Hawaii 2026: Maui
With only a week of vacation, we wanted to make it count. Neither of us had ever been to Hawaii, and Maui's natural beauty drew us in. It turns out getting there was the easy part: the island delivered on the postcard stuff, but it also taught us a few lessons: that "sheltered" beaches aren't always sheltered, that a $100 chocolate tour can still feel like a bait-and-switch, and that the best meal was well worth the social media hype. Here's the full rundown. Accommodation We stayed at a short-term rental in Wailea and had no complaints. Beautiful views, a full kitchen, a grill, and access to an adults-only pool made it easy to eat in when we didn't feel like driving. It was also close to the major resorts and the Wailea/Makena beachfronts, which mattered more than we expected. See the Beach Access note below. Restaurants Mama's Fish House (Restaurant - Paia) . This is a must do! We booked this 3 months in advance and found the only dinner opening was ar...