Perfect Days With Kids

Maui

South Shore	Lahaina & Kn'anapali	Hanakao'o Beach to Kahehili	Kipahula to Kaupo
North Shore & Road to Hana	Northwest Coast Adventures	Molokai	Lanai

Perfect Days with kids requires some special planning and a good grasp of the incredible variety of things that you and your kids can see and do together on Maui, Moloka’i and Lana’i. Hopefully we can inspire you to take your children or grandchildren to these islands armed with activities and confidence that everyone will have a great time and want to do it again, soon.

Maui is a marvelous playground for kids of all ages, energy levels and interests.
Parents that love beach activities, snorkeling and other watersports, boating trips, kayaking, hiking and maybe camping, bicycling, and maybe horseback riding, and have children that also really enjoy some of these activities, truly are in luck. Some parents and kids also may spend a great deal of time together on golf courses or tennis courts. Families staying at resorts on Maui and Lana’i may leave younger kids in excellent keiki (children’s) programs for part of the day.

The places and activities for families with kids singled out in this section of Perfect Days run clockwise around Maui, the same way that Perfect Days on Maui is organized: from South to West Maui, Central Maui to the North Shore and Upcountry, and then on the road around the East Coast to Hana, and from there around the Southeast Coast back up the slopes of Haleakala to Kula and Upcountry.

Moloka’i is a fantastic island for children older than about 8, full of adventure activities that they’ll never forget. Perfect Days with kids on Moloka’i follow the same paths as the rest of Perfect Days. On Moloka’i, starting in Kaunakakai, we take families to activities that will appeal to children in three directions - in the East, Central and Western parts of the island.

Lana’i is ideal for teenagers with adventuresome spirits who can appreciate exploring geological or archeological wonders, challenging hikes, maybe camping under the stars, and four-wheeling it over rugged trails that lead off-road to beautiful, deserted beaches, ancient villages, scenic valleys and highlands populated by wild game.

Although on both Lana’i and Moloka’i day-trips will work fine with kids, we recommend longer stays on each island if at all possible. View Moloka’i and Lana’i like family adventure camp trips, with or without camping. Both islands also offer very reasonably priced hotel and vacation rental units suitable for families as well as first-class resorts and dining.

Take cameras (the kids should have their own) and make sure that everyone in the family has plenty of photos to show when you get back home. Print out Drive Guide’s Maui, Lana’i and Moloka’i maps to use for navigation and as a record to show where you’ve been driving, bicycling, snorkeling, surfing, bodysurfing, hanging out and taking photos.

Maui

Introduction

Maui is all about fantastic beaches, snorkeling, bodysurfing and places to take a picnic break, with or without restrooms, picnic tables, etc. For kids, however, you want to pick out only the coolest spots, not just any gorgeous beach.

1. Surf, body surf, maybe try windsurfing or kitesurfing, snorkel, picnic and sometimes just watch the pros at Honokohau Bay, Honolua Bay, and D.T. Fleming Beach on the Northwest Shore, Big Beach on the South Shore, and Kanaha Beach and Ho’okipa Beach on the North Shore.
2. In calm waters (only), swim, snorkel and picnic at Mokule’ia Bay, Kapalua Bay, and Napili Bay on the Northwest Shore, Kahekili Beach, Black Rock, Olowalu Beach, and Coral Gardens on West Maui, Keawakapu Beach, Mokapu Beach, Ulua Beach Park, Wailea Beach, Polo Beach, Makena Surf, and Malu’aka Beach on the South Shore, and Hamoa Beach in Hana.
3. Save snorkeling at Coral Gardens, Turtle Town and other locations for Barefoot Hawaii rafting, kayaking and boating excursions (see for example, http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/bluewater_raft_maui.html)

If your children are 12 or older, we recommend:

