Haleakala with little kids?

We are planning a day trip to Haleakala during our stay on Maui. Any advice on bringing little kids to the ';upcountry';? I%26#39;ve never done high altitude drive/hike with little ones... Do we really need to consult our docs before our trip (like they say on NPS website)???

Haleakala with little kids?

Hello Auntym!

Although everyone will react differently to the altitude change, we did not notice any difference in the car ride up Mt. Haleakala. We noticed it when we parked in the lot and walked up the steps to the lookout. Once at the top we were all fine. Now depending on how much walking you will have to do is another matter. We left by 230am from our hotel in Kaanapali and were at the summit in the parking lot prior to the masses. We got a great parking spot right in front of the steps...so we did not have to walk much, but those arriving closer to sunrise had to park some distance away and walk more. So if you are arriving for the sunrise, arrive early....it gets crowded plus we avoided the $10 park entrance fee! Could be higher now, but in my opinion there is no other reason to go up to the summit unless you are going for the sunrise. Just my personal view. And believe others when they say it is cold.....it is! If your children are too young to appreciate the Mt. Haleakala summit at daybreak then I might plan on another activity that they too can enjoy. We have been to Maui serval times with our kids at different ages and chose our activities based on their likes, because what would be worse than a kid not being where they want to be or saying, I%26#39;m bored when are we leaving.....Hope it helps....I offered more than you asked for sorry!

Haleakala with little kids?

Hi Kell82,

Thanks for your feedback - was very helpful:) We weren%26#39;t thinking of the sunrise drive, but now you got me thinking about the loooooong drive. Our kids are 6 and 18mos and they might not really enjoy this drive. I was hoping there were more family-friendly stops (i.e., vista points, visitor centers, etc.). Hm... maybe we should just save Haleakala for our next grown-ups-only adventure?! (and spend more time on the beaches this time?)

we took our then 4 year old to the summit,(he%26#39;s asthmatic..no probs what so ever) not for the sunrise though. He was real interested in the cow pies along the road :(

not so much the summit. As a matter of fact, after we looked over the lookout, he tripped and fell, barking his knees on the parking lot. He then told all within yelling distance that he hated this stupid mountain....I would wait a little bit...

Auntym.......Here are some suggestions that might interest you instead of staying on the beach your whole trip. There is so much more, even with little ones......How bout the Trilogy excursion to Lanai. Once there you can snorkel....take turns snorkeling with your 6 year old....while the other relaxes on the beach of Lanai with the little one....they treat you to a wonderful beach meal also.....still the beach but so much more, plus the ride on the catamaran to Lanai! Also I would recommend the Luau in Old Lahaina. If you make reservations you can choose from traditional seating (on the ground) or table and chairs. Both kids might really enjoy the show!

I would be a little hesitant to take kids on that day trip, not so much because of the altitude, although it is definitely a factor, but because I am afraid that they might get bored. Also, I am not sure if there are bathrooms at the summit. I know that if there are, they are not open at sunrise because our tour guide stopped at one of the ranger stations before we reached the summit and warned us that this was the ';last call'; for restrooms before proceeding further. Having had small childen, I know this can be an issue.

An alternate activity that you might consider is the Maui Ocean Center. It would be a wonderful place to keep the little ones entertained for an afternoon. Also, I noticed that the beaches in Kihea had lots of playground equipment. So a day at the beach might be fun for the little ones and you too.

Thanks everyone!

Now I%26#39;m looking into excursions to Lanai/Molokini, Maui Ocean Center, luau, etc. (we%26#39;ll never get bored, I%26#39;m sure!)

Trilogy trips seem a little over our budget... any experience with Pacific Whale Foundation excursions? I checked out both forums (Trilogy and PWF), but I%26#39;m wondering if anyone had experiences with both of them. Any feedback would be appreciated! (Oops - I should probably post this on another forum?)