Family Trip to Hawaii

In the age of smart phones and deadlines, one of the best parts about spring break is the opportunity to get away with the whole family undistracted.  Way back in the day, my husband traveled quite a bit and earned some hotel points that were about ready to expire. With Southwest Airlines entering the Hawaiian air market, we knew flights to Hawaii would be cheaper and our hotel would be free—quite the perfect combination.

Last month, we embarked on a week-long trip to Maui, the tropical archipelago’s crown jewel.  We quickly settled in to the Marriott Beach Resort in Wailea, where the resort hugs a long stretch of the oceanfront and rooms sit nearly on the water’s edge.

With four teenagers in tow, we knew booking activities every day would be a bit much (and pricey). So we worked as a family and settled on two big excursions. One was a snorkel trip to Molokini, one of Hawaii’s most recognizable snorkel spots. Our other big adventure was a magnificent rainforest waterfall hike with a naturalist guide from Hike Maui. Both excursions were certainly worth the time and money. 

Our spring break getaway coincided with whale migration season, so our snorkel trip doubled as a whale watching excursion, too. What a bonus!  The Blue Water Rafting Company departed from the convenient Kihei boat ramp, and they took us to three snorkel spots—not an experience you can get in Kansas.

The waterfall hike with Hike Maui was probably the trip’s highlight for all six of us. For five hours, we hiked through magical rainforests seeing 40-foot waterfalls, and the teens enjoyed jumping off the rock ledges into the freshwater streams.

It’s no secret that food is pricey in Hawaii—really pricey! Our hotel had a casual food stand called Whale’s Tale, where we could get a quick breakfast that did not break the bank.  A few nights we splurged on fancy dinners but also managed to find MonkeyPods and Coconuts Café that were reasonable and really delicious. The kids enjoyed shaved ice stands and the Honolulu Cookie Company.  My husband could not resist Lappert’s Ice Cream, just a short walk from our hotel.

Hawaii is a beautiful destination, and sharing it with our kids was so much fun. Gorgeous sights, delicious food and amazing adventure gave our family a paradise getaway to remember.