We were ecstatic to have been able to return to one of our favorite places in the world this year! I know I said in previous Maui Travel Diaries that we were interested in visiting other Hawaiian islands (and we still are!), but we decided that continuing to stick with what we know and are comfortable with was the way to go this year with two tiny gals (ages 4 and 1).
I want to note that February is one of my favorite times to visit a tropical destination, mostly because the holidays are over and the weather is just kinda grey & bleak in the PNW so you’re not getting enough time outside. It’s nice to have something to look forward to after Christmas is over and the boost of Vitamin D (and Sea 😉) helps to get us get through the remainder of winter.
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~ disclaimer ~
As you are likely aware, Maui suffered a great catastrophe in 2023 — a tragic series of fires ripped through many portions of the island and completely obliterated the cherished historic town of Lahaina.
This is our second time back to visit Maui since the fire devastation and community members have been working hard to rebuild the thriving town of Lahaina over the past three years — I know the intention comes from a good place, but please support the island residents respectfully and don’t ask them about the devastation. It’s still painful for everyone. 🩷 Pule for Maui
WHERE WE STAYED
When we visited Maui in 2022 we stayed at the Wailea Beach Resort and while we were there we found that it to be such a great place to stay that felt both luxurious and kid-friendly so we decided that we would return (again!) for this trip. Because we were bringing two kiddos 4-and-under & wanted a relaxing visit, we thought that staying somewhere familiar would be our best bet (and we were right) — it was great!
Some of the reasons why we chose this location: on-site restaurants in case we didn’t feel like going anywhere, an on-site Starbucks (which I know feels like committing a sin when on Maui because you can get excellent coffee in Hawai’i, but when traveling with littles sometimes you need familiarity and ease), and the kiddo-friendly pools are a highlight since we planned to spend the majority of our time in or around the pool on this visit.
The ‘Ohi Pool was our go-to because it only goes to 4.5 feet at the deepest, is close to bathrooms & to the Kapa Grill (easy poolside food and drinks!), and it was a bit more of a relaxed vibe compared to the Nalu Adventure Pool.
The Nalu Pool area has a bunch of slides, fountains, waterfalls, and other playthings to climb onto that are SO. MUCH. FUN, but it can be a little overwhelming for tiny ones so while I highly recommend taking advantage of that super fun adventure pool, it’s so nice to have the more chill environment of the ‘Ohi Pool to spend time at too.
The Te Au Moana luau put on at the resort is just wonderful. The food is yummy, but the show is truly spectacular and having the ocean backdrop just makes it an unforgettable experience. You don’t have to stay at the resort to attend this luau, but in the interest of having easy access to your room after the luau is over (or even if your little one needs to go back to the room for any reason) staying on site can’t be beat.
Additionally, the Wailea area is absolutely lovely. There are lots of shopping & dining options and there are some nice sandy beaches (as opposed to some that are too rocky) on that part of the island.
ACTIVITIES
We kept our activity itinerary to a minimum on this trip as we wanted a relaxing experience (well, as much as you can when traveling with littles 🤪). We mostly took it easy at the resort pool and private beach, but we were still interested in doing a couple of special Hawai’i-specific activities with the girls while in paradise!
I have to say the at it was really fun to see all of Sophie’s swimming lessons pay off! We obviously still watched her like a hawk, but it was so nice to be able to enjoy the pool with her instead of just carrying her around the entire time (IYKYK 🫠).
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FAMILY PHOTOS
If you know me, you know that I love to have family photos taken when we travel (I cherish them so much!) and since we have already established a relationship with Jess at @mauifamilyphoto I knew for sure that we wanted to schedule another session with her on this trip. That was literally the first thing that I booked as soon we had secured our flights and hotel!
We had an incredible time with Jess — she has such a gift for capturing sweet moments and she helps you feel so at ease in front of the camera. I just shared a post with more information and some of the images from our session here, but you should definitely check out her Instagram profile or her website portfolio if you’re planning to travel to Maui soon and would like to have gorgeous photos taken to capture your family on the trip!
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WHALE WATCHING
Part of the reason why we decided to visit Maui in February is because it’s humpback season so we thought it would be great to take Sophie whale watching! We loved our experience with Ultimate Whale Watch & Snorkel on our first trip to Maui, but because their vessels are so small (which makes them easy to maneuver and you can potentially get closer to whales if they choose to approach you!) they don’t take tiny passengers (anyone under 4 years old, I believe).
