Visiting Maui after Aulani

[Anna Chassereau]

I’m considering adding a stay in Maui after our stay at Aulani to our vacation next July 2022...we are staying at Aulani for 10 nights and then I was thinking of adding 3 or 4 nights in Maui before we head home. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good kid friendly resort in Maui preferably with a water slide or two and a good location? Also what are the best things to do in Maui? I was thinking the road to Hana one day and then snorkeling Molokini crater...anything else I should consider?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Honestly, I would do 10 days on Maui over 10 anywhere on Oahu.

 

[Anna Chassereau]

Honestly, I would do 10 days on Maui over 10 anywhere on Oahu.

My neighbor just said the same thing to me...I’m wondering if I should back down how many days were in O’ahu. There’s just a lot I want to do on O’ahu like the Polynesian cultural center, Kuala Ranch, Dole plantation, Waimea falls, Pearl Harbor...when I add all of that up and then add some relaxing days at the resort it takes up almost 10 days. Maybe I can shift some things around though.

Any recommendations on where to stay in Maui?

 

[VandVsmama]

More nights on Maui, so go with 4 instead of 3. Skip the road to Hana entirely. That will take an entire day and, by the way, you can't drive your rental car around the 'back side' without voiding your rental contract. If you get stuck, then you are on the hook to pay out of pocket for being rescued and all that. It's not worth it. Plus, locals who live in Hana have become quite angry and unfriendly over this past year towards tourists...so if you really want to do it, go through a tour company that picks you up at your condo/hotel.

Some other fun stuff to do:

• Maui Ocean Center - really great aquarium
• visit a different beach every day - Napili is pretty great. Baby Beach near Lahaina is really great for small children.
• if you're there on a Saturday, go to the Maui Swap Meet near the airport
• see Haleakala. Most people will say that you HAVE to do it at sunrise or sunset, but that's not necessary.
• shopping in Lahaina. Don't forget to visit the big banyan tree.
• go on a canoe tour through the Maui Fishpond Association. http://mauifishpond.com/canoe-tour/. The organization has restored one of the ancient Hawaiian fish ponds on the island. Money raised through the canoe tours goes to continue that work.
• do a day trip that involves a stop over at Iao Valley state park, maybe lunch at Da Kitchen in Kahului, go watch the windsurfers on the beach near Mama's Fish House, browse through some of the cool shops in Makawao, get some cream puffs and malasada's from Komodo Bakery in Makawao, visit Surfing Goat Dairy.
• horseback riding
• Royal Lahaina Luau

 

[VandVsmama]

My neighbor just said the same thing to me...I’m wondering if I should back down how many days were in O’ahu. There’s just a lot I want to do on O’ahu like the Polynesian cultural center, Kuala Ranch, Dole plantation, Waimea falls, Pearl Harbor...when I add all of that up and then add some relaxing days at the resort it takes up almost 10 days. Maybe I can shift some things around though.

Any recommendations on where to stay in Maui?

Where to stay on Maui? It depends. Depends on:

• your budget
• do you want condo or hotel
• do you want ocean front, ocean view, or mountain view
• how close do you want to be to the beach - <5 min walk or have to drive to the beach or take a shuttle bus (i.e., like if you rented an AirBNB condo in Kapalua)?
• south Maui or west side? I prefer west side (i.e., from Kaanapali to Kapalua)
• how many people are in your group?
• How many separate beds do you need?
• Do you want a full service resort with a spa, room service, and the whole 9 yards?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

We always stayed near Kaanapali in a sweet condo.

 

[JC1984]

Last time I was in Maui it is getting just as crowded as Oahu but I would go to Maui as well longer.

 

[braysmommy]

If you decide to do both with current Covid policies it is easier to start on Maui since Oahu doesn’t require inter island testing but Maui does.

 

[Ladybugx87]

Grand Wailea is our preferred Maui hotel.

