A twenty-something thirty-year-old Hawaii transplant living it up on the East Coast for the past 10 years (Boston and Stamford, CT). This blog is to document my daily adventures and things that I find cool, uncool, hilarious, awe-inspiring, and annoying. Please feel free to email me at hawaiigurlinct@gmail.com.
July 19, 2010
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Every couple of months or so I get asked to provide recommendations of things to do, eat, and see in Hawaii (I started writing this post last week when an email request came in and then I just got another one today - hope this means Hawaii’s tourism is finally picking up again). I always work hard to come up with a list, pass it on, and then I’ll lose it by the time I get asked again. But no more. I’m starting a “Greatest Hits” list (ahem… title stolen from one of my favorite Lost episodes) and posting it to my blog so I’ll stop having to redo these lists. First up: Maui.
- Watch the sunrise at Haleakala - Beautiful (but cold) view at almost 10,000 feet above sea level. You can drive up and down the volcano but my favorite is the sunrise bike tour where you get bussed up to the top and just
bikecoast down the 28 miles to the bottom. - Snorkel (or scuba or snuba) at Molokini - The volcanic crater about 3 miles off the coast of Maui is home to around 250 different marine species. Boat tours from Maui take you out for a morning (or afternoon - but go in the morning) of diving and provide guests with snacks and drinks as well.
- Eat and Tour at a Plantation - Take a break from the beach and the surf to tour a 60-acre working plantation aboard a tram. Then enjoy lunch with a gorgeous viewat the Waikapu Grill.
- Take the Road to Hana - Hana is a nice, secluded and tranquil area of Maui but the point of this trek is the journey, not the destination. Kind of a crazy drive as sometimes there’s only one lane (for 2-way traffic) but the scenery is breathtaking. Don’t forget to pick up an I survived the road to Hana t-shirt from the Hasegawa General Store and take a dip in the 7 sacred pools during your drive back to town.
- Spend your nights on Lahaina’s Front Street- Nightlife kind of dies on Maui past 9 PM so Lahaina is the best place to spend your evenings with streets filled with stores, restaurants, and bars along the water.
- Go to a Luau - (The Old Lahaina Luau is one of the best). A trip to Hawaii is not complete without spending an evening at a luau. They serve authentic Hawaiian food (which I full heartedly recommend sampling but they also typically serve some more Americanized food such as BBQ chicken if you’re a more cautious eater) and perform dances (including usually a fire dancer).
- Watch the sunrise at Haleakala - Beautiful (but cold) view at almost 10,000 feet above sea level. You can drive up and down the volcano but my favorite is the sunrise bike tour where you get bussed up to the top and just
