We just had the most amazing vacation in Maui, Hawaii! This was part of our Christmas gift to our kids and also part was a gift from Kevin’s parents. I took so many pictures and received so many awesome tips on what to do in Maui and what to eat in Maui from a lot of you. It deserved a full blog post. Over 500 of you commented in a survey I did on Instagram Stories telling us your top favorite things to do in Maui. It was very helpful, because some of the things we had not done before or were planning to do! I am going to share the best beaches to snorkel, boogie board, paddle board, kayak, see turtles, hike and where to eat!! If you have not been to Maui before this blog post will have you adding it to your Bucket List! We are already planning on when we are going back.
This was my third time going. Every time it has been with Kevin’s family. His mom and step-dad were married here about 15 years ago. So they come a couple times a year. They actually gave all their kids an experience gift and paid for part of this vacation by covering the rooms and they are always generous to buy some excursions and meals. We are very thankful for this thoughtful and generous gift, since our flights alone from Connecticut to Hawaii are pretty expensive (and long:)).
I highlighted below in bold the things that we have done in Hawaii. The rest were tips from all of you! I recommend pulling out Yelp and searching for items then bookmarking them! I used Yelp the entire trip to reference recommendations. Also plan some things for the trip before you go and make sure to book it! We plan a beach day basically every other day and excursions the other days to break it up. We also a chill pool day too. It’s all about balance.
What we DID in Maui and Top Recommended Things to DO
- Whale Watching- We have done several whale watching tours and Captain Steve’s is the best. It is a smaller boat (less likely to get sea sick) and it moves faster, can get close to the whale’s and is more personal. We typically do two whale tours when we go. If you get motion sick at all, like me I took Bonine before any water excursion and it helped.
- Snorkel Trip with Captain Steve out to Lanai- This was fun to be able to see Lanai up close! We also saw dolphins, snorkeled at the bay of Lanai (gorgeous)
- Snorkel at the old Carthaginian Ship Wreck off Maula Harbor (I ran into a blog reader in Maui and she said that this was one of their favorite things! We loved it too, saw turtles and little reef sharks)
- Road to Hana– Spend the night, Black Sand Beach and much more Sea Cave
- Helicopter Tour over to Molokai (expensive but I heard it is amazing from my in-laws. I get really motion sick, so that was not something I wanted to do)
- Drive to the top of Haleakala- Top reader suggestion! We have done the sunset bike tour and the zip-line up there on our first trip to Maui, both fun. (not something we could do with Finn this time).
- Nakalele Blowhole and Heart Rock- wear tennis shoes. A short hike. There are only 3 blowholes in the world, must see!
- Walk on Thompson Road- you will see Oprahs home, we snorkeled once right by her house, it was really rocky and tricky to get in and out of the water.
- Hookipa Beach to see all the Turtles and watch the surfers. This is a must!!!!
- Twin Falls Hike- you can swim under the waterfall (make sure to bring a towel and wear Tevas because you walk through a river and it rains often there!)
- Black Rock Beach in Kaanapali– great snorkeling, jump of the black rocks and good place to bring paddle boards (early in the day is best for paddle boards)
- Napili Bay in Kapalua– We loved kayaking and paddle boarding here. A lot of snorkeling spots too with turtles. You can rent paddle boards and kayaks by the hour right on the beach.
- Baldwin Beach (shells and turtles!)
- DT Flemmings Beach- We always see a turtle on the far left side. And love to boogie board here, it’s the best spot for boogie boarding!!
- Bamboo Forest on the Hana Highway secret entrance across from the eucalyptus trees, other side above Paia. So pretty! We did this about 10 years ago.
- Acid War Zone Hike
- Banyan Tree on Front Street– the biggest banyan tree in United States. Fun to see it with lights around Christmas.
- Luau– Old Lahaina Luau- this one they actually roast a pig in the ground and have activities going before you eat. And it is more buffet style. This is more of a classic Luau and we recommend this one for that reason. The entertainment is really good and you can sit really close, better views all around.
- Luau– Feast and Lele’s- this luau you sit down and they serve you, I did like the food here. The performance is on a stage and the fire show at the end probably made this Luau entertainment a little better then the one above.
- Ioa Makena State Park– Pretty views and easy hike
- Atlantis Submarine
- Kula Lavender Farm
- Molokini Island
- Maui Tropical Plantation– we did this last time we went. It was a beautiful spot. I would say do this if you are tired of the beach and seen all of the other sites above.
- Warren and Annabelle’s Magic Show
- Makena Beach
- Ioa Needle
- Hawaii Mermaid Adventures
- Maui Pineapple Tour
- Sugar Cane Train Christmas– We did this on December 31st, the kids loved it!
