Maui - the Island of Adventure

Soaring high over the ocean with a parasail, surfing on top of the waves, and submerging 130 feet below, Maui offers more family fun adventure than you can fit in a week!

Our family had the opportunity to explore the island for a week and we were immersed in Hawaiian culture, food and experiences that created a newfound love of the island!

There is so much to do that I wanted to break it down for you to plan your trip. Here are our TOP 10 picks for the island of Maui:

Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa: Let's start with where to stay! Set on 40 acres of oceanfront property, this resort feels like paradise! With the perfect location in Ka’anapali, it is central to all the family fun adventures listed below, or you can just hang out on the property and enjoy all the resort activities. On-site amenities include 6 free-form pool areas with waterfalls, 8 dining and beverage outlets (including Ululani, the best shave ice on the island), Hyatt Kids Camp, daily fitness classes, Penguin feedings twice a day in the lobby, basketball and tennis courts, and so much more! Be sure to check out their website for all the details! (The Hyatt is also home to the Drums of the Pacific Luau, listed below). View more photos of stay at the Hyatt on the Macaroni Kid Lodi Instagram Page.
Atlantis Submarine: this undersea adventure takes you 130 feet below the ocean surface where we were mesmerized by natural coral reefs, fish and other marine life. Fish were coming right up to the window and giving us quite a show! The tour also the Carhaginian, a sunken replica of a whaling ship that has now become home to sharks and fish. This is an unforgettable experience to really discover what’s under the glorious ocean. Check out more photos from this adventure on the Macaroni Kid Lodi Facebook page.
Maui Surf Lessons: When they told me that they believe everyone can learn to surf, I was sure that didn’t mean me… BUT, they were right! Our whole family got up on multiple waves during our 2-hour private surf lesson. The instructor gave us some basics on the beach and then got us right out into the water! Maui is the perfect place to learn to surf, with warm waters and a variety of beaches with different style waves, it’s great for beginners, experts, and everyone in between. This experience definitely created a love of surfing for me and my family.
Pride of Maui - Molokini Snorkel Adventure: This was by far the most exceptional snorkel trip I’ve ever been on, visiting 2 world-class snorkel sites, Molokini Crater and Turtle Town. Maui Pride is a fun catamaran and we had the BEST features and amenities on our boat:
- all snorkel gear provided (and flotation devices)
- Snuba and underwater camera rentals
- Impeccable service and crew
- free breakfast
- BBQ lunch
- open bar
- super water slide
- warm freshwater showers
- glass bottom viewing
- and much more!

Boss Frogs - With 10 rental shops throughout Maui, it easy to get set up with your snorkel gear no matter where you’re staying. Snorkeling is one of the most affordable ways to have fun in Hawaii! Almost anywhere you go on the island, there is a great snorkeling beach nearby, and the staff at Boss Frogs gave us some local pointers to find some extra special snorkel sites with sea turtle encounters! Always check their website and social media pages to find any discounts or promotions they are currently running. Their expert staff fitted us with our snorkel gear (which we rented for a full week). The gear included a mask, anti-fog solution, snorkel, fins, and floatation belts for the kids. Their stellar service has made me a lifetime customer whenever we are on the islands again! Our top snorkeling beaches were Black Rock (4 sea turtles were just hanging out in the shallow waves) and Canoe Beach (over a dozen turtles frequent the coral on the south side of the beach).
Drums of the Pacific Luau - What is Hawaii without a traditional Luau? With the sound of the conch, the beating of the drums, the echos of the Hawaiian chant and the lighting of the torches, we were ushered into Hawaii’s most exciting Luau. We were entertained all evening with authentic songs and dances that taught us all about Hawaiian culture. View more video and photos on the MacKid Instagram page.
UFO Parasail - Flying high over Maui was a fun and spectacular experience! The ocean water was crystal clear and from 1200 feet in the air, we could see all sorts of fish. We went two at a time, so my husband and I each got to enjoy this activity with one of our children. Our guide and driver were both amazing, and gave us an unforgettable dip into the ocean on the way down!
Maui Ocean Center - This aquarium is an amazing representation of what the surrounding ocean holds! The Maui Ocean Center has brought in a reef and it has grown throughout their exhibit, and all the fish and wildlife within the aquarium have come from the ocean around Hawaii. We took the Behind the Scenes tour where we got to see first hand all the work the Ocean Center invests in marine life. This place was awe-inspiring, to say the least, and we truly enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the animals that live in Hawaii, feeding turtles, sharks and even petting a jellyfish!
Road to Hana: Now this is a trip that requires some research beforehand, deciding on a few locations that look the most intriguing and enjoying your time at each one. This is a full-day adventure if you plan to go the whole route, which is totally worth it! With our young boys, we knew they wouldn’t last a full day of driving, so we decided to only visit the first stop on the Road to Hana, Twin Falls. We enjoyed the rainforest climate hike and my son loved doing some cliff jumping.
Ululani Shave Ice: As they say, “not all shave ice is created equal,” and Ululani lived up to the hype! I would definitely claim that this was the BEST shave ice that I’ve ever had, so while you’re on Maui, make sure you treat your family to this deliciousness. And if you’re staying at the Hyatt, they have one right on site! My favorite was the pina colada flavor!