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PantsTent

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PantsTent

PantsTent 2002

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There were a couple of good threads on the other site and didn't want to mix Maui in the Kauai thread.

Going in late July with wife and 3 kids (age 10-17) and staying at Hyatt Regency for 7 days.  We'll probably do 3 days just relaxing at the resort and neighboring beaches, and 3 days for road to Hana, the crater, and exploring other parts of the island (ideas here are welcome).  I am looking for some other day excursion that probably involves a boat.  Supposedly there is decent snorkeling around the resort but a trip out somewhere might be good.  Where's the best place to shop and book these day trips?  There's a shit ton of options.

Shaggy had a lot of high end dining recommendations (Merriman's, Mamma's Fish House, Lahaina Grill, etc).  Any recs/tips in Kaanapali/Lahaina area that's more entire family friendly and a little easier on the wallet?

If anybody's stayed at the Hyatt Regency, any tips for navigating the property and getting tables/chairs, etc at the pools and beaches are also appreciated.

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Gen. Applewhite

Gen. Applewhite 226

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Ba Le Vietnamese, Fish Market Maui, and the Gazebo are solid cheap places near Hyatt Regency. I think it was the thread on the other site that learned me about Thai Food by Pranee on the road to Hana and it is indeed legit, worth planning the trip around her odd hours.

Old Lahaina Luau is my pick if that's your thing, and if not for your kids I would absolutely hit the magic/comedy show in Lahaina, as lame as that sounds.

Also, the drive from Kapalua to Kuhului around the northwest side of the island was scenic and pants shitting scary.

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wild_turkey

wild_turkey 3159

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The Hyatt is at the south end of Kaanapali Beach. The best nearby snorkeling is going to be at the north end of the beach near the Black Rock in front of the Sheraton.

The one restaurant I remember loving was Leilani's on the Beach, which is in Whaler's Village in the middle of Kaanapali Beach. It's been a long time since I ate there but you can look at menus and read reviews.

Road to Hana is awesome.

That's all I've got.

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6th Street

6th Street 6390

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Haleakala Crater is pretty cool - looks like it's on Mars and the view is ridiculous. There's a good spot nearby with wood-fired Hawaiian pizzas called Kula Lodge. 

As for snorkeling, most day excursions will take you out to Molokini, where there's tons of tropical fish. The tours then stop by turtle town to snorkel alongside the sea turtles. We booked thru the hotel.

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Txzen

Txzen 498

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I'm convinced that some of the best food in Hawaii (any island) is found in the most ugly looking grocery stores. 

On the way to Haleakala, the 'Superette' in Pukalani has an absolutely incredible selection of poke and some hot items as well. Well worth grabbing something for a picnic lunch on the crater. 

Thank me later.

Edited by Txzen
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HornPhD

HornPhD 1368

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Molokini (we went with Trilogy)

Nakalele Blowhole (The "Acid War Zone" hike is fun. When we did it last summer, we were the only people on the trail. The trail that leads to it is to the right of the maze, when facing the ocean if I'm remember correctly.)

http://mauiguidebook.com/adventures/nakalele-blowhole/

Paia Fish Market. It's in Paia and Lahaina. If you take the drive to Paia, check out Charley's Restaurant and Saloon (you'll drive through the town on the way to Hana).

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PencilPusher

PencilPusher 454

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Maui is great....can give lots of recommendations in Lahaina/Kaanapali area since that is generally where we stay.

For your kids, a great breakfast option is Slappy Cakes - make your own pancakes. My daughters (aged 10 and 12 at the time) loved that place. It wasn't outrageously priced. 

Mama's Fish House is the best place on the island to splurge....we usually save that for the dinner right before leaving (since it is close to Kahului airport). Lahaina Grill is also a good splurge spot. My wife also still loves Longhi's in Lahaina - she is partial to it because that is where she had our pre-wedding brunch for all the ladies on the trip.

Lelani's was mentioned above....good place in Kaanapali

There are lots of good poke, pho, and other Asian spots all over the island - I'd yelp around for those....those tend to be a little more budget friendly as well. Food trucks are also starting to get popular there, especially in and around Lahaina and Kihei. Check Yelp or some other source to see what the latest are. 

