We outline the 10 best beaches in Maui for families below. When choosing the best possible beach for your family in Maui, it’s essential to look for spots with calm waters, soft sands, and family-friendly amenities.
The best beaches for kids in Maui are:
- Wailea Beach
- Kaanapali Beach
- Kapalua Bay Beach
- Napili Bay Beach
- Waianapanapa State Park
- Baby Beach
- Kamaole Beach Park III
- Makena Beach State Park
- Polo Beach
- Charley Young Beach
Wherever you decide to stay, book via our luxury travel concierge to get prioritized room upgrades, free breakfast, welcome amenities, and more.
1. Wailea Beach
This stunning stretch of shoreline is renowned for its soft sands, crystal-clear waters, and picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean and neighboring islands. Wailea Beach offers excellent swimming and snorkeling opportunities, as well as amenities such as beach chairs, umbrellas, and water sports rentals provided by the Four Seasons Resort Maui. This Four Seasons is one of the best Four Seasons in the world, and if you have the budget to stay here, even for one night, it offers an amazing resort experience.
This beach has some major advantages for families with kids. Wailea Beach is located in the sunniest part of Maui. The waves are typically calm and gentle, making it safe for children to swim and play in the ocean and the golden sands that are perfect for building sandcastles and playing beach games with the family.
Wailea Beach offers shaded areas, beach chairs, umbrellas, and restrooms. You can use the restrooms in the surrounding resorts, which enables you to go to the bathroom in luxury. This is an excellent advantage, particularly if you need to use the changing facilities for your kids. For older kids, there is snorkeling, paddleboarding, and boogie boarding available.
Two hotels, the Wailea Beach Resort by Marriott and the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, have amazing pools with slides, pirate ships, and more. We have compared Four Seasons vs. Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. If you’re traveling with kids, both these hotels are a brilliant choice and give you direct access to Wailea Beach.
Book any of these Wailea hotels via our luxury travel concierge to get prioritized room upgrades, free breakfast, welcome amenities, and more.
2. Kaanapali Beach
This three-mile-long beach hosts the majority of the hotels in Maui, including the Hyatt, and some of the best Marriotts on Maui. It boasts gentle waves, golden sands, and excellent snorkeling opportunities along the nearby Black Rock.
Kaanapali Beach is an excellent choice for families with kids due to its gentle waves, soft sands, and family-friendly amenities. The beach’s calm waters make it safe for children to swim and play, while the expansive shoreline provides ample space for building sandcastles and enjoying beach games.
With shallow areas along the shoreline, kids can wade and splash in the water under the watchful eye of lifeguards on duty, offering parents peace of mind. Additionally, Kaanapali Beach offers amenities such as public restrooms, showers, and picnic areas (or you can sneak into the luxury resorts and use theirs), ensuring families have everything they need.
3. Kapalua Bay Beach
Known for its clear turquoise waters and vibrant marine life, Kapalua Bay is perfect for families who enjoy snorkeling and swimming. Kapalua Bay Beach is a fantastic choice for families with kids, offering a pristine stretch of shoreline with calm, turquoise waters and soft, sandy shores.
The bay’s protected cove creates a tranquil swimming environment, ideal for children to splash and play in the gentle waves. Additionally, the beach is renowned for its excellent snorkeling opportunities, allowing families to explore vibrant coral reefs and encounter colorful marine life just steps from the shore. With convenient amenities such as restrooms, showers, and picnic areas, as well as lifeguards on duty for added safety, Kapalua Bay Beach provides everything families need.
4. Napili Bay Beach
Napili Bay is ideal for families with young children, as it has shallow waters and gentle waves. The beach also offers picnic tables and shady spots for relaxation. This bay offers a picturesque setting with calm waters and soft, sandy shores. The beach’s gentle waves and shallow entry make it perfect for young children to play and swim safely under the watchful eye of their parents.
Families can enjoy building sandcastles, exploring tide pools, and snorkeling in the clear, turquoise waters teeming with colorful fish and marine life. Napili Bay Beach provides a brilliant, family-friendly environment with convenient amenities such as restrooms, showers, and picnic areas available nearby and lifeguards on duty for added safety.
5. Waianapanapa State Park
Waianapanapa State Park can be found on the road to Hana. Kids will love exploring the black sand beach, sea caves, and lava tubes at this stunning coastal park, providing plenty of outdoor adventure and exploration opportunities.
Children can explore the park’s unique black sand beach, searching for shells, building sandcastles, and splashing in the gentle surf. The park’s rugged coastline and lava formations provide opportunities for scenic hikes and adventurous exploration, allowing kids to connect with nature and discover the wonders of Maui’s volcanic landscape.
