🌺🌸🦋🐳🏝️

We just got back from eight days in Maui with three kids four and under… and I’m still dealing with some post-vacation blues.

It wasn’t a “relax on a lounge chair all day” kind of trip. It was sandy toddlers, early bedtimes, nap juggling, and squeezing in date nights between baby monitors.

And somehow… it was one of my favorite trips we’ve ever taken.

Here’s exactly how it went.

Keep Day One Calm 

We booked a hotel near the airport the night before our 9:30 AM flight, and I can confidently say this changed the entire tone of the trip. No frantic packing. No rushing. Just waking up already near the airport and starting vacation peacefully.

We flew with Hawaiian Airlines and decided to bid on first-class upgrades thinking we wouldn’t win.

We won.

Flying first class with three kids under four felt almost luxurious. The extra space alone made such a difference. Boarding was smoother, everyone had room, and the overall energy was just calmer. For a long flight to Hawaii, I would absolutely do this again if it’s an option.

We landed around 12:30 PM, grabbed our rental car (included in our booking package), and drove about an hour to our resort.

We checked in and let the kids just run free after a long travel day. The afternoon was spent putting our toes in the pools and ocean and just taking it easy. We kept dinner simple by making spaghetti in the condo and getting to bed early.

Honua Kai Was Perfect for Our Family

We stayed at Honua Kai Resort & Spa in a three-bedroom condo. It was us, our three kids, and my mother-in-law. My father-in-law had his own one-bedroom condo nearby three floors down.

This setup was ideal, especially for the mini dates that we snuck in throughout the trip. Granny had her own bedroom in our condo, so we didn’t have to ask her to come into ours, she could just lay down and relax while we were gone.

Traveling with young kids in a standard hotel room always feels stressful to me. Either everyone goes to bed at 7:00 PM, or my husband and I split up in separate rooms and still go to bed at 7:00 PM. Neither feels relaxing.

At Honua Kai, we had:

• Full kitchen
• Separate bedrooms
• Big living area
• Washer/dryer
• Resort pools + waterslide
• Easy beach access
• Duke’s Beach House right on property

We stayed on the 10th floor, which was slightly nerve-wracking with little kids but completely worth it. We saw whales from our living room and lanai daily. Just sitting out there in the mornings with coffee watching whales breach felt surreal.

If we stayed again (which we will), I’d try to book one of the larger lanai units. Ours was great, but some of them are massive.

The Rhythm of Our Days

Most days followed a similar pattern:

Morning: Pool or beach
Midday: Lunch + naps
Afternoon: Pool or beach again
Evening: Early dinner or sunset

It sounds simple, but with little kids, simple is what works. Plus it is pretty much all they wanted to do. We had a few excursions mixed in and a few that we had planned to do, but ended up skipping in favor of the pool/beach.

It was hard getting reservations at some of the restaurants, so definitely try to plan ahead and book accordingly. We cooked dinner at home a couple of times just to keep it easy and we breakfast almost everyday. It worked really well for us.

The Butterfly Farm 🦋

On the third morning we drove about 20 minutes south to visit a local butterfly farm.

The experience was sweet and educational, but our older kids were too scared to touch anything. Our 8-month-old was the bravest of everyone. We saw caterpillars, butterflies, and praying mantises. The butterflies will land on your fingers, which was so fun!

Even though it wasn’t the magical experience for the kids that I had imagined, I’m still glad we did it. I love exposing them to new things, even if it only pushes them slightly outside their comfort zone.

We also had plans to visit Valley Alley (arcade, bowling, Topgolf-style games), but juggling two different nap schedules made that tough. Traveling with a baby means the day revolves around sleep windows — and we’ve learned not to fight that too hard. We will definitely visit there when we return!

Old Lahaina Luau

We attended the Old Lahaina Luau one evening, and it truly exceeded expectations.

I’ve been to luaus before where the show is fun but the food is just okay. The food at this one was incredible. I tried a little bit of everything and was genuinely impressed with the flavors. The performances were beautiful and meaningful.

