Ultimate Whale Watch & Snorkel

If your kids are old enough to hold on to the boat railing and look out to sea, a whale watching trip with Ultimate Whale Watch & Snorkel may be the most unforgettable two hours of your Maui vacation. With a 4.9-star rating from over 1,100 reviews, this company has earned its reputation as one of the best on the island.

Departing from historic Lahaina Harbor, tours head out into the Au'Au Channel — one of the most important humpback whale nurseries in the Pacific. From December through April, Maui waters host thousands of North Pacific humpback whales, and sightings on these tours are nearly guaranteed. The boats are smaller than the big commercial outfits, which means you're closer to the action and the crew can be more responsive to whale behavior.

What sets Ultimate apart is their team of naturalists — many with marine biology backgrounds — who narrate the experience in a way that genuinely engages kids. They explain whale songs, breaching behaviors, and the life cycle of these incredible mammals. Your kids won't just see a whale; they'll understand what they're seeing.

Outside whale season, the company runs snorkel tours to reefs teeming with tropical fish, sea turtles, and occasionally spinner dolphins. Gear is available to rent on board.

For families with kids prone to motion sickness, morning tours are the better bet when seas are typically calmer. Bring motion sickness bands as a precaution — the channel can get choppy on windy afternoons. Kids under 5 aren't the best fit for this experience given the boat environment, but ages 5 and up do wonderfully.

This is one of those bucket-list family experiences that Maui does better than almost anywhere else in the world.