8 days in Maui, Hawaii:The perfect family itinerary

*Updated for 2024 – After the 2023 wildfires in Lahaina, this itinerary was updated to remove the places that were destroyed or no longer open. See the end of the post on how you can help rebuild!  

*Note: although the title says Family itinerary – this plan would be perfect for a couple’s trip too or girl’s trip or anyone really! 

Hawaii has a special place in my heart – it is where my husband and I went on our honeymoon and I always pictured us coming back one day to show our kids the crystal-clear waters, amazing beaches, sea turtles, sunsets and more.  We had the opportunity to go on this bucket list adventure with our kids and our trip was just about perfect in every way! After debating which island to go to and hearing back from others who had visited with their kids, we decided that MAUI would be the best Hawaiian island to take the kids – although you cannot go wrong with any island – Maui has the perfect mix of secluded quiet places and family-friendly fun! And the bonus was we would get to see my husband’s cousin who has made his home on Maui for the past several years (more insider tips to share too)! Maui is consistently rated as one of the best islands in the world by many travel sites!

This bucket list was made possible with points from our Chase Sapphire Reserve card (all airfare covered with points) and we stayed half the time in RCI property Sands of Kahana and half the time in Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Kaanapali.  Depending on your budget and travel preferences – or points availability – you may just want to stay in the same place! We have also found some of the best airfare prices on Orbitz!  We saved our points for a few years and this trip was so worth it! If this vacation is a goal or bucket list item for you,  you can make it happen with patience, deals, savings or point strategizing! And use these tips “What Every Flight Attendant Wish you Knew!” to make flying friendlier too. 

WHERE TO STAY:

We stayed in Kaanapali/Kahana side – This side is close to many excursions, black rock beach area, grocery stores, and convenient to Kapalua & Lahaina! I would stay in this area!!  Where exactly to stay depends on if you want to have the comfort and luxury of a nicer resort but have to eat out every meal or if you want the convenience of a condo – definitely go for beachfront condo – and make meals where you are staying and have a bit more space and convenience of laundry.  There are so many amazing places to stay based on those two factors. If you want to use condo vs hotel check out VRBO for rental options!

FAVORITE RESORT/HOTELS 

• Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Kaanapali – On the beach, amazing pools, great service. *A bit pricey but sometimes they offer 3-4 night deals if you attend 90-minute timeshare presentation – won’t hurt to ask if you want to save money.
• Hyatt Regency Maui, 200 Nohea Kai Dr, Lahaina – on the beach, penguins in the lobby and rooftop star viewing! Still open!

• Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa – on the beach, great location and some of the best snorkeling out front! 

FAV CONDOS/TIMESHARE/AIRBNB RENTALS 

• Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas, Kaanapali Vacation Rentals‎ –more pricey but amazing location!
• Napili Sunset Beachfront Resort – Top rated and price friendly right on the beach!
• Sands of Kahana – Condos right on the water with amazing swimming and snorkeling up front!

This itinerary is kid-approved and is the actual one that we did with our family and is a good mix of travel/drive days to new locations mixed with relaxing beach days!

Day 1 of Maui – Snorkeling & Beach Day

Recover from the flight and start out in Hawaii style with a morning by the beach – try Napili beach per the recommendation of the concierge (or any snorkel spots on my list at the end of this post!) You really can just walk out on the beach of most of the places I recommend and snorkel right from the shore!  We saw so many fish, turtles and eels! I HIGHLY recommend to get a full face snorkel mask!  My kids loved them and they were so comfortable and easy to use!  We packed one suitcase to bring with beach items and snorkels and fins for all four of us, and sunscreen and it was worth bringing as we could snorkel whenever we wanted to!  This snorkel is our favorite! 

Great Snorkel Beaches –

• Napili Beach 
• Honolua Bay (go to rocks on northside of shore and enter slowly that way). The bay next to it  – Mokule’ia – is great too for a beach day, body surfing, boogie boarding and great snorkeling. 
• Kaanapali Beach Black Rock (by Sheraton) we saw turtles and eels here too!  Many people cliff jump here too if you are up for it!
• Kahana Beach Resort we got to swim with about 20 GIANT sea turtles only a few feet from the public beach!
• Snorkel at slaughterhouse beach! Not too well-known and awesome but trail a bit harder to get down so not for kids under 8 probably!

Day 2 of Maui – Haleakala National Park & Junior Rangers Program

If you want to do sunrise at Haleakala National Park, this is the day to do it as with jet lag you will wake up super early anyways on your first day in Maui!  You DO have to make reservations for this at least a few weeks in advance (and maybe months if a busy season. It’s a 2-hour drive from Kaanapali area to the summit so you have to leave very early (4 am!).  This is for Sunrise reservations. Bring breakfast to eat at the top and blankets and jackets!  On the way down stop at the Haleakalā Visitor Center and the kids can do the National Park badge!  https://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm

Do NOT do the bike tour down the mountain.  While it sounds fun and looks awesome, many locals told us accidents happen daily and companies don’t keep their bikes in good condition often so not worth the risk! 