The only thing missing was fire dancers, which I was talking up to my kids all day, but overall it was such a special experience. I should’ve read more about what to expect when I booked!

Whale Watching 🐳 + A Perfect Date Night

Our snorkel and whale-watching cruise was one of the highlights of the trip. We saw so many whales. Up close. Breaching. My kids were so excited! On the first night the grown ups saw whales, but Palmer missed them so she prayed that she’d see them 

The boat had a glass-bottom viewing area, which was exactly why I booked it. There wasn’t a very good chance my kids were going to snorkel to begin with but it was also a pretty windy that day, so this allowed them to see fish and a turtle without getting in the water.

That night, the kids stayed back with grandparents while we had a date at Hula Grill Kaanapali.

The Caesar salad was hands down one of the best I’ve ever had. The macadamia nut crusted fish was so flavorful and fresh. We went later in the evening after putting the baby down, so we missed the sunset view — but it was still such a great meal.

Other Dinner Plans

One night we went to Son’z Steakhouse and it was an incredible atmosphere. It had big massive doors opening to a beautiful pond with geese. I ordered a filet with an Oscar-style topping and it was one of the best steaks I’ve had. It felt special after a full day in swimsuits and sandy feet and really set the tone for some great dining experiences to come!

Another night we had dinner at Roy’s Kaanapali and it was my favorite meal of the entire trip. The calamari sauce was incredible, the ribs were so flavorful. And the macadamia nut crusted fish was the best version we tried all week (I had it three times.) I really liked all of our experiences, and would make it a point to visit all of them again. I also want to try Monkeypod!

An Unexpected Sign

One afternoon, what was supposed to be a quick store run turned into something really special. We walked past an art gallery and saw the most stunning painting. The detail was unbelievable. We stepped out to grab a drink and think about it.

When we walked back in to talk to the artist, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” started playing. The song I danced to with my late dad at my wedding.

It felt like a sign, so we bought the painting. Sometimes I feel like I make a bigger deal about the “signs” I get. I probably heard that song five times over the course of our trip, but when they’re gone you try to find them everywhere. Hawaii was a special place for my family because my grandparents owned a condo in Kona. A lot of my childhood trips were over there, albeit a different island. Paired with some other external factors I’ve been dealing with, I was just missing him extra. So, I’m choosing to believe it was a sign, and now every time I look at that painting I’ll also think of him 🤍

Choosing Beach Over Plans 🏝️

We had planned to visit the Maui Ocean Center one morning, but it ended up being the best beach weather of the entire trip. So, we skipped it, and I’m glad we did. Some of our best memories were just slow mornings on the sand, watching the kids run in and out of the waves. Seeing them this little, enjoying such a simple thing – I know that those moments are heaven on Earth.

 Last Morning + Post-Trip Feelings

We had breakfast at Duke’s one last time — and I’m not exaggerating when I say they were the best pancakes I’ve ever had. Then we packed up and made the 50-minute drive to the airport. And I’ve been missing it ever since.

Traveling with young kids isn’t “relaxing” in the traditional sense. It’s busy. It’s sandy. It’s early mornings and structured naps. But it’s also watching your kids see whales for the first time. It’s beach sunsets together. It’s realizing that doing hard things can become the most beautiful memories.

We will absolutely be back to Maui, there’s something about it that just stays with you. But this trip also sparked something in me. Maybe it’s travel hubris. Maybe is just the confidence that comes after doing something that once felt intimidating. But this week made me feel like we can do this. 

My kids received many compliments in the airports about how well behaved they were, and that felt really affirming. It reminded me that we’re all very capable. So instead of feeling intimidated by bigger adventures I’m leaning in. Right now I’m eyeballing:

The Caribbean

Costa Rica

Banff

Iceland

They’re all adventurous, all out of the country but close enough to see how we’d do with it! I think we’re just getting started, or I’m going to be humbled very quickly. Either way stay tuned 🌎✨