Hana?? I've heard mixed reviews on if we should go or not since it's an entire day?
And suggestions on where to take the surfing lessons?

cynlapuma - Shutters looks awesome. I do wonder if we will have enough of the beach but as busy as we might be, it could work out to just hang around there and relax! We've been able to get a one bedroom at one Island and two rooms at the other but I'm not sure we will be able to get two at shutter at $600.00 per night, we may not be able to stay for that reason. Our budget will be running thin by then! : ) We don't mind staying with the girls since we don't see them much and it gives us more time with morning coffee and late night chat so I'll see if they will let us share a room with them. I think we would love it with the way you discribe it and with the things to do around it.

We stayed at both the Fairmont Kea Lani and Honua Kai in Maui. The Fairmont has a fabulous beach. The resort is VERY expensive (food, drinks, etc). We had a room with a king bed in one room & a sleeper sofa in the other. My kids are young, so it was fine for the 4 of us.

The Honua Kai was fabulous! We had a 2 bedroom, 2 bath with full kitchen. It was gorgeous! The beach was great & the restaurant (Dukes) was fantastic and a good value. The pools are also nicer than those at the Fairmont.

The better location would depend on what you are going to do. We didn't do lots of excursions, since the kids are young. We were able to snorkel right off the beach near the HK (not at the Fairmont). We were there in July, so I don't know how time of year changes things. We also did the road to Hana (AMAZING and long day....LOVED IT!!!! Drove all the way around in a Jeep), and did the sunset on Haleakala (also AMAZING!!!!). We walked around Lahaina, which is a cute town & teenagers would probably like it.

In Kauai, we stayed both in Princeville & at the Grand Hyatt. Liked the North Shore much more, but the GH was the nicest resort we have ever stayed in. We had a huge suite, so I think that helped:) The beach at the Hyatt is not really swimmable, but the pool is fantastic. We did a Napali boat tour from the South (Captain Andy's Southern Star) & it was just unbelievably beautiful. The yacht is one that is rented out to celebrities, so it is very nice compared to the others that we saw (not that it really matters, because it's the view that you are going for).

We just loved Hawaii:) Can't wait to go back.

We stayed in CA on both ends of the trip, but we stayed near Disneyland so that we could go there (Hyatt Orange - which was a great place to stay).

Have fun!

JNE -- Since you have little time on Maui, and you are going to heavily tropical Kauai, I would eliminate Road to Hana. Do Haleakala. Do Iao Valley.