It had been ages since my daughter and I had taken a real vacation together and I wanted this to be one for the records. Dakotah knew where she wanted to go and so did I. Hands down: Hawaii!

This summer Dakotah and I and our friend, Diana Pickett, headed to the "Valley Isle," Maui, where we enjoyed stays at three fabulous resorts - each offering a unique vision of the spirit of aloha.

Aloha is a greeting that means both hello and peace, but it's more of a feeling that you can't explain to someone who has never visited the islands, and it stays in your memory, luring you back. Dakotah and I had been to Hawaii seven years ago, when she was just two. But she instinctively remembered and we anticipated the trip, pulling out grass skirts and leis from her dress-up bag and purchasing masks and snorkels here to "practice" before we hit the tropical waters.

You can fly direct to Maui via both Aloha and Hawaiian Airlines from San Diego. We chose Hawaiian, and with flight attendants donned in aloha shirts and music of the islands playing, you feel your vacation has begun the minute you board. Still, I was grateful that the airline rents a DVD filled with kids' TV shows and movies; the best $15 this mom ever spent.

Lahaina
Our first stay was in the old whaling town of Lahaina at the Aina Nalu, owned by the Outrigger hotel chain which has properties throughout the islands. The Aina Nalu is a serene setting of low-rise design, set in lush tropical plantings, with wide manicured lawns and an inviting pool, which Dakotah made a beeline for the moment we arrived. Our spacious room in a contemporary Hawaiian plantation design was a welcome oasis after a busy morning plus the three-hour time adjustment. But once we unpacked, we walked a block over to Front Street, the touristy drag where art galleries, t-shirt stores and surf shops vie for your attention. Then we moseyed up the coast a bit to snorkel along the shoreline at a nearly deserted beach.

The next day we left from Lahaina's marina to dive deeper - down to 133 feet in the Atlantis submarine to view the sunken ship, Carthaginian, a replica of a 19th century supply vessel that was sunk in order to create a manmade reef. I thought I might be claustrophobic, but the view was so beautiful and the fish so colorful, that it never happened in our one-hour tour off the harbor. Later in the day, we took surf lessons with personalized instruction from the well-tanned and world-famous Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy, known to millions of fans via MTV.

We slept well every night and, as happens with many visitors to Hawaii, woke early and ready to go every morning. Along with the time change, the warmth of the islands invites you to rise and shine - or maybe it's knowing that there's always a cup of fresh Kona coffee waiting for you. And everywhere we enjoyed ice cream - macadamia nut, if you please - tropical fruits and the best smoothies we've ever had.

We began calling Dakotah "the fish;" she was content to be in the water every minute of the day - and we couldn't argue the logic in this tropical paradise. And so we set out to find more ways to indulge. Another day, we took off from Lahaina Harbor again, this time with the Pacific Whale Foundation, a non-profit foundation whose mission is to promote appreciation, understanding and protection of whales, dolphins and coral reefs. We went to the crescent-shaped coral atoll of Molokini, just off Maui's coast. In this wildlife refuge, we saw the most marine life anywhere on the island, and the trip aboard the Voyager, the foundation's high-tech catamaran powered by eco-friendly bio-diesel (a blend of recycled vegetable oils) was a thrill itself - the ship is even equipped with water slides.

Kaanapali Beach
Up the coast about four miles is West Maui's "signature" beach, where we stayed at the Westin Maui. From our room on the sixth floor, we could view the lush and tropical lagoon pool complex - and later realized we could watch Dakotah racing down the water slide from our balcony. Yes, Dakotah landed in kid heaven - courtesy of the Westin Kid's Club, which provided a full day of activities and a bevy of instant new friends. She participated in pool games, made a picture frame in arts-and-crafts, learned to hula in the "Activity Hale," and went on a scavenger hunt. A highlight of her Westin experience was hair-braiding - offered at $5 a braid.

Meanwhile, I indulged in a pedicure at the "Heavenly Spa by Westin," also enjoying their steam room and whirlpool spa. That evening, we sipped our pina coladas and enjoyed fresh Hawaiian snapper with sauteed Maui onions at the oceanfront Tropica restaurant, amid meandering streams and flickering tiki torches.

No visit to Hawaii would be complete without a luau and we walked down the boardwalk to one of the island's best. The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort's authentic luau is served on a grassy venue overlooking the ocean and can seat 700 people. It's always sold out - be sure to make reservations. Luaus aren't just about food, which include succulent roasted pork, grilled fish, the traditional "poi," tropical fruits, rice, sweet Hawaiian breads and desserts. They're also about the show and the crowd involvement. First, all the kids were called up on the stage to learn the hula. Of course, by now Dakotah was a pro and in her element. Then came traditional Polynesian dancing with a historical and engaging storyline. The luau lasted till 10 p.m. Be sure to bring a sweater; even in Hawaii, a chill can set in during the later hours.

Wailea
Just when we thought life couldn't get any better, it did, as we pulled into our third "Maui experience" - the luxurious Wailea Beach Villas, about a 45 minute drive south.
As we were driven to our villa, our escort explained that we had just left all our cares behind - they would now take care of our every need. As we opened the door to our villa, we were greeted with a great room that looked out through glass doors to our tropical back yard and beach beyond. Dakotah bounced from room to room in unrestrained glee, like a kid from a family who sees their new home on "Extreme Home Makeover." And then she spied the pool - our private pool, that is.

We changed into our robes and indulged in our welcome basket goodies - cheeses, macadamia nut brittle, Hawaiian chocolates and Maui chips. We giggled at the utter indulgence of it all; we had the home of our dreams, the pool, and the ocean. But there was more. Diana and I discovered the main pool, an amazing (adults only) infinity pool, where, in the water, the view expands from the pool to the Pacific, in one seamless horizon. And later, when we found the energy to discover the beach, Wailea's attendants did indeed see to our every need - bringing out lounge chairs and umbrellas for us as we explored the black lava rocks and our private lagoon. We also enjoyed a late afternoon of shopping at the adjacent "Shops at Wailea" - a Rodeo-drive caliber mall with high-end tenants, a la Tiffany and Co., Louis Vuitton and Gucci. Thankfully, there was also a Gap.
And this is where we had our last Hawaii experience - a Paris Hilton sighting! Having just been sprung from the slammer, Ms. Hilton had the good sense to head for the islands. Surrounded by the paparazzi, she popped into a Guess store, which was shut down to us mere mortals, and her bodyguards encamped outside.

We wondered if she would find as much peace, fun and contentment in Hawaii as we packed into our week.

Aloha, Paris.

• Maui Visitors Bureau www.visitmaui.com; (800) 525 MAUI

• Outrigger Aina Nalu Resort Condominiums www.outriggerainanalucondo.com;
   (800) 367-5226

• The Westin Maui www.westinmaui.com; (866) 500-8313

• Wailea Beach Villas www.waileabeachvillas.com; (866) 901-5207

• Atlantis Submarines www.atlantisadventures.com; (800) 548-6262

• Pacific Whale Foundation (Molokini Charter) www.pacificwhale.org; (800) 942-5311

• Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy www.royalhawaiiansurfacademy.com; (808) 276-7873