Maui with a Toddler: Ultimate 7-Day Itinerary for a Stress-Free Trip

Traveled in May 2023 and May 2025

Maui might be our favorite Hawaiian island to visit as a family. It’s the perfect balance of calm baby beaches, outdoor activities, and low key city life. Maui doesn’t feel as busy or urban as Honolulu, and isn’t as quiet and rural as Kauai or Big Island. We love the variety of delicious local eateries in Maui. And since we travel in shoulder season, it never feels too crowded on the beaches. Going to Hawaii is usually about relaxing. But if you’re looking to do more than just lounge at the resort, check out our itinerary for a week of stress-free things to do in Maui with a toddler.

Itinerary

When to Go

Maui is really a year round destination because the weather is reliably nice for most of the year. However, since we usually like to avoid crowds, we tend to visit in shoulder season. Summer, spring break, and winter break are popular family vacation times in Hawaii that we try to avoid. May and September are usually less crowded and not as hot. Think more hotel availability, less crowded beaches, and cheaper flights.

How to Get There

The airport in Maui is the Kahului airport (airport code: OGG). We love flying Hawaiian Airlines to Hawaii. They are one of the only airlines that still serve a meal during the flight. And they always hand out a sweet Hawaiian treat before landing. The flight attendants are always so nice, and it just gets you into the aloha spirit. It costs a bit more, but flying direct and soaking in the aloha spirit right from the start is much more relaxing.

Booking tip: certain flight searches like Kayak, Skyscanner, or Google flights allow you to set price trackers that will alert you when the price of your flight changes. I never book a flight without tracking prices first because there is no better feeling than snagging a good deal! And if you book your flights with a travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire card, the card usually includes some travel insurance protections (like lost luggage reimbursements, trip delay reimbursements, or trip cancellation insurance) to save you the cost of buying extra travel insurance. Use my contact form if you’re looking for a credit card referral with bonus sign up points!

Bonus Booking tip: sign your kiddo up for frequent flyer accounts with airlines to start earning airline miles for them! Most airline miles do not expire for minors so your kiddo will thank you later.

Where to Stay

My biggest tip when choosing where to stay in Maui with a toddler is to stay near a good beach. That way, if your kid is just not in a cooperative mood, you don’t have to worry about strapping them into a carseat to go anywhere. You have a super easy (and still awesome) plan B – just walk over to your hotel or condo’s beach or pool and relax.

We loved staying in Napili Bay when our kiddo was younger because the Napili Bay beach is beautifully calm. However, Napili Bay is pretty far away from the areas of the island, so getting out to explore can mean a bit of a long drive. The first time we visited Maui with our kiddo he was too young for many of the activities and we mostly stayed at the beach, so staying in Napili Bay worked for us. This time, since we were planning on doing more activities, we stayed in Wailea, which is more centrally located and loved it. The beaches in Wailea are calm, it’s a short drive to the delicious local restaurants in Kihei, and a short drive to other toddler-friendly activities when we want a break from the beach.

Check out our recommended family-friendly hotels and condos in Maui for the most convenient places to stay in Maui with kids!

How to Get Around

It definitely helps to rent a car to get around Maui to be able to explore the different parts of the island. All of the car rental agencies are located in a separate car rental center at Kahului airport. There is a free trolley outside arrivals that takes you from the airport to the car rental center, or you can walk there in a couple minutes.

Booking tip: if the car rental agency has a free membership program, sign up for it! Members usually get extra perks like a free additional driver, discounts, or faster reservation check ins (all very desirable things when you have an overtired toddler in tow).

Maui Itinerary at a Glance

Day	Activity	Sleep In
1	Arrive in Maui Get supplies at Costco/Walmart/Target Chill at the resort	Wailea
2	Morning beach and pool day at the resort Afternoon shave ice	Wailea
3	Morning at Kalepolepo Beach Park Dinner at the South Maui Gardens	Wailea
4	Morning at Iao Valley State Monument and Farmers Markets Afternoon pool time at the resort	Wailea
5	Morning at Ulua Beach Dinner at the South Maui Gardens	Wailea
6	Morning at Maui Ocean Center Afternoon pool time at the resort	Wailea
7	Morning Dolphin watch boat tour	Wailea
8	Fly home

Day 1: Arrival in Maui

Our first stop after arriving in Maui is always to get groceries and supplies because the big warehouse stores like Costco, Walmart, and Target are right near the airport. Especially if you’re staying in a condo and have a kitchen, getting groceries at Costco or Walmart can help save on food costs. I also like browsing Costco and Walmart for more affordable snack souvenirs to bring home as gifts. It’s much cheaper than the ABC stores!

