My fave things to do on Maui for families with kids

Best things to do on Maui with kids

Hey guys! I love to pass on my recommendations of things our family love to do here on Maui, so I figured rather than telling you all, I’ll write it in a list that you can refer back to whenever you need! I love to share my knowledge of this beautiful little place and I know it can be hard choosing which activities or things you want to try, and knowing which companies to go with, so here is what I’ve gleaned over the years in no particular order and also the places we love to go ourselves with our two kiddos who are 7 and 9.

1. Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm –https://www.aliikulalavender.com/– My kids love this place! Its at a higher elevation so has beautiful clean pure air, scented flowers, there’s a treasure hunt for the kids with a cookie prize at the end of it. They have great scones and tea (reminds me of home in the UK) and the view is unbeatable!
2. Maui Ocean Center – https://mauioceancenter.com/ – It’s great fun, lots of variety in a small place, I went to the Monteray aquarium and actually loved Maui’s little aquarium more. PLUS theres a shark tunnel! (A glass tunnel you can walk through with sharks swimming above you.)
   

   Jungle Photographer in Maui

3. Twin Falls –https://www.twinfallsmaui.net/ – If you want to see a waterfall on Maui, this is your closest one, it is on privately owned property, but the owners have kindly opened it to the public. It is a really pretty little trail, fairly easy to hike with your family if you have kids, there is a fruit stand right as you go in where you can often find locally made pineapple ice pops, coconuts and banana bread. We like to visit this place often to escape the heat and stroll along the shady paths.
4. Go Whale Watching – https://redesign.sailtrilogy.com/tour/discover-lanai -It’s one of my favorite times of year here! The whales are arriving to Maui, their winter breeding grounds, they only come between the months of December to April. One of our favorite companies to sail with is Trilogy, they do a great all day tour to Lanai, that includes a delicious BBQ lunch on Lanai. You can’t beat it!
5. Learn to Surf – https://www.skimhawaii.com What trip to Maui would be complete without learning to surf?! Skim Hawaii teaches all skill levels from age 5 upwards, and all your lessons are private, so you get undivided attention! Sean also teaches skimboarding lessons in Ka’anapali and Wailea, which is great for those that don’t want to go out in the waves (skimboarding involves dropping the board on the sand and sliding onto the shorebreak so you don’t go in deep water)
6. Haleakala Sunrise – https://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/sunrise-and-sunset.htm – The view is outstanding, you do have to get up super early (think 4 AM) but once you are up there it is UNREAL. It can be pretty cold, so bring jackets and warm clothing, even a blanket to wrap yourselves in. There is also a new permitting system in order for entrance to the National Park so if you decide to go make sure you check the link I added, as that’s where you book your park permit and they are often booked up in advance.
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   Haleakala Surprise Proposal in Maui

8. The road to Hana – if you’re feeling brave, and don’t get car sick, the road to Hana is an amazing experience. You won’t see anywhere else like it in the world. Think beautiful jungle scenery with waterfalls dotted along the way on one side of you and the cliffs and ocean on the other side. We sometimes like to camp at Waianapanapa when we go to break up the trip, but if you’re not feeling like camping, there are some great places to stay in Hana town, which I highly recommend as there is no way you can see all the beauty Hana has to offer (unreal beaches and hikes) without stopping over for a night, the drive is just too stunning to rush  https://travaasa.com/hana/
9. Giggle Hill Park – if you just want to do something simple this is our favorite park to visit, it is in Haiku so not super close to the hotels, but if you are on the North Shore of Maui, or visiting Paia or Haiku town, and want to get out of the car and let your kids run around this is a really pretty spot, with a great wooden playground with turrets and slides. https://mauimama.com/parks/united-states/hawaii/haiku-pauwela/parks/4th-marine-division-memorial-park-giggle-hill/
10. Makawao Town – https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/maui/regions/upcountry-maui/Makawao  I love this little place, I know, I am biased as we live here, but it’s so pretty. Makawao is a little old cowboy (paniolo) town with cute boutiques for gift shopping and cool coffee shops. There’s a famous store for doughnuts called Komodas that everyone loves and is an easy stop on your way up to the lavender farm.
11. A Photo Session! – https://www.heartstringsphotoco.com why not remember your trip to Maui with either a mini 30 minute photo session or an hour portrait session at a location of your choice! We can take pictures at the beach, in the jungle, at a waterfall, you choose the options are endless and the locations are untouchable.

Family Photo Session in Maui