Maui – July 2025
In July of 2025, our family headed out on a two week adventure in Hawaii. Our friends Aaron and Veronica, along with their son Nathan, joined us for the trip. The original plan was ambitious: a week on Maui, a week on Kauai, and then a day and a half on O‘ahu before flying home. In the middle of it all, Cameron and I were supposed to break off, fly down to American Samoa to visit the national park there, and then rejoin everyone in Kauai.
That plan hit a snag when Cameron fell ill in Maui. Nothing serious, but at the time we didn’t know if it would worsen, and it didn’t make sense to force uncomfortable travel. We canceled the Samoa leg and instead spent the full two weeks in Hawaii. Cameron and I are planning attempt number two for Samoa in February 2026.
My family had been to Hawaii before including a previous trip to Maui but this was all new for our friends. On our first trip, we stayed in an Airbnb near Haleakalā National Park. This time, we chose something different: the Hilton Club at Ka‘anapali Beach, just past Lahaina. The town of Lahaina is rebuilding with remarkable spirit after the devastating fires of 2023, and you can feel both resilience and progress everywhere you go.
The Hilton was a great choice for a family base. All the suites had kitchens and living rooms, more than enough space for our group of four. The resort is built in a classic island style rooms on the outside, an open courtyard in the center and it came with a pool, mini golf, several restaurants, and a handful of daily activities. Was it the most extravagant resort on Maui? No. But since our days were mostly spent exploring, it worked perfectly as a pool-and-pillow stop, and the on-site food was better than expected. More than once, we found ourselves enjoying dinner by the pool under perfect evening weather rather than driving out.
Better still, the resort sits right next to plenty of conveniences coffee shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and the Honoapi‘ilani Food Truck Park. It made stocking up or grabbing something easy a breeze.
Fourth of July at Nakalele
After a long travel day Boston to Seattle, then 12 hours of flying to Maui, plus the drive to Ka‘anapali we arrived exhausted. Dinner at the hotel and an early night was just right.
The next morning was July 4th. We started strong with breakfast at Slappy Cakes, a Maui classic where you cook your pancakes right at the table, then drove north along the coast toward Nakalele Blowhole.
The blowhole is one of Maui’s dramatic natural features a lava shelf that forces waves through a hole in the rock, sending spray high into the air. We hiked down, explored the rugged coastline, and spent time photographing the jagged cliffs. Later that day, we relaxed by the hotel pool, still recovering from travel. The Hilton even put on a large 4th of July BBQ for all the guests.
That evening, Cami and I went out for sunset on the tall cliffs of Kapalua, where I captured the black-and-white image of the rocky coastline.
Sunrise on Haleakalā & The Road to Hana
The following morning was Aaron’s birthday, and his request was ambitious: sunrise at Haleakalā, followed by the Road to Hana. This meant another pre–dawn wakeup, as the summit is on the far side of the island. At over 10,000 feet above sea level, Haleakalā is known as the “House of the Sun,” and it’s one of the most famous sunrise experiences anywhere in the national park system. You need reservations to enter before sunrise, and for good reason — thousands of people make the trek each morning.
This was my third Haleakalā sunrise, but I still headed up even earlier than the others to secure my preferred photography spot. I’d previously shot from the main overlook and from an earlier trail viewpoint, but this time I hiked to a smaller overlook near the visitor center. The air up here is thin, cold, and windy, even in summer a shock to the system after days at sea level. We bundled up and watched as the sky began to glow. That morning gifted us an incredible sight: a massive cloud inversion, with the crater filled like an ocean of white beneath us. The first sunlight spilled over the horizon and across the cinder cones, painting the volcanic rock in fiery orange and red.
After thawing out, we dropped back down into warmer air and revisited an old favorite — the Upcountry food truck park near where we’d stayed on our first Maui trip. Then we began the long, looping drive along the Road to Hana. Famous for its 620 curves and 59 one-lane bridges, the Hana Highway winds through rainforest, waterfalls, and sea cliffs. We made plenty of stops, stretching our legs and enjoying short hikes. In Hana itself, we explored a bit before lunch. Aaron, Veronica, and Nate set off on the hike to Waimoku Falls a trail we’d done on our earlier visit while we explored more of the surrounding area.