After getting supplies and lunch, it’s usually about time to check in to our condo. The drive from the airport can be long, depending on what part of the island you’re staying in. When we stayed in Napili Bay it took about an hour. But this time since we stayed in Wailea it only took 30 minutes to reach our condo resort (which we loved!).

We spent the rest of the afternoon taking it easy and enjoying our resort pool and beach access. We really loved that our resort had direct beach access to Keawakapu II Beach Park, which was a super calm beach perfect for our kiddo to splash around in safely. It was really easy to walk down to the beach and not have to drive anywhere or look for parking. Having a nice condo pool and direct beach access is clutch for actually enjoying Maui with a toddler.

It wouldn’t be a travel day with a toddler without a meltdown, especially given the time difference. Ours hit right around dinnertime. So we grabbed some dinner to go from South Maui Fish Tacos and called it a night. Since it was already 8pm Hawaii time by the time our kiddo went to bed that first night – and after all the swimming and excitement – he was totally wiped out and actually slept through the night without waking up at the crack of dawn the next day.

Day 2: Resort Beach and Pool Day

There are two approaches when it comes to adjusting to time differences with kids – pack the next day with activities to keep them busy, or take it slow and ease into the new schedule. Since the point of this Maui vacation with a toddler was to relax and not to see all the things, we took the second approach this time. We spent our first full day in Maui just relaxing on Keawakapu II Beach Park and playing in our resort pool until lunchtime.

Our days are still split into mornings and afternoons because our kiddo still takes an afternoon nap. After naptime, we had our first shave ice of the trip.

Looking for the best shave ice and family-friendly restaurants on Maui? Our favorites are kid-friendly but also tasty for adults!

Day 3: Kalepolepo Beach Park

We chose a weekday to check out Kalepolepo Beach Park, which is a super calm baby beach a little further north in Kihei. I would recommend coming on a weekday because the parking lot is pretty small. This beach was an ancient fishpond, so there is a manmade barrier that breaks the waves. As a result, the beach here is super calm and pretty shallow. Kiddos aren’t the only ones taking advantage of this calm pool; we saw a lot of turtles hanging out on the rock barrier and they often come onto the beach as well.

This beach isn’t as picturesque as some of the others on the island – the water isn’t as blue and you don’t get the usual beach vibes with the palm trees on the sandy beach. It did feel a little more like a pond than a beach. But it is great for younger babies and toddlers to splash around in because of the safety factor. We only stayed for about an hour before leaving for another shave ice pitstop at Peace Love Shave Ice on our way back to our condo. Sugar Beach Bake Shop (home of delicious malasadas) is also just a short drive up the road. But you do have to get there before 10am for a malasada.

We spent the afternoon in the pool at our condo. We had planned on checking out the free Polynesian show at the Shops at Wailea, but our kiddo preferred to stay longer at the pool instead. The Polynesian show happens every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30pm-6:30pm, but they have other cultural shows as well. These free hula shows are a perfect alternative to traditional luaus for families with young kids. Little ones might have trouble staying engaged (or even awake!) for an entire luau, and let’s be real – those luaus aren’t cheap! There is also a cheaper hula show at the South Maui Gardens on certain days. The gates were still open when we first arrived to grab dinner, so we were able to peek over and catch the beginning of the show while we waited for our food.

Day 4: Iao Valley State Monument and Farmers Markets

After two days at the beach, we were ready for a change of scenery. If you’re looking for an easy hike when visiting Maui with a toddler, the Iao Valley State Monument is a good choice. The hike is short, easy, and paved, so it is one that even little legs can manage. The hike up to the viewpoint does have some stairs, but it’s not too steep or long. We also detoured down to the river on our way down. You do have to reserve timed parking ahead of time (I break down the details in this post) so you do have to plan ahead a little. We booked a day ahead with no problem.

