Ka’anapali Beach Hotel in Maui offers unique guest experiences throughout the holidays in addition to stellar hiking, sailing and snorkeling. Family-friendly activities include the annual Christmas ornament contest and the hotel decoration party. (Decorate your own deck!) Hotel staff are considered cultural “experts” and share Hawaii’s language, geography, mythology and history. Filled with native artifacts, the resort welcomes your relatives as ohana (or “family”), so you can experience Hawaii the way locals do, with:
• Ukulele and hula lessons
• Hawaiian storytelling hour
• Artisan craft fairs
• Weaving and pineapple cutting
Last minute deals in December start as low as $143 for an ocean view room; kbhmaui.com
Nicole Dorsey-Straff, M.S., a Los Angeles-based exercise physiologist and wellness expert, is Organic Spa Magazine’s contributing editor of Play & Adventure.