Excursions / activities in Maui / Big island
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Anonymous
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Any specific activities / tours in Maui / big island that you’ve really enjoyed as a family particularly with teens ?
Any good tour experiences for volcano NP Not interested in helicopter tours but open to anything else |
Anonymous
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You don’t need a tour at Volcano NP, just go and explore. We liked the Thurston lava tube / Kilauea Iki hike.
We enjoyed this experience for the manta Ray snorkel- https://www.anelakaiadventures.com/ On Maui you should do both the Road to Hana and Haleakala, but again you don’t need a tour. There is a bike ride down Haleakala the teens might like. We actually double booked a cheap room in both Volcano NP and in Hana so we could have full days of exploring without having to rush or pack/unpack and it worked really well for us. In Volcano we did the rustic camping cabins in the park and in Hana a cheap condo hotel. We were able to book the late black sand beach time slot and it wasn’t crowded. If we go back to Hana I would spend 2 nights there it’s very peaceful, quiet and lush. |
Anonymous
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Big Island:
A night snorkel with manta rays was one of the coolest things I've ever done. Also enjoyed Volcanoes Nat'l Park; there is a great view of the caldera from the restaurant. We didn't do a tour, just visited the caldera. Also really enjoyed a stargazing event at the observatory up top of Mauna Kea. They have free events, and set up some powerful telescopes for people to look through. We got to see Saturn, it was pretty amazing. It is very, very cold up there though -- so you will need to take your winter coats/hats/gloves with you if you want to do that event. And of course snorkeling in general is fantastic on the Big Island; we had great snorkeling right off the beach at the Mauna Lani (a hotel that I highly recommend btw). |
Anonymous
It looks like the mauna LANI is undergoing renovations so I wonder if that will be disruptive |
Anonymous
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Here is my report. My oldest was 14 when we went.
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1176359.page |
Anonymous
| Are you strong swimmers? If so, a swim in Captain Cook is a must. But you do need to be a good swimmer. |
Anonymous
| Not a traditional Hawaiian experience, but our three generation family LOVED the chocolate tour. https://mauichocolate.com/ |
Anonymous
I recommend reserving sunrise at Haleakala (do it your first morning, when you are up early anyway). Watch the sunrise and then hike down a bit. it feels like you are hiking on Mars. |
Anonymous
Why do you say that? I guess we are not slouches but my then 8, almost 9 year old did it and I didn’t really have concerns about how strong of a swimmer she needs to be. She’s on the swim team against her will but I think swimming is a life skill. She’s not great but I guess can swim 50s so maybe you think that’s strong enough. |
Anonymous
That hotel had 200 million in renovations that were completed years ago. I doubt anything they would do now would be disruptive. Not sure why you are all-capping "Lani." |
Anonymous
| My teens absolute highlight in Maui was beginner surfing lessons on Kannapali. The spot where they do it just has this steady stream of perfect beginner waves. It was a huge hit. We did pay for semi private (our two kids and one instructor.) The groups of 4 just didn’t enough “turns” in my opinion. |
Anonymous
| Big island - somehow we found a tour out to the lava fields and could see active lava up close. Hike to the green beach was far but lovely. Did horseback riding in the canyon, I think it was called Waimea and I recommend that! Also swam with sea turtle and did lava caves by the ocean with a tour group. Mauna Kea used to have an AMAZING Sunday brunch. I’d go and then enjoy the beach there after. I don’t think they still have that brunch buffet. The food and coffee at lava Java is excellent, went there for dinner a few times. Really enjoyed the observatory at the volcano at night. I’d skip the orchid farm and the coffee plantation. Honestly the tour operators on the island know what they are doing so look into what they offer and what’s interesting to you. |
Anonymous
Because swimming out over reefs is particularly challenging. It's easier in deeper water but you're going to have to swim over the shallower part to get in and out of the water unless you do a boat excursion. Where the water is shallower you're a little more buffeted by waves and you're swimming to avoid the reef. There are some family friendly snorkeling excursions you can book where you won't have to do the swimout. |
Anonymous
| Agree with PPs on swimming at night with the manta rays -- an experience like none other. On the Big Island, we also really enjoyed the Buddha's Cup coffee farm and hiking to Pololu Valley. Definitely eat at Merriman's on the way to/from the hike. |
Anonymous
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In Maui we loved surfing. We took lessons as a family and also rented boards a few days. Both through Maui wave riders at the Cove in Kihei.
Sunrise at Haleakala was amazing. but need to book early/right when tickets are available. Rent snorkeling gear and stop off around the island. We especially loved Honolua bay. I did not participate buy my kids absolutely loved cliff jumping off black rocks at Kaanapali beach. Molokini crate tour on Calypso boat- snorkeling was fun but kids also loved jumping off the upper deck of the boat and the water slide. |