Maui

[Molli526]

Hello-

I am going to Maui for my honeymoon and I was wondering if there were any suggestions for restaurants/ things that are a must see? We will be there the week of October 7.

TIA-

Molli:D

[beejayw1]

Hm. I'll leave the restaurants to the others.

What to do?

* Whale watch
* Walk on the beach (they're all gorgeous!)
* Rent a car and drive around the island (be careful, though; roads can be narrow and on a precipice)
* Stroll around Lahaina
* Go to Haleakala (wear very comfortable hiking shoes)
* Go snorkeling
* Go hiking
* Visit the Iau Needle (beautiful scenery)
* Attend a Luau (must do!)
* Take tons of photos (Suggestion: get them processed while you're there. Mainland photo shops don't seem to understand the vividness of Hawaiian colors)

Maui is built like the figure "8", and it is almost as though there are two separate islands. There's a lot to see, and if you enjoy the outdoors, you won't be bored.

You might consider taking a day trip on a 'puddle-jumper' to another island like Molokai.

Enjoy it!

Note: Hawaii is warmer than here, but nevertheless does have a temperate climate. Do bring along a jacket or two to fend off the evening chill.

[funnybone]

We loved Longhi's in Lahaina, but we were there last in 1986. You can check out their website www.longhi-maui.com

[tracey67]

Molli - you can also run a search on this board with the word Maui. I seem to remember a similar question a couple of months ago so I'm sure you'll find a few relevant discussions.

tracey

[Molli526]

I didn't know you could run a search! Thanks! As you can tell, I am new to this.

Molli

[Jewel]

Molli, we were just there for my birthday in July. The best restaurant in Lehaina as far as we were concerned was BJ's Chicago Pizza. Great place with live entertainment every night, the BEST deep dish pizza I've had in a long time, and crunchy baked ravioli dipped in marinara sauce as an appetizer. YUM! We went there twice in a week! :p

If you decide to Parasail, use UFO Parasailing. Great guys, and they really treated us well! They're on Kaanapali Beach (the best beach in the area) and their number is 661-7UFO. Great price too! It was $52 each for an 800 foot ride! Scary as heck, but DH was right next to me trying to keep me from a panic attack!

You won't see much in the Whale Watching area, however, because they don't really come around till December, and stay through mid-May.

Make sure you try Cheeseburger in Paradise in Lehaina also, they might be a burger joint, but they're great! Plan on a long wait though...

If you're a music buff there's a gallery in Lehaina, I can't remember the name, but they have TONS of signed memorobilia for sale, from a gold Eagles Greatest Hits Album signed by all members of the band (drool...) for the bargain price of $6000 and paintings done by Paul McCartney...truly a great place to wander around in.

Snorkel trips are a blast, we used 'Pride Of Maui', probably the biggest boat there was! Lunch cooked on the ship, two snorkel sites of Malokini Crater and Turtletown, and very reasonably priced. Great half-day trip!

Above all, remember that you're closer to the equator and the sun is hot. PLEASE don't let anyone in your family go out without sunscreen. DH thought he was being a stud when he said 'he was fine for awhile' and he was in agony for the remaining 3 days of our trip. You will still get sun even with sunscreen, so don't leave without your Coppertone Sport Dry Lotion Spray bottle, spf 30!!!! ;)

[Molli526]

Thanks for the great info!

I know my DH- wow, that is going to be a change for me instead of BF, will try to go low on the sunscreen.

Did you do the Road to Hana? I have heard mixed reviews...

Molli

[Gail]

"Mixed reviews?"

I'm not exactly sure what to make of that. What sorts of things have you heard?

[Molli526]

That it is really windy and long. I was told by someone they were bored- they took the ?longer? route and ended up being stuck having to finish.

[Gail]

True. But, you've got to keep something in mind here. To some people, it's the journey which counts. Others are more into the destination. By that I mean if you're into gorgeous, verdant scenery with lots of waterfalls, and you don't mind a slow, tedious drive getting there, this'll be right up your alley. But, let's face it-- not everyone is into scenery. Plus, conceivably all those turns can make a body car sick. So for those who gave it a "thumbs-down," I'm gonna go out on a limb and say they just weren't scenery people.

