It’s no secret that Maui is a popular family vacation destination. But there are some hidden places families may often overlook when planning their itineraries. Lucky for them, I’m not good at keeping secrets. Here are three of my favorite places in Maui.
1. Kahekili Beach Park
This became one of our favorite beaches in Maui, by default. We gave up trying to find free parking at the more popular Kaanapali Beach nearby, so we drove on to Kahekili Beach Park instead. We loved that this beach was quieter, but still had the conveniences of a bathroom, picnic tables, barbecue pits, and a parking lot. When you’re traveling with young kids, these are all a godsend. The snorkeling is also good and it makes the best location for a sunset dinner. And by sunset dinner, I mean a picnic of take-out food from Maui Tacos.
2. Upcountry With Kids
I put off a visit to the upcountry region of Maui, because I wasn’t sure if was going to be to my son’s liking. I had read about the pineapple wineries and the rolling countryside, but it didn’t sound like kiddie paradise. I loved to be proved wrong. We spent a very relaxing Sunday afternoon at the Alii Kula Lavender Farm and the Kula Botanical Garden. Both places had plenty of activities to keep kids busy: scavenger hunts, poi fish to feed, brownies to eat. I truly wish I could spend more Sunday afternoons walking in fields of lavender, through bamboo tunnels and sitting pretty while I sip my lavender tea and gaze out over the Pacific Ocean.
3. Hawaii Nature Center
I’m a sucker for a good education center, so of course I loved the Hawaii Nature Center. On the way up to Iao Valley State Park, most people will drive past this place. They shouldn’t. Kids (and parents) can get a bit more out of their Hawaiian vacation than boogie boards and shave ice. At this center, they learn about the flora and fauna of Hawaii with hands-on, engaging exhibits.
This post was inspired by Lorraine at Keeps Me Smiling, who gave me a little shoulder tap in a game of blogger tag that began with Katie at Tripbase. Lorraine shared her secrets learned while on a trip to Novia Scotia with her family and inspired me to go. She then tags me and other bloggers to share their travel secrets. Now I’m ready to tag a few more fellow bloggers because I can’t wait to read what they have to share. I’ll keep this post updated with my tags as well.
Tagging Sharlene from Double Adventure: She shares all the wild O.C. secrets.
Tagging Mara at Mother of All Trips: She shares family travel wisdom.