Families can also visit the park’s cultural sites, such as the ancient Hawaiian burial caves and the historic heiau (temple), to glimpse Hawaii’s rich cultural heritage.
6. Baby Beach
Situated in Lahaina, Baby Beach is an exceptional destination for families with kids. It boasts its namesake’s, shallow, calm waters that are perfect for young children and toddlers to play and splash around safely. Located in Lahaina, this beach offers a protected swimming area with minimal waves and gentle currents, providing parents with peace of mind while their little ones enjoy the water.
The soft sands and tranquil atmosphere make it ideal for building sandcastles and enjoying picnics by the shore. Additionally, Baby Beach features beautiful coastline views and islands, creating a serene backdrop for family photos and cherished memories. With convenient amenities such as restrooms and showers nearby, Baby Beach provides everything families need for a day on the beach.
7. Kamaole Beach Park III
Kamaole Beach Park III is a family-friendly beach in Kihei that features calm waters, lifeguards on duty, and picnic areas, making it perfect for a day of fun in the sun. With its soft golden sands and gentle waves, this beach provides a safe and inviting environment for children to swim, boogie board, and play in the water.
Families can take advantage of the park’s spacious grassy areas, picnic tables, and barbecue grills for a fun-filled day of outdoor dining and relaxation. Additionally, Kamaole Beach Park III features lifeguards on duty, restroom facilities, outdoor showers, and ample parking, ensuring parents’ convenience and peace of mind. With its stunning sunsets and panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, Kamaole Beach Park III offers a memorable setting for families on Maui’s beautiful south shore.
8. Makena Beach State Park
Makena Beach State Park, also known as “Big Beach,” is an excellent choice for families with kids, offering a spacious and picturesque setting with soft sands and crystal-clear waters. The expansive shoreline provides ample space for children to run, play, and build sandcastles while the gentle waves create ideal conditions for swimming and boogie boarding.
Families can explore the park’s natural beauty, with opportunities for snorkeling, beachcombing, and wildlife watching. With convenient amenities such as restrooms, showers, picnic tables, and shaded areas available, as well as lifeguards on duty for added safety, Makena Beach State Park ensures a great experience for families seeking sun, fun, and relaxation on Maui’s south shore, just be cautious of the strong shore breaks.
9. Polo Beach
Nestled between Wailea and Makena, Polo Beach is known for its calm waters and excellent snorkeling opportunities, perfect for families seeking underwater adventures. The beach’s gentle waves make it safe for children to swim and play in the water, while the shallow entry allows easy access and exploration.
Polo Beach is renowned for its excellent snorkeling opportunities, making it a favorite spot for enthusiasts of all levels. The beach boasts a vibrant underwater ecosystem, with abundant coral reefs, colorful fish, and other marine life thriving just offshore. The calm, clear waters and gentle waves create ideal conditions for snorkeling, allowing visitors to easily explore the underwater world. Snorkelers can expect to encounter a variety of tropical fish, sea turtles, and even the occasional dolphin or ray.
Families can snorkel, enjoy building sandcastles, playing beach games, or simply relaxing under the warm Hawaiian sun. With amenities such as restrooms, showers, and picnic areas available nearby and lifeguards on duty for added safety, Polo Beach provides everything families need for a fun and memorable day by the ocean on Maui’s southwest coast.
10. Charley Young Beach
Located in Kihei, Charley Young Beach is a hidden gem with gentle waves and shallow waters, ideal for families with young children or beginner swimmers.
The beach’s gradual slope into the water makes it safe for children to swim and play, while the protected cove provides a sheltered area for families to relax and enjoy the ocean. Kids can explore tide pools, build sandcastles, or splash in the shallow waters under the watchful eye of lifeguards on duty. With amenities such as restrooms, showers, and picnic areas available nearby, Charley Young Beach provides everything families need on Maui’s south shore.
These beaches in Maui offer something for every family, whether you’re seeking calm waters for young children, excellent snorkeling opportunities, or simply a beautiful spot to relax and soak up the sun.
Copyright Luxury Travel Diary 2014 - 2024. Duplication outside of luxurytraveldiary.com is forbidden.
Image © darcy / Adobe Stock.
Note: Benefits & upgrades subject to availability. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing. Terms & conditions apply. Enquire for more information. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing but may be amended at discretion of the vendor. Posts may be sponsored by the proprietor or brand being appraised. All opinions remain our own & are in no way influenced.