On our last trip I found another highly rated whale watching tour that has slightly larger vessels so they accept passengers of all ages. We thought this was a great option if you have children in your party, but we still highly recommend the Ultimate Whale Watch tour for anyone over the age of 4. 😂
We had such an amazing time with PacWhale Eco Adventures — it was our first time ever seeing whales come so close to our vessel (which they did of their own accord; the tour boat stops within a safe distance) and it felt even more special because it was a mama with her baby! Whales migrate to these warm, shallow Hawaiian waters to mate and give birth, so there’s always a great chance of seeing baby whales this time of year.
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AQUARIUM
And of course, the Maui Ocean Center! This aquarium design is open to the outdoors between exhibit buildings so while it’s not fully enclosed it’s still a great option for little ones on a rainy or overcast day. Sophie snoozed through the whole experience on our previous visit so I’m happy that she enjoyed exploring this time. 😂 There are so many amazing things to see and learn — plus, there are delicious treats to indulge in like Dole Whip and Hawaiian shave ice!
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BEACHES
My husband isn’t a big fan of the beach and Chloe (1.5 y/o) is also a little weirded out by sand (understandable) so on this trip Sophie and I wandered down to the beach in the afternoons while my husband stayed with Chloe during her naps.
We spent most of our beach time near our hotel (Ulua Beach & Wailea Beach by the Wailea Beach Resort) as a matter of convenience, but we were also told that there are a few more beaches nearby that are great for little kids so we thought we’d check them out also!
The recommended beaches for kiddos are:
Palauea Beach
Po’olenalena Beach
Baby Beach
Lastly, if for some reason your kiddo gets tired of the pool or beach (HOW? 🤣), you can use the Playground Buddy locator app to find playgrounds near your hotel or dining destinations. Sometimes littles just need to run around and get their wiggles out!
WHERE WE ATE
Our only criteria was that the restaurant had to be kid-friendly (and nearly all restaurants are so it wasn’t that restrictive of a rule 🤭). We just wanted to be sure that high chairs were available — bonus points for Keiki (child) menus!
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It’s become a tradition for us to enjoy at least one meal at the famed Mama’s Fish House; it’s an institution on Maui and people often book their entire trips around eating at this restaurant! You can now book up to a year in advance so I highly recommend making arrangements as soon as possible. That said, you can occasionally get lucky and find a reservation on the day-of if you check their website as soon as they open (FYI: the smaller the group, the higher the likelihood that you’ll be able to find a table!). We always have our best meals on Maui there, and maybe arguably some of our favorite meals ever. Highly recommend enjoying a meal at this historic location because the scenery, food, drinks and service are all absolutely delightful.
We also had to pop by MonkeyPod for dinner and Mai Tais (which are our absolute favorite on Maui!). We’ve tried this tropical cocktail at every restaurant we’ve visited on island and they’ve all been great, but this one is hands-down our favorite. The menu is fantastic in its own right, but if you imbibe, you really need to try this Mai Tai.
Havens came highly recommended to us (their smash burgers in particular!) and it did not disappoint! We made a reservation for immediately after our whale watching tour because they are located in the same area and the smash burgers are only available on their lunch menu. It worked out perfectly — we’ll definitely be back!
The Pint & Cork Gastro Pub is within walking distance of our hotel and menu was still Hawaiian, even though the name of the restaurant implies that it may be more British in cuisine. We were also thrilled to find a spot with tvs to watch some of the remaining 2026 Winter Olympic events!
KAPA Grill is hardly the most gourmet option on the island, but if you’re staying at the Wailea Beach Resort they have a pretty solid menu that’s great for eating poolside or after getting out of the pool and you want to dry off a bit before heading back to your room. I especially adore their açaí bowl!
That said, I wouldn’t suggest making a special trip to eat at this location if you aren’t already staying on property.
Ululani’s Shave Ice continues to be a highlight! We tried a new-to-us location this time because the Kahului location we had visited in the past was closed (due to some flooding in the area). The Wailuku location worked out great for us on this trip because it has a little indoor seating area, which we appreciated since it was raining that day and we were heading to the airport.
Sophie decided on the Keiki Rainbow, my husband chose the Sunset Beach and I selected the Haleakala — we loved them all!
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OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LOCALS:
I’m hardly an expert on visiting this island because we haven’t had the opportunity to visit Maui nearly as often as we’d like to (this was our fourth time), but I’ve shared other Maui travel diary posts (here and here) as well as an additional post here about our experience on the neighboring island of Lana’i.
Sending hugs —
xx, Natalie
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