Haleakala is great...we've skipped the early morning sunrise thing and done sunset instead. Much less traffic and you get the same effect. Can also catch the Brocken Spectre on the way up in the late afternoon. One of only a few places in the world to do that. If you are that at the right time, the moonrise happening at sunset is also cool. Obviously has to be full moon to see that. 

If you do road to Hana, take the road all the way around....the backside of Haleakala can look really spectacular in the late afternoon sun. Some one lane sections can be a bit harrowing, but much improved over say 20 years ago. You'll also drive by the Maui winery as you have to pass through Upcountry to get back to the main parts of the island. If you like wine, it is worth a stop if nothing else but to rest your legs for a bit. The wines have actually gotten better over the past decade or so, but don't expect Napa/Sonoma levels of winemaking. 

We also like to ferry over to Lanai and rent a jeep to bang around a bunch of trails. The Munro Trail that goes across the top of the island you'll be told you can't drive on, but that is because if you get stuck in the mud up there, it's expensive to get you out. There are other drives as well. Our kids liked it because Dad drove a bit faster on some of the bumpy trails and it was better than a roller coaster ride. Also, usually few other people out there so you can truly get away from it all. 

Several already mentioned snorkeling. We've done both Molokini and Lanai excursions...Molokini trips are shorter and you will see fish (and turtles) but Lanai are a bit more adventurous and will take up a bit more of your day. 

If you want to do a luau...Old Lahaina Luau is the way to go. Best food and probably the most authentic. However, if your kids have to see the fire dancers (which are not Hawaiian), there are other luaus that provide that. The Hyatt's Drums of the Pacific I know has fire dancers, though the food is below that of Old Lahaina Luau. Book now though, Old Lahaina sells out quickly, especially in the summer. 

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PencilPusher

PencilPusher 454

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General Applewhite also mentioned the comedy/magic show thing - Warren & Annabelle's. Unfortunately not for kids but highly recommend for adults. Warren isn't performing as much anymore I don't think (at least he wasn't when we were in Maui 2 summers ago - they had different comedy acts), but remember catching him when his theatre was relatively new and it was always a fantastic show. 

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PencilPusher

PencilPusher 454

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On 4/14/2018 at 8:40 PM, Gen. Applewhite said:

Ba Le Vietnamese, Fish Market Maui, and the Gazebo are solid cheap places near Hyatt Regency. I think it was the thread on the other site that learned me about Thai Food by Pranee on the road to Hana and it is indeed legit, worth planning the trip around her odd hours.

Old Lahaina Luau is my pick if that's your thing, and if not for your kids I would absolutely hit the magic/comedy show in Lahaina, as lame as that sounds.

Also, the drive from Kapalua to Kuhului around the northwest side of the island was scenic and pants shitting scary.

 

Missed this earlier as well but that drive from Kapalua to Kahului  (Kahekili Highway) is definitely an okole squeezer (good Hawaiian term to know by the way)......You have to know who has the right of way on the one lane sections (the person going uphill has to yield). We've seen confrontations between tourists and locals because tourists generally don't know this rule. Still, it is quite adventurous and I do recommend anyone going to Maui do this at least once. Going from Kapalua to Kahului is the way to do it.......going the other way will be more difficult. 

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drewlaws

drewlaws 126

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I went to Maui with my wife and parents in December. It was my first time. We stayed at the Hyatt Residences which was top notch. The concierge was very helpful with reservations and planning.

Paia Fish Market in Lahaina was a great casual spot.

Mama's Fish House is totally worth the price. I agree with others that it's the best place to splurge. Merriman's was also very solid, but I'd go with Mama's if I had to choose between the two.

The Road to Hana is cool and it's a full day. We used the app tour guide which was clutch. I loved the black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park. We went all the way to the Seven Sacred Pools. In hindsight, I would have headed back after Hamoa Beach. Thank God our Expedition got a flat the first day we were there. They gave us an Explorer which was tight on the Road to Hana but an Expedition would have been terrible.

We did a whale watching tour with open bar (solid). We also did the helicopter tour of Molokai the same day we flew out. I HIGHLY recommend that.

