Things To Do
Beach!
For all those asking for which beach is the best beach... Airport beach is our favorite beach (anywhere?). Easy parking, generally not crowded (we like walking to the left of the parking lot). Good for snorkeling, swimming, or just relaxing. Kaanapali beach, right in front of the Sheraton, is the world-famous Kaanapali beach - makes most of the top 10 beaches in the world lists!
Foodland Farms Lahaina
Okay, yes. This is a grocery store. But Foodland has some of the best poke to pick up and eat on the beach!
Whaler's Village
Souvenirs, sunscreen, snacks, beer, wine, clothes, basically anything you forgot to bring, and lunch or dinner can be found at this outdoor mall about a 5 minute walk from the Sheraton. Monkeypod is in Whaler's Village.
Luau!
It’s definitely worth going to a luau while on Maui - our favorites are the Old Lahaina Luau and the Tales of the Kapa Moe at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua. The Old Lahaina Luau is outside on the shore (great sunsets), The Tales of the Kapa Moe is in an open air pavilion. We would give the edge for food to the Ritz, but both are very good food and shows. Get lei'd!!
Maui Brewing Co. Kā'anapali
A beach front brewery right next to the Sheraton! Great for drinks, HH, and some food.
Maui Ku'ia Estate Chocolate
Chocolate factory & store! Our favorite part is the roof top patio where you can get chocolate and alcohol parings (beer, wine, cocktails that they suggest with chocolate pairings). They also have a farm tour (reservations required for the farm tour, but the store and chocolate tastings are just drop in). Yummy.
Monkeypod
Potentially have the BEST mai tai's. Try them -- let us know your thoughts! Oh, and they have food too.
Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm
A little off the beaten path, this is a working lavender farm with some lovely botanical gardens with many flowers unique to Maui. If you are in the area (or a big lavender fan like Claire), it is worth a stop.
Mala
Modern Pacific fusion in Lahaina, beautiful location right on the shore. Our top reccommendation most days.
Cane & Canoe
Located in the Montage resort, really outstanding food, service, and location. Vies with Mala for favorite spot!
Tin Roof Maui
This place is SO good. It's a casual grab and go Hawaiian food spot near the airport. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Our favorite is the mochiko chicken with garlic noodles. Closed Sunday & Monday. There's also a sit down sister restaurant, Tiffany's.
Takumi
A tiny (11 seat) omakase restaurant tucked in a strip mall about 0.5 miles from the Sheraton. Feels like stepping into a neighborhood sushi stop in Tokyo. Classic old Japan sushi experience (wasabi from Kona is grated using shark skin by the one-man proprietor chef).
The Fish Market Maui
A fish market with a lunch counter. Doesn’t open until 11am when today’s catch arrives - the fish you get in your tacos or poke here was caught just a few hours before it hits your plate. Absolutely the freshest fish!
South Maui food trucks
Food trucks are aplenty on Maui, but we really like to the ones in Kihei. At the corner of Piikea Ave and South Kihei Road -Sol Bros BBQ and Suns Out Buns Out are really good. There is a second food truck park about a mile away at the South Maui Gardens (plant nursery) that has the best shave ice (Bling Bing), great burgers, and a number of other good food truck options.
Joey's Kitchen Napili
Casual Filipino restaurant with great food. It has a sister restaurant called Balai Pata (in Kahului near the airport) that's also really good. Great option for lunch.
Paia
This is a cute Hawaiian town to walk about with little shops and places to eat or grab a coffee. A little past Paia is Mama’s Fishhouse (one of the top rated restaurants in Hawaii but you will need to make reservations at least a few months in advance).
Pipiwai Trail
Truly iconic hike but will take you a whole day. It's about a 3-ish hour drive from Kaanapali, located south of Hana. This is a 3 mile out and back trail - some sections are boardwalk, and some are unpaved - the trail goes through a stunning bamboo forest and ends at a waterfall. Inside the Haleakala National Park (so if you don’t have a National Park pass, try to go within 3 days of going to the summit for free entry if you save your receipt).
Haleakalā Summit
Definitely worth the drive to 10,000+ feet to see the climate and landscape changes with the elevation. Great views -- often above the cloud line (so it can get chilly). Some hiking at the top, interesting plants, and a really cool drive to get there (through a eucalyptus grove and some bicoastal views that let you see both the north and south sides of the island at once)!!
Waihee Ridge Trail
This is a hike -- not a walk! There is a lot of elevation (especially right at the start), but you're rewarded with amazing views. If it's been rainy recently, it will be muddy and you should skip. If you're unsure about the difficulty, we would recommend reading reviews (AllTrails is great!).
Nakalele Blowhole
Lava tube near the coast that sprays water 50 feet into the air when the waves come in. Located on the NW side of Maui (about a 30 min drive from Kaanapali) - beautiful scenery to get there that is definitely worth the drive. The blow hole is about a 0.5 mile walk from the parking lot, the trail is easy to follow but there are some scramble areas over rocks/sand.
ʻOhai Trail
If you're going to see the blowhole, you should also do this. About a 5 min drive past the Nakalele blowhole is a hiking trail that shows a completely different side of the island and feels much more like New Zealand (rolling hills and no palm trees, beautiful ocean views and a view of the blowhole from the distance). I would call this a walk -- 1.5 miles and easy terrain.