Adventures in ParaDyess: Maui and Lahaina Hacks
In Part 1 of the Adventures in ParaDyess: Maui series, I explained how our trip came to be and shared some of the photos from our self portrait session we did while we were there and I promised more blog posts! Well, here is the next blog post in that series. Things we learned that we wish we had known before going to Maui (and the Lahaina area specifcally).
GO DURING WHALE SEASON. If you’re going to Maui, PLEASE go during whale season (November to May, with the most activity from January through March). We got up every morning, walked out on the balcony, and watched whales breach and flap their tails. It was truly amazing.
Don’t make “must have a beach” a requirement on your Where to Stay checklist (if you do that kind of thing…I totally do lol). Most of the resorts in Lahaina are on Ka’anapali beach and it’s dubbed one of the nicest beaches on Maui. But we learned very quickly that there are a TON of beaches (even if they’re small) and they’re mostly public property! There are a bunch of “beach parks” all along the coast and all of them have free parking for beach-goers (some even have bathrooms, showers, and lifeguards!). There were several within walking distance of our condo. If you’re planning to stay at one of the resorts on Ka’anapali beach, I HIGHLY recommend getting out there and seeing some of the other beaches in the area. We weren’t disappointed with any that we went to!
If you’re traveling with small children or easily get carsick, consider doing what Ryan and I dubbed the Road to Hana “light”. It doesn’t actually go to Hana but it has AMAZING views. We took Route 30 North out of Lahaina where it goes along the coast. Many of the twists and turns reminded us of the Road to Hana and the views were STUNNING. There were plenty of pull-offs on the side of the road at the scenic locations. If I had known, I would have taken my camera, instead I only had my phone with me, but i was still able to get some beautiful pictures.
If you’re considering hiking Haleakala, bring warm clothes juuuust in case. We were lightly considering doing the crater hike but didn’t end up going because we only had sweatshirts—no long sleeve shirts for layers or rain coats for when we dipped below the clouds. So we chickened out and didn’t go because we didn’t want to be underprepared. But I want you to be prepared, so bring them!!
Speaking of Ka’anapali beach, if you’re not staying there but want to visit (like us!), park at Kahekili Beach Park. It’s right on Ka’anapali beach and you don’t have to pay for parking like you might if you parked at a resort. You can still access the boardwalk that goes all along Ka’anapali and Kahekili also has some cool reefs right off the beach to snorkel!
If you end up not staying at a resort, and instead choose a condo with a full kitchen (to save money, like we wanted to), shop at Safeway for your groceries. They have everything you could need at relatively good prices. But the key to those good prices is to sign up for Safeway rewards on their website! It’s free to sign up and it’ll save you so much money—all you have to do is put your phone number in at check out once you sign up. It makes the prices for meat, seafood, etc. very comparable to prices in Virginia.
And finally, use the ABC stores! In Virginia, ABC stores only sell liquor and you can’t buy it anywhere else. This isn’t the case in Hawaii. ABC stores are like your typical beach shops selling sunscreen (at the best prices we found), towels, shirts, trinkets, etc. as well as liquor. But grocery stores sell liquor, beer, and wine as well, so check around to see who has the best prices on that stuff!
One of the many amazing views along route 30 north of Lahaina
That’s it, the tricks we learned while staying in Lahaina, Maui that will make your life easier when you go! If you have any tips for traveling to Maui, feel free to share them in the comments below!