Maui Travel Guide

Maui is our family’s favorite travel destination! We have been three times as a family and once as a couple. It’s the only trip we’ve been on that we come back not feeling like we need a vacation from our vacation! We feel rested, rejuvenated and ready to tackle life again!

When we go, we like to stay in Kapalua. It’s a quiet town, close to shopping, restaurants, and many must see places. It’s not as busy as some other tourist spots like Wailea and Lahaina.

I recently shared some of our favorite places in Maui on my Instagram account. The feedback was so positive and I received so many requests to write a blog post about it so you can refer back to it if you would like!

So today I am sharing our Maui travel guide. These are all of our favorite places and destinations when we visit Maui as family. We have five children and have taken our kids since our youngest was three. I know your family will fall in love with this beautiful island!

Our favorites are broken down into categories for your convenience! There are many more amazing places on Maui, these are just our absolute favorites to do as a family! Enjoy and book your trip!

Favorite Things to Do

Places to Stay

Napili Kai Beach Resort {located in Kapalua}

This resort is great for kids! The views are incredible and their rates are pretty affordable. It is situated on one of our favorite beaches, Napili Kai. The waves are perfect for kids to boogie board. You can snorkel right in the bay too.

The hotel has boogie boards and snorkel gear for guests to use. They also have beach chairs and umbrellas. There is a putting green and 3 pools. Their on site restaurant is really nice for breakfast.

Montage Kapalua {also located in Kapalua}

This place is unreal! It’s a splurge, but if you can make it happen, do it! You won’t be sorry! If you can’t stay here, at least come stroll around the property and stay for breakfast or dinner in their restaurant, Cane and Canoe. The breakfast is amazing! We love their avocado toast, cinnamon rolls, smoothy bowls called acai bowls, and their fresh complimentary muffins.

The pools are spectacular! When we stayed there this Spring with our kids and we only went to the beach 3 times because they are so fabulous! The pools over look the ocean and are like swimming in a bathtub. Their poolside menu is delicious. Especially their chicken nachos, smoothies and macadamia nut cookie sandwich!

Enjoying the view off the Montage deck.

Each guest is welcomed with a lei or a necklace.

The Acai Bowl

Avocado Toast

Macadamia Nut Cookie Sandwich

Sunset at the Montage

Places to Eat with Kids

Leoda’s {They have the best pies and yummy home style dishes. I love the spicy tuna salad and the chocolate macadamia nut pie and the banana cream pie}

Pineapple Grill

Hula Grill

Kane and Canoe {More pricey but the best view with the best food!}

Plantation House

Cool Cats {Such a fun place to eat with kids! The best burgers and shakes!}

Sale Pepe {Delicious pizza!!!}

Places to Eat without Kids

Mama’s Fish House {My favorite restaurant on the island! Book far in advance!}

Mama’s is nestled in a cove with a beautiful beach! You can see turtles and windsurfers from the shore!

Their lava flow is the kid’s favorite!

Merriman’s {Amazing sunset views and the best food! Book in advance too!}

Beaches

Napili Kai – in Kapalua

Kapalua Bay Beach – in Kapalua

The kid’s love to boogie board and snorkel here!

Big Beach – in Wailea

This photo says it all! Big Beach is heaven!

Hikes

Twin Falls – Bring a few towels, wear water shoes or flip flops, wear sunscreen and bug spray. Just a short 1-2 mile hike to a beautiful water fall. You can swim under the waterfall!

The Trail from The Montage Kapalua to The Ritz – this is a gorgeous, simple hike! We love walking with the kids in the morning and also in the evening. It takes you along the ocean, past a few remote beaches. The kids love it!

You hike through these gorgeous Hawaiian plants, right along the ocean!

Then come upon this gorgeous, quiet beach!

The cliffs with stunning rock formations won’t disappoint either!

