Planning a trip to Maui with kids

If you know me at all – then you know how I feel about Maui. I grew up going there, I honeymooned there, and I travel there with my family as often as I can. Is it expensive? Yes! Is it worth it? Also yes.

But I totally get why people hesitate to book a trip here. For one, traveling there pretty much eats up an entire day (plus the journey home) and two, it’s expensive. But I still believe it’s worth the investment IF you do it right. For us, doing it right means:

1. Keeping expenses as reasonable as possible
2. Finding an amazing place to stay that also feels like home
3. Doing all the must-do things while not wasting any of our precious Maui time on things that are just “meh”

If you don’t know where to start – this post will help. Keep reading!

BUDGETING FOR MAUI

First things first – you need to create a budget. If you don’t have a budget, you can easily blow an ungodly amount of money on a Maui trip. Having a budget will also help you plan to optimize your time there, and make sure you don’t waste precious Maui time scratching your head on what to do next.

Here are the 5 main categories we budget for:

1. AIRFARE
2. LODGING
3. TRANSPORTATION
4. FOOD+DRINK
5. ACTIVITIES

Before we dive into each of those – I need you to keep these three things in mind:

THREE BIG MONEY SAVERS FOR TRAVELING TO MAUI:

1. Using airline miles to book tickets
2. Renting a condo instead of staying at a resort
3. Eating many meals/snacks at “home”

Depending on where you live, getting to Maui can be super pricey. We live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and recently, tickets have been around $1000-$1100 each.

Ouch.

That’s a lot. Thankfully, there is a silver-lining to my husband traveling so much for work and that is – building up a bank of airline miles that we can use for personal travel. If you have airline miles – using them for Maui can save you so much $$$ and free up that cash to be used on fun experiences and great dining while you’re there.

Don’t have enough (or any) miles saved up? I have a few pieces of advice:

• Go ahead and set up accounts with your most used airlines so you can start earning miles.
• Look into credit cards that offer big airline mile bonuses for opening a new card with them. I got 50,000 AA miles with my credit card and I earn more miles with every purchase. I’ve racked up about 67,000 miles in 8 months. That’s more than enough to get to Maui and back. Just use the card for purchases you’d normally pay cash or use debit for and then pay it off every month. It’s easy.
• Join the group “Travel Miles 101” on Facebook for lots of helpful advice on using miles for travel.

Where you stay is a HUGE decision to make and can really make or break your vacation. There are so many ways to “do” Maui. You can stay in a resort. You can stay in a condo. You can stay in a house. You can camp and stay in a tent.

First thing you need to ask yourself is how you want this vacation to feel. What kind of experience are you after?

If feeling pampered 24/7 is what you’re after – you might prefer a resort and Maui has some amazing ones.

If authentic and laid-back travel is your thing – you might opt to stay in a condo or a house.

If you like feeling in the middle of all the action – you might want to check out the big hotels on Kaanapali.

If you just want to experience Maui as cheaply as you can – a condo in Kihei may be your best bet.

WE STAY IN A CONDO for a few reasons:

1. Condos are generally much cheaper than staying in a resort.
2. You can save additional money by utilizing the kitchen in your condo and not eating every single meal out.
3. We love feeling at-home while we’re in Maui and are not looking for an ultra-pampered, touristy experience.
4. We feel like this is the best way to travel to Maui with kids. It’s just easy.

CONDOS – If you want to stay in a condo, here are the areas I would recommend:

1. Kapalua – Kapalua is a beautiful golf community that’s both upscale and family friendly. The condos are mostly not *ON* the beach, but most have ocean views and are a short, very doable walk to the beach (yes, even with kids). Pools tend to be more “no frills” but they’re generally not crowded which is nice and great for the kids. To learn more about Kapalua, you can visit here: https://www.kapalua.com
2. Napili – Most condos available to rent via VRBO.com on Napili Bay are at the Napili Shores condos. This complex sits on one side of the bay, right at the beach. Super convenient with kids! My one piece of advice – make SURE the unit you rent has A/C – especially if it’s in the summertime. There are two pools at Napili Shores and my kiddo has enjoyed them both. Another option is to rent at https://www.napilikai.com – this is a beach resort on the opposite end of the bay from Napili Shores. You can see from the video here how beautiful the bay is (and why it’s one of our favorite spots!)
3. Wailea – There are plenty of options for condos in Wailea – some within walking distance to the beach, and some are a little further away. Just make sure you know before you book! Check listings to see what pools look like at each complex.
4. Kihei – If you are really on a budget, this area always has cheaper condos to stay in. We have never stayed there, but it’s an option worth checking out!
5. Kaanapali – This is a VERY touristy spot but a good option if you like being around a bunch of action and well, a lot of people. The area has plenty of accommodations to choose from, many restaurants, lots of shopping, and a large sidewalk that’s nice for a stroll alongside the beach.

