Maui - NO KA OI (Is the Best)
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| Me and kids at Hyatt with flamingos |
Having lived on Maui for over a decade, I often get asked to recommend hotels, beaches, restaurants.
Although the restaurants change every few years, the beaches do not. I try my
best to keep up on the changes by visiting yearly :)
Here are some tips for Maui,
if you’re planning a vaca to the Valley Isle this winter.
Sunscreen, Sunscreen,
Sunscreen.
When you get off the plane and get your car, consider going
to Costco on the left if you’ll be
making meals in a condo. It’s cheaper than Safeway on the West side.
Kmart is also a
great stop for beach shoes, towels, snacks and snorkel stuff too.
We always make these two stops to load up.
Whale Season is
January to March, not usually before or after, no matter what is said. Whale
watches are usually successful. They are out there jumping, breeding, birthing
but you can catch awesome glimpses of them from the Pali (cliffs) on the drive
from the airport to the west side of Maui.
Just don’t stop all traffic trying to turn left on that twisty road. Another
great place to view whales is on the far north side of the island before the
road gets treacherous to navigate.
Beaches for young kids
Westside Baby Beach
– Lahaina - Off north front St. is beach access (look for the blue sign) near “Jesus
Coming Soon” Sign. Park on street and walk in to a sheltered long, beach facing
Lanai.
Very calm, shallow with nice view of Lahaina harbor and Lanai. Not good
snorkeling but at high tide it’s possible. No toilets or tables but there is a
shower. All beaches in Hawaii are public and must have access. This
is a great map of the west side.
Baby Beach – Sprecklesville – near Kahului Airport. Take road to Paia/Hana but just before Paia
turn left before big, modern sub-division.
This will be after turn to go up Haleakala. Drive down road towards ocean and turn right
to parking behind beach. The beach is in
front of Maui Golf and Country Club and parking is a bit tricky to find but
it’s a good secluded beach for kids if the wind is blowing off shore. There is a natural jetty that protects the
shoreline from waves.
Wailea beaches are good too on most winter days. Try next to the Intercontinental Hotel where
there is a public beach access sign and excellent parking. Good snorkeling in
there and restrooms. (I once took a young woman scuba diving there who had no
use of her arms and legs! It was tricky
but rewarding!)
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| Kapalua Bay |
Kapalua Bay
has a lovely little beach but you must get there before noon to get parking.
The access is north of the Napili
Kai Beach
club. Good parking and restrooms. The
best snorkeling is on the right side of the protected bay, just as the rocks
start to disappear on the surface. Experienced snorkelers will love going
around point to the north in amongst the rocks.
It’s a long way but gorgeous if the visibility is good. Turtles hang in
here.
Airport Beach,
north of Kaanapali is now called something Hawaiian but it has great parking,
rest rooms, showers and a good enough stretch of coral parallel to shore to
snorkel. Just north of Black Rock, across from the Sugar Cane train station,
turn towards the ocean. This beach can have surf but on a calm day it’s
wonderful.
Black Rock is
wonderful because of the sea turtles who seem to hang there daily. If the surf
is crashing in on Kaanapali
Beach in front of the
Sheraton, don’t bother.
Try parking at the 12 free spots just north of the valet
parking for Kaanapali Beach Hotel.
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| Olowalu Stop for Goodies |
Mile 14 marker at
Olowalu can be very good snorkeling although the beach is close to the highway.
Tide differences in Hawaii
are only 2-3 feet so low tide isn’t really an issue.
Restaurants –
These change with the seasons but we like the Hula Grill on Kaanapali Beach
at Whalers Village (lots of paid parking). The kids can play in the grassy area if you
get a table on the edge. The Barefoot
Bar next door has a sand floor which is fun too and you can get good pu pus
(appetizers) there. Sunset is visible
and they have live music. We used to let our young son play with his trucks under the table while we listened to music.
Go to Kaanapali Beach
Hotel for a drink and appetizers. The hula show at 7 is free and super fun.
Friday night is kids’ hula. Very cute to watch. This hotel is a wonderful throw
back to the old Hawaiian style. Love it. The restaurant is very good too.
Hailiimaille General
Store if you are over near Kahalui or Sprecklesville at lunch. It’s out of the way but renowned and a fun,
funky place. If you’re over on that side go watch the surfers past Paia .
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| Cheeseburger in Paradise with once teenage son |
Avoid Front
Street for meals if you can – it’s really
pricey. Although Cheeseburger in Paradise is fun if you don’t mind paying $12 for a burger. Longhi’s
is world famous for pasta. I like Aloha Mixed Plate in Lahaina or Mala, next door. Also Cezanne's.
Hard Rock Café or
Bubba Gumps is good for kids at the
north end of Lahaina at Front St.
