I love Hawaii for their sunsets. My family and I watched them each day on our recent trip. But the most peaceful of moments is the Maui sunrise, when the beach is mostly empty, calm, and quiet. I am grateful—and cannot quite believe—that my week in Maui was for work. 

Yes! My husband, my two kids, my mom, my dad, my brother and I, took a little time to explore the Maui landscape, all so I could attend the MER Primary Care Conference for CME credit. I’ll be detailing the ins and outs of this conference in a later post. But for now I want to walk you through the 8 Maui Must-Dos so you can achieve the family-friendly, Hawaiian vacation of your dreams…all the while meeting those CME requirements. So let’s get started.

#1: A Non-Stop Flight with Alaska Airlines

Flying with kids can be nerve wracking. But I have always believed it’s important for my kids to see, explore, and know our world has a lot to offer. So since becoming a mom, I have made it a priority to take my children places, supporting a love of travel in them. But often that means helping myself with a few travel tricks.

So, what travel tricks am I talking about specifically? Well for starters, If you have an Alaska Airlines credit card, you can buy one ticket and get the next for $99 + tax. For my family of 4, this does wonders to get the whole family out and experiencing something new without breaking the bank.

But the next travel trick is one I really don’t skip—Non-stop flights. As any traveler knows, layovers can create layers of stress around your travel day. And when you add on traveling with your children, I always make sure my flight is non-stop. 

Luckily, living in San Diego, non-stop passage to Hawaii isn’t too tricky to find. But regardless of where you’re coming from, Alaska Airlines has so many deals that make sure you don’t need to take a hopper from one island to another to complete your trip. For any California travelers, looking for non-stop Alaska Airlines travel, or airfare price cuts with the Alaska credit card, I've included a link to get you over to island life sooner rather than later.

#2: Tinroof Maui and their Mochiko Chicken

I don’t know about you, but for me airline food isn’t the most exciting thing about traveling. So to get your family the perfect Hawaiian meal after your flight, I recommend Maui’s renowned counter service Tinroof. Run by Top Chef finalist and smash-hit cookbook Cook Real Hawaiian, Chef Sheldon Simeon has some of the best authentic food on the island. Known for the Mochiko chicken, your whole family will be refreshed from flight and excited about the trip ahead of them in no time at all.

But don’t be fooled. Tinroof is even more incredible than it looks, and everyone knows it. So to skip the line and get on to your adventures I recommend ordering online as you're headed out of the airport. Want to check it out? I’m linking the menu right here.

#3: Westin Maui Resort and Spa

I can’t lie, there are actually so many perks to staying at the Westin Maui Resort and Spa, I dont think I could cover all of them here for you. But to help sum a lot of it up and get you the big picture, i’m going to list the greatest highlights for me here: 

• The conference is located at the hotel, and you can get the nightly stays at a much cheaper rate if you are attending. 

• It’s a beachfront experience. What could you ask for?

• The Westin is newly renovated, with beautiful architectural scapes, rooms, and facilities.

• They have waterslide filled, fun pools for the kids, and serene adult pools for relaxing when you need a little self-care time.

• They have a half-day kids club (8:30am-12:30pm), that includes lunch for the kids, and fits right into the half-day conference schedule—if you’re looking to do this, be sure to reserve your child’s spot with the concierge.

• There are 5 in-resort eateries to keep restauranting with the family easy.

• There are frequent on property luaus (but book early) for a little extra fun.

• It’s super close to local attractions, hikes, and beachfront activities.

• And though I didn’t head into the spa, it does look incredibly tranquil. 

Take it from me, my family's experience here was nothing short of wonderful. But if you need a little extra push, I’ll attach the pictures for you here. I think you’ll find they speak for themselves.

#4: Maluaka Beach 

Unknown to so many of Maui’s visitors, Maluaka Beach has been described as one of Maui’s best kept secrets. Lucky for you, I think my fellow healthcare workers deserve to be in the know! If you’re looking for some amazing snorkeling and to get some sea turtle encounters, Maluaka Beach is the place to go. Filled with hours of snorkel-worthy sea life, your family will never forget it. But, please remember to keep your distance and respect our wildlife. 

#5: Lahaina Ice Cream, Dole Whip, and Shave Ice

Located on Lahaina’s front street, Lahaina Ice Cream Parlor is a definite hit for the whole family. Serving popular Hawaiian Lappert’s Ice Cream, and Dole Whip, you get a large variety of sweet treats in one location. With the gorgeous Hawaiian weather and the daily adventures of vacation, having the opportunity to sit and enjoy ice cream with the kids was exactly what we needed. 

#6: Ululani’s Shave Ice

If you’re looking for something more traditional than Ice Cream, my family loves Ululani’s Shave Ice, for its incredible flavors and hand-crafted syrups. They have locations in Kehei, Paia, Kahului, and Lahaina, and on our last trip went to Ululani’s often… Though you can’t go wrong, we recommend trying the Lo Hing Mui and the Party in the Mouth. You will not regret it. 

#7: Maui Bamboo Forest and Waterfalls

Calling all adventurers, this short hike I took with my husband isn’t for the faint of heart. Located 7 miles into the road to Hana, the bamboo forest is a beautiful spot to adventure into if you’re looking to meet waterfalls and plunge pools. But nature has made it a little tricky to get there. There are a few falls along the way, each increasing in difficulty as you progress. Notably, In order to get to the largest waterfall, you need to swim and climb before you’re even able to see it. Once there you would have to climb a ladder and jump approximately 10 feet into the basin. But for all of the adventurers out there, this hike was secluded and very rewarding!

Hiker tip: I found myself wishing I had a pool noodle through those tougher swim spots. Even the strong swimmers began to cramp a bit through the finish line. 

#8: Da Kitchen

A favorite local comfort food spot, Da Kitchen was a definite cuisine highlight while we worked our way through Maui. Our usual first stop on a Hawaiian vacation, Da kitchen used to be located near the airport. They have since moved to Kihei but were hit hard by the COVID-19 Pandemic, closing many months and re-opening in December of 2020. But the food has remained incredibly good and authentic. My kids loved the spam musubi, though the rest of us enjoyed loco moco, their famous fried spam musubi, and the best guava cheesecake. In efforts to support local business and help continue great cooking, Da Kitchen, my family wants to stress, is not one to miss. 

And though I have detailed some of the highlights of our family-filled CME trip here, there is so much more to do and see in Maui. Some other recommendations for your travels I will list and link below:

• Aunty Sandy’s Road to Hana Banana Bread Stand 

• Twin Falls Maui

• Molokini Snorkeling Lahaina

• Fleetwoods on Front Street

• Tobi’s Poke and Shave Ice Maui

• The Kings Gardens Waterfall Hike and Chocolate Tour

• O’o Farm Coffee Tour

• Kihei Caffe Hawaiian Breakfast

Altogether, I found I am grateful for opportunities to travel with my family and explore places near and far, while also getting my CME requirements completed. The only question I might ask medical professionals feeling the weight of our renewal requirements is—Where will your learning take you? 

Visit TheCMESpot.com to find out.