We recently completed our first family vacation. I say "completed" because I now consider that travelling with young children is like running a marathon. You will need a lot of planning and preparing. Don't forget to lock your shoes tightly because you will be moving a lot. Set your goals or your plans and best of all: Chill Out! Don't try to be the best parent, just try to be the best at vacationing with your family.
Before planning your trip, it is important to understand that children brings another meaning to the word "vacationing". Let's just say that sipping on a mojitos at the beach with a book in hand won't happen.
Travelling with one is fairly easy but travelling with two is another story. I can't even imagine what it would be like to travel with more than two...
Hands up for all of you who can do it!
Despite this being our first vacation as a team of 4, we had a lot of fun. It is an adjustment (compared to my youth travels in Mexico as a single girl) and it is certainly more demanding but it is so rewarding and it was a real joy to see my family joyfully united and see the world through the eyes of my children!
The first thing that marked me when we landed on the island of Maui in Hawaii, was the breathtaking scenery.
The Hawaiian Islands is built of volcanic cones and Maui is a "volcanic doublet," formed from two shield volcanoes that overlapped one another. Haleakalā is the largest and younger one and rises to more than 10,000 feet (3,000 m) above sea level.
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. Native Hawaiian tradition gives the origin of the island's name in the legend of Hawaiʻiloa, the navigator credited with discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. According to it, Hawaiʻiloa named the island after his son, who in turn was named for the demigod Māui. (Moana anyone?)
We stayed 3 nights at The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. Despite them not having our room ready when we got to the hotel, the welcome we received and the service offered was very pleasant.
When we arrived, we decided to explore the resort hoping to find a cool spot to relax, hoping that my son would sleep in his beach bassinet while my daughter plays in the sand quietly.
The problem is that my son (2 months old) is way too young to stay under the sun for more than 10 minutes and that my daughter wants to be in the water ALL THE TIME.
So we ended up spending the afternoon running between the pool, the beach, the cabana and the toilet for the diaper changes.
Thankfully, we managed to get a cocktail in between! :)
For the remaining part of our stay in Maui, we decided to rent a car and explore the island. Here are the highlights of our family adventure.
DAY 1
Pāʻia
Our first stop was in little town call Pāʻia located on the northern coast of the island of Maui.
I highly recommend dipping your toes in the ocean at Baldwin Beach.
Twin falls Maui Waterfalls
It was an easy kid-friendly walk to get to the falls. The paths that lead to the falls are wide which is perfect for a toddler who likes to run everywhere...or decides to have a tantrum!
Mama's Fish House is a family owned restaurant featuring freshly caught Hawaiian fish. It was ranked Top 10 Fine Dining Restaurants in the US by Trip Advisor. Their plates are meticulously prepared and presented, perfectly seasoned and proportioned but most importantly, every single bite is an explosion of flavor in your mouth. The restaurant, located on the north shore of Hawaii, has that vibe that brings you back in time. Perhaps, it's the island music, their very unique Hawaiian decor and/or the layback attitude of the staff.
When we left, we made a reservation for the next day. It was that good!
Kuau cove at Mama's fish House
DAY 2
Lāhainā
On day 2, we decided to explore Lāhainā located on the West Coast of Maui island. Lahaina's is one of the most popular town in Maui. There are plenty of restaurants, stores and historic sites to visit.
Makena: La Perouse Bay
La Perouse Bay or Keoneʻoʻio Bay is located south of the town of Wailea, Hawaii at the end of Makena Alanui Road. Maui's last eruption occurred around 1790; two of the resulting lava flows are located at Cape Kīnaʻu between ʻĀhihi Bay and La Perouse Bay on the southwest shore of East Maui.
It's worth taking a stop!
Will I do it all over again? Absolutely!
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