When it comes to choosing a Hawaiian island for a family vacation, Maui is a wonderful destination to visit with children. It has beautiful sandy beaches, countless water activities, and resorts with large swimming pools that make family vacations an easy task.
For families, the Holy Grail is a great kid-friendly Maui hotel that won’t break the bank. Located on the site of the former Maui royal retreat, the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel is the ticket, offering the winning combination of great value and an authentic Hawaiian atmosphere.
One of Ka’anapali Beach’s must-see events is the daily cliff diving ceremony in front of the northernmost cliffs on the beach known as Puu Kekaa or Black Rock. Held nightly at sunset with torches lit along the cliff edge, the ceremony features diving off Black Rock in a reenactment of a feat by Maui’s revered King Kahekili.
Location
Just minutes from Lahaina, the resort is located on the three-mile Ka’anapali Beach, one of Maui’s top visitor spots. Its west-facing position means that incredible sunsets are guaranteed, and there is excellent snorkeling at one end off the Black Rock cliffs. While a number of renowned resorts share this shoreline, Ka’anapali Beach Resort remains a laid-back property with a park-like setting.
Most visitors fly into Kahului Airport and then take the 40-minute drive along the Honoapiilani Highway (Route 30), which is a very scenic drive along the coast to Lahaina.
Reflexes
This mid-priced community sits on 11 beachfront acres and features a large 432-room low-rise hotel offering spacious rooms with spacious lanais (covered patios). Each room has a refrigerator, which is useful for families.
The complex is beautifully landscaped with flowering trees, a swimming pool, two restaurants, a spa, and an outdoor setting for hula demonstrations. Considered the “most Hawaiian hotel” on Maui, the Ka’anapali Beach Resort schedules a series of free activities and workshops on lei, hula dancing, lau printing, or playing the ukulele. Each child receives an “Aloha Passport” that is stamped with each activity they attempt. Hula shows are organized nightly and departing guests receive a kukui-nut lei, presented in an elegant ceremony.
For first-time visitors, all the nuts on the lei are dark brown; With each return visit, a dark walnut is replaced by a light-colored one.
Do not miss
- great location on 3 mile Ka’anapali Beach
- steps to snorkel at Black Rock; steps to shops and other resorts
- good price
- Whale watching from the beach and even balconies in the rooms. (The whale watching season is from October to April).
- Kupanaha Magic Show at Dinner with Entertaining Tricks and Hula Dancing
- Black Rock, just north of the Ka’anapali Beach Resort, is a great place to dive. Children can spy on fish and even a sea turtle. At sunset, this is the site of a cliff diving ceremony.
- Whalers Village, located just two minutes along the walkway, is a modern commercial complex with open-air restaurants overlooking the beach.
Keep in mind:
- if you want glitzy and fancy pools, stay at more resorts along the beach (and pay a lot more, of course)
- There is no supervised children’s program at this property; instead, you will find many family activities with a focus on Hawaiian culture
- there is no shade on the beach (or on the entire Ka’anapali beach); Beach huts can be rented but at a price.
- Hawaiian beaches are often unsuitable for swimming, so heed the warnings. Fortunately, Ka’anapali Beach is known for its good conditions. When we visited, children and adults swam and boogieed. Just steps from Black Rock, the water near shore was calm and good for snorkeling.
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Edited by Suzanne Rowan Kelleher