Since we only spent about an hour at the Iao Valley State Monument, we made it back in time to visit some of the farmers markets on the island. I love browsing farmers markets for local snacks and treats, especially to bring home as gifts. Some of the farmers markets only happen on certain days of the week (details about the different farmers markets are on this post), so plan accordingly! We visited the Farmers Market of Maui Kihei (open Monday through Saturday) and the Ko Mahi’ai Makeke South Maui Ohana Farmers Market.

Day 5: Ulua Beach

Ulua Beach is another calm kids beach in Wailea. The waves are gentle and there is plenty of shade, so it’s a good beach for a toddler in Maui. It is two beaches down from Keawakapu II Beach Park. While it is walkable in about 15-20 minutes from the condo we stayed in, you do have to scramble over rocks at certain points so it would be a difficult walk with a lot of gear.

Honestly, I found Ulua Beach pretty similar to Keawakapu II Beach Park. If I had to put in any extra effort, I wouldn’t bother driving to Ulua Beach. It’s much easier to just walk down to our resort beach. However, Ulua Beach is one of the few beaches with a public parking lot tucked into this stretch of beach resorts. So if you’re not staying in the area, then it’s your best bet for a calm kid-friendly beach on this part of the island. We visited on a Sunday and the small parking lot was already full by 9:30am. This beach is probably best visited on a weekday.

If you’re willing to drive further away, another calm kids beach that is worth the drive is Napili Bay. There is not a lot of parking there though, so getting there early helps. We intentionally based ourselves in Wailea this trip to avoid long drives, so opted for beaches close by.

Looking for other kid-friendly beaches in Maui? Check out our list of amazing baby beaches in Maui!

Day 6: Maui Ocean Center

The Maui Ocean Center is the aquarium of Hawaii. It’s a great (mostly) indoor activity for rainy days, or just when you need a change of pace with a toddler in Maui. Most little kids seem to be mesmerized by aquariums, and the underwater tunnel here does not disappoint! The Maui Ocean Center is unique because they help to rehabilitate some of the sea animals around the islands, which makes it interesting for parents too! You get to see sharks and turtles here that you won’t find at other aquariums. A highlight for me was seeing the baby hammerhead sharks. Tickets to the aquarium can be pricey, but check out my post here for a tip on how to save if you have a local membership to a museum in your area!

In the evening, we had dinner at the South Maui Gardens Food Trucks. This food truck park is such an oasis of amazing food in an idyllic setting. The food from the food trucks here tastes just as good as any of the trendy places back home, but without the stuffy atmosphere. You can actually enjoy the food without worrying if your kid is making too much noise or being too fidgety because it’s open seating in a garden with lawn games. Really, such a perfect place in Maui for families with a toddler who like to eat good food. It’s good for picky eaters too since there are so many options available in one place.

Day 7: Dolphin Watch Boat Tour

The first time we visited Maui with a toddler our kiddo was still napping multiple times a day so we couldn’t really go out to do many scheduled activities. This time, I was excited to actually be able to do activities that our kiddo would enjoy too. Although we had gone on some spectacular snorkeling adventures when we visited Maui without kids, those snorkeling trips often have an age minimum and toddlers are too young to join. But dolphin and whale watching boat tours welcome all ages! The boat tours usually run on certain days of the week, so look up the tours ahead of time to ensure you don’t miss it if you’re only there for a week.

We went with PacWhale Eco-Adventures and loved the experience. Each trip has a naturalist on board. It was great to get a deeper understanding of the animals and the conservation efforts from them during the trip. Although we didn’t see any dolphins on our dolphin watch tour, we did see a whale and even heard it singing from the deck of the ship. The naturalist dropped the underwater mic and it was such a magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience to hear the entire whale song and watch it resurface again after. What makes it even more magical is that we got to experience it with our kiddo. Despite all of the struggles of traveling with a little one, sharing experiences like these and making these memories together is why we do it.