Me-- I'd do it again in a flash. If nothing else, it's because I like to see the island. And if you're on the West side, where people invariably are-- be it Kapulua, Lahaina, Kanapaali, Kihei or wherever-- it's a completely different feel from the Hana side. West Maui is dry, stark, hot; the eastern coast is rural, underdeveloped, tranquil and green.

Here's what one of my books has to say in part:

"The drive begins near the Kahului Airport where you'll see the sign: "Hana 54 mile." In fact, the road seems much longer-- it curves, twists, curls and pirouettes through 617 hairpin turns, passes over 56 miniature bridges, and is so narrow it's often impossible for two cars to pass unless one pulls over. The road took several years to build with pickand shovel, and several more to pave, using convict labor. Before it was paved, the road often washed out; drivers locked from passing by mud slides were known to swap cars and then continue on their respective ways, later meeting back at the same mud slide to switch cars again for the return trip...

"Of course, the infamous road itself is not the only reason the drive to Hana takes so long. After all, it would be a travesty not to make an occasional stop to explore the myriad waterfalls, gardens, beaches, freshwater caves and swimming holes. The roadside harbors a living catalog of Hawaiian plant life, with ferns and flowers vying for space among trees hung with breadfruit, mango and guava. Picturesque stops include Waikamoi Ridge Trail (leading to a forest perfect for picknicking), Puohokmoa Falls (where you can swin in a natural pool), Keanae Lookout and the Waianapanapa Black Sand Beach. About 10 miles beyond Hana is Oheo Gulch, part of Haleakala National Park. Since it's impossible to see everything in one day, try to keep so some sort of schedule (but not too rigidly) and remember to save some energy for the trip back."

(From: Access: Hawaii)

[Molli526]

I will have to do some serious thinking about that then. How long does it take- 4hrs? 6 hrs? We will be in Wailea.

[Jewel]

Regarding the Road to Hana, I'd have to side with Gail! We stayed in Kaanapali area, so we did the long route, and headed north on Hwy 30...went UP and around. Lots of one-lane road, and turns so tight you think the car's gonna fold on itself. There were several places that DH had to back the car down a ways when we met up with another vehicle coming toward us, and there wasn't room for a side-by-side pass. Lots of beautiful scenery, and there was that 'accomplishment' of saying we went the long way.

When we got to the east side of the island we thought we were through the rough stuff....no way! Something like 50 one-lane bridges and over 600 turns to go! Lots of gorgeous waterfalls and greenery, and the surf is pounding on that side! The only part of the drive I got very tired of was on the very south end when you make the turn to go north again, and you are going more inland, away from the water's edge. VERY bumpy, very slow going, and very uneventful. Your scenery is pretty much tapped out and you'd better hang onto your lunch!! The road gets really rough there for quite a few miles. Once you're back on flat paved roads again, your hiney will still be tingling!

When we rented our car the Alamo Man asked us if we planned on doing the Hana thing. We told him we hadn't ruled it out...he suggested a Subaru Forrester. Said that your basic full size car would not do that road well, and said the higher ground clearance would help, and was he right! The Forrester made a huge difference, we believe, in how we were able to drive that road. Also good on gas! :D

My honeymoon week was also that week...what day are you to be married? Ours was October 2 of 1999!

[Molli526]

We are getting married October 6, 31 days to go! I am so excited!

We have already rented our car, a convertible!

[Gail]

I see since I began typing that Jewel has answered part of this. About how long the drive is, here I'm stuck. The thing is that I'm an amateur photographer, consequently we made about a kajillion stops to set up the tripod and fiddle around with lenses, so it took a lot longer than it would've for someone else. Most people pull over and get out, too-- you start driving past a waterfall and someone shrieks: did you see that? So you park and walk back. The whole thing takes a while.

But look, it's okay for your interests to lie somewhere else. This sort of outing simply may not be your "thing." And if it isn't, there are certainly plenty of other things to do to keep yourself busy.

...off the subject of the Hana Highway, I'm gonna make my own few observations. (Hopefully things I didn't bring up on one of the older threads.)