**We rent snorkel gear and boogie boards at Boss Frogs. We also rent paddle boards and kayaks from Island Rental, they deliver them to where you are!
Where we ATE in Maui and Top Recommended Places to EAT
- Gazebo for Breakfast (go early or plan on waiting an hour) You can also call ahead and order it to-go! Then sit right outside by the pool
- Mama’s Fish House (expensive, but worth it! Call ahead and make reservations before you travel!!)
- Leoda’s Pie Shop (not just pies, I had a yummy salad, tried the pot pie, the pork sandwich….ALL was amazing!!! My favorite more affordable spot.)
- Paia Fish Market
- Fleetwoods
- Monkey Pod try the lobster deviled eggs and the banana cream pie
- Leilani’s ALL the seafood dishes were amazing, we all got something different and taste tested! Plus shared the famous Hula Pie
- Manuela Malasada Co- “Maui’s best donuts! It is a little food truck on the corner of a gas station
- Hula Grill– I had a good Chinese chicken salad, it was a good restaurant by the ocean!
- Ululais Shaved Ice (best shaved ice)
- Baya Bowls food truck (for açaí and smoothies)
- Ono Tacos (food truck)
- Wow Wow Lemonade (the best açaí bowls)
- Flat Bread in Paia
- Banana Bread from Roadside stands
- Vegan Market at Kannapali
- Miso Phat Sushi
- Star Noodle tons recommend this. It was good….I have had better Pad Thai. The restaurant itself was pretty boring to me, I personally wouldn’t go back.
- Komonda Store (for donuts on a stick, go early)
- Maui Pineapple Store– the best pineapple juice (just pineapple, nothing else!) and this is where we shipped home pineapple to my parents
**We did go to the grocery store right when we got there. Our condo had a nice little kitchen. We mostly did breakfast in the condo for our family. We tried to keep that meal light and healthy. Then we would make lunches to take to the beach. Dinner we always ate out.
Where we STAY in Maui
Aina Nalu Lahaina by Outrigger– we always stay there. They have two bedrooms, kitchen, family room, two bathrooms and laundry. It is very affordable and right by Front Street. We could walk to Wailea Beach and dinner every night. They have some that are run thru air b&b and by Outrigger.
Honua Kai Resort– we stayed here the last time we went (2022) Short walk to the beach. We liked that we could cook meals on the nice patio, the pool was nice, food trucks were really close and Dukes restaurant.
Lahaina Shores– my mother in law and Kevin’s step dad stayed here last time they went and really liked it. Ocean view. Walk to Front Street.
Napili Kai Resort- we noticed that this was an affordable place to stay also. I don’t know much about it. But this option is RIGHT on the beach. So it depends on what you want to do!
Pics from our Maui Vacation-
Lahaina Front Street-
Maui Pineapple Store, right on front street. Cute shop and a healthy snack. This is where we shipped pineapples home from too.
D.T. Flemming Beach- Best for boogie boarding-
Best beach for boogie boarding! I really didn’t get a picture of it. But you can see all the people below waiting for a wave. I LOVE boogie boarding. Young and old all like doing it! D.T. Beach is also right next to the Ritz Carlton, so you can order drinks and food and bring it to the beach. My brother-in-law ordered sweet potato fries that were so good! And my mother-in-law always gets the kids pina colada drinks. (PS- find my swimsuit HERE and Lola’s HERE)
Hookipa Beach- to see all the turtles and watch the surfers
This was the previous time we went to Hookipa Beach (before we learned that you are supposed to stay 10 feet away from the turtles). Now they have a mini rock path to be a signal to keep back from the turtles.
Kapaula Bay- Best for Paddle Boarding, Snorkeling and Kayaking
Glass bottom kayaks! We rented them right on the beach for around $40 an hour, so much fun. Also paddle boards are there too. Good place to snorkel. Great for kids!! No big waves.
Black Rock Beach- best for snorkeling, jumping off rock, paddle-board
If you look out to the black rocks, that is where you can snorkel and jump off the rock!
The tough group who all jumped off the rock! Highly recommend if you have that burning desire:) I was so impressed that Ella did it! Crew is 7 and he jumped off the lower rock. We paddle boarded over there. Right by the rock is a great place to snorkel.
