We had many activities planned while we were visiting Maui, we walked the streets, went into a few shops and also got a few bites to eat. A lot of our time was spent pool side, enjoying the weather and watching our little guy splash and enjoy his time playing. We stopped by a cute coffee shop by our hotel and really soaked in some time to ourselves.

One of our longest and most adventurous days we made the trek over to the Road to Hana. This is a classic Maui activity where you start down the road and drive up into the wet side of the island to find waterfalls and other gorgeous views along a winding road. We stopped at a few overlooks to take pictures and get close the waterfalls. We of course packed our lunch and had a car full of snacks. We weren't sure how our little guy was going to handle a whole day in the car, but he did great! Once we drove the whole way to Hana, we weren't sure what to do next - we want to stop at a fruit stand and kept driving until we found a good one. In the back country past Hana, we drove past a house waving the Packer flag which was an excellent sign. So, we continued on to the National Park that housed the Seven Sacred Pools. We went for a hike up the trails to the beginning of the falls, and then followed the path down to the pools. Paul and the little guy swam around in the pools while I sat nervously and watched others cliff jump from the top pool... Luckily, every time they jumped, they finally surfaced.

After our trip to the pools it seemed to me that Google Maps suggested we simply continue around the back side of the island instead of back tracking on the road to Hana. It seemed like the road connected all the way around and I was all for seeing new things. Well... some of the road was not exactly paved for car traveled. We were in some pretty desolate areas of the islands and would randomly catch a few locals buzzing down the roads at a rapid pace compared to us rental car tourists. We continued to drive for hours without seeing an oncoming car, but we stared in awe of the gorgeous views of the ocean coastline off to our left. Finally we stumbled along a roadside shack called Bully's Burgers. We stopped the car and grabbed a bite to eat - we were certainly the only non-native Hawaiians, but the views and food made it feel like home. After refueling with burgers, we continued on home and finally tucked into our hotel - it was a gorgeous day and we were so thankful to make it through the back side of the island!

In just a few days we did some pretty memorable activities. One of our favorite activities was when we took a Trilogy snorkeling tour. We got on the boat early in the morning to avoid the afternoon sun. We had a wonderful breakfast of sweet rolls and fresh fruit while we were causing out to our snorkel site. Our son was enjoying the time on the boat and the views of the water - we generally sat on the net on the boat so we could watch the water underneath us. Once we arrived at the destination, Paul jumped off the boat and snorkeled. I later joined him to snoop around. We got back on the boat, ate way too much lunch and sailed back to Kaanapali Beach. We spent some the remaining day on that gorgeous beach! I think we all equally enjoyed this day - there's nothing better than being out on a boat and viewing the Maui coastline from the water!

During our trip, I talked to Paul about my desire to go horseback riding. I knew it would be impossible to bring the toddler, so my husband let me adventure out on my own. I was so grateful, and Paul was excited to have an excuse to skip the horseback riding that I made him do in Ireland. Tall men and horses don't necessarily mix. Regardless, the horseback riding was absolutely gorgeous. The horses were generally slow moving and they wouldn't stop trying to snack on grass on the side of the trail. The trail was also rocky which didn't allow for fast pace while on horseback. But, the sunset over the ocean was unbelievable and made for breathtaking pictures on horseback, and I had my trusty horse trot a few times for good measure.

On our last day there we decided to get real adventurous and go up in a helicopters around the island of Maui. Paul called around and secured an excellent deal on a helicopter ride, with the catch that we had to fly separately. We even got to bring our little man up in the air, and he went with Paul. He loved it and did surprisingly well with the noise and adventure. After they got back it was my turn to go up in the air. My flight landed in a field on the side of Maui and stopped for a bit so we could walk around. We also flew over to a neighboring island to view the tallest seat cliffs from the air. I had never been in a helicopter before and it was truly unbelievable. I can totally understand why you would want to become a pilot and see things from the air.

Our few days in Maui were absolutely wonderful. It made me question whether I was cut out for island life. Paul and I would love to come back to visit and explore the island for all the neat features and gorgeous beaches. It has by far been one of Paul's favorite vacation spots, and is pretty high up on my list as well. Hopefully we'll make it back one day, until then, we'll save up the miles for another ticket!

Time soaking in Lahaina, Maui

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