If you're a pioneer explorer sort and like to drive around, please check your car rental contract before departing. Mind you, I haven't been to this particular island since you were a kid, but there used to be (and may still be) certain restrictions as to places you were NOT to drive the rental car.

Regarding sunscreen: words to the wise. I am a brunette with the kind of skin most sun worshippers would kill for. Takes a lot to make me burn to the point where it hurts. My first trip to Hawaii I spent most of my time worrying about my pink-complected, blonde, blue-eyed hubby, neglecting myself entirely. Needless to say, I fried. (Sitting in the car, no less, with my arm on the windowsill.) No matter how macho your intended may think he is; sun in the tropics is stronger. Don't let him ruin your honeymoon with a painful burn.

...then we move on to mosquitoes. Okay, maybe they won't bother you, but for whatever reason I am filet mignon to the average mosquito. And they like to hang out around the jungly environs of the Hana Highway. As a result of not being prepared, I spent most of my honeymoon with swollen feet and ankles from the 13 bites I acquired. Moral: Bring bug repellent.

One last bit of advice and I'll end. Luaus. You either love 'em or hate 'em. I cringe when I remember the one we attended years ago-- a touristy cattle-call where they took your photos as you walked in, made all the newlyweds line up on the stage and kiss, and made up for the embarrassment by serving exceedingly mediocre food. If this is not your idea of fun, choose wisely. I know there are good luaus-- we just made a bad choice. So ask around, letting people know what it is that you want, lest you fall into a cattle call as we did.

[beejayw1]

Originally posted by Molli526
Did you do the Road to Hana? I have heard mixed reviews...


Gail and Jewel are right on the money re the road to Hana. I love scenery and I love photos, so I took my time and it was worth it. Like I said before, * Rent a car and drive around the island (be careful, though; roads can be narrow and on a precipice)

On the sunscreen - keep in mind that Hawaii is appreciably closer to the equator and even a 'no burner' (like me) is at risk for a really bad sunburn. They are not fun! (You'd think I'd remember, having spent a few years living in Hawaii...)

All the October weddings (and the resultant marriages) that I've ever known have been very successful and happy. Hope yours is the same!

[Jewel]

OK, gotta get back in here for a minute about Luaus. We were warned about them, and I'm so glad we didn't 'indulge'!! We saw a few from a ways back, and were not impressed. They're very touristy, and unless you're into traditional Hawaiian food, you're going to be stopping at the Safeway and picking up a box of Brown Sugar Cinnamon PopTarts on the way back to the hotel, 'cause you'll be HUNGRY! We saw and experienced enough of the Hawaiian culture, we didn't need a luau. I've heard others complain that it was a waste of money.

I've also heard the 'sunset cocktail cruises' were a waste of money. Our condo was right on the water. We got the beautiful sunset anyway. We were able to stand out on our PRIVATE balcony (wink!) dressed in the anti-clothing that wouldn't have been allowed on the boat (wink! wink!) and sip wine that didn't cost $14 a glass, because we bought it at a liquor store before going back to the condo! Same sunset, same romance, same wine...just more comfy and more romance! ;)

I just can't stress enough the Honeymoon Parasail. You can go up together, and if you do take a disposable camera (In case of "oops! There it goes!" ) and enjoy the most thrilling 10 minutes of your honeymoon...well, maybe the SECOND most thrilling 10 minutes! (wink! wink! wink!) :p

[Peeps]

Molli-
I know I’m resurrecting an old thread here but as I just returned from Maui a few days ago, I wanted to add my input and hope that it might be helpful to you. We actually got stranded there last week as we were due to leave on Tuesday but couldn’t fly out until Friday. I know you’re thinking "What a great place to get stuck!" but it wasn’t, believe me. Read on...

