Cindyrella

Aloha! All the guidebooks and many posters on this board say to absolutely NOT miss going to Hana. I have two 16 yr. olds I'm afraid might get bored on a long drive like that but I don't want to miss the quintessential Hawaii experience (lush rainforest, waterfalls, etc.) Any suggestions?

rp18104

I don't think they would get bored. There are lots of places to stop and look around. Don't miss going out on the peninsulas for fantastic views of the rugged coast and churning waves. The teens might have fun swimming at the black sand beach at Haena. Also they might enjoy the Sacred Pools for swimming. My husband and I tarried too long along the road and got to Hana too late to stop at the pools. We took the road all the way around rather than retracing out steps and we weren't sure how long that would take or what that road would be like (it was fine for the most part) so we skipped the pools. BTW, the Sacred Pools are part of a State Park and there is a charge (around $10.00 per car, I think).

I would say definitely go, but start really early (by 7 AM) to beat the crowds and get to the sacred pools in time to enjoy them. Despite all the warnings about the Road to Hana being treacherous and scary, we didn't find it that way at all. But it is very winding, so if you have a family member prone to motion sickness, a Bonine might be in order.

Other good options for teens would be the Marine Life Center in Ma'alaea Bay and Mt. Haleakala, where I'd recommend hiking for an hour of two on the trail that leads down into the crater. It's like being ont he surface of the moon. It is VERY cold and windy up there even in the middle of the day, so take jackets with you.

Don't miss snorkeling, but if you're not experienced snorkelers, I'd suggest taking a no frills trip (no meals, etc.) rather than dropping a lot of money ($70 or so per person to Molokini) for a soup to nuts operation. You may find that you don't like it or even get seasick (my husband did). We were disappointed in the experience--didn't get to snorkel that long and didn't see that many good fish. The boat, crew and food were very good, though. Better yet, find where the best snorkeling beaches are and do it for free at first by renting your own equipment.

The Black Rock at the Hyatt (or Hilton?) in Kanapali is supposed to be a good location.

You'll have a great time no matter what you do. The islands are so beautiful and the people are so friendly and hospitable.

Alana924

We just got back, my kids are 21 and 19 and they enjoyed the Road to Hana because we stopped at all of the waterfally to swim. Get a guidebook or the casette tape to tell you where to stop. Most of the waterfalls you won't see until it's too late to stop. You will be parking on the side of a 2 lane narrow road but everone does it. I would get an early start but stop along the way at the smaller waterfalls before you get to the sacred pools. That was our destination goal and my kids were disappointed in it. they would have rather stayed at the smaller ones longer. the 7 sacred pools was very crowded and you can really only get to 2 or 3 of them unless you want to take the 2 hour long hike to the top. you also can't really jump into them and some of the other waterfall along the way the kids could jump into

RLA

My kids enjoyed swimming in some caves somewhere along the way.

Cindyrella

Just got my Maui Revealed book in the mail and it has some great info on this. I was concerned because when my daughter was younger she used to get car sick and when I gave her a dramamine she would fall asleep. We're staying in Kaanapali so looks like we'll have to leave about 7:00 am. We adults really are excited about this day trip but all the kids can talk about is going to a luau!

dmcmom

last month we took our 3 boys on the hana trip (13,12,7). we stopped quite a bit, we swam in the caves, took some great photos, picniced. we got to the 7 pools @ 4:00. it was not crowded at all. the fee at the ranger station is also good for haleakala. we paid the $10 but it seems that everyone else just walked past. the ranger closed the building just after we got there. the boys loved jumped off several different cliffs. we were there for about 1 hr, they loved it. we also continued that rest of the road around the island. it was the most beautiful, and interesting part. the road is easily travelable, a couple scarey sections but really worth the trip. have a wonderful time.

keith_l

We stayed at Kaanapali a couple of years ago and did the Hana road then. I think if you make plenty of stops at the waterfalls and swim in them then the teenagers won't get bored. Also pretty spectacular was the volcanic sand beaches - they're black - and the arboraetum too. Also, the road really isn't as bad as people make out, but I suppose if you're used to driving on the US freeways then it could be quite different (I learnt on the windy roads in Scotland so it was a bit like driving at home for me!)