With summer fast approaching, I thought it’d be a good time to blog about the Maui trip we took last fall – you know, just in case some of you were thinking about Hawaii as your next travel destination. 
The weather was perfect when we went mid-October. It was in the high-70s to low-80s the entire week we were there, so just the right amount of warmth balanced with some humidity. I’m generally not a fan of humidity, but it was actually a pleasant surprise because it made the ocean water warm, even at night!
Swimming in the ocean at dusk
FLIGHTS – When booking flights, my considerations are always the children’s sleep times, meal times, and rush hour traffic. Our flight departed at 10:55 AM, so I was hoping the kids would nap on the plane in those 5 hours since we would still be in-flight during the afternoon. This time would also allow us to land before rush hour Hawaii time (our landing time was 1:40 PM since Hawaii is 3 hours behind us – making it 4:40 PM Pacific Time). The gamble paid off, and both kids napped for an hour on the plane. Our time on the plane was pretty much broken up like this: 2 hours of play (consisting of watching iPad, playing with toys, coloring, and eating), followed by an hour nap, finished off by 2 more hours of play before we officially landed.
ACTIVITIES – We try to a go-with-the-flow when it comes to traveling with the kids, so I didn’t have a heavy itinerary planned. The only set event was for a nice dinner out, which required reservations. I knew we’d be spending a lot of time at the beach and pool, and with our super loose schedule, we ended up with a couple spontaneous, last minute excursions!
While on vacation, everything flies out the window when it comes to naps and bedtimes. I’ve found that traveling, coupled with the excitement of a new place, is both stimulating and tiring, so my two wild children have no problems napping on the go and going to bed early.
We spent plenty of time at the pool!
And also a lot of time at the beach!
On one of the days, we went to check out the Maui Ocean Center, followed by Iao Valley State Park, which was a short drive away. The Maui Ocean Center is pretty small and took no more than 2 hours max. The kids enjoyed it and it had some neat things like sharks and manta rays, but if you’re short on time, I don’t think it’s worth the visit. Iao Valley State Park, on the other hand, is majestic and beautiful, and easy to go with the kids.
So mesmerized by Iao State Park that he fell into a deep slumber
We spent another one of our days visiting the small town of Lahaina, which was about an hour’s drive from where we were staying in Kihei. It is a historic town known for its small shops, eateries, and art galleries. We really enjoyed our drive there because it allowed us to appreciate the beauty of Maui from every direction.
A beach near Lahaina
We spent hours and hours at the beach – swimming, building, relaxing…
Stopped at a lookout to admire one of many rainbows we saw in Maui – the kids were mesmerized.
The largest Banyan tree in the U.S. is found in the middle downtown Lahaina – it’s a great, shaded area for the kids to play and run around!
To give ya’ll a better idea, this is how our trip was broken down by days…
- Day 1 – Travel day. Flight lands, get rental car, grab food, check-in, play at beach, sleep.
- Day 2 – Resort day. Hangout mostly at pool and beach. Nice dinner out.
- Day 3 – Excursion day. Maui Ocean Center, Iao Valley State Park, more pool time fun.
- Day 4 – Day at Lahaina. Drive, eat, shop, play, beach.
- Day 5 – Beach and pool day. Made sure to have a relaxing day before we had to head home.
- Day 6 – Travel day. Some pool & beach time in the morning, then got ready to fly home.
FOOD – As a big food lover, I couldn’t pass up my chance to try as many good places in Maui as possible. Go to Eskimo Candy for arguably the freshest, best poke on the island. Check out Geste Shrimp Truck for plump, flavorful pieces of shrimp. For something belly-filling and warm, venture over to Star Noodle for delicious fusion noodle dishes of all kinds. For fancier fare, Mama’s Fish House is the place to be. And head on over to Zippy’s to get your fill of classic, comfort Hawaiian food. Finally, make sure you satisfy your sweet tooth with some of Leoda’s Pies (their banana cream is to die for), or Ululani’s Shaved Ice (so soft, so delicious). Don’t forget to include the snow cap (a condensed milk drizzle), and pair it with their macadamia nut ice cream!
The kids could not get enough of Ululani’s either!
I thought 5 nights/6 days was just the perfect amount of time in Maui. It allowed us to have the ideal balance between relaxation and adventure. I now think tropical vacations are the way to go when it comes to vacationing with young kids! The combination of water and sun always tires the kids out, so they went to bed early every night, and didn’t try to fight bedtimes. That meant Mr. Heels and I also got plenty of couple time to kick up our feet, drink wine, and enjoy quiet dinners indoors.
In my previous life, this trip would’ve included lots of hiking, kayaking, and ziplining. You can also bet I would’ve hiked up the Haleakala Crater and taken a stab at the Road to Hana. However, I am so enjoying this season of travel with the kids. I love the way their eyes light up with every unrealized experience, or the excitement that fills their voice when they’re exposed to something new. It’s an adventure!
What’s been your favorite vacation destination with the kids?
blogger / kiwi / 588 posts
Thank you so much for this post. We are planning on visiting Maui at the end of August with our LOs who will be 18-months and 3.5 years. Will definitely look up and bookmark the places you recommended!
grapefruit / 4235 posts
looooooooooove Ululani’s! We also liked Maui Fish Market.
pomelo / 5866 posts
Yep, Ululani’s is the best one!
We went with LO last summer. My favorite spaghetti is Fabiani’s in Wailea. Glad you had fun in Maui! 
My best trip with LO was our last trip….Japan.
guest
When we traveled east coast to west coast, the kids always went to bed early because of the time difference. But they also rose super early. Did that happen for you, or did the kids sleep more from being tired from swimming?
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@Claire: The first day or two, they were adjusting to the time difference and woke early around 6 am, but after that they woke up at their normal times around 8 am despite going to bed early. They tend to sleep in more on vacays too because of the super thick blackout curtains!
@808love: How fun, Japan! What made it “the best”? We’re going to Taiwan soon, so I’d love to hear any tips you might have that would make international travel less painful.
@dagret: I heard about Maui Fish Market, but didn’t get to go!
@jojepie: Have a great time!!
blogger / apricot / 367 posts
This looks like the perfect family trip! Hoping we can go in a couple years… worried about the long flight we’ll have from Chicago but hopefully the kids will be able to handle it by then!
pomelo / 5866 posts
@Mrs. High Heels: I just saw your question today! JApan was always a dream destination and there were a lot of family friendly things we did. I love mastering the metro. JApan is so unlike all the other places (food, culture, language, values, lifestyle, organization) so I loved experiencing and sharing it with my family for the first time. I visited with LO at age 5 and no stroller. Everything was an exciting challenge.
As for international tips, do a carry on so you can be first through customs. Give yourself plenty of time at the airport because the gates can be a very very very long walk, unlike the US. Budget to spend 20% more than you think. Just in case. Talk to your LO ahead of time about exciting things there and what to expect. Enroll them in a language course or watch related videos with them ahead of time. Warn them about the food. I could go on and on but I have to run.