HOTELS: You said you are staying in Wailea – are you at the Grand Wailea? We visited there one day and were just in awe – I think it is the most beautiful hotel I’ve ever seen! If you’re not at the Grand or the Four Seasons there, please make sure you are at least in a well known NAME hotel or a condo. Jewel gave me the advice about getting a condo and I’m so sorry we didn’t do that – we regretted it the whole time. The main reason we’d wished we’d done the condo was to save on meals but I’ll get to that in a second. We were not in a name brand hotel, though it was part of Hawaiian Resorts or something, but believe me this was no resort – what a dump. We checked out a lot of the other hotels on the island out of curiousity while we were there and we found that pretty much across the board the only hotels that were decent were well known name hotels like the Hyatt, the Westin, the Marriott, etc. which were all lovely. Anything other than the name brand hotels looked very questionable. We thought ours would be fine since we’d seen pictures on the internet and although it was nice from the outside the rooms were horrid and we felt completely ripped off. I’m sure there are exceptions but unless you know someone who has actually been there and can vouch for it I would absolutely avoid anything that isn’t part of an established, quality chain. You may think its too late to change but with all the cancellations you may be able to get a good deal. I also got something in the mail with my United Frequent Flyer statement a few weeks before we left offering deals at the Hyatt and some other chains and we considered switching and of course now regret that we didn’t.

FOOD: If you are staying in a hotel you can easily spend $200 a day on food for two. We were absolutely shocked by the prices at restaurants and there is no such thing as a cheap meal on Maui unless you’re up for McDonald’s (even Denny’s doubles its prices there!). Even pizza places will charge you $25 for a large pizza. (We did, by the way, go to BJ’s on Jewel’s recommendation and it was very good but still a bit pricey for pizza – though the other stuff was very reasonable – thanks for the tip Jewel!) All the restaurants charge a fortune and you’re not necessarily getting what you pay for either. We saw one menu advertising seafood from Seattle (hello, we’re surrounded by water, you can’t get local seafood??) at nearly $30 an entree – for frozen fish! I spoke to the masseuse I went to at the Hyatt spa (which I highly recommend!) for a local perspective and she said all the restaurants in Lahaina are just tourist traps with jacked up prices for low quality food. She said the Kanaapali restaurants are so-so food but you’re paying for the seaside view. She did recommend a good restaurant that we really enjoyed and felt like the food was good and almost worth the prices called Roy’s in Kahana (up highway 30 past Lahaina) – but I think there are other locations on the island. Because there was no view the restaurant really had to have good food to stay in business so we felt confident going there and we did have a good meal. At any rate, we ended up eating most of our meals at Subway, etc. – I haven’t had fast food since I was a teenager but after getting stranded we were totally out of money and its all we could afford! We completely regretted not having a condo where we could have ate in and saved some money.

STUFF TO DO: Others have covered that so I don’t have much to add. We didn’t do the Road to Hana as the car was in my name and I’ve heard you spend more time looking at the yellow line then the scenery if you’re driving so we opted not. We did visit the Tedeschi Winery and it was lovely, really beautiful area and a beautiful drive. It is off 37 I think, past the turn off up to the summit of Haleakala. We realized it was about the only FREE thing we were able to do the whole trip – but of course we bought wine so it still cost us! We also did the sunrise at Haleakala and had to get up at 3:30am to get to the top in time! We thought that would be another nice free thing but we were wrong – being Maui they of course charge you $10 for the privilege of getting into the parking lot at the top to see the sunrise! (Only in Maui can you get charged to see the sun come up in the morning!) It was very pretty but we had mostly overcast mornings so we saw the sun rise over the clouds but we had no view of the island at all. I agree that the Luaus looked tres cheesy – yes they had Luaus on Tuesday night, can you imagine! – we were also glad we’d been advised against them.

Of course we realized that as much as we did on our vacation we’ll always remember it for the tragedy and getting stuck there so my views may be more negative than some. While we were stranded we had to continue to pay for our hotel room and rental car and both places acted like they were doing us a big favor by letting us stay (no one else could fly in so it wasn’t like the room/car was needed!). I understand that tourism is their business and of course we are happy to be alive and safe and there are worse problems right now than a big Visa bill so I don’t mean to complain, but the overall attitude on Maui was amazing – it was completely business as usual all last week. The only real industy on Maui is tourism so it was in full force, people were boating, golfing, etc. like nothing was wrong while we just sat in our hotel room glued to CNN for 3 days. You never would have known anything was amiss and I found that a bit disturbing.
Just be prepared to get overcharged for absolutely everything and be wary of all the tourist scams, but as long as you know what to expect you should have a really lovely time.
Have fun and CONGRATULATIONS!

