Travel Guide: Maui, HI
Lahaina and Ka'anapali, MAUI
I just got back a few weeks ago from a trip to Maui! It was my first time there and we seriously had the best time. I have been to both the Big Island and Oahu twice, so exploring and experiencing a new island was so much fun! Both my of brothers and their wives had been to Maui before, so we got to try some of their recommendations and faves, as well as try new things.
This was sort of a last minute trip planned by my oldest brother and Matt for my sis-in-laws 30th birthday; but we really jus turned it into a sibling trip. It was the three siblings (me, and my two older brothers), plus their wives and of course Matt! My brother Derrik brought his little daughter Lilley too since she is still under three months! It was actually really awesome and I think was easier than they even thought it would be with a semi-newborn baby. I will add a few things that seemed to help them with the baby too, in case this is you!
where we stayed
I got a lot of questions on where we stayed, since we chose not to stay at one of the many resorts that line the water. It was a personal preference since we really wanted to be all together with my siblings and their wives, and also wanted to save some money! We stayed at an Airbnb in Ka'anapali and to be honest it wasn’t the best experience we have ever had with Airbnb haha. It was extremely affordable (which is amazing!!) for a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom place but was overall just outdated and was lacking some basics like extra TP or dish soap. It didn’t feel like we had all we needed while we were there, and ended up buying some sponges and basic dish stuff that really should have been there for us. It was fine for what we were doing, but I probably would not pick to stay there again even if to save money haha. The nice thing about it was that we really were not home much, since we basically left every morning and ate out every meal. We liked the freedom and flexibility of being in a home, especially since we rented a car so we could leave whenever. If you are doing Hawaii that way, you can save on where you stay for sure. If you think you will be inside a lot, or want a pool or the amenities that a hotel offers.. stay at a hotel for sure!
coffee break
Aloha Kacoffeeaka
Coffee served from a cute red VW bus! They had the best macadamia nut milk you could
add to any drink, nutty and sweet it was perfect in a iced latte. You can also buy your own
glass mason jar to keep - bring it back for $1 off your next drink!
Ono Gelato
This is the first place we went for coffee the first day in Lahaina, mainly because of the view!
Right on the water, this little beach cafe serves gelato, coffee, and snacks. You can
NOT beat this view; the blue deck leads right into the blue water!
Vigilatte
My brother and sister-in-law loved this hole in the way find; off the main downtown strip in
Lahaina, it served really delicious and hand crafted coffee. They also serve Oatly oat milk!
breakfast + brunch
Baya Bowls
The best smoothies and acai bowls on the island! Love that you can park in downtown Lahaina
and walk to the food truck. Perfect for breakfast or lunch, or a snack any time of day.
TIP: You can add on additional Hawaiian fruits like lilikoi (so delish)!
Aloha Mixed Plate
Right on the beach in downtown Lahaina, this restaurant all outdoors and right on the beach.
I ordered the kaluha pork breakfast omlette and it was incredible! You can expect a pretty
classic breakfast and lunch menu from this place, but it is all super fresh & tasty. Also loved
the ambiance of sitting outside, on the beach, and they have a really cute neon sign that
says ALOHA as well that would make a fun photo opp.
The Gazebo
Located right on Napili beach, inside of a grouping of hotels and condos, you sort of feel like you are
invading the privacy of people staying there.. until you see the line wrapping
around the building at 8am haha! Make sure you get the macadamia nit banana pancakes!
Come EARLY to get in line if you wish to be seated in the restaurant.
TIP: Wait on the other side of the restaurant for the TO GO orders, there is usually no line
and the food comes in about 10-15 minutes.
lunch
Maui Brewing Company
Maui Brewing company was one of our all time favorite meals on the island. If you are a beer or root beer drinker (I prefer root beer personally it is SO GOOD) than you will love this casual, delicious restaurant. Inside the massive brewery, there are tables and high ceilings with big paddle fans. The vibe is really casual and laid back, but I also love how cool it was inside - the AC was kickin’ and you need that on a day thats 95 haha! Both Matt and myself ordered the swordfish tacos and they were amazing; really light and flakey with fresh cilantro and peppers. It just tasted really fresh and flavorful. It was Matt’s favorite place to eat on the island because of the good flavor but mostly because of the massive portions! Come here to eat if you’re really hungry + want a casual and tasty meal.
dinner spots
Castaway Cafe
We ate at Castaway Cafe on our first night on the island, mainly choosing it because it was close to where we stayed and right on the water. The sunset was the most gorgeous purple I have ever ever seen + the food was really fresh. I got the fish tacos (is that a surprise by now?) and thought they had amazing flavor and texture. The servers were really kind and chatty, and we liked the super laid back ambiance. It really was a cafe vibe, almost like a big tiki hut right on the water; very casual!
