Maui Kids & Family Fun
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Maui Kids & Family Fun |
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Things to Do for Families with Kids on Maui: Activities, Beaches, Shows, Nature, Restaurants, Shopping, and Lots MoreYou brought your children along to Maui. Now what are you going to do to keep them happy and entertained?Maui Ocean Center (aquarium) in Maalaea (south end of central valley of Maui) 270-7000 Excellent aquarium takes about two hours to tour. Includes exhibits about Maui’s sea life, including live fish, sharks, turtles, rays, and others. www.mauioceancenter.com Hawaii Nature Center on the road to Iao Needle from Wailuku 244-6500 Modern interactive science museum, with exhibits about Hawaiian flora and fauna. Guided hikes also available. www.hawaiinaturecenter.org Hike in the park in Iao Valley The Iao Needle is a 2,250-foot tall rock formation surrounded by lush green mountains, in the center of the west half of Maui, 22 miles from Kaanapali Beach. Free admission. The road into the Iao Valley begins in the center of downtown Wailuku. Take an umbrella, since there is often a light steady drizzle there. Walk along the path from the parking lot. There are great views from the top of the walkway, and a lovely stream to stroll by at the bottom of the walkway. Wear bug repellant for the walk by the stream. www.hawaiiweb.com/maui/html/sites/iao_valley_state_park.html Baby Beach in Lahaina (if they are too young for the waves at other beaches) Baby Beach has much calmer waters than most other beaches, because an offshore breakwater blocks many of the big waves from reaching the shore. This makes it a good place for children to go in the ocean, though even here they of course need adult supervision. Baby Beach is in the north part of Lahaina. Park on Kai Pali Street, just off of Front Street. See a different beach every day All beaches in Hawaii are public. Try out several beaches while you are on Maui. Each beach is different and each beach is beautiful. On West Maui (Lahaina side) I suggest Kaanapali, Kapalua, Olowalu (Mile Marker 14). On the south side (Kihei-Wailea) I suggest Kamaole III, Keawakapu, Big Beach. Snorkel (if they are old enough and well supervised) Rent your snorkel gear at Maui Dive Shop or Snorkel Bob’s for about half the price they charge at the big hotels. A good place to take children for their first snorkel is Baby Beach, in Lahaina, because the water is usually calm at that beach. (Baby Beach is in the north part of Lahaina. Park on Kai Pali street, just off of Front Street.) Other top snorkel spots on Maui are Black Rock (north end of Kaanapali Beach by the Sheraton), Mile Marker 14 (just south of Olowalu), Kapalua Bay, Honolua Bay, Makena Landing, and (a boat ride away) the island of Molokini. Hula show free at Lahaina Cannery Mall 661-5304 Weekdays have adult hula dancers, but young kids often enjoy weekends when the hula dancers are children. “Keiki” is Hawaiian for “children” so check for keiki hula shows. Schedule is at www.lahainacannerymall.com Luau at the Hyatt 661-1234 or Royal Lahaina 661-3611 These two luaus are more showy, so more entertaining for kids, (and less expensive for families) than the more authentic Hawaiian luau at Old Lahaina Luau 667-1998. You can usually get discounts on those hotel luaus (and other activities) through www.mauifun.net Pineapple Plantation Tour 669-8088 Maui Pineapple Company offers a 2½ hour tour of their pineapple fields in Kapalua (north of Kaanapali and Lahaina). You will learn all about pineapple growing, and taste just-picked fresh pineapple. www.kapaluamaui.com/activities/adventure/pineapple.html Dan’s Greenhouse 661-8412 At the corner of Lahainaluna and Wainee streets in Lahaina. Live birds and other animals and plants to see or buy. www.dansgreenhouse.com Under the Banyan Tree in Lahaina Younger kids just like running around here. Older kids like seeing the people as well as the giant tree. Hyatt Regency Hotel on Kaanapali Beach 661-1234 See the penguins, flamingos, swans, and crowned African cranes. Hyatt Maui Watch glass blowing in Makawao 572-4527 Hot Island Glass at 3620 Baldwin Avenue (call to confirm times) www.hotislandglass.com Swap Meet 877-3100 Great bargains and lots of choices of fun stuff to buy at this large flea market in Kahului on Saturday mornings. Good prices on T-shirts, jewelry, hand-painted shirts and dresses, flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables, and much more. http://www.mauiexposition.com Hilo Hattie stores Lahaina 667-7911 or Kihei 875-4545 Some of the best deals on kids clothes and souvenirs. Ulalena show 661-9913 Hawaiian history told in dance and old Hawaiian music, at the Maui Theater in Lahaina. Some kids love it though others are bored. www.ulalena.com Read the booklet “101 Things To Do On Maui” (free at brochure stands in the airport and at shopping centers). Let the kids spend an hour reading this booklet themselves and finding things they’d like to do. Dining ideas with the kids (or see lots more restaurant info in the Maui Restaurants section of this website): Carryout from Honokowai Okazuya 665-0512 Great family breakfast, lunch or early dinner at CJ’s Deli & Diner 667-0968 Fun family lunch or dinner at Bubba Gump 661-3111 Maui Tacos (good fast food) Napili 665-0222 or Kihei 879-5005 Cheeseburger In Paradise Lahaina 661-0830 or Wailea 874-8990 Hard Rock Café 667-7400 Good pizza, pasta, and fun Pizookie N Cream dessert at BJ's Chicago Pizzaria 661-0700 Discounts on many of the above activities at www.mauifun.net |
Copyright © 1998-2008 Jon Blum. All rights reserved.