[Molli526]

Peeps-

Thank you so much for the insight. I will take your reccomendations to heart. I am glad I like Subway :) We are fortunate that we do get a food credit with our hotel. We are actually at the Renaissance Wailea but I feel OK about that b/c it is a NAME hotel. I have no fear of calling our travel agent to switch though.....

I really want to go to the winery so that is great it is free.

Thanks so much!!

:D

PS. DH (isn't that fun to say) has never been to Hawaii so we might take in a luau- just beacuse :o

[Peeps]

The winery was nice because the drive up there was so pretty - we felt better about not doing the Road To Hana because we went there. The wine is nothing spectacular (not that I'm an expert, in fact I rarely drink and I bought bottles just for gifts) but it was fun to see it and you'd never guess you were in Hawaii - its very woodsy up there. We went on a rainy day but if you go on a nice day there are picnic tables there but get food down in Wailea or Kahului - all they have up there is this tiny country store that had nothing so we ended up not being able to eat there as we planned.
Glad you like Subway - I think I had enough veggie subs to last me for quite awhile!
Another tip, not that you'd go, but avoid the Sugar Museum! My BF played golf one day so I thought I'd be all cultural and go check it out since I don't think I could live without sugar but it was a rip - $5 to look at some old pictures in a tiny room. Don't bother! Though somehow I doubt you'd do that on your honeymoon anyway!

We pretty much said we wouldn't do Hawaii again but if we did we'd stay at the Grand and never leave the hotel! You should at least sneak over there one day to check it out - the pools are just amazing, we were drooling just walking around it. So don't feel like there's lots to do and you're missing out if you don't do every little thing in the guide books - Maui is much more condusive to lolling about with with an umbrella drink by the pool and doing nothing! (Which we would have done if our "resort" had more than a filthy tiny pool!) So relax and enjoy.

[jamisen]

DH and I live in Honolulu and go to Maui a couple of times a year, so I thought that I would throw in my two cents about everything.

I think that you will be very comfortable at the Renaissance. We usually stay at the Westin and have found that the international chains typically have nice accomodations. Locally we have hotels chains such as Aston that are known for their affordability rather than their luxury. My SIL goes over every month for work and usually rents a condo in Kihei and has always had really good luck with that, as well.

We love to go to Maui and eat, so we usually plan to spend a lot of money on food. Our favorites are Roy's in Kahana, The Plantation House at Kapalua Golf Course (beautiful view), Hale Maile General Store, and we always seem to end up at BJ's.

All of the trips to Maui and I still haven't gone to Hana or seen the sunrise on top of Haleakala. Just too much driving for us. We almost always go to Makawao, which is a small town near the base of Haleakala, to visit the art galleries and small clothing boutiques. A few minutes away from Makawao is Kula, which has a great Protea shop if you are into flowers. Hale Maile General Store is in this general area as well, and is a great place to get lunch if you are willing to spend a little extra. I haven't been to the vineyard, but will soon. The wines aren't exceptional, but I enjoy taking them to the mainland as gifts. A word of warning, you can pack the wine in your suitcase, but they can't ship anything outside of the state.

When my sister and her DH were on their honeymoon they took a snorkelling trip to Molokini, and I know she would not recommend it because of the huge number of people. A better place to snorkel is just off the side of the road near Kahana (north of Kanapali). I am sure that your hotel concierge can direct you.

Hope you have a great trip. August through October are our warmest months because the tradewinds can really die down, but it guarantees you more sun! Don't forget the sunscreen.

[Molli526]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I will be sure to post my experience when I get back.

[Gail]

Molli,

Just a thought. Since you're coming from Michigan, I see, are you going to be changing flights at LAX? If so, you may want to double check all your flights and connections as you get closer to departure to find out whether our recent tighter restrictions are going to play a role in the amount of time needed between connecting flights. I'm not sure how it is for connecting flights through LAX, but I know some of the flights which origininate or end here are keeping people in the airport a L-O-N-G time.