Kid Essentials You’ll Be Glad You Packed

• Sound Machine: If you’re sharing a room with your little one, a portable sound machine can be a total lifesaver. Because of the time difference and earlier bedtimes, kids are more likely to be asleep while there’s still noise around. A sound machine helps drown out outside sounds and keeps them sleeping longer.
• Pack and play sheets: Even if the condo/hotel has a pack and play, they may not always have sheets to go with it. We always bring our own. It’s even better if your kiddo has slept on the sheets recently, because then it smells like home and can put them to sleep easier in an unfamiliar place.
• Slumberpod: The Slumberpod worked wonders for us when our kid was smaller. Once he turned 2 though, being zipped up in the Slumberpod seemed to scare him more if he woke up in the middle of the night.
• Hip seat carrier: We love our hip seat carrier with convertible straps! It’s so much easier to move around beaches and carry beach gear when our kid is strapped to us rather than pull a wagon or stroller through the sand. The hip seat is also much more comfortable for him to nap in if we’re taking longer walks or hikes because he can actually sit rather than being suspended. We especially love ours because it’s hands free, and can be worn in the front or back.
• Oxo Tot 2-in-1 travel potty: I bring this potty seat everywhere. I love that it can be a standalone potty that you can use with any old plastic bag. And you can put it on top of a regular toilet to make it easier for kids to sit.
• Long sleeve rash guards: If your kid hates putting on sunscreen (as mine does), then a long sleeve rash guard is key for protecting them from the sun. Choose neon yellow, neon green, bright orange, or hot pink for maximum visibility in the pool.
• Sun hat with neck cover: A wide brimmed sunhat with a neck cover is so useful for a bit more sun coverage. Especially on the back of the neck, where we always forget to reapply sunscreen!
• Water shoes: Our kiddo got a blister once after walking in wet rubber sandals. So now we make sure to bring the water shoes that are made of neoprene.
• Kid’s reef safe mineral sunscreen: Walmart and Target on the island usually has adult versions of reef safe sunscreen. However, we brought our own mineral sunscreen for our kiddo when he was smaller and had more sensitive skin.
• Travel entertainment: Our go-tos are one new book (seek and find books or lift the flap books last longer!), Water WOW coloring books, sticker books (the ones from Daiso are amazing and cheap), a drawing pad, and mini magnatiles.
• Water bottles: We like the stainless steel ones.
• Health kit: I always bring a thermometer and Children’s Tylenol. If your kid has any allergies, definitely bring Children’s Benadryl. It’s easier to have it on hand when you need it. I also bring hydrocortisone 1% cream to Hawaii because I always get mosquito bites!

Reality Check of Visiting Maui with a Toddler

This was our third venture to Hawaii and our second time in Maui with a toddler. While some things went better because of what we learned from previous experience, we still could not dodge the curveball of toddler/preschooler development. Our trip coincided with peak separation anxiety, so that meant I had a literal velcro kid the entire trip who melted down the minute I stepped away. Honestly, this developmental milestone was unavoidable and would have happened at home too. I don’t know if it’s better or worse for it to have happened on vacation. Maybe better because at least I didn’t have to be stressed about work at the same time?

And a note about meltdowns while on vacation. We saw plenty of kids melting down publicly. Kids are overstimulated, overtired, probably eating more sugar than usual, and overall more hyped up than at home. Of course they’re going to auto-combust. None of the other parents are judging (I hope. I certainly wasn’t!), because we have all been there. So just know that it will most likely happen and move on.

On the flip side, we were able to apply some of what we learned from our previous trips to decrease some of the power struggles. Sleep was much better this time around. We just didn’t stress about keeping to a nap schedule or strict bedtime. Since we were out playing all day, our kiddo naturally fell asleep at about the right time anyway because he needed the rest.

We also ate much better during this trip. We picked restaurants we wanted to try, rather than planning meals around what our kiddo would eat. If he wasn’t into the food, we always had some simple sandwiches on hand as backup. Surprisingly, he actually ended up eating more foods than usual, simply from being hungry from all the activity. While we do try to have some structure at home, loosening up while on vacation definitely made it more relaxing for us as parents since we did not have to be firm and “hold the boundary” all the time.

Have more time in Maui? Explore our other favorite toddler-friendly Maui activities!