rated whale watching tour we highly recommend: Whale Watching from Lahaina Harbor.
#2 Garden of Eden
When you get on the Road to Hana, there are many sightseeing opportunities and if you don’t research and plan ahead for the things you want to see, the trip can be a bit overwhelming. The Garden is Eden is often overlooked by visitors but based on our research it was a can’t-miss activity for us. This garden is exceptionally beautiful, well maintained, and incredibly scenic with exotic plants, trees, and picturesque views of the pacific ocean.
One of the reasons why we rank visiting the Garden of Eden very high is because there is a lot to see and experience but without having to do any significant hiking or walking with kids. The full loop around the garden is just over half a mile but along the way, you see different types of birds, and beautiful waterfalls. However, the highlight for our kids was seeing the Keopuka Rock, a rock in the pacific ocean that was made famous in part because it was featured in the movie, Jurrasic Park.
#3 Ho’okipa Beach
Ho’okipa beach is a world-renowned destination to see big waves and professional windsurfing and is one of the earliest stops on the Road to Hana. However, the main attraction for us was that this beach is also known for the green sea turtles that regularly come to rest on its shores. When we went, we saw at least 10-15 turtles basking in the sun on the east end of the beach that has been secluded with signs to not touch(and harm) the turtles and observe from afar. The beautiful white sands of this beach along with some shaded areas around the beach make it a great spot for kids to have a fun beach experience playing around the shores of the beach while watching exceptional surfing. There are also incredible views from the Ho’okipa Lookout, which offers an amazing birds-eye view of the beach and is a great spot to take pictures.
#4 Kaanapali Beach
Kaanapali Beach is world-renowned and ranks amongst the very best beaches in America. Several major hotels and condominiums reside along this beach (including the Hyatt Residence Club where we stayed). There are many things to do along this beach including a very nice shopping complex(Whalers Village) which has a nice variety of shops and restaurants. However, what we enjoyed (especially our kids) were the white sands on the beach and beautiful clear waters, which were easily accessible from our hotel. Maui is full of unique and beautiful beaches and the best beach day we had was at Kaanapali Beach.
#5 Food to try in Maui
As mentioned, Maui is far less commercialized than other places in Hawaii such as Honolulu, thus there was not as much variety in terms of must-eat types of restaurants, etc. However, there are some local specialties that we recommend trying. Banana bread in particular is quite famous(and really good) in Maui. Fresh, warm banana bread can be found at many places in Maui but Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread is one of the most well know and can be grabbed off of the Road to Hana after Mile Maker 16.
There are also several opportunities to get fresh fruits and other treats along the Road to Hana. We had fresh coconut water, sliced mangoes, and sugarcane juice which were also delicious! Fresh fruits of this quality are not easily accessible everywhere so we definitely recommend trying them as part of the Maui experience.
Lastly, shave ice is very popular all over Hawaii, and Ululani’s in Maui is one of the best places to get shave ice. One of Ululani’s shack locations is in the pool area of the Hyatt Regency which faces Kaanapali Beach. It was the perfect dessert snack for our kids as they spent the whole day playing on the beach as well as the pools of the resort we were staying at.