(the bright side is you pick up those extra hours going to Hawaii!)

[Peeps]

Originally posted by jamisen
The wines aren't exceptional, but I enjoy taking them to the mainland as gifts. A word of warning, you can pack the wine in your suitcase, but they can't ship anything outside of the state.
Actually the winery told us they can ship wine to some states on the mainland (though some states have laws prohibiting the shipping in of alcohol) but they did say they would only ship I think 6 or 12 bottles and it costs around $35.
One thing to note though, while we were at the winery they told us they were out of a few of the wines but that we could find them in shops on the island and we did see them in stores when we looked. So if you aren't able to make it to the winery you can still bring home wine, just look in stores in Lahaina and elsewhere, even grocery stores.

[Molli526]

Gail-

I honestly did not even think of that. I will do that as we are connecting at LAX. Thanks!

[crlykat]

Molli,

Congratulations!
We stayed at the Renaissance Wailea last September for part of our honeymoon. All I can say is, Wow! Nothing but wonderful. They upgraded us to an oceanview because we were honeymooners. Service for rooms and restaurants was great.
The hotel was upscale but not in a formal or stuffy way. The beach is beautiful and a few steps away from the hotel buildings. The sand was like silk on our feet and the beach is lit at night.

This hotel was exactly what we needed after a long stressful time of planning a wedding. Also, there is a paved foot path that runs from the Renaissance past the Grand Wailea and on. It goes by some beautiful coastal gardens, craggy lava rocks, and you might see some snow white cranes, too.

We did the road to Hana, starting in the early afternoon, wandering through the little places on the way. We stopped at Picnics (cant remember where now--a sugar town) and got a picnic to go, which we ate at the Garden of Eden, which is an arboretum on the way to Hana. That was very beautiful too, with an orchid garden, a waterfall, walking trails, and sweeping views of the sea.

The road to Hana was gorgeous. We were amazed by the beauty. There were only two or three curves or switchbacks that were particularly hair raising. Watch out for cars stopped in the road to look at something (it's not wide enough to do that).

We spent the night in Hana in a cottage near the ocean. This might appeal to you if you dont mind rustic, rusty towns with beautiful scenery. After we got to Hana town itself (having been at the Renaissance for 4 nights), I really was of two minds about it. Then we got up in the morning and went back the same way, but it was still nice to see all the green lushness again.

Definitely spread on the sunscreen. I'm in southern California and used to the sun, but the sun was very intense there. It felt like laser beams! When we were in Wailea, the sun was strong in the early morning, and then it clouded over til the afternoon.
Hope this helps. If I remember anything, I will post again. Have fun!
Kathy

[Molli526]

<sigh of relief>

Kathy-

Thanks for letting me know about the hotel. What a weight off my shoulders. Were any of the hotel restaurants particularly good? :D

I am a runner so I will defintely pack my gear. It is getting to the point here that there are only a few hours of daylight to fun after work- too dark before.

I am off to get more sunscreen. I am one of those people who doesn't tan so I have a feeling I will need more than one bottle.


Thanks!

[crlykat]

Molli,

Let's see--restaurants at the Renaissance. Well, we usually ordered room service for breakfast and ate out at dinner. We ate many breakfasts on the lanai -- the best was their good kona coffee, muffins, and fruit plate with honey lime yogurt (yum!). We ordered dinner in our first night and both dinners were delicious and presented very elegantly. The plate and serving table were scattered with tropical flowers.
We also ate a few good casual pool side lunches at the Maui Onion, I think it was. The hotel has a Japanese restaurant/teppenyaki grill, as well as an indoor/outdoor place that was pretty good. Stay away from the buffet.
(We did make trips to Star mart grocery to buy basics such as water, fruit, wine, and bagels because it was too expensive to eat out at every meal. This is at least 10 minutes away from the hotel)

Outside of the hotel, we ate at Mamas Fish House which was soooo good! Its on the way back from Hana right before you get back into civilization. Roys, excellent; Lahaina Fish Company in Lahaina, pretty good and wait for a table over the water--you'll see all the fish swimming underneath; and the Hana Hotel's bar/grill thing in Hana. I wouldnt recommend the latter, although there aren't many places to eat in Hana.