Things to Do

Snorkel with the turtles in Kapalua Bay

Boogie Board at Napili Kai

Eat! (see our favorite restaurants above)

Swim in the pools at The Montage

Shop at Whaler’s Village, Lahaina and the shops in Wailea

Drive the island

We stumbled upon this incredible lava beach south of Wailea just driving around!

Whale watch – we love Captain Steve’s tour

Lay at the beach (see our favorite beaches above)

Hike (see our favorite above)

Helicopter Tour of the Island and Cliffs

Zip Line – we have never been able to do this because our little kids weren’t old enough. It’s on our list someday!

Watch the surfers at Jaws

Look for Turtles in Ho’okipa

Watch the sunsets in Kapalua

Watch the sunrise on top of Haleakala – we haven’t done this! We always sleep in, but we have heard it is amazing!

***If you are planning a trip, you must get this book, Maui Revealed! It is filled with secret places, good directions, restaurant suggestions and pretty much anything you need to know about this beautiful island!

Favorite Things to Pack

Over the years, we have learned that there are some things you don’t want to forget when going to Maui! These are all of the things we pack as a family to make our trip more enjoyable!

Dresses

I love to wear dresses in Maui! They are so comfortable, plus they make you feel like a true Hawaiian girl! Here are some of my favorites.

Sandals for Dinner

I like to wear a dressy sandal to dinner. Below are my favorite, comfortable options.

Coverups

Bring a few cover up options. You live by the water, but want to cover up when you go eat or stroll around your hotel. Don’t forget some more casual options for the beach and pool and some dressy options for going out.

I love to wear these shorts with a tee shirt to the pool. They are so cute and comfortable! Here are a few of my favorite coverup options.

Swimsuits for Her

Swimsuits for Him

If you haven’t noticed the swimsuit length for men has inched up dramatically! Chubbies and Penguin are my son’s and husband’s favorite kind of suits.

Swimsuits for the Kids

My kids love crazy prints on their swimsuits. Here are some of our favorites.

Flip Flops

You want to pack ones that you can get wet on the beach or at the pool. These white and gold flip flops, are the ones I brought this year and loved!

For my boys, I love using Rainbow’s for everyday and these for the beach.

Water Shoes

Water shoes are a must for hiking the Twin Falls trail and many other places on Maui.

Sunglasses

You won’t be sorry if you pack a few pairs! Here are some of our favorites…

Sun Hats

I LOVE wearing a sun hat and the beach or at the pool! They protect your face and look darling!

Sunscreen

This is probably the most important item you will bring! The sun is so powerful in Maui! You have to apply your sunscreen BEFORE you head out and every 2-3 hours to keep yourself from burning!!! I like to pack aloe vera just incase. Spray sunscreen is being banned in Maui in the next few years. We love using the lotion kind because it is better for the environment, it is more protective, and feels better on your skin.

My husband loved this brand. It didn’t feel greasy, and protected him from burning. I loved using this as a base and then touching up throughout the day with this oil. For my face I use this coverup that has sunscreen in it. I will touch up throughout the day with this and wear my sunhat for more protection.

For the kids, I love this sunscreen for their bodies and this sunscreen stick for their faces. Surf shirts are also amazing for keeping them from burning.

Beach Bag

You will definitely need a beach bag – preferably one that can fold in your suitcase. This is the beach bag I brought this year and loved! It held so much and didn’t take up hardly any room in the suitcase.

Here are a few more options…

Beach – Pool Toys

Wherever we go, we bring Smash Ball Paddles! We have two sets and extra balls. We have spent hours upon hours, playing as a family! They don’t take up a lot of room and the kids love playing!

We also bring baseball mitts and a baseball. There are so many places at the beach and in grassy areas to play.

Pack goggles for the beach and pool. The kids love wearing their’s at the beach to look for shells.

I hope you get to visit Maui soon! Please let me know when you go and what you loved about it! It’s one of our favorite places in the world! I hope this guide helps you create a trip you will remember forever!