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What a dream of a week! Was it the most relaxing? Of course not, I have a ten month old. But was it more relaxing than the typical day to day? Of course! It’s MAUI! I’ve listed out all the beautiful details below. I only hope all of my readers can make their way out to the island!
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the beautiful Royal Lahaina Resort in Ka’anapali, Maui right on the beach. This resort has 2 different style accommodations: the standard room in the tower and beach bungalows. We stayed in Lanaina Kai Tower on the top floor (so swanky!) in a suite with my in-laws. We stayed in the 2 bedroom Molokai suite consisting of 2 spacious rooms connected by a joint a living space. Each room had it’s own ac controls, balcony (that’s THREE balconies!!) and television (which was used one day as my husband watched the NBA draft lol). It was the perfect accommodation for us with a baby. We were able to hang out on the balconies and in the living space when kiddo was napping and sleeping. We set up his “nursery” with a pack n’ play the hotel provided in the larger bathroom. It got fairly dark and, since there was a second bathroom in my in-laws room, we were able to still use a bathroom while kiddo was sleeping.
On top of the gorgeous room, outside of the rooms the property was absolutely breath taking. To start, the beach was stunning. I mean, it is Maui after all! The beach had a gentle slope and very little tow so it was the perfect beach for us to bring my son in to. We opted to use hotel provided towels on the beach but you could rent umbrellas, chairs and loungers from the pool concierge for an extra charge. We did however book a cabana next to the pool/ beach one of the days which turned out to be great for kiddo. He was able to dip in the water and then relax in the shade on the comfy cushions of the cabana.
There were some great food options at the resort as well. They have a main restaurant that has breakfast (including a buffet), lunch, and dinner. There are also a few quick service places: a pool bar & grill, coffee shop and ice cream parlor. Of course, there is also one of the more famous luaus on the island at this resort. We didn’t go to the luau (it’s pricey and we weren’t sure how much we’d be able to actually enjoy it with a 10 month old who would probably get wiggly part way through), but there are a lot of great reviews out there on it!
What We Ate & Drank
At the Royal Lahaina Resort– We spent quite a lot of meals at the resort as we spent a lot of time simply relaxing on the property. So we were able to enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner at the various restaurants. I ate yummy garlic pasta, chicken wings, and indulged at the breakfast buffet. The stand out though was by far the ice cream parlor. Ube and coconut ice cream… YUM. And the drinks. Oh the drinks. I sipped on pina coladas, mai tais, mojitos and lava flows. *chefs kiss* or should I say *bartenders kiss*!!
Betty’s Beach Cafe– One of our dinners out! We actually had reservations to another restaurant this night but they were cancelled at the last minute because the restaurant closed for Juneteenth. This was a bit of a bummer because on Maui, or at least in Lahaina where we were eating most meals, you basically need a reservation to get seated. SO, we found a place farther off the main strip and seemed to be more popular for breakfast. Betty’s Beach Cafe is a fun, tropically decorated diner type place. We ate with (what seemed to be locals) as we watched the sun set over the water. There’s a luau that happens on the beach just in front of the restaurant and, while we couldn’t see the action, we did get to listen to all the live music which added to the ambiance.
The Plantation House– If you asked my husband “what’s the best meal you’ve every had?”, the answer is The Plantation House. Now, being San Diegians, we are very familiar with the Cohn Restaurant Group that owns this restaurant as well as many at home in San Diego. In fact, my husband did his internship for his MBA with CRG. BUT this one is incredible! I started with the Mea Lanakila drink which was Grey Goose vodka, strawberry puree, lemon juice and grapefruit juice. I didn’t go for a starter because I was saving room for the filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes. Ugh my mouth is watering just writing about it. Oh and of course… the view was incredible.
Kimo’s Maui– Another night, another dinner! Right on Front Street in Lahaina, with gorgeous views of another beautiful Maui sunset. The menu was similar to most places we’ve seen, featuring pork and of course fresh fish dishes. I went for the teriyaki chicken and of course a mai tai!
Burger Shack– This was one of my favorite lunches we had. On our way back to the hotel from Slaughterhouse Beach (more on that later), we were looking for a burger after a morning of snorkeling and up popped Burger Shack. This restaurant is beach front on the Ritz Carlton property. And OMG this food was delicious! I got the Katsu Katsu which was ramen crusted chicken (yes you read that right) with avocado, arugula, garlic aioli and pickled onions. 🤤 Oh! and the milkshakes!!! All of them looked great but we ended up with a classic Oreo shake. Can’t beat the classics!
Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop-You guys. This place is amazing. OMG. You have to have a good eye on the road because you might miss it! This is a small sandwich shop with the most incredible pies connected to a small general store. I got a grilled cheese which I shared with kiddo which was great… but… let’s be honest- we’re all here for the pie. We got 4. And I’m not sorry about it. Each of the 4 adults (sorry little dude) picked out one and we sampled them all. We ended up with Apple Crumb, Chocolate Cream, Banana Cream, and my favorite, Pineapple Mac-Nut. Take me back!!!!!!
What We Did
Ka’anapali
Here’s where most of our vacation took place. As I mentioned before, our hotel was right in Ka’anapali and we spent a lot of time hanging out here. We went into the water most days of the week and of course the pool was right next to the beach so no matter what water we were in we could hear the waves!
