The World of Hawaii Sandcastles

Maui — and the great beaches of Kihei — have always been among our favorite places in the world. It was here that the song “Going to Lahaina” was born, inspired by the island spirit, the ocean air, and the magic of the Hawaiian coast.

Over the years, we’ve also created a whole collection of family-friendly sandcastles along these beautiful shores, each one becoming part of the memories we carry home with us.

There’s just something about Maui that keeps calling us back.

On our first trip to the islands in 2018, we grabbed buckets and shovels and spent the day building a sandcastle in front of Kamaole Beach I in Kihei. As the sculpture grew, crowds gathered throughout the afternoon to watch.

Near the end of the build, Scott invited a group of local kids to help with the final touches, turning the whole day into a magical family beach event none of us will ever forget.

The next morning, the sandcastle appeared on the cover of the Maui Press, sharing the story of the epic castle that came to town that day.

The island of Kauai became our home for nearly three weeks in 2024. I searched far and wide for quality sand to sculpt with, and though many beaches looked beautiful, most lacked the stability needed to build anything more than a foot high.

But everything changed when I discovered the incredible sands of Hanalei Bay on the north shore, where a slow-moving river flows into the sea. Suddenly the sand came alive for sculpting, and the castles that rose from that beach became some of the most memorable sand sculptures I have ever created.