Take a break from the beach and pool: Check out these family friendly activities in Maui
Once you arrive in Maui, you’ll be dazzled by the beautiful ocean views and soft sand between your toes. It may be difficult to leave your vacation villa or resort. If you haven’t booked your stay yet, consider forgoing the hotel for Maui beach house rentals. You are able to pick your ideal amount of rooms and location on the island. In addition, renting a beach house come with amenities such as a kitchen that are difficult to come by at a resort hotel. When booking a place to stay, these things are perfect for traveling with kids.
Traveling to Maui with kids is definitely an adventure in more ways than one. After a few days of swimming and playing in the sand, it will be a good time to explore more of the island. Check out the Top Things to do with Kids in Maui.
Atlantis Submarine
Under the Sea is where you’ll be; 125 feet below to be exact. From start to finish, the Atlantis Submarine experience is enjoyable for kids. You start off by riding a shuttle boat to the location of the submarine in the ocean. Next, your guide directs you where to look as the submarine slowly emerges to the surface. The process feels like magic. Minutes later you are off the boat descending down the stairs into the sub.
Atlantis SubmarineShortly after you find your seat, the 48-passenger submarine door is sealed and you are off to explore the world below. The guide points out ocean animals along the way. The viewing windows are wide and therefore my four-year-old son had no issues finding the creatures being discussed.
The Grandparents, my four-year-old son, and I felt fortunate to experience ocean life without getting wet. During our submarine ride, we saw sharks, eels, rays, a variety of tropical fish, and a shipwreck. My son was intrigued the most by the shipwreck and all the fish that seemed to have found homes there. At the bottom of the shipwreck were 3 white tip reef sharks taking a break. He squealed with delight at this sight. The ride was the perfect amount of time. Note: Children must be a minimum of 36" in height to ride the submarine.
After the submarine ride, it’s fun to walk around the town of Lahaina. Grab shave ice at our favorite place, Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice.
FreshCruiser tip: When you check-in, there is a map of the submarine route at the office. Show this to your children so they get an idea of where the submarine will be traveling and that there is an end.
Zipline
There’s nothing better than that feeling of flying through the air! Maui is an ideal place for ziplining. It is accessible, fun for all ages, the scenery is gorgeous, and safety is a top priority as companies must follow American safety standards.
Every ziplining company has different age and weight requirements. It’s important to check with the company before you book. Some companies allow children as young as 5 can take part in the adventure.
Ziplining in Maui
A little fear may begin to set in as we got harnessed, grabbed a helmet, and listened to the safely rules. We slowly climbed up the bridge to the first ziplining station and waited for our turn to zoom down. I wondered if I made a mistake! However, seconds later the screams of joy and laughter filled the air as we flew. At the bottom, I was met with, “Let’s do that again!” Luckily we were just getting started and the first one was considered “the warm up”. The views were spectacular. I had to remind Grandpa to keep his eyes open! The first zipline was definitely a memorable part of the experience. My family enjoyed the Piiholo Zipline as it offered Hawaiian history, nature expertise, and adventurous tree top ziplines.
FreshCruiser Tip: Encourage the young-at-heart to participate as well.
Maui Ocean Center
The centrally located Maui Ocean Center educates visitors on the local ecosystem through various exhibitions. It is a fabulous experience to see and learn what is in the local water and beyond. The exhibitions include shallow reefs to the vast open ocean. The Hawaiian viewpoint of the aquarium gives kids an understanding of where they are vacationing.
During our visit to Maui, we spent a relaxing morning visiting the Maui Ocean Center. We were happy to take a break from the beach and took our time wandering through. For toddlers, there was the perfect amount of things to see and was not overwhelming or too crowded. As we walked through the exhibits we stopped to watch the Open Ocean presentation. My children were in awe that there was a scuba driver in the tank! The diver spoke to the kids and answered all questions the audience had.
For an extra special experience, make reservations for The Behind the Scenes Tour. The 1-hour tour takes guests to the Aquarium lab to learn about coral restoration and how marine animals are cared for at the Maui Ocean Center. At the end of the tour, you are given the exclusive opportunity to feed turtles, sharks, and rays. This tour is appropriate for ages 5 and up.
FreshCruiser Tip: Combine a trip to the Maui Ocean Center with a drive to the town of Paia. It’s a cute town to walk around and grab lunch or shave ice.