 

[LisaDKG]

I may be in the minority but I have been to Oahu 4 times (Aulani 3 times) and Maui once for 2 weeks. I too have friends who say Maui is their fave. I however don't ever NEED to go back to Maui but I am desperate for a trip back to Oahu. We were bored on Maui and didn't love the topography/beaches/weather/wind as much as all of the times we've been on Oahu. We like the city/Waikiki aspect of Oahu as well as the small town feel of the North Shore and Kahlua. There is so much to do in each direction. Aulani is just an amazing resort even though it is on our least favorite side of the island to stay at. For what it's worth, we explored all over Maui and ate at and visited at many of the big resorts. If I had unlimited money I'd stay at the Grand Wailua or Four Seasons but the atmosphere didn't appeal to me as much as walking into Aulani.

 

[alohamom]

Last time I was in Maui it is getting just as crowded as Oahu but I would go to Maui as well longer.

We were bored on Maui and didn't love the topography/beaches/weather/wind as much as all of the times we've been on Oahu.

I also find Maui pretty crowded now and in all honesty a little boring compared to all the other islands.
Maui is my last choice but I have been there many times over the years and watched it change so maybe I have just been there too much.
I think there are much nicer beaches on Kauai, Big Island and even Oahu (those of you who read my posts know how much I love Kailua and Lanikai on Oahu)

Like @VandVsmama points out in their above post, there are two major areas where most people stay.
Kaanapali/Lahaina or Wailea/Kihei
Of these two, the beach at Kaanapali can be rough, especially in the winter, so if your kids are younger or not strong swimmers this might no be the best area for you. It is fantastic for body surfing though!
This YouTube video give you a basic idea of the two areas

I think once you establish which are you want to stay then you can focus on which resort.

 

[nkereina]

We did 3 nights on Maui before 6 nights at Aulani. We also spent 3 nights in Waikiki and 3 nights on Kauai. Of all the places we stayed and visited, Maui was my least favorite - I mean, we still loved it, but it wouldn't be on the top of my list to return to if we ever go back.

The island was a mix of natural beauty and commercialization, so it felt similar to Oahu in that regard. Kauai felt the most remote and exotic and I imagine Big Island would feel that way too. The weather on Maui was also quite windy while we were there in September (end of summer), to the point where we couldn't lay on the beach because of sand blowing in our faces. The waves on the Kaanapali side were also really high and rough.

Ironically, even though Maui was our least favorite stop, the Westin Maui was probably our favorite resort we stayed at on our trip. It was on Kaanapali Beach and at the time, they had free shuttle service into Lahaina so we didn't rent a car. Small-ish resort, but with an awesome pool, waterslide, and right next door to Whaler's Village for additional dining and shopping. Also, two of the highest rated luaus in Hawaii are both on Maui in Lahaina - Old Lahaina Luau and Feast at Lele. We did Feast and it was awesome. I definitely recommend doing one of those if you plan to do a luau at all on your trip, and I think an evening for dinner on Front St Lahaina is a must too. Loved the banyan tree, and we saw a beautiful sunset on the water, enjoyed watching the cruise ships, and had the best shave ice we had on the whole trip on Front St.

We toyed with the idea of doing Road to Hana, but it is a full day and we didn't feel like we had that kind of time to spare. Its often recommended to do this on a tour rather than trying to drive yourself because it is some dicey driving and I can't imagine the driver can actually enjoy the scenery. I believe some rental car companies also prohibit their cars being driven in certain spots because of the inherent risk.

As far as timing, 10 days on Oahu doesn't seem too much to me. We spent 9 nights on Oahu in total. We agree with Kevin and John from the Dis Unplugged podcast that Oahu is the best choice if your time is limited because it offers a little bit of everything - natural beauty, shopping, culture, history, nightlife. The other islands of Hawaii have elements of this, but Oahu is a "one stop shop" so to speak. I think 10 days there gives you enough time to visit the main "tourist" things you'd want to see, with time to enjoy the amenities of Aulani. We were satisfied with 3 nights on Maui, but it totally depends which activities and sightseeing are most important to you.