Thai restaurants on Maui are
good too. I like Siam Thai Cuisine
in Wailuku if you’re over there at the Iao Valley. I like the walk around the Iao Needle. It shows you the true Hawaiian foliage and
jungle feel of the islands. Wailuku is
most like old Hawaii
and the Iao Theatre is a fabulous
old theatre featuring plays, on Market
street.
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| Makawao Malasadas |
If you’re in Makawao
or upcountry at lunch or dinner Poli’s Mexican is great food and kid
friendly. Makawao is a cowboy/ artsy
town with lots of art in galleries.
Kihei has a Poli’s
too - at Sugar Beach (north Kihei).
For finer dining and a real treat we love the Plantation House Restaurant on the
Kapalua Golf Course – go at sunset. Food
is exceptional and kids are welcome.
Drinks at the Grand
Wailea in Kihei, The Ritz in Kapalua, or The Hyatt Hotel is fun.
The Hyatt pool is fabulous for kids and adults!! Take the
kids to see the penguins and flamingos and let them swim in the kiddie pool
while you have a Mai Tai. Parking at the back of the hotel is free.
Parasailing just
off Kaanapali Beach in front of Leilani’s at Whaler’s
Village is great. It’s a happy face
parachute. Not scary at all. They have a
tandem set up so you can go with your child.
I think Condos
are essential with kids
Look online for deals
We like Lahaina side because that’s where I lived. The weather can be nicer, depending on time
of year.
North of Lahaina (Kaanapali to Kapalua) April-October sunny
and nice but rainy in winter. Recently
I’ve stayed at Maui Eldorado which I found online somewhere. We stayed in a beautiful 1 bedroom looking at
one of the 3 pools and facing the ocean.
You have to walk through the golf course to get to Whalers village and
the beach but we loved it and the price was right.
Napili is kind of secluded and too far away from stuff we
like to do but cooler for sleeping and more quiet than anything in Lahaina.
Kihei is the other tourist side - down south and has lots of
good condos. Families love Kihei for the beaches.
Kamaole Sands condos are clean and nicely appointed. Few are actually on the ocean side of the
road. You’ll go to the beach every day
and be out in the car anyhow so ocean view may not be essential.
A rental car is
absolutely necessary. Public
transportation is poor at best.
If you’re staying in Kaanapali at one of the large hotels,
there is a nice boardwalk along the beach connecting to Whaler’s Village.
Sharks – There are VERY few shark attacks in the Hawaiian islands. The water is very safe. That said, stay out of murky surf at sunset, just in case. If you find yourself eye to eye with a shark, feel free to hook the eyes and dig.
Do an introductory
scuba dive while there. Off a boat
is more fun, easier and cost effective than from a beach. You'll see so much and have a wonderful time.
Souvenirs at Hilo
Hatties or ABC stores. Cheaper.
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| The Road to Hana |
The trip to Hana
is fantastic but difficult with small children because of the long drive. It’s very winding and twisty and car
sicky. There are lots of pullouts and
waterfalls to look at along the way.
Start very early and zoom on through or be prepared to be on a long
string of cars trying to get to Hana. Visit the general store while in Hana.
George Harrison used to live a few miles down the road. If you save the
sightseeing for the way home, you’ll beat everyone else.
Go the extra few miles to Oheo Gulch or Seven Sacred Pools
and if you have time I highly recommend the hike up to the waterfall through
the bamboo forest. The black sand beach
is interesting at the Black
Sand Beach
Park with a nice walk
along the cliffs.
Don’t drive the southerly back way to Kihei even though it
looks shorter. It’s not. The road is very bad and a rental car company will not
come if you have a breakdown.
If you love to hike –Haleakala Crater
is wonderful! Try to get as far as you
can into the crater so you can really experience the desolation inside. Sturdy shoes necessary as well as warm
clothes. Two months before going, enter
your name in the monthly lottery to get a cabin (very, very rustic) in the
crater. There are 3 cabins in the crater
that hold about 12 people on bunks and are found through the park service.
Sleeping bag necessary.
The
Ocean
Center in Maalaea is a
good rainy day activity with kids.
While on Maui, read
THE DREAM JUMPER'S PROMISE.
It's a mystery suspense novel, set on the West Side of Maui and is scheduled to begin shooting for the film version in 2018.
Find it here on Amazon
Have fun and try not to do too much while on Maui. Relaxing is as important as seeing everything.
Kim
KIM HORNSBY is an Amazon #1 Bestselling Author who lives in Seattle, writing Suspense and Romance. Find her on
Amazon to see how she opened shows for Jamie Foxx and The Smother's Brothers in Hawaii, then became a novelist.
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Lynn was waiting at the curb with her little rescue dog, JoJo, who did not want us getting in the car and tried to escape if we were getting in. Six months ago, I had found him at a petfinder event and forced him on Lynn who'd just lost her beloved Spaniel, Spencer, so having JoJo terrified of me was a bit disheartening. I jumped in the driver side so Lynn could hold her devoted buddy who kept looking at me and Cresty like we were airport carjackers.