Other than that we went with the flow mostly. The beach right outside your hotel is great so don't forget to reserve a day or two for vegging out. My wife and I are big golfers so our favorite days were playing Kapalua Plantation and Wailea Emerald courses.

Have fun! I enjoyed Hawaii even more than I thought I would.

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Reagan1k

Reagan1k 3024

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Here's my recap I did for another friend - somewhat dated but you'll get the idea.

We did ½ day-ish excursions and chilled the other ½ and always had a dinner reservation.

 Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tour  (1 hour full island tour was good)  Each one seats 6 I think.  Great views and pretty good way to learn about the island.

 4 hour guided bottom fishing trip on Marjorie Ann out of Ma’alaea Harbor (private boat…no one else but us).  Didn’t catch anything huge but a bunch of really cool and colorful fish we’d never seen before.  We took them to KO restaurant in the Fairmont when we got back.  Then we went and ate there that night and the chef fixed our fish several different ways and served it all family style.

 ½ day (5-6 hours really) snorkel trip on Trilogy II out of Ma’alaea Harbor.  Take you out, snorkel a couple spots, then they feed you lunch and offer cocktails and beer on the sail back in.  This is a party boat and there were probably 30 people on it including us.

 Zip Line Tour http://www.kapaluaziplines.com/    We did the full 7 line tour and it was great.  2 of the spans each had a ½ mile run at over 50mph.  They also stop about ½ way though and give you a quick lunch.

 We also did a day where we just drove ourselves to a couple of places to hike up into the mountains and see waterfalls, etc.  Walked around both Lahiana and Paia.

Some places we've eaten…

 Mamma’s Fish House   $$$ but a great view and just a destination restaurant.  We’d eaten there before and there are usually celebs coming or going.  Most famous eatery there.

 Betty’s in Lahiana …Dive/sports bar but sits above another place that does a nightly Luau so you can watch a luau without having to pay for it or eat the luau food…and leave when you want.

 KO in the Fairmont …where we took the fish…great food and cheaper than Mamma’s

 Paia Fish Market…..small spot, very casual, great food in a cool little surfer village

 

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jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 45889

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We stayed at the Hyatt . . . breakfast buffet is legit, with a beautiful view.

It's right near a golf course and there was a decent, moderately priced Italian restaurant on the grounds that course, but I couldn't remember the name nor say whether or not it's still there.

I think Mick Fleetwood owns a restaurant in Lahaina, but while it looked familiar when I saw it on a TV food show, I don't think he owned it when we ate there.  It was fine slightly healthy beach fare.

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Poolflood

Poolflood 845

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19 hours ago, drewlaws said:

I went to Maui with my wife and parents in December. It was my first time. We stayed at the Hyatt Residences which was top notch. The concierge was very helpful with reservations and planning.

Paia Fish Market in Lahaina was a great casual spot.

Mama's Fish House is totally worth the price. I agree with others that it's the best place to splurge. Merriman's was also very solid, but I'd go with Mama's if I had to choose between the two.

The Road to Hana is cool and it's a full day. We used the app tour guide which was clutch. I loved the black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park. We went all the way to the Seven Sacred Pools. In hindsight, I would have headed back after Hamoa Beach. Thank God our Expedition got a flat the first day we were there. They gave us an Explorer which was tight on the Road to Hana but an Expedition would have been terrible.

We did a whale watching tour with open bar (solid). We also did the helicopter tour of Molokai the same day we flew out. I HIGHLY recommend that.

Other than that we went with the flow mostly. The beach right outside your hotel is great so don't forget to reserve a day or two for vegging out. My wife and I are big golfers so our favorite days were playing Kapalua Plantation and Wailea Emerald courses.

Have fun! I enjoyed Hawaii even more than I thought I would.

Get a jeep.  Go topless to Hana.  Drive slow and get out of the way of the locals.  Next time we go we're staying in Hana.

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drewlaws

drewlaws 126

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A great (relatively) new restaurant on the west side of the island is Star Noodle.  It's outstanding.

Also, get you some spam musabe at Da Kitchen.