We also LOVE doing Sunset vs sunrise as it is a lot less busy and you do not need reservations.  If you decide to do sunset instead go around 2 pm and visit National Park Visitors Center first as it closes at 3 or 4 pm to get Junior Ranger badge and then do a hike before sunset on the drive up – our favorite hike here with amazing views was the short Lelewi Overlook. 

On the way back down – if you do the sunrise – or the way up – if you do sunset, you CANNOT miss the Zipline Adventures!!!

For those who love adventure, you must check out Haleakala 5 Line Zipline Adventure Skyline Zipline. My son (age 8 at the time) was really nervous to zipline but said he wanted to go – they made him feel soo comfortable and he was first in line to zip after his first line. The tour guides were so easygoing and fun! This Zipline adventure adds in talks about the environment and local plants and animals to make it educational AND fun!  I highly recommend you add this to your trip!

Day 3 of Maui – Boat Tour – Snorkel or Whale Watch

This is a good day to book a snorkel trip if you want to do boat snorkel trip (Pride of Maui good or Try Snorkeling at Island of Lanai or Molokini Crater.) If you do any snorkeling trips the most eco-friendly ones are any trips through the Pacific Whale Foundation.  Honestly, the best snorkeling we had was at Black Rock by Sheraton and in front of the Kahana Beach resort but it is neat to take a boat trip for the experience and you may see dolphins. If it is Whale Watching season – a Whale Watching excursion is a must too!  Or if you don’t like boats but want time in the water, surf lessons can be fun too. 

Day 4 of Maui – The Road to Hana

You cannot miss this wonderful sightseeing and exploration experience! Leave early – like 7-8 am early to see everything! Bring BUG SPRAY, water shoes, bathing suits, sunblock, snacks, (maybe seasick patch or anti-nausea meds if you get car sick), a full tank of gas and DOWNLOAD the Road to Hana GyPSy Guide app OR the Shaka App . They are both AMAZING and help you find hidden gems along the way and gives you the history of the area as you are driving the long drive!  It is a MUST but be sure to download before you go as your phone won’t get data on most of road! The app will give a quick summary of the places you may want to stop – you cannot stop everywhere as not enough time – and will give you a heads up as to where to stop with enough time to stop.  If you miss the stop most are impossible to turn around for, so you can either hit it on the way back or go on to the next place.

Here are some MUST SEE STOPS on THE ROAD TO HANA:

• Paia at Ho’okipa Viewpoint – When you start or when you finish, DO NOT miss seeing the Turtles and windsurfers at the very start of the Road
• You’ll get a great view from the Kaumahina State Wayside and you can use the bathroom there too. Continuing on, you’ll catch a glimpse of black sand beach at Honomanu Bay (Bay View parking)- one of the best photo ops of the trip (great view on way back here too!)
• Wailua State Wayside Park has an amazing waterfall to hike down to (see photo above). Take the Wailua Iki Hike to get there! This stop is often overlooked in guidebooks but was one of my favorites! Photo under a waterfall – yes please!
• Try to stop at Ke’anae Lookout where the views are beautiful and pick up some Aunty Sandy’s (famous) banana bread, straight out of the oven for a snack!
• DO NOT MISS Waiʻanapanapa State Park, where you can swim in the water off the Black sand beach – bring water shoes for this as the pebbles hurt your feet and are difficult to walk on. Great photo op by sea arch and sea cliff. 
• The Venus Pools are so beautiful too and hike down for the kids (probably best for kids over 7) and if water is not too rough you can swim there too!  See top photo here! 
• Try to see Seven Sacred Pools at O’heo – the pools are closed to swim and if there was a recent big rain you may not be able to get too close but you probably can get some good views! 
• If you start early enough in the day, once you past the city of Hanayou can do Pipiwai Trail (by the Visitors center area), where you can trek through a bamboo forest to the 400-foot Waimoku Falls!!  Needs at least 1.5 hours but it is worth it to carve that time out of you can do it and your kids aren’t too little!  *NOTE: This area is part of Haleakala National Park so has a fee to enter/hike. If you come within 3 days of Haleaklaa you can use the same park pass and do not have to pay again. 

Day 5 of Maui – Beach & Recovery Day

Recover from all the driving with a beach day!   

Here are some of the best beaches on Maui –

• Easy Maui Hamoa beach
• Makena big beach
• Private like beach by Ritz Carlton past the hotel private area you can see on GPS and anyone can go to
• Paako Cove – aka Secret Beach – Travel towards Makena Beach and park at 3rd last entrance and then access beach through two black lava rock walls – high surf here – https://www.to-hawaii.com/maui/beaches/paakobeach.php

After the day at the beach, the evening would make a great Luau day.  Most hotels offer deals to the Luaus so you can ask your concierge. The most popular location was damaged by the fire and still rebuilding ( the Feast At Lele – a five-course extravaganza that highlights the primary islands of Polynesia and accompanied by traditional dances and chants).  If you want to try one but do not want to spend a lot, the Drums of Pacific Luau at Hyatt Regency usually has deals – such as if you book online kids can get in free!   http://drumsofthepacificmaui.com/

Otherwise, unless your heart is set on it, I wouldn’t do a touristy Luau as you can see the same shows for free like at the Sheraton and the food is better at some of the listed restaurants! But for the kids, they may like a more traditional one.

