Maui, Maui, Maui… you have my heart. i’ve been fortunate enough to explore many tropical places in my lifetime… Mexico, St lucia, Jamaica, the bahamas… but man, Hawaii you are amazing.
We just got back from a family vacation to Maui. And, I am already ready to start planning our next trip back! It was so magical and relaxing! The perfect escape from the dreary, April showers back home.
The weather was fabulous, the beaches were amazing and WOW, you have not seen a sunset until you have seen one in Hawaii!!
For this trip we opted to stay at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea, on the South side of the island of Maui. It is known for being very relaxing and kid friendly. And, it did not disappoint! From the moment we arrived we were impressed.
The whole staff is so friendly and accommodating and they really go above and beyond for their guests. They have 3 pools (one is adults only) and a waterslide. They also have a large beach front that is perfect for building sandcastles and watching the sunset. KŌ and Nicks’s FishMarket Maui are located on the property, as well as the MAKANA Market + Cafe. The MAKANA Market + Cafe has fresh made pizzas, ice cream, cafe style breakfast and some spectacular cold brew! Some of our favorite nights were spent grabbing some food from the Market and watching the sunset on the beach.
We decided not to do any excursions this trip, wanting to soak up all the relaxing magic that our hotel had to offer. However, we did rent a Jeep for our full stay on the island that way we could go to restaurants off the property and explore a little bit on our own. We drove up to Lahaina one evening for dinner at Fleetwoods on Front St, and to check out the largest Banyan tree in the USA. Spanning over 1.93 acres and standing over 60 feet tall, it really is breathtaking!
Another day, we got out to stretch our legs at Ho’okipa Beach Park. While we were there, we checked out the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles favorite place to sunbath. Ho’okipa Beach Park had a Junior Surf Competition going on at the same time that was amazing to watch!!
Our favorite little getaway was a town called Paia. It is a quiet little surf town that has grown in popularity in recent years, however it still holds that small town charm. Paia is filled with unique shops and restaurants. It is also very close to Ho’okipa Beach Park and Mama’s Fish House (our favorite restaurant on the island).
Other than those little adventures, we chose to spend our days soaking in the sun and playing in the sand. There are still so many adventures that we would love to have on the island. So many more places to explore and visit! That’s why we can’t wait to head back again, very soon!