Sail Trilogy Snorkel Excursion
Our in-laws were so so so kind and gave Brandon and I the gift of a grown up excursion. We were able to leave kiddo with them for the morning and took off on a snorkel cruise! I knew I wanted to go snorkeling, (in hopes of swimming with turtles) but I was so overwhelmed when I began my research. So, I asked my friend from high school who lives on Maui (shout out to @abeachcreature!) who she recommends and thank goodness she recommended Sail Trilogy. This adventure was so amazing. We met the boat at the dock around 7am and hopped onboard. Get there early! If you are the first on the boat, you get first choice of seats! We were able to sit at the front of the boat, with the most amazing view. Pro-tip: if you sit on the “outside” of the boat (with the water to your back) you’ll get amazing pictures. You are greeted with your choice of pineapple juice, POG (passionfruit, orange and guava) juice, water or Kona coffee as you sit down. You are then greeted by the captain and crew and get a quick overview of the entire day. One of the crew members was a photographer and offered the opportunity to be professionally photographed (with the option of purchasing at the end). This is not typically something we do but this time we said yes because we were trying to be in the moment and not worry about taking pics pluuuuuus my 8 year old go pro was questionable as far as quality (a super great decision as you can see by the pics in this part of the post).
After introductions and schedules we were served freaking amazing cinnamon buns and fresh fruit as we sailed out to the first stop, Molokini Crater. On the way, we also received a quick snorkel lesson, so if it’s your first time, never fear! Once we arrived to the crater we were told some swimming boundaries and then the gates opened and we were off. We could choose to jump off the boat or go down the stairs. Of course, I jumped off. And as soon as I did… just wow. Molokini Crater is a partially submerged crater formed by a volcano years ago. The created islet basically looks like a cliff covered in birds. In fact, Monokini is a government protected bird sanctuary! But, what the crater is popular for is what’s below. It’s a highly sought after location for snorkeling and diving and I can see why. Holy visibility Batman! It boasts visibility around 150 ft with an absolutely beautiful reef around 20-50 feet below.
I loved this place. The water was warm, clear, and full full full of fish! I’ve been scuba diving before but never snorkeling (backwards, I know) I took to it like… well, like a fish in water. My husband, not so much. But he got the hang of it and we had a great time putzing around and checking out the fish. Of course, I was hoping for turtles but, as with nature, it didn’t happen. After about 1 hour of swimming around, it was time to get back on the boat and head to spot #2: Turtle Town. While we were sailing between the 2 spots we were told a little bit of history of the islands around us. Love that.
Aaaaaaaand Turtle Town was a…. bust. Womp womp. The water was starting to swell and get a bit choppy and I guess scared the turtles away. But that’s what happens with nature. She’s not predictable. We were able to see some more fish but the visibility wasn’t great because the sand was starting to come up with the waves.
On the way back to the docks, we were served an absolutely delish lunch of chicken, rice and salad. And of course, the bar was open. Mai Tais, POG juice+, mules… you name it. Two smart things- 1) Lunch. We were starving after swimming and 2) alcohol was not served until we were done snorkeling. Just smart. After lunch, the waters were more choppy and we had a great time bouncing in the waves and getting splashed with the spray. The wind was great so they were able to cut the motor and we could actually sail. Oh, and they gave us ice cream sundaes!
When we got back to the dock, we checked out our photos by the professional photographer and we opted to purchase them. They were a bit expensive, but we were happy to support local photographers and get the better pictures of the wildlife than my 8 year old go pro.
Maui Ocean Center
Ok listen, my kid LOVES fish. Like in tanks. Not so much to eat but we’re working on that. I literally used to take my son to Petco to look at the fish 🤦🏼♀️. So, naturally, I wanted to check out the aquarium. This aquarium is nice and small which is great for kiddos. They had some wonderful exhibits as well. There were amazing colorful fish, of course, but also sharks, turtles, and the history of the people of Maui and their connection with the ocean. By far, my son’s favorite part was the tunnel, where wildlife is all around you. The sharks swim above you which was endlessly awesome. PS- if you didn’t know I have a thing for sharks 🦈❤️. Also, yes I forced my whole family to match. Sorry, not sorry.
Slaughterhouse Beach
On our last full day we wanted to find a place to do some beach snorkeling. My father in law had a conversation with someone in the elevator who recommended Slaughterhouse Beach and I’m so glad they did. Less than appealing name, but gorg location. Apparently, there used to be a slaughter house on the cliffs near this beach where they would take advantage of the ocean right there (if you catch my drift). The slaughter house is long gone but I guess the name stuck!
A couple of things to know about this beach. First, it is right off the highway. Like right off the road. There are only a handful of parking spots so I recommend getting there early. Second, to get to the beach, you have to go down a fairly steep staircase. We definitely took it slow with a 10 month old, my in-laws, and all of our beach stuff in tow.
Once we set up we went for a swim. My father-in-law went out for a snorkel first and came back and said he swam with 2 turtles. #jealous. We swapped out swimming with kiddo and snorkeling. I went out twice and… no turtles. We were getting ready to pack up and I was pretty disappointed. My whole family basically pushed me back into the water and I am so glad. I was able to swim with not one but two turtles (!!!) and it was magical.
When I say magical, I mean like better than I could have ever dreamed. The best part was that I didn’t have my go pro or anything to record. I was able to just float and enjoy the beautiful turtles. When I came out of the water, Brandon asked me if I saw anything and I immediately burst into tears. If you’re a loser like me… you get it.
Other Things to Consider
Please take care of the island. This is so important. Pick up your trash. Leave the beach cleaner than you found it. DO NOT TOUCH wildlife. Don’t take anything from the beaches etc. And use reef safe sunscreen.
Sounds like a lot of rules but it’s really not. Just be respectful and know that you are visiting the wildlife and locals home, not the other way around. Be smart. Be kind. Be respectful.
