Okay, I've read a lot of the posts here, but find I'm still indecisive. We're planning a summer 2005 trip for our 20th anniversary, taking 2 older teens and a 23 year old. Just trying to decide which island might be the best all around. I love the lushness of Kauai, but I wonder if it would be too quiet for the young people. We've never been to the islands. Any advice?

We've been to both islands with our teenage sons. Both Kaui and MAui offer lots of daytime activities for teens. However, if you are looking for a nightlife for the kids, then stay in the Kaanapali area of Maui. There are a lot of teens in the resorts and a lot of kids hanging out at Whaler's Village Shopping Center. Also the town of Lahaina is a busy place at night too. Kauai is more quiet and lush but the road to Hana (on Maui) will give you an opportunity to experience that unique Hawaiian feature.

I live on Kauai (with teens) but I would also recommend the Kaanapali area on Maui with teens if they are the types who would be bored with Kauai's lush beauty, paltry shopping, and nonexistent night life. (My kids love to go to Honolulu.)

The good news is that I don't believe you and your children would be disappointed in either choice.

The decision depends somewhat on the quality of the resort you stay at, what your family likes to do, etc.

We love both islands, and tend to alternate visiting two at a time (say Oahu and Kauai one trip, Big Island and Maui the next).

What follows are generalizations, and does not mean that you can't find something on either island. If you all like scenery and want to experience the variety of Hawaii, Kauai is great. Our favorite activities there were the raft trips along the Na Pali coast from the north, a snorkel and sailing trip along the coast from the south, a horseback ride in the lush central area to the place where Jurassic Park was partially filmed, seeing Waimea canyon, etc. Beaches are not very important to us, and the beaches in Kauai are (in general) inferior to Maui. I do not think the area in Poipu beach (the sunny part of Kauai) are all that attractive, yet we are staying there next trip.

Maui is not as laid back as Kauai, so there is much more shopping, better restaurants, and more upscale resorts. There is still fantastic scenery as well. Here we have enjoyed the trip to Hana, hiking in Haleakala, Iao Valley, a day snorkel trip to Lanai, parasailing on Kaanapali. My husband and I love to walk for an hour around sunset, and Maui provides two great areas for this at both Kaanapali and Wailea. I'm not sure Kauai offers a similar place.

You might want to get the Ultimate Kauai Guidebook and Maui Revealed (both by the same publisher), get some ideas, and then price check. We had to modify our trip plans this year because I just wasn't getting good hotel rates on Kauai at the resorts. There were much better rates on Maui so we are staying there more days. Good luck to you!

Kaanapali Beach.

Another vote for Maui. I visited Hawaii as a fourteen and an eighteen year old. My favorite islands in order were: Oahu, Maui, Big Island, Kauai.
(I'll never forget going to a disco in Honolulu and meeting gorgeous boys at the Polynesian Cultural Center!)
As a forty year old, I'm really looking forward to going to Kauai this summer - giving it another chance now that I don't disco no mo'! Of course, I know that a lot has changed in twenty plus years, but I still feel that teenagers like activity and lots of other teenagers around!

Another vote for Kaanapali. Just got back from vacation to Maui/Kauai and took my two 23 year old sons to Maui. We went to Kauai without them the week after. Kaanapli was convenient to so much (shops, restaurants, beach, etc.) I was glad I didn't take them to Kauai but everyone is different. I think it could depend on where you stay. If you go in the summer I'm sure there will be more kids their age than when we went. (April) We stayed on the North shore on Kauai and there weren't any young people except couples. Another problem is transportation on Kauai. Especially on the North shore you almost have to have a car to go anywhere. (and they won't be able to drive your rental) Good luck.

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Why not tell them get on the internet and figure out to which island they want to go (let them fight it out). Then, if they don't like it, you can blame them.

Meanwhile, back at the grass shack....

WuWuWu's point was good - Kaanapalli would allow them to walk off to shows/restaurants in Whalers Village and other hotels on their own, which is not true on Kauai or other areas of Maui. There might also be some transportation (cab or whatever) that they could take to Lahaina.

Without any knowledge of this in Hawaii, there might be some car rental cos that would let your 23yr old drive for an additional fee (although as I remember from that age that fee was huge, would basically double the rental cost).

WuWuWu - Will you please do a trip report for your trip to Maui. Mahalo!

Riggsie: I did a trip report on my trip to Maui. I will try to finish with my trip to Kauai this week sometime.