Maui, Hawaii

Four Seasons Maui is one of my all time favorite resorts. Nothing beats happy hour at the adult pool - an infinity pool with the best views of the island. Fantastic property, pools, restaurants, and service.

Montage is also a great luxurious option. While the service does not rival what we experienced at the Four Seasons, we absolutely loved the pool here, our rooms, and the champagne hale. We got upgraded to a big suite, which made our stay extremely special. You also get the fourth night for free here, so this is a notable option to consider. If you are going for awhile, you could also stay at both the Montage and the Four Seasons as they're at different parts of the island so you can see more things. One of my all time favorite dining experiences in life was at the restaurant right next door -- Merriman's -- which is a full hour drive from Four Seasons so would be hard to replicate. We also loved this casual sushi spot nearby called Sansei!

I haven't personally stayed at any other spots, but Grand Wailea has come highly recommended. Its right next door to Four Seasons and at an easier price point, especially if traveling with kids.

Canoe Excursion: If staying at the Four Seasons, sign up for the 7am complimentary canoe excursion. We weren't able to actually do this as it kept getting canceled every day -- we had signed up for the later time slots which are more prone to cancellations. They also have paddle boards, kayaks, and snorkeling.

Whale watching excursion: depending if you go during the high season, this is a must do. We went in the off-season, when you likely wouldn't see any whales, so we didn't do this but hope to one day.

Walks along the coast, yoga, and/or a quick work out in the gym is always up my alley

Even though I am a big activities person -- when I splurge to stay at a really nice resort, my rule of thumb becomes that I need to maximize time at the resort & sign up for less activities. Plus, the beautiful thing about staying at the Four Seasons is that you can usually book activities in the moment and not ahead of time. With that said, it's worth checking out the following two other activities: Haleakala sunrise or sunet and the Road to Hana.

Mama's Fish House: we weren't able to go as the reservations sell out early but this came so highly recommended by the entire world that I would absolutely go to it and book a reservation far in advance.

Merriman's: If you are staying at the Montage, this is a no brainer and a must do. It's one of my very favorite dining experiences to date!

Monkey Pod Kitchen: If you are staying at the FS, this is also a must do. It's the same owners at Merriman's (which is an hour away from the FS) so it has a lot of similar food items, but its just a more relaxed/casual/upbeat environment. Order the poke tacos, pork and pineapple pizza, and the macadamia nut crusted fish as well as a mai thai (or two!)!

Ferraro's Kitchen at the FS: this was our favorite restaurant at the FS. Would recommend making it for a sunset experience when its still light out as its right on/near the water.

The Lobby Bar at the FS: if you are staying at the FS and want a more casual night (or a break from spending hundreds of dollars each night), this is a great option and has live music/performance.

Spago at the FS: we didnt have enough nights at the FS to try this option but it also came highly recommended to us.

Kahana Kitchen: came highly recommended by a resort guest that we met who goes to Maui every year for 10 years. We want to go back to try it out (it also overlooks a luau if you line up the right date/time). This is near the FS.

Sansei: if you are staying at or near the Montage, this is an absolute must. It's a fabulous sushi spot, casual vibes/lower price point, but so delicious. Don't need to travel far to experience it if not nearby.