Instead of retracing our steps, we decided to take the Pi‘ilani Highway south around the island, a route that was new to all of us. If the Road to Hana is lush and narrow, the Pi‘ilani is wide open and raw sweeping coastal cliffs, vast stretches of ranchland, old stone churches, and almost no people. It’s spectacular, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Much of it is unpaved, and some stretches cling precariously to cliffs. At one point, I had to back down a winding, gravel road when we met a truck coming the other way. Still, the drive was unforgettable ocean to one side, mountains to the other, nothing but open sky in between. Next time, I’d love to stay closer to this side of Maui and explore more deeply.
Lahaina & Slow Days
The following day, since we still had tickets, I went back to Haleakalā for another sunrise while the rest of the group enjoyed a slower start. Later, we all visited the Maui Ocean Center an aquarium that turned out to be a highlight, beautifully done with exhibits on coral reefs, sharks, and Hawaiian marine life. We grabbed lunch in Lahaina afterward.
The town is steadily recovering from the fires, and it was encouraging to see rebuilt shops and restaurants humming again. While waiting for our table, Cameron scoured the beach nearby and came away thrilled with a small collection of sea glass.
The last couple of days on Maui were slower. We lounged by the pool, explored nearby beaches, ate from more food trucks, and let the kids burn energy on mini golf. I returned a few more times to the blowhole for sunrise and sunset photography. On the final night, everyone joined me for sunset at Nakalele. The sky lit up with color, and the cliffs glowed in the fading light. The kids climbed rocks, the adults soaked in the view, and it was the perfect closing chapter to our week on Maui.
With Samoa off the table, our next stop was Kauai where we had rented an Airbnb together for the second week of our Hawaiian adventure.
Kaua‘i
We made the short direct flight to Kaua‘i and picked up our rental cars. Our Airbnb was perfectly located just a few houses down from Poʻipū Beach. From there, we could walk to Kalapaki Joe’s Poʻipū, where we grabbed our first lunch.
That evening we stretched our legs with a hike around the Makawehi Bluffs, a rugged coastal area of fossilized sand dunes carved by centuries of wind and waves. While I didn’t find much that worked for sunset photography there, our walk back through Shipwreck Beach turned out better — both Aaron and I found a few strong compositions right in the fading light.
Sunrise at Kīlauea Lighthouse
The next morning Cameron and I made the longish drive out to Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, home of the historic Kīlauea Lighthouse. Built in 1913, it sits on a dramatic bluff high above the Pacific. The refuge is one of the most important seabird sanctuaries in Hawaii, home to species like red-footed boobies, Laysan albatross, great frigatebirds, and wedge-tailed shearwaters.
What surprised us most wasn’t the sight of the birds, but the sound. Before sunrise, their cries filled the air — an almost mournful chorus, like they were calling for the dawn. It was a striking backdrop as we watched the first light spill over the cliffs and ocean.
Days at Poʻipū Beach
We spent much of the midday on Poʻipū Beach, one of the most family-friendly beaches on the island. On one side, a large natural cove creates a calm, shallow swimming area perfect for children or anyone who wants to avoid strong surf. Sea turtles are frequent visitors, and in the afternoons you can often watch them hauling themselves up onto the sand to rest.
The other side of the beach is wilder, with large surf that regularly brings in waves up to 12–15 feet. My family loved it here, swimming far out and riding the swells before they broke. It’s worth noting that the currents can be strong, and you really need to be a confident swimmer but for us it was exhilarating.
Waimea Canyon
That afternoon we drove inland to explore Waimea Canyon, often called the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” Stretching 14 miles long, up to a mile wide, and over 3,600 feet deep, the canyon is a tapestry of red and brown volcanic rock layered with lush green vegetation. Waterfalls cascade down its cliffs, and clouds often roll dramatically over the peaks.
Waimea Canyon State Park offers multiple overlooks and hiking trails, and we only scratched the surface. I scouted locations for sunrise, but in hindsight, we should have continued farther up the road into Kōke‘e State Park, which connects to the canyon and offers even more trails and views toward the Nā Pali Coast.
