Postcard from the Future: I dream of Maui’s Beautiful Beaches

View of the Pacific ft. dad

I vividly remember walking through the airport in Maui and looking out at the night sky while heading to the car rental building. The airport in Maui is open to the outside, which allows the warm and humid air to drift in and brush across your face as you wander to baggage claim and out into the parking area. 

Me, my sister, and dad at
the Maui Ocean Center

I was making my way along the sidewalk, battling my suitcase, trying to force it to roll on its two wheels without clipping my heels. My arm was being thrown around in odd positions. Instead of helping me out, my sister laughed at me while I made a fool of myself in front of strangers who were following us to the rental cars.

I knew our family trip would be filled with many embarrassingly funny moments and hysterical laughs, and it most definitely was.

If I had to describe Maui, it would be laid back. Sure, there are lots of things to do and not enough time to do it all in one vacation, but the atmosphere and vibe in Maui is, simply put, chill. There is something to do for any kind of person: adventurous people, those who love the outdoors, history lovers, and even those who just want to relax and enjoy their time in Maui. 

My hydro on a tree while snorkeling

My family and I did a large amount of snorkeling while in Maui. The water off the shores of Maui are extremely warm, welcoming, and teaming with life in every nook and cranny. I could not believe how many beautiful fish and brightly colored corals were scattered around the ocean floor. I should mention the water is very salty. My brother knows more than anyone. He swallowed a mouthful of sea water when wading back to shore, causing him to heave into the ocean on all fours.

My sister and I could not stop laughing, and my parents thought it was quite funny, too, after checking to make sure he was all right. My brother had a good laugh as well after gulping down a bottle of drinking water. 

Fish at the Maui Ocean Center

When we weren’t snorkeling, we found other things to fill our days while in Maui. We visited the Maui Ocean Center, which offers a large outside and partially indoor aquarium, history museum, and gift shop. We visited Whalers Village, a large shopping center with amazing restaurants and a to-die-for gelato shop. There are plenty of little downtown areas with unique shops in every town on the island of Maui, so Whalers Village isn’t the only option if you didn’t want to deal with as many tourists. 

We did quite a bit of outdoors activities as well. The Maui Dragon Fruit Farm offers tours and tastings of dragon fruits, plantains, and sugar cane, as well as the history of how the dragon fruit made its way to Maui. Located on the property is a ziplining course, although we didn’t partake in that. 

My sister and I ocean kayaking near Kihei

Ocean kayaking was one of my absolute favorite activities of the whole trip because you get to explore the open ocean, snorkel in one the most gorgeous areas of the island, and swim with turtles. My sister and I got paired together in a kayak and ended up fighting (not obvious in pictures) because we both thought we were the only ones trying and the other wasn’t “rowing hard enough.” We ended up making fun of ourselves by the end of it because of how ridiculous we were. 

I highly recommend anyone visiting Maui to travel the road to Hana. The road to Hana is roughly a two-day trip, including stops to sight see and visit shops or roadside markets. The whole road system takes you around the entire island, and is broken up into two halves: the large part of the island, and the smaller half. We drove the large half in about half a day, and part of the other half the day we flew home. 

My family at Nakalele Blowhole on the road to Hana

On the road to Hana are endless views of Maui’s rocky cliffs, sandy beaches, and cascading waterfalls. The road, however, is not for those who suffer car sickness or are scared of heights, and drivers should be aware that the road is often single-lane, extremely curvy, and occasionally covered in water. 

We never made it all the way to Hana, which is located on the small half of the island. We settled for a hidden black sand beach as our turn-around point. My goal is to make it to Hana the next time I visit Maui. 

Now, you can’t have a good vacation without good, or should I say, great food. Maui offers every type of food under the sun. Barbecue, burgers, pizza, Italian, Mexican, authentic Hawaiian, you name it, and there’s a restaurant that serves it. 

My family at Kimo's for lunch

Here are a few of my top picks for places to eat: Kimo's, which offers outside seating right on the water, located in Lahaina. Beach Bums BBQ & Grill has some delicious brisket or pulled pork sandwiches and is conveniently located right next to the Maui Ocean Center in Wailuku. The Cool Cat Cafe gives you a nostalgic feeling of being in an old diner, serving burgers and milkshakes, among other delicious food, and is located in Lahaina. My last pick is the Monkeypod Kitchen, located inside Whalers Village. This restaurant is on the fancier side, but still offers an array of food everyone will like. 

Family (minus dad) at the Maui Luau on
Kaanapali Beach

A trip to Maui would not be complete without a proper Maui Luau. The luau we attended was located on Kaanapali Beach and offered a gorgeous view of the sunset while we enjoyed an authentic Hawaiian feast with friends and family. The luau included a pig roast, with an almost ceremonial unearthing of the pig before food was served. After feasting, we were treated with a show on the history of Maui, which included fire breathing, dancing, singing, and appreciation for the wonderful culture.

Whether my next trip to Maui is next year or many years from now, I look forward to spending quality time with family, exploring the beautiful island, and eating more delicious food. 

I look forward to walking through Maui’s airport once again and feeling the warm, humid breeze brush across my face as I make my way to baggage claim. Maybe next time my suitcase will behave.

View of the Kihei beach after kayaking

At a Glance:
Maui, Hawaii
Informational website: www.gohawaii.com/islands/maui and www.hawaii.com/maui
Current restrictions: Mandatory 14-day quarantine for all incoming passengers
Best time to go: Spring or fall months for the best deals and least amount of tourists.
Weather: Temperatures don’t change much throughout the year. Winter months usually have the most rain.
How to get there: Fly out of any major airport along the west coast, such as Portland or San Francisco, directly into Maui via Kahului Airport, or fly into Oahu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and take a small propeller plane to Maui. Flights to any island take about five hours.
Where to stay: See www.hawaii.com/maui/accommodations

What to do: See www.hawaii.com/maui/things-to-do