Help,

I'm traveling with my 7 old daughter to Maui. Any suggestions on activities/excursions we both would enjoy? How about the drive to Hana? Is it too long to drive with a 7 year old? Can you still enjoy the scenery and drive at the same time? Any suggestions on snorkeling, volcano tours etc. Any advice would be helpful!
Thanks

The aquarium is great for any ages! We go back and visit every year.
The drive to Hana is very long with windy roads. I got carsick, however my three yr old was fine. The scenery makes the trip worth it but it takes a whole day. And the drive is tough to navigate. If you can afford to, I recommend taking a tour bus one way and a helicopter back...

You won't have any problems on the Road to Hana with a 7 year old.

Make plenty of stops.

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~volcano/te...Haleakala.html

http://www.hawaiianstylemedia.com/Gu...ana-Deluxe.htm

http://www.alohafriendshawaii.com/roadtohana.html

www.alternative-hawaii.com Good drive guides with photos including Road to Hana

www.mauihawaii.org

www.visitmaui.com

www.gohawaii.com

Attractions/activities/tours:

www.hawaiifun.org

www.hawaiiactivities.com

When I took my seven year old to Maui, I made the mistake of planning too many activities. She did not like the Road to Hana. She thought the helicopter ride and the catamaran to Lanai were "okay". - The Road to Hana and the catamatan both made her ill.

What she enjoyed most was playing in the pool and on the beach, going to the Kahalui Swap Meet, walking around in the Iao Valley with its beautiful streams, and walking around Lahaina. (She especially enjoyed the Gecko Store and the banyan tree.) She wishes we had parasailed there.

I guess what I'm saying - and you know your child best - is that children are kind of low maintenance in an environment like that. I learned the hard way that she enjoyed the simple things best - just "hanging out" - and I had planned this over the top experience that had us moving constantly...LOL

Now she's twelve and I'm taking her back for the third time. She did manage to fall in love with Hawaii - not as much as me though! She wants to spend her entire time in the pools of the Grand Wailea. I may let her, LOL, because I've planned an over the top experience for the Big Island!!!

I would skip road to Hana, but go to the crater of Halealaka instead.

Shopping in Lahaina could be fun for her, see the gignatic banyan tree as mentioned above.

Just returned from Maui (April) and have 9 and 6 year old girls. I would skip the road to Hana. They enjoyed some of the hikes and sights but overall they were "bored". Sitting in a car most of the day versus the beach/pool from a childs standpoint is quite obvious. We had a great time snorkeling with them at "baby beach" in Lahaina. This beach has a rock "breaker" so there is no waves and plenty of fish for your daughter to see if she is not a snorkeling veteran. I would also recommend short excursions to different beaches which our kids loved.

I totally agree with the above posts that advised to skip the road to Hana.
Like some of the posts said, she will love the beach. She may also enjoy a luau. The Royal Lahaina luau is fun for adults and kids alike.

I took my 5 year old daughter snorkeling last year and she loved it. We brought her life jacket from home, and rented a special boogie board. It had a window in it so she could look down into the water and see fish under her. She eventually got the courage to get into the water. She only used swimming goggles, no snorkle or mask. She even got to touch a turtle. I have a great picture of her and the turtle, floating face to face! There is some great snorkeling spots for kids near/in Napili.

I also would skip the Road to Hana. It is one of my Maui favorites, but is too long in a car for kids.

A luau would be fun too. I am sure your daughter would love to get up on stage for the hula lesson.

Other than that, kids love the pool and beach!

I agree with the snorkeling idea. If your daughter enjoys the water, she'll love snorkeling. Pacific Whale Foundation (www.pacificwhale.org) has some great trips in search of dolphins, whales, sea turtles (depending upon the time of year you're there) and many of them are combined with snorkelling experiences. Haven't met a kid yet that didn't like that!

If you take the boat out of Ma'alaea Harbor, you'll also visit the foundation's larger store where they have all kinds of educational info about the sealife and products to take home. Also at Ma'alaea is the Maui Ocean Center, another nice experience for a 7 y.o.

Also, if she's a water baby, you might want to consider surfing lessons. (That's something she'll always remember!)They can be found at various places on the island, but I'd suggest Kihei for a youngster.

Ditto on skipping the road to Hana. Don't think there's enough to interest a 7 year old. Again, she'd probably rather be frolicking at the beach and/or pool.......