• half- and full-day guided hikes into the mountains and ridges, valleys, rain forests and redwood forest of Polipoli, trails into Haleakala’s crater, and places with rare birds, waterfalls, ancient villages and remote coastal areas with knowledgeable guides from Hike Maui, Hawaiian Hiking Company, Maui Eco Adventures, and Maui Troopahz (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/hiking.html);
• an adventuresome hike plus a zipline excursion over tree tops with Skyline Eco-Adventures (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/skyline_eco_adventures.html);
• ATV tours over ranch lands for kids over 16;
• Hummer or Jeep trips (OK for children over 5, see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/haleakala_atv.html);
• Arrange for instruction in snorkeling, diving, surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, kayaking, horseback riding, and golf or tennis;
• In addition to tennis courts at resorts, use excellent public tennis courts in Kihei (Kalama Park and Waipualani Park), Lahaina (Malu’uou o lele Park), and Hana (Hana Park);
• Play golf and get instruction at Elleair Maui Golf Club and Dunes at Maui Lani (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/main/golf_paradise.html and http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/golf_secrets.html).

Guided Activities

For children (and their parents) Maui, Moloka’i and Lana’i are adventure playgrounds for exciting outdoor activities like sailing, ATV riding, jetskiing (as a passenger), hiking in rain forests and places to learn how to snorkel, surf, kayak, parasail, fish, ride horses, and more. You can hike, kayak and explore Maui, Moloka’i and Lana’i on your own or use local guides, tour with small groups and experience these islands in places and ways that you’re unlikely to by yourself.

Any of the activities for families and kids listed below can be booked before arrival on Maui or afterwards. Be sure to find out if these activities have availability on the days that you want them and then reserve places for your family as soon as possible. The most popular activities and tours frequently fill up.

1. Trilogy Discover Lana’i Adventure Trips with snorkeling in Hulopo’e Bay, BBQ chicken lunch on shore, dolphin watching with a naturalist, a guided jeep safari around Lana’i (free camera), beverages and snacks all day, and whalewatching December-April (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/trilogy_lana’i.html)
2. Molokini trip with Pacific Whale Foundation in an eco-friendly catamaran with a sidetrip to see wild spinner, bottlenose and spotted dolphins (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/pacific_whale_lana’i.html)
3. A sailing adventure on Maui’s fastest catamarans for snorkeling or whalewatching (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/sailing_maui.html) and (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/paragon.html)
4. Underwater viewing on the Reef Dancer submarine or aboard the Atlantis submarine (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/subs_maui.html)
5. Jetski as a passenger with mom or dad for children under 18 (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/pacific_jet_sport.html)
6. Learn to surf or windsurf at classes and camps (all ages and instructors will look after your kids; see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/surfing_maui.html)
7. Learn how to kayak – and snorkel (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/kayaks_maui.html)
8. Learn how to fish for the big ones (with dad and/or mom; see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/sport_fishing.html)
9. Ride a cruiser bicycle down Haleakala (12 and over; see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/bike_maui.html)
10. Learn how to horseback ride on easy-paced scenic excursions (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/horseback_maui.html)
11. Take a guided hike or mule ride down the cliffs to Moloka’i’s former leper colony on Kalaupapa Peninsula (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/moloka’i.html)
12. Hike in a rainforest and then kayak along Kapalua or take a Haleakala cloud forest hike combined with a helicopter tour (8 years or older; see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/maui_eco_advents.html)
13. Bike, kayak and otherwise explore Moloka’i’s natural and historic attractions (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/moloka’i_outdoors.html)
14. Hike the rainforests and to the waterfalls of Kipahulu Valley and see the fantastic backside of Maui (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/hiking.html)
15. Take an adventure excursion to Nakalele Point, Kahakuloa and around the North Coast to Wailuku (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/maui_eco_advents.html)
16. Ride a Skyline EcoAdventure Zipline through the Haleakala rainforest starting with an upcountry hike (12 years and older; see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/skyline_eco_adventures.html)
17. ATV ride through Haleakala Ranch (16 years or older) or take a jeep or pinzgauer ride (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/haleakala_atv.html) and http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/maui_atv_tours.html)
18. Paraglide in tandem over Haleakala’s slopes (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/proflyght_maui.html)
19. Ride the Lahaina Ka’anapali & Pacific Sugar Cane Train at dinner time with an all-you-can-eat BBQ dinner and live Hawaiian entertainment (Thursday only) and otherwise take a daytime ride (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/sugarcane_train.html)