We will be visiting Maui and staying in Kaanapali in March with our three year old daughter. Any suggestions for things we might do as a family that would interest her. We are currently planning to attend the Westin Maui Luau (did the Old Lahaina Luau on a previous trip - pre child) and would like to do the road to Hana. I am researching whale watching trips and even possibly snorkeling but wonder if she is too young. Anyone been out with Pacific Whale Foundation - overwhelmed with cruise choices! Would love some restaurant recommendations as well!
Maui with three year old - any suggestions!
Recent Activity
View all United States activity »
- 1 Another apartment rental scam in NYC
- 2 Chicago Architectural Tours
- 3 Columbus food !
- 4 One day in NYC
- 5 Blue ridge parkway
- 6 Great Beach's
- 7 Jackson Hole & Yellowstone
- 8 Charleston, SC and Wild Dunes
- 9 Best ice cream in Charleston
- 10 Going to Dodge City, Kansas
- 11 Fires in Colorado
- 12 National Parks?
- 13 Hotels in New Orleans
- 14 Seattle in July
- 15 1st trip to Los Angeles
- 16 10 day Hawaii Vacations
- 17
Texas & the Deep South Road Trip Feb/March 2013
- 18 Circular road trip for 8 days from New York including Niagra Falls
- 19 Kauai Timeshare Recommendations
- 20 timeshare: good idea or no? Please help!
- 21
New York, New York...my kind of town
- 22 Wildfire near Yosemite
- 23 Riverwalk Restaurant near the Alamo San Antonio
- 24 Hotels in NYC 26th-29th August (2013)
- 25 Search (for) Hotel suite using iPhone or laptop app?



I would think that a 3 year old would be very bored on the long drive to Hana and back unless she does really well with car trips that last for hours. Check to be sure that the place where you will be staying has a pool for toddlers. Some hotels do and others don't. Also, there is a beach called Baby Beach on the North end of Lahaina that is very good for toddlers. Ask the staff at your hotel how to get there.
She might like to ride the Sugar Cane Train that goes from Kaanapali to Lahaina.
I think 3 years is too young for snorkeling. But she might enjoy the floatation toys that have a plastic window in them to peer into the water for fish. Of course, plenty of beach toys for sand play is always the biggest hit for kids her age. She probably would enjoy the watching trip. PWF gets good reviews.
Restaurants we love are: Dukes, Hula Grill, Barefoot Bar, Sansei, Mama's Fish House, Star Noodle, Leilani's, Kimos, Pacific 'O.
Bring a small sun tent for the baby. The sun is intense and there is often no shade. We got a small, easy to set up one at Walmart that folded up very small. These are similar:
http://www.tinkertots.com/uvshpr.html?gclid=CKLWrpSojqcCFQN7gwodpBdNeQ
We brought our daughter to Maui when she was four years old. We also stayed in the Kaanapali area. She spent the entire week digging sand and hauling buckets of water to and from the ocean to her hole in the sand. She was quite impressed with the "Big River" as she called the ocean.

We usually set up beach chairs near Black Rock so my husband and I could take turns snorkeling while she played. It was a fun vacation...definitely slower than what we were used to, but still very fun!
I topped my old trip report for you. It's three years old, so some of the information is probably out of date. Re-reading it, I see we spent most of our time at the beach because that is all our four year old wanted to do.
We took our kids to Hawaii when they were infants and toddlers, and except for the required ride on the Sugar Cane Train when my son was 3, we did exactly as kureiff and her family did. For me, this was 20+ years ago, but I don't think 3-year olds have changed that much!