Just returned from nine days on Maui. Great weather, great beaches, found some wonderful local spots off the tourist/cruise ship track. In all, a good and relaxing trip.

BUT -- Maui is PACKED with kids. Lots of families with kids of all ages. The Kaanapali area especially -- everywhere you turn, there are:
1. Crying infants
2. Screaming toddlers
3. Five year olds yelling "Mommy! WATCH ME! WATCH ME! Mommy! DID YOU SEE ME?"
4. Six year olds playing NEVER ENDING games of "Marco?" "Polo!" "Marco?" "Polo!"
6. Seven, eight, nine and ten year olds slamming into you with boogie boards, or walking four abreast on the sidewalk or beach path, or running across your towel or blanket and kicking sand all over, or . . .

I could go on -- BELIEVE ME. Sometimes Maui felt more like Disneyland. My husband and I plan to have kids, but that Maui trip put us off children for at least another year or so.

Just a fair warning to single people or couples without children -- take it or leave it.

Hey Kidsarefine, thanks for the tip. I seem to have noticed this the last time I visited. Now I know: I'll stay the eff away.

Really, kids are fine, none of us knew that factoid. Thanks for the info.

With all the "where on Maui should we honeymoon" posts, this is important info. My fiance and I are planning a honeymoon in Hawaii and we're staying away from Maui altogether.

I am confused. Aren't most kids still in school right now? Understand about infants and toddlers but not about the older kids.

It seems like if you just got back from 9 days in Maui then you might have been there during Thanksgiving break. We saw many more children in Wailea at beaches near the big hotels. These kids were older and I believe they were in the day camps that the hotels offer. Very large crowds.

Also I found that when adults were vacationing with other adults they also did a lot of yelling at the pool. "Hey Bob over here. Bob. Bob. Mary Marrrryyyy over here." Good lord get off your but and walk over. Quit that yelling!

I thought the kids yelled to sibs constantly but I didn't, thankfully, hear any "Marco Polo" I seriously think that particular game should be played only in ones own pool.

The four abreast on the walk was mostly adults while we were there and I was amazed at the fact they wouldn't move aside. Where were we to go?

Were it not for the approaching holidays, distracting all the miltant mother types, you'd be skewered for this post, "kids..".
I happen to agree with you.
I'm just amazed at the lack of flack you're getting.

Good post. In fact, why should he get any flack. He's not taking the kids/parents to task, but stating a fact. I have a 5 yr old, and have chosen the Sheraton over Kapalua Bay because of posts like this.

Just useful info.

CoachBoy

I guess now that all of these couples have honeymooned on Maui, they've now come back with their kids. Many of those kids you were complaining about probably were conceived in Maui! But I agree that hearing "marco polo" on my vacation is not my idea of a good time. I think it would be nice for some resort to go child free. I'm sure they'd be booked non-stop!

The reason kids isn't getting any flack is because we moms agree with him/her. Even I don't like to hear kids screaming and whining, and I have a few of my own. That's why when it's just my husband and me on a vacation, I make it a point to find accomodations that either don't allow, or discourage kids. It's really quite easy to do with just a little research.

I don't know where kids stayed, but there's a good chance that when a resort has kid's programs, kids staying free in the rooms, kid sized robes and awesome water slides, it's going to be kiddy heaven. Do your research people.