 

We picked up dinner from Star Noodle one night and took it back to our room. It was excellent. The place is small and the wait was insane considering it was mid week.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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grazinhorn

grazinhorn 472

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There is a badass ~11 mile hike or trail run you can do on Haleakala that I highly recommend.  Yes, it's at altitude, but it is full of stunning views and experiences.  In a matter of a few hours (running), or maybe 6-8 (hiking), you go through several radically different ecological areas - one minute you're in a pasture, the next you are on the moon.  Done it a couple of times, and the second was just as good as the first.

 

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BottleRocket

BottleRocket 644

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As someone above said, if you do the road to Hana consider continuing the entire loop.  They make a great burger at the Ulupalakua Ranch store and the Maui Wine Vineyards are nearby.   We rented a mustang convertible and the drive on the southern portion of the island was like driving on a go-cart track.  The landscape reminded me of Whales with the lush green grasses and stone walls. It was awesome. 

We stayed at The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort and the snorkeling right from the resort beach was unbelievable.  If that's the case where you are staying you might consider packing your own facemasks so you don't have to fool with the rentals. 

Maui really surprised me.  It was one of the best vacations we've taken.  It had everything. 

Have fun!

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BottleRocket

BottleRocket 644

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On ‎4‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 7:07 PM, Rollo Tomassi said:

Also, get you some spam musabe at Da Kitchen.

2nd... but you can also buy it in da shops, da gas stations, every da place.  And it's da-licious.  It's a Hawaiian blue collar worker lunch snack from what I understand.   

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  • 3 months later...
PantsTent

PantsTent 2002

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We had a great trip. This thread needs some pics so I’ll give it a shot.

Leilani’s on the Beach and Paia Fish Market were both good recs. We definitely did multiple days of just beach/pool time. We had a soft cooler bag that I filled with canned beer (surely this was against the rules but nobody seemed to be bothered). We were at the Hyatt Regency but found the pools at the Residence Club much less crowded and more kid friendly. The Marriott had a decent take-out pizza place that made for easy lunch pool-side. Ended up doing that twice due to the buy 3, get 4th free stamp card. We also enjoyed Maui Brewing Brewpub which hadn’t been mentioned.

Made the walk to opposite end of Ka’anapali to Black Rock Beach on one day. Great snorkeling and a ton of fish. Hell even right out front of Residence Club we saw quite a bit of stuff if you just float around for a while. $10 snorkel mask from ABC Store worked just fine for both.

For the Luau, we did the one at the Hyatt. It was just too convenient to walk right out to it. Food was pretty good, but the drinks were watered down as fuck. I had the bartender just poor about a triple shot of bourbon into a cup to make up for it. The fire dancing at the end was the highlight of the show for sure. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Here’s the view from the Hyatt.

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Road to Hana was great but it’s kind of a beating to be in the car for that long. Drewlaws mentioned about driving a large SUV…well we ended up with a Infinity QX80. Not ideal but not too bad. But there was no way I was going to go around the backside with it. A few stops along the way…

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For the boat excursion we did have a bit of a cattle call on the Quicksilver. Tour descriptions for smaller boats all warned against people with back problems which my wife has. Well even on this one, on the ride back from Shark Fin Cove on the other side of Lanai, she hurt her back as it was really choppy. It doesn’t bother me but it was like a damn triage center on bottom/back of boat with all the people with sea sickness. My son and I had a good laugh at the fat Sooner blowing chunks off the back as we got drinks from the bar.

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The day my wife spent resting her back was the day I had planned for the drive up to the crater, so unfortunately we missed that. Thought about fitting it in on the way to the airport but opted for leisurely souvenir shopping in Lahaina and had some drinks/apps at Lahaina Fish Co while looking out at the ocean one last time. And Da Kitchen in Kahului was packed with a 30 min wait at 4:00. Clearly I wasn’t the only one with the idea of eating there before going to the airport.

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  • 5 months later...
Txzen

Txzen 498

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If you make the trek to Haleakela, stop by the Pukalani Superette to grab lunch on the drive up. I'm of the opinion that some of the best food in Hawaii can be found at the smaller grocery stores - top notch poke, and all sorts of hot pre-cooked dishes. Even the large grocery stores have good stuff. But Pukalani has a particularly great selection of poke. 

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