Things To Do
Merriman's Kapalua
Merriman's is one of our favorite restaurants in Maui - we almost chose this as our wedding venue. You can walk here from both the Ritz & Napili Kai. Their main dinner is pre-fix (and delicious), but they also offer a great casual option on their deck from 4-8pm called their "Point menu". You can also just grab a drink or appetizer at the bar.
Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman - Kaanapali, Maui
Monkeypod is another favorite owned by Merriman's as well - more casual, but still great quality. They're known for their pineapple foam mai tais.
Mama's Fish House
Mama's fish house is notoriously popular and hard to get a reservation. If you can't get a reservation for dinner, we've had better luck at lunch time. Note that Mama's is located in Paia, which is a ~20 minute drive from the OGG airport and a 1 hour 10 min drive from Kapalua, so if you're interested in going you may want to time it your arrival or departure, or other activities nearby.
The Fish Market Maui
Great hole in the wall spot that always has a line out the door. Amazing fish tacos & poke.
The Gazebo
Delicious pancakes right around the corner from Napili Kai. There is always a wait - get there right when it opens. The to-go line is much shorter and quicker and you can eat them on the beach.
Napili Farmers Market
Great local farmer's market
Maui Brewing Co. Ka'anapali
We've surprisingly not yet been to Maui brewing but hear good things!
Whalers Village
Whalers village is a great shopping center in Kaanapali to walk around. They have lots of shops and restaurants to keep you entertained - Leilani's, Hula Grill, Monkeypod, etc.
Kapalua Golf
Even though Andy & I aren't huge golfers, our venue happens to be a great spot for it so we hope some of you get to enjoy! From the website: "The booking window for Kapalua Resort guests is 60 days. Players may reserve tee time between 61-90 days". There are a number of other golf courses nearby as well.
Hawaiian Luau
If you haven't been to a luau in Hawaii before, it's well worth it. A few popular options are the Old Lahaina Luau, the Sheraton Luau, and Grand Wailea Luau.
Day Trip to Lanai
If you have more time on Maui, visiting Lanai can be a great activity for a day trip. You can take a 1 hour ferry over to Lanai and do activities like hiking or horseback riding, or people often visit the Four Seasons for their restaurants (Nobu, Malibu Farm, etc) or the spa.
Kapalua Coastal Trail
"Trail" is a loose term for the beautiful coastal walk from The Ritz Carlton to Napili Kai. We love this walk and usually do it every morning we're in Maui. It's about ~2.5 miles out and back.
Kaanapali Trail
This is an easy, flat Kaanapali Beach walk to the boardwalk from Canoe Beach. The full out & back is 4.2 miles but you can do make it as long or short as you like, or stop along the way for food or drinks. It starts around the Westin Kaanapali and continues on past the Hyatt, Marriott, Whaler's village, Sheraton Black Rock, and the golf course. There is a boardwalk and paved trail near the shore other than near the Royal and associated condos, where the trail is away from beach.
Olivine Pools trailhead
We had a lot of fun exploring and swimming in these natural pools by the ocean. It's a beautiful drive, and there's a famous banana bread stand along the way there. Once you get there, it's about a .4 mile hike down a somewhat rocky area to get to the pools, so you'll want either water shoes / tennis shoes. If you're traveling with kids, this wouldn't be a great hike for a baby - we'd only recommend doing this with kids old enough to climb themselves (~4-5+).
Makamakaole Trail
This was one of our favorite hikes - we crossed rivers, crossed through bamboo, jumped in waterfalls, and had incredible greenery views. It was also admittedly muddy & challenging at times due to the name - "13 crossings" - you need to cross streams several times and if you want to get to the highest waterfalls, there are some rocks and rope ladders to climb. It's worth the climb if you're comfortable doing that. This hike is closer to Mama's fish house & the airport ~1 hour away from Kapalua, so we did this on the same day we went to Mama's to maximize being in the area.
Water activities
The beach & water activities are endless - Surf lessons, stand up paddle boards, snorkeling, boating, etc. Let us know if you need help getting in touch with local rentals