I snapped this picture when we got back from jumping off the rock. It made me tear up. I just have to say it gave me such an appreciation for each individual personality. I kind of have FOMO (fear of missing out or regretting things). I admire Danielle that she is a content person. She is happy to sit under the umbrella and watch. Many times on this trip I would rock Finn to sleep in the shade then I would try to find a comfy spot to lay him down so I could go in the water or go do something. She noticed I was looking for a spot to lay him and said “I’m not going anywhere, I will hold him.” After that first time Finn would find her and snuggle in when he needed a nap. One of the greatest gifts is to love someone’s child or children. She blessed me and him. And I grew an understanding for her personality and a love for our differences.
The water was SO clear and gorgeous! Paddle boarding was great here earlier in the day. Later in the day it got choppy. We ordered paddle boards as I mentioned above and they brought it right to our spot!
My Mother-in-law on the far right is 57, Kevin’s Aunt Velda in the middle is 60 and I am 37. Proof that age doesn’t matter. I will be doing a blog post soon on what we do for workouts, tips and eating! Stay tuned. (PS- my swimsuit is from here, same with the others).
Lahaina Shores Beach- Paddle Boarding and Kayak Tours
This beach is right off Front Street in Lahaina, easy to walk to from where we stay. You can rent paddle boards there too and many snorkel here, there is pretty coral and a monk seal that hangs out around here. We did a Kayak Tour from there also that was fun. Kevin and I also ran along this beach.
Whale Watching and Snorkel Tour- Captain Steves
We did the whale watching one day then the next day we did the longer snorkel tour to Lani. Loved seeing Lani up-close. And the snorkeling was so fun. We snorkeled at two spots, chased dolphins and had lunch on the boat. The second spot we snorkeled was right by the Maula Harbor where the ship wreckage was. They do snorkel different spots, depends on the tour.
Lanai is owned by Larry Ellison, pretty interesting to find out all about Lanai. He also owns that yacht, that has a sports court in it! There is a Four Seasons and a golf course on Lanai. And many suggested going to the cat sanctuary (over 600 cats there)! My in-laws have rented a car before and drove on the island. They said it was neat, but driving thru the villages was a little uncomfortable.
Finn got in the water with me for a minute then back in the boat while I snorkeled.
We got lucky and he let us dive off the boat in the middle of the ocean (not guaranteed every time) but a must do….so bring towels in case!!
Blow Hole and Heart-Shaped Rock
This was about mile marker 38. Such pretty views. Wear tennis shoes and it does get windy by the water and blow hole, you could bring a jacket but not necessary. We walked down right to the blow hole and took pictures and then to the right is the hear-shaped rock.
We did get a little wet! haha. Love Lola’s face.
See the ❤️ ?? You can get closer, we just didn’t with the kids.
IAO Valley State Park
Short hike, but very pretty. We had also done the one right before it the last time we were here and brought picnic lunches. It is a little longer hike, I recommend both!
(By the way….I learned my lesson after this. To stand where you want the photo taken and take one, then ask a stranger to take it where you did! For some reason we always get our feet cut off or half our body or not the pretty view that we had hoped for).
Above picture was at the first hike Wailuku at the Iao Valley State Park. Very fun, easy hike. I was about 7 months pregnant with Finn.
Very wet hike to Twin Falls (we did the upper falls). As mentioned above- make sure to bring a towel and wear Tevas because you walk through a river and it rains often there!
Where to EAT in Maui-
We walked down and got smoothies and açaí bowls at the Bay Bowls, a food truck close to Front Street. They were all very good and healthy!
Probably the most recommend place to eat! Mama’s Fish House. It is pricey. But so worth it. Make reservations before you even fly out! We didn’t get to go this time. We went the first time we ever went to Maui and loved it!
Fresh Maui Pineapple Juice, nothing added at Maui Pineapple Store. Cute pineapple shop! And owned by a blog reader!
Gazebo Restaurant (Fried Rice and Macadamia Nut Trio Pancakes were most recommended). So good!
We got macadamia pancakes to share. Only place we got them and worth the treat! We had such a big breakfast (and tons left over) that we didn’t eat until dinner!
Fleetwoods- Amazing View and Bagpipe Entertainment! Owned by singer from Fleetwood Mac! Kevin and I shared the special….
Part of the group at dinner at Fleetwood’s.
Leoda’s Pie Shop- we tried many pie’s (all good) had a salad and other lunch items (all good)
Yummy fish tacos from Paia Fish Market.
We had amazing fish at Leillani’s, everyone’s meal was tasty and beautiful ocean view. And they brought out the Hula Pie for my early birthday celebration!
My early birthday cake!
Ululani’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice was good. I actually NEVER get or eat shaved ice. Just not tempting to me at all. But I did try it. And Finn’s was my favorite. He got the rainbow with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on the bottom. There was a line, a popular place to be!
