We participate in affiliate marketing programs, including Amazon’s. As a member of these programs, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Our full advertising disclosure is available here.

Maui is a beautiful place, and one that proved to be both educational and fun for our toddlers. So many people asked us about traveling from the East Coast to Hawaii with our two-year-old and four-year-old — and, surprisingly, it wasn’t because they thought we were crazy. They wanted to know whether they could travel there with their own children. Our answer?  ABSOLUTELY!

7 “Do’s”

1. Shop at Costco.

We went to Costco as soon as we landed in Maui. The Costco is near the airport, and it’s also a great way to stock up on fun and favorite items for the kids. A few things we recommend picking up:  Beer/wine (check out local Maui Brewing Co. options!), fresh fruit, poke, spicy tuna, sashimi, breakfast muffins, kombucha, bottled water, kid snacks, and sunscreen.  We picked up these items upon arrival rather than being limited to eating out each meal.  It allowed us to have snacks on hand for the kids (a must for jet lagged toddlers) and save some serious cash so we can take more trips!

2. Rent a car.

Not sure whether you need a rental car?  You do. This is not the place to try to save money.  Maui is an island best experienced by exploring, and this is best done by car.  Bonus: This is a great way to help the kids nap so that they (er, everyone) can have a more enjoyable experience.

3. Drive the Road to Hana.

What is one of the top things to do with a rental car in Maui?  Drive the Road to Hana, of course!  We went twice, because it was raining the first time. The road was not nearly as dangerous as it was hyped up to be, though slower driving and common sense go a long way!  We stopped at several places along the way to see Rainbow Eucalyptus trees, gushing waterfalls, and incredible views. There are several places where you can stop to adventure further into the sights on your way to Hana. Though we brought our Tula Toddler carriers with us, we weren’t able to hike down to everything we planned to see due to the rain/mud.  But, that’s okay!  When these things happen, we consider it our reason to return!

4. Try Coconut Glen’s.

One of our favorite stops along the Road to Hana was a little stand serving organic ice cream called Coconut Glen’s. It was INCREDIBLE. The kids loved it, and I loved that it was organic. We definitely recommend this treat!

5. Eat shave ice.

I’m a little obsessed with shave ice (by any name — snowball, snow cone, I’ll take them all). So when traveling to a place that is literally famous for their shave (not “shaved”) ice, this was obviously a must-do on our Hawaii list. After trying several locations, Ululani’s Shave Ice in Paia was the best we had in all of Hawaii. The fruit flavors were incredible and fresh, and we — I mean the kids — loved it!  Make a meal of it by hitting the Paia Fish Market before desserting on shave ice on your way home from Hana!

6. Go whale watching.

Why did we come to Hawaii during high season (something that we try to avoid at all costs)?  Whales. Humpback whales. Everywhere. On the way from Costco to the hotel?  Whales from the side of the road. On the way to Foodland to get more poke bowls?  Whales. Driving to see a sunset?  Whales. They were EVERYWHERE, and it was incredible!!  We took a sunrise whale-watching cruise with the Pacific Whale Foundation (a great bang-for-your-buck! Thanks to The Family Voyage for the recommendation!), and we even saw a whale breach, which is still ingrained in my memory. Have you ever seen 2- and 4-year-olds pointing and shouting, “humpback whale!” as these majestic and massive creatures let us share the same square of Earth with them for a few minutes?  It made me feel like the entire trip was worthwhile. Not every day feels like a parenting win, but when your toddlers can properly identify humpback whales on documentaries, I’ll admit it feels pretty great!

7. Seek out sea turtles.

When we stopped at a lookout to check out the view of the storm-driven waves, we were surprised to stumble on a huge herd of sea turtles resting on the beach. The kids squealed with joy, and it was unbelievable to see so many so close.

1 “Don’t”

Don’t let the rain keep you inside. Some trips you have incredible weather. Some trips you have a record-breaking monsoon that even shocks the locals. This trip was the latter. And we still loved Maui. The storm caused the waterfalls and blowholes to surge, which was incredible witness. The rain kept many tourists away from the Road to Hana, which afforded us a much more leisurely and less crowded experience.  And, let us not forget Rainbow Season—we saw more rainbows in Maui than we have ever seen in one place. Stunning!

So, if you’re wondering whether you can take a trip this far with your littles, YOU CAN. You’ll have unique experiences through their eyes, and gain family bonding time as you navigate “family firsts” together. Maybe our 2-year-old won’t remember every single detail. But we hope these travels will shape what they enjoy and who they will become, and provide hands-on education that can’t be experienced from books and lessons. And those details?  We sure will remember them.