Day 6 of Maui – Central Valley & Iao Valley State 

Central Valley – Check out the central valley of Maui!  Maui is not all beaches – there is a beautiful area waiting to be discovered! Take a drive to Maui Tropical Plantation, a 60-acre working plantation. Stay for a few hours to explore and have lunch, then head to Iao Valley State Park.  This park has some of the most amazing scenery in Central Maui and was the background for some Jurassic Park movie shots and location of a historical battle site. A great short kid-friendly walk to the viewpoint of the 1,200 foot Iao Needle and a few areas for the kids to play in the water. Lots of neat plants and trees too for you to see!  There are many other options in Central Valley too such as Lavender Farm tours or Farm tours so check out those options as well if you want. 

Day 7 of Maui – Another Beach Day

Head to Black Rock Beach at the Sheraton in Kaanapali and watch the torch-lighting ceremony and see cliff jumpers diving into the sea from Black Rock (Pu’u Keka’a). We went early and snorkeled and cliff jumped there then stayed to watch the show (pop on the patio to see the beginning of the show they do for hotel guests but you can just walk up).

Day 8 of Maui – Maui Ocean Center and Heading out

If you are leaving on day 8 and have a later flight leave with time to go see Maui Ocean Center for a few hours before you head to Airport and then eat at Da Kitchen before you hit the airport! Both must experiences in Maui!

Staying more than 8 days…

There is so much to see and do in Maui you could easily do two weeks or more of nonstop activities!  A few other highlights I did not add in the itinerary but you may want to see if you stay longer or substitute for a different day

• Hyatt Regency Maui, 200 Nohea Kai Dr, Lahaina – See penguins in the lobby and rooftop stars
• Garden and Culinary Tour of the Alii Kula Lavender farm, which includes a tour of the farm and lunch made with lavender products.
• Friday night free hula show at Tiki courtyard at Kaanapali Beach hotel 6-9 pm
• Maui swap meet! Sat 7 am – 1 pm *Bring small bills/cash Souvenirs great here – hair clips, shave ice, fruit  
• Kings trail hike – rarely rains or hike to the Makahiku Falls and climb to the overlook above to view the thundering 181-foot cataract below and the vast panorama of ocean beyond. 
• Farm tour – If you want to do farm tour they are getting more popular – some we heard about but didn’t get to do Ka’anapali Coffee Farms, Punakea Palms Coconut Farm,  Maui Wine, Ono Farms https://www.onofarms.com/tour.html 
• Explore the Wailea area – they have good shopping and fun kids activities in the center there 

WHERE TO EAT: A mix of places we loved and top recommendations from locals who live there! My dentist’s assistant stays in Maui half the year so he had great local recommendations that were legit! 

• Aloha Mixed Plate – Lots of great Hawaii specialties
• Napili Kai at the beach – Happy hour with appetizers 
• Sea House Restaurant – The best coconut shrimp!  Check for their local hula dance dinner, too.  
• Mamas Fish House – One of the top 10 best restaurants in the US – VERY PRICEY but a worthwhile splurge
• Hula Grill & Barefoot Bar (Ka’anapali) – Popular place in Whaler’s Village.
• Maui Fish (Kahana area) – The locals say this place has the best fish!
• Ono Tacos (Lahaina) – Cheap and cheerful and everyone raves about it.
• Cafe Cafe – Nice place for breakfast. Try the Acai Bowl with coconut 
• Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop (Lahaina) – Delicious pies! Just outside of town.
• Bob’s Dogs (Hookipa Viewpoint, Paia) – Random pit stop to get some shave ice or dogs before the ‘Road to Hana’
• KaHaku Smoke Shack (Road to Hana) –  The mixed bbq and bananas with cinnamon and cream are amazing.
• Ululani’s Shaved ice – UMMMM EVERY DAY!!!!
• Da kitchen – Yummy and local unique –  Near airport and Krispy Kreme/Costco. Good place to stop on way to the airport before heading out.
• Komoda Bakery –  A homespun bakery, legendary for its mouth-watering cream puffs and guava-filled malasadas (Portuguese donut). Do arrive early though – it often sells out by noon. YUMMY to try something new and unique! 
• Sam Sato –  On way back from I’ao Valley – in-expensive noodles and plate lunches restaurant very popular with people who live on Maui. Few tourists find it in the town where many Maui residents live. The restaurant is famous for its famous dry mein—a bowl of seasoned saimin-like noodles that, for more decades than many residents can remember, has been a Maui comfort-food favorite. Closes at 2 pm!!  

There you have it!  A fun, family-friendly tested itinerary for your Maui adventures!  Have an amazing time!  You cannot go wrong if you even sit at the beach all day every day but there is so much beauty around Maui I encourage you to go out there and explore! 

For more great highlights and to get the overall vision of what the island is like, I like the website – https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/maui

*One last tip..all the locals say, do not swim south side of island –  that is where most of the sharks are! STAY SAFE!