Manuela Malasada Co- “Maui’s best donuts! It is a little food truck on the corner of a gas station
And had to capture all the pictures of Finn getting in his daily nap. I would ask him if he was ready for a snuggle and I wrap him up in a towel, like a do with a blanket at home. Then turn on ocean sounds on my phone and put it right up to his ear. And he would fall asleep within 5 minutes.
Kevin holding sleeping Finn. And we couldn’t keep the umbrella under control one day. Ha! We can’t wait to go back! But first we have to forget the 10 hour flight home. It’s like child birth….we will want to do it again in a couple years! Share an Hawaii tips you have below!
PHOTOS-
Also I took ALL the photo’s on this blog post with my iPhone! Biggest tip is to CLEAN your lens before every photo!! I also used my Nesting with Grace Preset on every photo. You get 3 different vacations of the preset- the regular nesting with grace (the one I use for more home)- the warm nesting with grace (what I used on most of these, love it for people and outside) and the cold nesting with grace for images that are already pretty warm. Go HERE to read the blog on presets and purchase them (under $8!) The photo below I did brighten it up some too.
Shannon says
I love this post! We leave for Maui next Wednesday and this is going to be do helpful!!! Thank you 😊
[email protected] says
oh have fun!! Thank you!!
Sandy says
We are going to Maui in April and we are planning to do the road to Hana. Where did you stay overnight? I am still doing some research on the best place to stay!
[email protected] says
we actually didn’t stay overnight. Just others suggested that and didn’t say where. We just drove it in the day and it was totally fine
Maureen says
This post is filled with great information! Thanks for sharing through your eyes. So appreciate your trip and posts!
Terra says
Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful trip! It’s so inspiring and this single mama gets excited thinking about the day when I’m able to take my three on a trip like this🥰 Thanks for giving us sooo much great travel info to work with, Brooke!
Mother Henn says
You guys are the fittest family I’ve ever seen! Your MIL & Kevin’s aunt give me major incentive. And I have to say that pic of your SIL holding Finn and your words about her is so touching….I can relate. Nothing touches the heart quite like seeing family and friends love your children.
Heather says
Amazing Pics, so excited for the Fitness/Nutrition Post with your Aunt and Mother in Law. You three look amazing. Would be great to see three perspectives of healthy lifestyle from each of you, specially each of your prospective on nutrition and staying so lean. Will check the blog daily in anticipation. Thanks so much! Heather
shawnna Griffin says
hey girl- such a cool post! love the pics!
Casaundra Donahoe says
Did you see whales on the snorkeling trip with Captain Steve? We have to choose between the whale watching tour and the snorkeling trip….
[email protected] says
yes!! For sure! If they see whales they pull over and stop!
Amanda Coakley says
Maui is one of my absolute favorite places on Earth. And Mama’s Fish House – THE. BEST. Loved this post.
Trisha says
Cool Pics! I’m going in May for 10 days!!! I’m so excited 😆
[email protected] says
oh have fun!!!
Lynn W says
We love Maui too 🌈. Always there for the 1/2 marathon in October!
Great pics from your trip …..such a magical place to visit 🌴. Thanks for all the tips and information. Each time we learn of somewhere new to go or eat :). Mahalo 🏄♀️
Maureen Ellis says
What a fabulous blog and the pictures are wonderful. There can’t be any more we need to know about Maui and I would love to go there.
[email protected] says
oh thank you!!
KC says
I can’t wait to read the fitness and nutrition post!
Lonna Seger says
Thanks so much for sharing all this info and your pix! My husband and I would love to go to Hawaii, some day…! Can’t wait for the fitness part as well!
Julie says
Can’t wait to see your upcoming post on your workout! You all look so fit and muscular. I’m taking a wild guess that you’re doing cross fit?
Claudine Starkey says
Can’t wait! I go to Maui in April and I’ll definitely check some of these places out. On another note, I LOVE your photos and tried to follow your links to buy your Lightroom preset and it says it’s not longer available. Is there a still a way to purchase it?
[email protected] says
That Etsy account is having an issue. Check back in a couple days!!
Karen Strand says
We are going to Lanai and Maui the end of February. This post was so helpful! Thank you for taking the time to share all of this with us. I’m so glad your family had such a wonderful vacation!
[email protected] says
Oh yay!!! Have fun!!
Haley Winfrey says
I’m curious if you guys rented your unit through Airbnb or Outrigger? Our family is going in November and we’ve been researching the property for awhile now. There are mixed reviews on Outrigger online, but it’s cheaper than Airbnb units so I’m curious your thoughts. Thanks so much!
[email protected] says
We rented both ways. We didn’t have any issues at all with Outrigger! Nice that they are on-site too