Sunset at Alekoko Fishpond
Back near the house, Cameron and I went out for sunset at the Alekoko Fishpond. Dating back nearly 1,000 years, this is one of Kaua‘i’s ancient Hawaiian fishponds, built by hand with lava rock walls to trap fish and provide a sustainable food source. It’s a remarkable piece of engineering and standing there at sunset, with the water calm and the hills behind us glowing, felt like stepping back in time. We were lucky to have the place to ourselves.
Sunrise
The next morning was a reminder of how unpredictable Kaua‘i weather can be. Cameron and I drove north hoping for sunrise, but heavy clouds shut that plan down. We pivoted and stopped at one of my backup pins: the Ke Ala Hele Makalae Path. While it wasn’t the most dramatic location, we were rewarded with a colorful, peaceful sunrise — and once again, we had it all to ourselves.
Later that morning we joined a Wailua River boat tour to the Fern Grotto, run by Smith’s Kaua‘i, who have operated since 1946. The ride itself was easy and scenic, and while one of the boats had mechanical issues, the staff handled it smoothly. The guides shared history and legends of the grotto before we arrived.
The Fern Grotto itself is a natural lava-rock cave, draped in ferns nourished by the constant mist. Once reserved for Hawaiian royalty, it’s now accessible only by boat. On the way back, the crew performed a traditional Hawaiian song and dance, even encouraging us to join in. It was a little kitschy, but fun and memorable in its own way.
Exploring North & West
That afternoon, Aaron and his family did a long ocean boat tour while we stayed closer to home, exploring small shops and getting ice cream. Over the following days we ventured farther — including the long drive north until the road quite literally ends at Ke‘e Beach. Along the way we passed through small towns, scenic beaches, and unfortunately, one large development that felt out of place.
We also stopped at Wailua Falls, a double waterfall that plunges 80 feet into a tropical pool below. The official viewpoint is stunning, but the steep hike down to the base is both dangerous and technically trespassing so we kept to the safe spots.
One evening we ended up at Wainiha Bay Park for sunset. The location was beautiful, but true to Kaua‘i weather, a heavy rainstorm rolled in just as the light peaked.
Collin’s Birthday
The next day was Collin’s birthday and what a place to celebrate. Cat and I went up to Waimea Canyon for sunrise, but storms quickly blew in, chasing us off the mountain.
Back at the Airbnb, we celebrated with a beach day, lunch out, and plenty of treats: ice cream and shave ice to top it off. It was a simple day, but one he’ll remember.
For sunset, we aimed for Queen’s Bath, but I hadn’t realized the only access was through the gated Princeville resort community a frustrating example of how private development restricts access to public land. With that plan foiled, we shifted to Secret Beach (Kauapea Beach) instead.
The road ends in a rough dirt stretch, and the hike down is short but very steep, with roots and rocks making it tricky. Still, the payoff is worth it. Secret Beach is one of the longest stretches of sand on the island, backed by cliffs and often nearly empty. That evening, the sky lit up in fiery color the best sunset of our trip and it was the perfect way to cap Collin’s birthday.
Kaua‘i Plantation Railway & Wrapping Up
The following day, we visited the Kaua‘i Plantation Railway, part of the historic Kilohana Plantation estate. The narrow-gauge train runs through working farmland fields of sugarcane, taro, tropical fruit, and even orchards where you can step off to feed animals. The ride is part history lesson, part scenic tour, and it’s a unique way to connect with Kaua‘i’s agricultural roots.
Our Airbnb near Poʻipū was excellent, but lacked air conditioning and in July, the nights were hot. For our final evening on Kaua‘i, we treated ourselves to a night at the Hilton. Cool air and a proper resort setting felt like a luxury after the heat.
That last evening we had a big farewell dinner together, a fitting end to our island time. The next morning we flew to Honolulu, checked into the Hilton Waikiki, and spent the day shopping, visiting galleries, eating great food, and just relaxing.
The following afternoon, we boarded our flight home. Two weeks, two islands, countless memories a trip that all of us are eager to repeat.