Vana Sushi
My second favorite meal on the island, Vana Sushi is located in Paia (about 10 min from the airport). We went here on the second night, right before we picked up our siblings from the airport. We did need a reservation, even on a Sunday night as the place was full when we got there, and there is not a ton of seating outside. When you are seated, you are under a big tree full of flowers that fall down on the table as you eat haha it sounds weird but is honestly SO magical. The food was delicious and the sushi had so much flavor and freshness. I will say the one negative of the experience was that the serving size was really small, but that is sort of expected from a fancier restaurant I think!
Fleetwood’s On Front Street
If you want amazing views of the water and a rooftop deck vibe, this is the place! Known for their seafood, Fleetwood’s creates a really cool atmosphere for dinner or Happy Hour. It’s right off of the main street in Lahaina so it is easy to get to, but make sure you have a reservation because it will be packed come 6pm. We really loved the lobster mac n cheese, but you could pass on the steak IMO, for the price you could find something better. Overall the food was not our favorite meal from the trip, but it was still tasty and there were tons of options for dinner and drinks. They even put on a little Hawaiian show at dinner. Definetly an experience!
Star Noodle
This was BY FAR my favorite meal of the whole trip. When reading about Star Noodle online, it describes the restaurant as, “Asian shared plates, noodle dishes & sake cocktails in an airy, light, wood-trimmed space”, and that is exactly what you get. The selection of food was incredible; from the deep fried asian spicy chicken wings to the classic chicken & shrimp pad Thai, everything on the menu was amazing. Out of the three couples that were eating at the table, we each ordered about 4-5 entrees and shared with our spouse. The dishes are made to share and get different textures and flavors of food. Everything was incredible!! Definetly a must eat. Be sure to book a reservation!
what to do & see
ULULANI’S Shaved Ice - KIHEI
MAUI OCEN CENTER AQUARIUM - https://mauioceancenter.com/
Explore downtown LAHAINA
Drive the ROAD TO HANA
Explore the small TOWN OF PAIA
Beaches: KAHEKILI BEACH, BLACK ROCK BEACH, BIG BEACH
& KAULAHAO AKA ‘TURTLE BEACH’
newborn tips
I obviously do not have a baby myself haha but I did learn/see some things from my sister Lindsay that I think are super helpful if you are planning a vacation to Hawaii with a baby yourself. She is an incredible mama and I learned so much from her! I think more than anything what I learned is that you have to be flexible and learn to go with the flow, and change plans depending on what you might need to do, and it is okay to be flexible!
Bring (or buy when you land) a half tent for the beach. This one I found on Amazon is similar to the one we had, and it was super helpful to create a little bit of shade and a cool spot to either lay baby down or even put the stroller in. This tent is quite a bit bigger but would be great for rolling your cooler into it or setting a lawn chair inside. It was amazing because we could set up like this little space in the shade so Lindsay could feed the baby and she could sleep in the shade. You could even buy a personal little tent for baby to sleep in, this one has high reviews and also has UPF 50+.
If you can get your baby to fall asleep in their carseat on the drive to the beach, let them sleep in the carseat inside the baby tent on the beach, instead of transporting them out of it. It seemed to work really well for Lilley to fall asleep in the car and just set the carseat into the tent on the beach.
Have a small stroller that is lightweight and easy to pack. This can be used to stroll along downtown or on the beach, and if you rent a car a small stroller will for sure be able to fit in the back. Make sure it is compact and lightweight for easy packing. This one is less than $100!
If you have a toddler or baby who is going to be in the sun, make sure you use SPF on them and you could even put sunglasses on them to protect their eyes! Here are some with great reviews, they comes in tons of colors too for just $17.
Bring extra diapers, onesies, and swaddle blankets with you when you leave in the morning. The more you can bring with you & pack in a diaper bag, the less time you have to spend going back and forth between where you are staying and the beach/pool area.