ajevan

We will be travelling to Maui and staying at the Marriott during the secong week of April. Can anyone out there recommend a great snorkle,sail to do with kids aged 3 and 6? This is our 1st big vacation with the kids and want to make sure our very active kids don't get too bored. We will be doing plenty of chillin' by the pool and at the beach but will need some other things to do that is geared towards them. My husband and I have travelled quite a bit and like to do things that are more local-oriented (is that a word?) and not too touristy but with the kids I think we are **** out of luck. Anyway, looking for the above that combines both fun for the kids but not too many crowded touristy boats. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

nicknik

Go on the four winds to snorkle it is a big catamarand . And the snorkle sites you go to will be watched by deck hands in kayaks. they have floats, like boards with viewing holes , so you can put on a life vest and pull them arround close to the boat. The water is calm in the mornings so go then,not afternoon trip. As for touristy ( hey no matter what,your a tourist) and in hawaii almost everone is. Another nice area is walers village in kaanapalli. Very nice beach, calm and safe to play in the water, also a great snorkle at black rock ( to far out to rocks for the little ones) and there are shops very nice ones , also good grills and restaurants and nice easy walking on the boardwalk along the beach. the area you are staying in is whalers village i just remembered ( great choice) so have fun. nick

Alohamom

We are also going with our kids around that time. We can't wait!!!! Maui is excellent for children, we have been to all the islands with ours, but by far, Maui is best for kids-Do the Sugar cane train ride to Lahaina, it is slow but scenic and our kids loved it last time. Do the Maui ocean center, it is a short drive from Kaanapali and is very fun and informative at the same time. The Embassy Suites supposedly have a mini golf that could be a fun(?)The Hyatt has penguins and an exotic bird collection. The Whalers Shopping Village has sand castle making lessons on Sundays and Tuesdays (I am not sure about the exact days but you can check on line) that are put on by this guy who is a champion sand carving guy (What a job!) If it happens to rain for a full day, there is a small mutiplex theatre in Lahaina which may have a kids movie like Jungle book 2 playing. Oh, I could go on and on, but you get the picture. I want to take my daughter (5) snorkelling for her first time on this trip and I am a little nervous about where. She is an excellent swimmer, but I think Black Rock may be too exposed to the ocean for her. I actually posed this question on the forum before and got some good suggestions. You can check the archives. I don't think my kids are ready for a sail/snorkel trip yet. Have a great trip...

mlc

I agree with Nickkik. We were just in Maui a few weeks ago withour kids, and saw plenty of young ones on our Four Winds snorkel trip. They loved the boat ride, and Four Winds had plenty of floatation devices, including boards with windows so the kids could look down at the fish while mom or dad pulled them along. Swimming in the ocean in Hawaii seemed to require a lot less effort than swimming in a pool. Napili Beach has a great beach for kids, with a nice snorkel area by the Napili Kai resort. Look at the Maui revealed book for other suggestions as to where to swim and snorkel with young ones. It specifically identifies family-friendly beaches. By the way, we loved staying at the Embassy Resort. Our kids were excited about the prospect of playing mini golf, but once we got there, they only played once. Too much else to do! Enjoy your trip..

ajevan

Thanks for all of your help and suggestions. I just wanted to add a bit to my post in case anyone else out there need info on a Luau. I called a Luau booking service and Dennis was really helpful. Since our kids are at the age where they only eat chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese, he suggested the Royal Lahaina Luau which lets kids in free with a paying adult. He also said that is was a faster paced Luau (not too traditonal) and the kids would have a better time. The # is 1-888-222-3601. Just some good money saving info since Luau's are pricey and I didn't want to pay $49 for my child to eat nothing.
I will call on your suggestions above, thanks!!!

Alohamom

ajevan-we are on the same track. We are also thinking along the lines of the Royal Lahaina Luau. We have been to a few nicer ones by ourselves but this is a first for our kids. FYI-I was told that the nights that the kids are free, they encourage all the kids in the audience to get up on stage to learn the hula. I know my kids would be thrilled by this, as they are too young to care about authenticity etc...