There are other areas of Maui that I love but don’t offer many condo options. Still, they are worth checking out to see if they fit the vacation vibe you’re going for.

1. Paia – The historic town of Paia is about as cute as it can be and has many houses and some condos you can rent. While it is quite a ways away from much of the other attractions in Maui, it offers a vibe that is hard to find elsewhere on the island. This is on the windier side of the island (Hookipa Beach is the windsurfing capital of the world) so be aware that beach days can be windy here and wave conditions can get dangerous – especially in the winter.
2. Upcountry (Makawao/Kula/Haiku) – We have never stayed upcountry, but we make it a point to visit each time.
3. Hana – if you really want to feel away from it all and don’t mind being hours away from pretty much everything else, Hana may be your best bet. Hana is a quiet, scenic town on the eastern shore of maui. The infamous road to Hana winds you through rainforests, by waterfalls, and shows you the most amazing island views. Most people who stay in Hana stay at the Travaasa Hana resort.

To read up on the different regions, visit here: https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/maui/regions

My favorite way to find condos is through VRBO.com. I simply plug in the dates, the area we want to stay in (i.e. Kapalua), I ALWAYS make sure there is A/C, and then comb through the listings to see which condo looks best and fits our budget.

Maui is a big enough island that you will want to rent a car. Just trust me here – Maui is an island to get out and explore!

Here are a couple things to consider when renting a car:

1. Don’t rent a giant SUV if you plan to do the Road to Hana. The smaller the car, the easier the drive. There will be times you have to throw your car in reverse to let cars coming in the opposite direction get by when the road narrows to one lane – all while hugging the side of the mountain (eek!). Trust me – the smaller the better on this drive.
2. If you want to splurge a tad – I highly recommend getting a Jeep! Yes, they’re more expensive than economy cars, but experiencing Maui with the top down in a Jeep is SO much fun, and makes time spent in the car a lot more enjoyable (IMO). Four door Jeeps are a great option if you have kids!

I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to spend my money eating out – I want that food to be GOOD. I want the whole experience to be good. We have eaten at many establishments in Maui and have our favorite places that we go again and again. We budget for these each time we go!

Dinner at Mama’s Fish House – worth every penny. I recommend looking at their menus/pricing and budgeting accordingly. https://www.mamasfishhouse.com/menus/

Two dinners at Monkeypod Kitchen – we love the open air atmosphere of the Kaanapali location. The No Ka Oi and White Walker cocktails are to die for! So good, we go twice. https://www.monkeypodkitchen.com/dine_ka_anapali

Two breakfasts at The Gazebo – our favorite banana macadamia pancakes on the island with a GORGEOUS view of Napili Bay. A relatively cheap eat on Maui! (Worth the wait, too…and there always is one)

Breakfast at Cheeseburger in Paradise – sitting on the top floor and enjoying the breeze (and yummy mimosas) is a great experience. http://cheeseburgernation.com/locations/cheeseburger-paradise-maui/

Dinner or lunch at Flatbreads in Paia – a great place for a low-key dinner of yummy pizza and cocktails! https://flatbreadcompany.com/locations/paia-maui-hi/

Luau at Old Lahaina Luau – there’s nothing like the Old Lahaina Luau. We go every. single. time. The atmosphere, the music, the people, the history, the dancing, the food – it just wouldn’t be a complete Maui trip for us without it. https://www.oldlahainaluau.com

Happy Hour snacks/drinks at Tommy Bahama – we tried this place last year and had such a great experience. We were there during Happy Hour so got great deals on appetizers and drinks. Super yummy and lovely atmosphere. https://www.tommybahama.com/restaurants/restaurants/wailea-hi.html

Spur of the moment treats/snacks/coffee – make sure you budget a little extra for shave ice, gelato, or whatever other snacks you enjoy + coffee!

We love Maui because it offers so much. If you want to have a quiet getaway – you can do that here. If you want to go somewhere that’s family friendly and fun for kids – you can do that here. If you want an adults-only getaway that you’ll never forget – you can do that here. YOU get to decide how you experience Maui. There’s plenty of activities for everyone. This is not a comprehensive list – but a starting point for you to consider when booking/planning activities.

Whale Watching or Dolphin Watching

Snorkeling

Beach-hopping

Kayaking/Canoeing

Fishing

Luaus

Biking

Road to Hana

State Parks – Haleakala and Waianapanapa

Shopping

Spa/Relaxation

Hiking

Surfing

Parasailing/boating/paddleboarding/other water sports

And don’t forget family photos! Here’s a photo from our most recent trip, taken by Heartstrings Photo Co.