Let’s face it, if you have teens, a Hawaiian vacation at a resort with a pool and beach probably isn’t going to cut it. Sure it’s fine for a few days, but teens want more — more action, more adventure, more experiences. Never fear, we’ve got you covered with these 7 must-do activities for teens on the island of Maui.
1: Ride a bike down a volcano
A vacation to Maui isn’t complete without a trip to Haleakala, the third largest mountain in the world when measured from its base underwater. It’s also a U.S. national park.
We decided to ride bikes down Haleakala. Some folks get up in the middle of the night to meet up with their tour, see the sunrise and then ride down. But c’mon, a 2:30 or 3:00 a.m. wake-up call on vacation, especially with teens? That’s a tough sell!
Instead, we booked with Maui Sunriders for an 8:30 a.m. self-guided trip. Here’s how it works: you meet at the bike shop in Paia to get geared up and get your safety briefing. You then pile in a van for the 45-minute drive up. (Note: you don’t start from the very top; it’s not allowed by the National Park Service.) Then your guide sends you down the volcano for 6.5 miles through hairpin turns. I’ll admit to being nervous at first, but you’re feathering the brakes the whole way down. As long as you watch the road and not the view (which is pretty impressive), you’re fine.
The guide picks you up and drives you through an especially dangerous part. After that, you’re back on the road, stopping for lunch in the paniolo (cowboy) town of Makawao. The last 7-mile descent brings you back to the bike shop in Paia.
As long as your teenager promises to pay attention and use the brakes, you can do this adventure with your kids, ages 15 and up. Check out a portion of the ride from our Instagram video:
KidTripster Tip: After the ride, stop by Ho’okipa Beach Park, just outside of Paia, to see Maui’s biggest waves and perhaps some daring surfers. You may even see green sea turtles basking on the beach. Last time we were at Ho’okipa, we saw about 60 turtles!
2: See whales close up… really close
In Maui, whale watching season runs December through May with February being the peak time to see whales. Female whales give birth here, wait about three to four weeks for their calves to grow larger, and then head north to their feeding grounds in Alaska.
We went whale watching with the folks from Ultimate Whale Watching & Snorkeling. We chose them because they use rafts that allow you to sit closer to the water. In Hawaii, it’s illegal to get closer than 100 yards to whales, but whales can approach you while you’re floating. We, unfortunately, didn’t have any of those up-close-and-personal experiences on our trip, but you can see on Ultimate’s social media accounts, it does happen! Still, we saw plenty of whales — from pectoral slaps to fluke waves — and we appreciated having a naturalist on board to answer our questions. The sunset timing of the tour added to the magic.
KidTripster Tip: If you’re prone to seasickness, pre-medicate for this trip — no matter how calm the ocean looks or what the guy selling tickets on the beach tells you. When the boat is moving, you’ll likely feel fine. But when it stops (and you’ll be stopped for extended periods of time waiting for the whales to surface), the boat rocks a lot!
[ Related: 10 Reasons Families will Love Maui’s Napili Kai Resort ]
3: Snorkel with sea creatures that you can’t spell
The waters of Maui are teeming with sea life. One of the best places to snorkel on the island is Black Rock, just in front of the Sheraton Maui. Here, you’ll see a wide array of colorful fish and may even spot a Humuhumunukunukuapua’a, Hawaii’s state fish (and you thought “Mississippi” was hard to spell!) or one of the island’s resident green sea turtles. The snorkeling is also quite good along Napili Bay near Napili Kai Beach Resort.
KidTripster Tip: Be cautious, especially during the winter when Maui experiences big swells. If you’re not sure where you can safely snorkel, ask a local.
4: Swim in a waterfall pool
The famed Road to Hana is an all-day experience. Before starting the drive, download an audio guide app so that you can learn the history of the area as you go. The Hana Highway consists of 600 turns and 50 picturesque bridges. If you’re prone to car sickness, make sure to pre-medicate! Hopefully, you’ll be distracted by the gorgeous views along the way. The drive ends in Hana, home to jungle hikes, waterfalls with swimming holes, and black sand beaches. We recommend the Pipiwai Trail to the Falls at Makahiku and Waimoku Falls as well as the Ohe’o Gulch Trail to the Seven Sacred Pools.
KidTripster Tip: The road is quite narrow with little shoulder, so make sure to choose your family’s driver wisely.
Better yet, plan to spend a few days in Hana on the less-visited side of the island so that you can experience more and not feel so rushed.
5: Learn to scuba
If you’ve never been scuba diving but always wanted to learn, here’s your chance! There are a number of dive shops around the island, including Maui Diving and In2Scuba Diving Maui Dive Company, where you can sign up for beginner lessons. Typically, you need to be at least 10 years old and comfortable in the water to dive.
6: Ride a wave
What could be more Hawaiian than surfing a wave in the islands where Duke Kahanamoku made the sport famous? You can opt for private or group lessons, but do take a lesson if you’re new to the sport. Maui has some serious surf and dangerous rip currents, so you’ll want to hang with an instructor who has local knowledge. Try Maui Surfer Girls, Maui Surf Lessons or Ka’anapali Surf Club.
7: Soar to new heights
One way to take in the extraordinary views of Maui is from a parasail 1,200 feet up in the air. Parasailing is easy and not nearly as scary as it may sound. You can ride single, tandem or triple. Know that there is a fee for passengers who just come to observe. Ask the boat driver to make a splash by dipping your feet (or more) in the ocean during your ride. Ka’anapali Beach Parasail (also known as West Maui Parasail) is one of the popular vendors and flies the yellow chutes with the smiley faces.
