Finding a beach on the island of Maui is the easy part since you can travel long enough in any direction and hit a shoreline. If you want to visit the beach with your little ones for a nice family day out, however, there are some more considerations to keep in mind, like how calm the water is, how crowded the beach will be, and more.
In the rest of the article, we are going to look at five of the best beaches for families in Maui and what you need to know about each of them.
Baby Beach, Lahaina
Baby Beach welcomes families from the moment you read its name. Located in West Maui, it is a great destination for your little ones.
The water is quite calm, so if you or your children aren’t very confident swimmers, you don’t need to worry about nasty surprises. The water is also extremely shallow for quite a long way away from shore. You can wade pretty far in and still be no more than three feet deep.
Baby Beach does not have a big reputation among tourists, which makes it perfect for a nice, quiet day without many crowds or rowdy partiers.
The coral is a gorgeous attraction among the locals, and because of where it is situated, it is easy to enjoy. But please remember not to step on it. The coral is part of an intricate ecosystem, and killing it robs every lifeform of its benefits.
One of the only downsides to Baby Beach is the size of the beach itself. It is quite narrow, which means that your little ones won’t have as much land area to run around in. Thankfully, this balances out with it rarely being crowded, so your family should be able to enjoy lounging and playing in the sand in spite of this.
Baby Beach, Paia
Another beach named for its incredible conditions for toddlers, this Baby Beach is located in Paia, on the north shore of Maui.
The water in Paia is not quite as still as at the similarly named beach in Lahaina, but it is nonetheless protected by some obstacles, so large waves will not be an issue for your paddling children. As with its counterpart, the Baby Beach in Paia is a great beach for people who aren’t confident swimmers.
You will find much more sand at Paia compared to Lahaina, so this Baby Beach is great for more on-land activities. You can even branch out a little bit more and enjoy the majestic sand dunes a few steps away.
Because this area is not designed for tourists, you may encounter some issues finding parking as it is mostly set up to service local residents. The big advantage to this is that you won’t have problems with crowding, making it a great destination for a relaxed and pleasant family day out.
Napili Bay, Napili
Napili Bay takes an old school approach compared to a lot of Hawaii’s most famous beaches. Naturally, this means that it doesn’t attract as many tourists, making it a great destination for families instead.
The water at Napili Bay has a bit for everyone. The calmer parts mean that your children will be able to have a great time without you needing to worry about waves, and the same goes for adults who prefer not to need to rely on their swimming abilities.
In other parts, Napili Bay does also offer a bit more movement on the waves, which means that you can engage in a bit of boogie boarding, surfing, or even just enjoy the action of the larger waves.
Because of the gorgeous nature, Napili Bay is a great location for snorkeling. Don’t have your own gear or left it at home? Not a problem. There are more than enough places to rent equipment from for the day for you and your entire family.
On a similar note, there are plenty of nearby amenities. If you want a snack or a distraction, you can nip into any of the locations within a short walking distance, do what you need to do, and then go right back to the beach to continue with your day of leisure and merrymaking.
Kapalua Bay, Kapalua
The reputation of Kapalua Bay goes beyond Maui and even beyond Hawaii. The beach is renowned for its exceptional beauty, and this fame is well founded. The downside to this is that you and your family won’t be the only people visiting the beach, not by a long shot.
Kapalua Bay does have a parking lot, but because of the beach’s popularity, parking is not guaranteed. The best practice for visitors would be to arrive quite early to get a parking space, as the lot will tend to fill up before noon.
As with a lot of other family-friendly beaches, the water is relatively calm, so you can wade out with less worry than on rougher coasts.
Launiupoko Beach Park, Lahaina
This is the most different beach on the list for multiple reasons. Launiupoko is the most isolated of the beaches we have looked at since it sits a few miles from the center of Lahaina with little else between them. The good news is that there is a parking lot, so accessibility should not be a problem if you have a car.
Launiupoko Beach is also great for families with more active children. While the waves aren’t especially violent, the varying intensities you will encounter are great for both children learning to swim and those that want to practice a little more.
For less active children, there is a wading pool that is fed by the ocean but remains shallow throughout. Sitting at only two feet deep at its deepest point and shallower around, this is a great place for toddlers to enjoy the water in a completely safe environment.
Conclusion
Maui’s beaches are famed for their beauty but taking a family out for a day on the sand has its own set of considerations. We’ve looked at five of the best beaches in Maui for families and identified why they hold that honor, leaving you ready for your next trip to the splendid island’s shores.