 

[corgi_monster]

Of these two, the beach at Kaanapali can be rough, especially in the winter, so if your kids are younger or not strong swimmers this might no be the best area for you. It is fantastic for body surfing though!

THIS!!!

I swam competitively, grew up in the ocean, and was absolutely pummeled by the waves at Kaanapali on more than one occasion. It was in the summer, too! I don't know if they have riptides or what the currents are like at Kaanapali, but that shoreline break is no joke.

 

[monsterkitty]

THIS!!!

I swam competitively, grew up in the ocean, and was absolutely pummeled by the waves at Kaanapali on more than one occasion. It was in the summer, too! I don't know if they have riptides or what the currents are like at Kaanapali, but that shoreline break is no joke.

We were in Maui a few years ago on a rough sea day. I, too, grew up as a competitive swimmer and now I do open water races and Ironman triathlons. I wouldn't even attempt to get in the water that day. However, a few people were trying and it was obvious they had no idea what they were doing. I then heard the lifeguard say something I always wanted to say: "Please, if you're not a very strong swimmer do not even attempt to get in the water. I have no desire to go in after you today."

 

[blabadie]

The key to having great weather on Maui is staying in Wailea. The difference in weather on the island can be significant. Wailea has consistently sunny, calm weather and swimmable, golden sand beaches.

If you want the best water slides, Grand Wailea is it. My personal favorite Wailea area resort is the Four Seasons (still very kid-friendly but more elegant grounds and service). There are also other resorts and a condo building in the Wailea area depending on how much you want to budget for the room.

Also, we personally loved the Road to Hana. All the best sites come before the dicey road not covered by rental insurance l,so you aren't really missing anything by turning around there. We enjoyed hiking to waterfalls and black sand beaches and would do it again (but next time we will turn around before the crazy road section!)

 

[OKW Lover]

We agree with Kevin and John from the Dis Unplugged podcast that Oahu is the best choice if your time is limited because it offers a little bit of everything - natural beauty, shopping, culture, history, nightlife. The other islands of Hawaii have elements of this, but Oahu is a "one stop shop" so to speak.

This is good advice. Not that the other islands aren't beautiful. Just that you don't need to visit the other islands to experience the beauty of Hawaii.

ETA: I know that Kevin & John have visited the other islands since they were on a Pride of America cruise around Hawaii a few years ago. There is a YouTube video of it somewhere....

 

[3dog2kidmom]

Also, we personally loved the Road to Hana. All the best sites come before the dicey road not covered by rental insurance l,so you aren't really missing anything by turning around there. We enjoyed hiking to waterfalls and black sand beaches and would do it again (but next time we will turn around before the crazy road section!)

How do you know where to turn around? Is it marked or signed? We'd like to do this, but no desire for dicey roads that would void the insurance.

Thank you!!

 

[monsterkitty]

How do you know where to turn around? Is it marked or signed? We'd like to do this, but no desire for dicey roads that would void the insurance.

Thank you!!

If I remember correctly, there is a sign or marker of some sort.

Here is a good Road to Hana suggestion. They mention banana bread. Listen to them and buy the 5 loaves. THE ROAD TO HANA – HALFWAY OR ALL THE WAY?

Also, before going to any island, purchase the "Revealed" guidebook for that island: Oahu Revealed, Maui Revealed, etc because they are hands down the best guide books I've ever used.

 

[3dog2kidmom]

If I remember correctly, there is a sign or marker of some sort.

Here is a good Road to Hana suggestion. They mention banana bread. Listen to them and buy the 5 loaves. THE ROAD TO HANA – HALFWAY OR ALL THE WAY?

Also, before going to any island, purchase the "Revealed" guidebook for that island: Oahu Revealed, Maui Revealed, etc because they are hands down the best guide books I've ever used.

Thank you! This will be our first time to the islands and I appreciate the advice.

 

[monsterkitty]

Thank you! This will be our first time to the islands and I appreciate the advice.

We've been to Maui, Oahu, and our favorites, Big Island and Kauai, multiple times and each time we purchase the updated "Revealed" book. They also have an app to help out as well!