Maui/Road to Hana with kids worth it?
Dec 8th, 2007, 05:43 AM
#22
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Even without kids I found the road to hana just a tedious scary drive on a road that isn't that safe. With kids that experience would be doubled with the amount of stress. The needle is ok and you can climb to the top of the stairs and that might be funner for the kids. There is allot of vegitation there and some rivers so it is interesting to walk around. The road to hana is very long and windy and scary. Then you get to Hana and say this is it? Waste of time my dear.
Dec 8th, 2007, 05:38 PM
#23
Join Date: Dec 2007
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With that amount of time, even without kids, I'd probably opt out of a trip to Hana. There are nice beaches to visit around Kahului, including the one where all the windsurfing goes on. Also, the sugar plantation, and especially the Ocean Center would be better choices for a short trip with kids, along with Iao Needle. The kids will LOVE the Ocean Center, btw. You might even check into a half day whale watch boat ride.
The road to Hana is awesome, but you need to plan for an entire day for it, sunup to sundown or later, and especially when it's busy like it will be this time of year. Traffic can be heavy and slow on this road, and there are many places to pull over and get out for a look. If you ever do go, plan to be patient, allow the locals to get around you (or other tourists in a big hurry), and take your time and enjoy the ride. I'd also recommend taking the time to go on past Hana and take the one lane gravel road looping from Hana back around the southeast bottom of the island. It eventually hooks back up to 2-lane and gets you going towards the way to both Haleakala and back down to Kahului. Very long trip, and tricky at times, but very well worth the trip. There is not near the traffic on it, except for some locals and a few tourists, and it has some great sites. We found a nice black sand beach on it, and an awesome, secluded waterfall this way. Last time we were there, we met some locals going after prawn in the stream coming off this fall, which feeds into the black sand beach. But, you have to have the time available for these activities, and it doesn't look like you do, especially with young ones.
Good luck and enjoy!
The road to Hana is awesome, but you need to plan for an entire day for it, sunup to sundown or later, and especially when it's busy like it will be this time of year. Traffic can be heavy and slow on this road, and there are many places to pull over and get out for a look. If you ever do go, plan to be patient, allow the locals to get around you (or other tourists in a big hurry), and take your time and enjoy the ride. I'd also recommend taking the time to go on past Hana and take the one lane gravel road looping from Hana back around the southeast bottom of the island. It eventually hooks back up to 2-lane and gets you going towards the way to both Haleakala and back down to Kahului. Very long trip, and tricky at times, but very well worth the trip. There is not near the traffic on it, except for some locals and a few tourists, and it has some great sites. We found a nice black sand beach on it, and an awesome, secluded waterfall this way. Last time we were there, we met some locals going after prawn in the stream coming off this fall, which feeds into the black sand beach. But, you have to have the time available for these activities, and it doesn't look like you do, especially with young ones.
Good luck and enjoy!
