Maui is a gorgeous island, complete with beautiful beaches, emerald waters, balmy winds, and lots of palm trees! It has all the frills and fun of a popular tourist destination. But the best thing about Maui is you can go there and do absolutely nothing and still have an amazing time.
I am sharing our family favorite activities on Maui, from the road to Hana and hikes, to snorkeling tours and surf lessons.
If you are heading to the Big Island, be sure to check out this itinerary for a week on Kona. Or if you are heading to Kauai, check out our Kauai guide here.
We have been to Maui a few times now. On our first visit we did every tourist thing you can think of from:
- Glass bottom boat and yellow submarine or Kayaking
- Haleakala Volcano Tours
- Parasailing
- Road to Hana
- Snorkeling Molokini
- Surf lessons
- Luau
- Helicopter Tours
And so much more! We loved every moment of it, and I fell in love with the island.
One our second trip to Maui, we brought along some friends. We ate at amazing restaurants, watched professional surfers, snorkeled at Molokini, and enjoyed all the beautiful beaches.
When we decided to go in December, we had no plans, no agenda, and no schedule. We stopped in at Costco on the way to our resort grabbed some snacks and beach accessories, and spent the week having a blast together. We walked on the beach, boogey boarded, body surfed, barbecued at the pool, and ate at a few of our favorite restaurants.
It was bliss.
The thing is, Maui’s weather wasn’t perfect, and those emerald waters were actually kind of murky brown because it had been raining a lot, and there was a lot of run off. We got rained out a few times when we tried to go snorkeling. But honestly, it was one of the best weeks of my life. It was exactly what I needed.
Time. Down time.
My computer was never booted up. My phone was nearly dead the whole time, and I didn’t even care. I snuggled my kids. I actually got in the water and swam and played with them. I read a book. Actually two. Two totally pointless historical romances that made me happy and got left in the hotel lobby. And when we did go out, we made sure it was special and fun, complete with the best pina coladas in the world.
Where to Eat in Maui
Most of the time we were there we grilled at the pool, but the thing is, when I am in Maui I can’t pass up a meal at Duke’s and at Hula Grill! They both have insanely good Hula Pie, and great seafood. The service is amazing. The pina coladas are tasty. And everything on the menu is drool worthy. And then of course there is the ambiance. There is just something about being able to hear the waves lap up on the shore, and hearing tiki music, while sipping on a pineapple coconut drink, that brings instant relaxation.
Our favorite places to eat in Maui are:
- Mama’s Fish House: Get a reservation, it is expensive, but beautiful, and amazing. The atmosphere is awesome, and the food incredible.
- Duke’s: Get the hula pie.
- Hula Grill: Sister to Duke’s, and just as delicious.
- Nalu’s South Shore Grill
- T. Komoda Store and Bakery
- Gestes Shrimp Truck
- Coconuts Fish Cafe
- Leoda’s Pie Shop
If you haven’t been before, do yourself a favor and eat at Hula Grill. And life is too short to be on a diet, so order the hula pie, and all the other desserts on the menu. They are all amazing. The pineapple upside down cake…drool!
Family Friendly Activities in Maui
Anyway, we went to Maui for Christmas, and gave our family the gift of time together, and relaxation. Our favorite things to do in Maui are:
- Molokini & Turtle Town Snorkel Tour
- Go to Haleakala National Park
- Go to a Luau
- Maui Ocean Center Aquarium
- Road to Hana
- Eat at Hula Grill
- Underwater Submarine Adventure (great with kids)
- Snorkeling- We loved this Paddleboard Snorkel adventure
- Baby Beach (great with kids)
- Ziplining
- Bonus: Helicopter Tour
Pin to your VACATIONS board:
Shawn says
What an adorable family you have! I loved reading about your trip and all the fun things to do in Maui! One day I’ll be able to take all my kids there too! 🙂
Bailey Davis says
Oh I would love to go to Maui! So pretty! One day!
Melissa says
How expensive are activities to do while visiting Maui? Would it be the equivalent of a Disney Vacation for 5 days?
Thanks!
Rachael says
Melissa, we find Maui to be far less expensive then Disney, but that is partially because we spend a lot of time at the beach and pool which are essentially free once you are there. If you want it to be expensive, it will be. You can do all the tours and shows and spend a small fortune. Or, you can get a great condo for the week and spend your time playing in the free and natural beauty the island has to offer. You can drive road to Hana (gas and car rental), swim, hike, etc. So it is kind of up to you. What do you enjoy? We love the snorkel tours, which are going to be about $100 a person. We usually skip luau’s. We like to stay in a place where we can cook some of our meals, and often will BBQ at the pool for lunches. There is a Costco and many other big stores on the island, so we do a little grocery shopping. So sorry to not really answer your question, but it depends on you. So I say set a budget you want to stick to and you will be able to.
michelle says
where did you stay in maui, and how expensive and long is a flight? i am in michigan trying to plan a spring break vacation with family who has never been anywhere but florida to see relatives and stay in their house. so this would be our first time to go somewhere, would love to swim with dolphins, or snorkel, jet ski, para sail for kids, and night life for kids and adults any horseback riding on the beaches anywhere? any informatin on places to stay for 14 and 16 year old girls first vacation with mom and dad.
Rachael says
Michelle, I am so excited you are thinking about Maui for your first out of FL vacation, it is one of our favorite places to visit. So, flights vary in price based on time of year, connections, and where you are flying from. But I would use Skyscanner.com to look at the variations so you can pick something that works for your budget. It is about a 5 hour flight for me, but it would be longer for you since you are further away. Summers are going to be more expensive. I have found tickets for under $300 RT, but have paid a lot more too. So that varies I would say keep your eye open for a deal, sign up for alerts, and be open to creative flight routes to get there on a budget. If you are wanting to do all the tours you mentioned I would say you would want to stay near Ka’anapali as it is the area most of those tours will originate in. It is beautiful and has awesome beaches. We usually stay in Kihei which is a little less crowded but still has great amenities. The good news is that the island is relatively small, so no matter where you stay you will be able to get to the things you want to do with about an hour or so of driving. If you want to get deals on doing the things you mentioned I would look into maybe attending a time share presentation for discounted tour tickets, or booking online in advance and seeking out a multi-ticket package deal. I am happy to point you in the right direction for that. You could stay in a resort with an activities concierge if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of arranging. Or if you want to save some money you could book things yourself, and stay in a condo or an airbnb! Feel free to shoot me an email if you want more info.
mona says
HI! we are going to maui for christmas. I wanted to do a snorkel tour with the kids. Do you have one you can suggest? My kids are 7 and 10 and can swim.
Rachael says
We love the molokini crater and turtle town tours, there are a lot of different vendors, and we have used a few different companies, and haven’t had any issues. So I would say look for one that offers what you need (equipment, times, lunches, life vests, etc.)! Pride of Maui is the company we used last and it was great.
Stacey Van lente says
We are going to be staying in makaweo for 2 weeks at Christmas. We love waterfalls and hiking…recommendations? How about drier on Xmas eve and Xmas day? Thanks
Rachael says
Maui has a lot of wonderful hikes, but I am not sure what you are asking about a drier on xmas eve or xmas day. I would suggest doing Road to Hanna, as it is littered with gorgeous views and waterfalls. And there are plenty of little hikes you can take along the way.
Aubry Myers says
My family is going for Christmas this year. Any recommendations for Christmas Eve/Day dinners???
Rachael says
I haven’t been over Christmas, but I know some of the bigger hotels have great dinners.