15 Best Things to do in Maui, Hawaii, with Kids or Without - Free, Paid and When it Rains Activities
The are the best things to see and do in Maui Hawaii, and the best places to eat, even as a family with kids. Top restaurants, snorkelling with turtles, Upcountry, Kaanapali, Lahaina, surfing and more. Don't let the Lahaina fires or Hurricane LaLa put you off coming to one of the best places to visit in the USA. This is my honest guide to the best things to do in Maui, Hawaii in the United States of America, built from a week on the island rather than a top 10 scraped off other lists. I stayed at the Aston Kaanapali Shores, but went all over. There are fifteen picks here, spanning free things to do and paid experiences, adventure and fine dining, and plenty that works with kids as a family or without them. Renting a car comes first and is the one move that unlocks the rest, because the distances are vast and the top activities on the island sit well beyond walking or rideshare range. The geography is why: the West Maui Mountains rise to Puu Kukui at 1,764 metres, while the gentler East Maui Volcano climbs to a 3,055 metre peak, so a single day can run from ranch country to reef. Families usually want to know which activities are actually worth it with kids along. The protected Baby Beach at Paia is calm enough for young swimmers, Upcountry farms suit toddlers, and snorkelling with turtles at Hookipa is the kind of thing they remember for years. Couples and adults get a different island of sunset dinners, big-wave surf and quiet bays, so this works as well for two as for a whole family. Bad weather doesn't need ro ruin a day. The best things to do when it rains include the Maui Ocean Center aquarium and its 3D whale show, the galleries at Makawao, the shopping at Whalers Village and a long lunch. Free options stack up fast too: street art and beaches at Paia, cultural activations at Kaanapali, and the drive itself. Where to eat is half the trip, so this guide names the best restaurants in Maui and local cuisine. Among the standout places to eat is Havens Harborside Fish and Chophouse at Maalaea, run by Chef Zach Sato, named Chef of the Year at the 2025 Aipono Awards. It's hard to beat for fresh fish with a view. For fine dining, Merriman's at Kapalua delivers an oceanfront table, and Leoda's Kitchen and Pie Shop near Lahaina is the pie stop worth the queue wiht a Butterfly Farm nearby. Hula Grill at the Whaler's Village is also a winner. The regions each reward a day of effort: Upcountry means Makawao township, lei making and Ocean Vodka Organic Farm and Distillery, while Paia is the north-shore surf village. Things to do in Kaanapali run from calm beaches, a food-truck markets and gear hire, to better reef and snorkelling just north at Kapalua. Lahaina asks to be visited with real care, supporting a local business and staying on the main strip while the community rebuilds. Surfing threads through all of it. Beginners find surf schools in South Maui around Kihei, protected from the swells; medium surfers head west to Kaanapali; and the north shore holds the big-wave break Jaws for confident adults. It is one coastline, read three different ways, and a good reason Maui rewards more than one visit. Contents 00:00 Best Things to Do in Maui 00:25 Hiring a Car 02:02 Upcountry and East Maui Volcano 03:12 Lei Making at Haku Maui, Makawao 04:37 Ocean Vodka Organic Farm and Distillery 05:32 Paia Surf Town 07:33 Snorkeling with Turtles at Ho'okipa 08:47 Surfing in Maui 09:52 Maui Ocean Center Aquarium 11:46 Havens Harborside Fish and Chop House 12:54 Trilogy Sunset Dinner Cruise 14:45 Leoda's Pie Shop and Butterfly Farm 16:07 Visiting Lahaina After the Fire 17:22 Whalers Village Kaanapali 17:51 Black Rock Beach 18:16 Hula Grill 18:40 Best Beaches for Swimming 20:10 Merriman's Kapalua Best Restaurant 21:01 Is Maui Worth It? That is my take on the best things to do in Maui, kids in tow or not. I'm Chris Stead, an award-winning journalist, travel editor and creator of the Motivated Travel Show. I produce premium, honest, cinematic travel reviews and guides designed to help you travel smarter, better and with more confidence across Australia, Asia and beyond. There is a full Aston Kaanapali Shores review on the channel, and more of the island in my Travel USA and Hawaii series, and my Travel Tips and Guides series. #maui #hawaiitravel #travelguide #usatravel #motivatedtravel