After our stay in Maui, we went to the Big Island. If you are going there also, feel free to ask me any questions.
Hope I havent gone on too long. I just love reminiscing about our time in Maui! You will have a great stay at the Renaissance. I cant wait to go back!
Kathy

[MelH]

I wish I could have jumped in a little earlier. My parents always took me to Maui for family vacations and they now own property in Wailea; it's always been a second home to me.

For dinner, you must try Mama's Fish House! It's pricey, so you only need to go there once, but go and celebrate! Great service, excellent food and nice atmosphere. Go early to get a table by the window, which looks out to their own little beach. For cheap food, try Bubba Gump's in Lahaina (the shrimp is so fresh!), Bubba's Burgers in Kihei. Actually, there's quite a few restaurants in Kihei that are more reasonable than Wailea or Lahaina, and Kihei is just 5-10 minutes from Wailea.

If you and your soon-to-be DH golf, you MUST golf in Maui. No place else is more beautiful. If you don't, the golf courses usually have good restaurants. Go early (this will be easy with the time difference!) to take advantage of lunch menus and prices.

There is a new shopping center in Wailea that has some very high end shops like Tiffany's and Gucci, as well as Longhi's, Rith Chris Steakhouse, and Cheesburger in Paradise. The people who live/work in Hawaii are very nice and laid back, and browsing in a Tiffany's in Maui is very different (and a much nicer experience) than on the mainland. No snobs! There is also a gallery on the second floor that has rock & roll memorabilia that is very cool!

[Molli526]

Thank you so much!

I am getting so excited. I just can't stand it. I wish the wedding was this weekend already so it would be here- I am sure I am not the only bride to be that has felt this way. I will be sure to make a full report when we get back. I am so excited!

[slknight]

I know a lot of things have been covered, but we did some stuff that no one else has mentioned, so I thought I'd weigh in.

We spent about 4 days on Maui in May 1998 as part of our honeymoon (also went to the Big Island). We were at the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua. Kapalua was great, but at that time of year it was extremely windy due to the trade winds. You couldn't even sit out at the pool, the winds were so strong. We drove down to Wailea one day and noticed the weather was much warmer and different there.

Here's what we did:
Bike Ride down Haleakala
We did one of those tours where they pick you up at 2:30 in the morning and drive you up to Haleakala at sunrise. Seeing the sunrise over the crater was one of the most incredible experiences. Then you bike down in a group and ride all the way down to the ocean, so you go from 10,000 feet to sea level in just a few hours. The bike ride was fun and the scenery was gorgeous, although you do have to stay with the group which is a little annoying. However, the guides were great, and I don't think we ever would have gotten up to see the sunrise by ourselves, and that was definitely worth it.

Helicopter Tour of the Island
We took one of those complete island tours in a helicopter. This was interesting, but I don't know if I'd recommend it. It's really expensive, and I did not like being in the helicopter for that long. About half way through I really wanted to get out!

Sunset Catamaran Cruise
Some people have recommended against this, and I definitely see their point. We lucked out though, and the day we called to go on one, there were only about 6 people signed up for that evening. They said they were completely full for the next evening. The boat typically holds about 45 people. We went, and it was awesome. The catamaran is large, and with so few people, it seemed like we were getting our own private sailing. Also the crew were locals, who didn't mind answering questions about off-the-beaten path places to go. We really did have a great time (and the free Mai-tais helped), but I can not imagine it with 40+ other people. I would think it would be pretty miserable and crowded. So my suggestion is if you're interested to inquire about how many people are booked for that evening. We went on the "Kapalua Kai."

We didn't do the Road to Hana because we felt like we had seen enough! Like the others have mentioned, Maui is very pricey, especially for food. I second Jewel's recommendation for the Cheeseburger in Paradise in Lahaina if you like good greasy burgers and breakfast food.

As for the sunscreen, we used so much the whole time we were there, that I think we're the only people who have ever gone to Hawaii and returned paler than when we left!

Hope you have a great time!

-Susan

[Molli526]

Hello Everyone.

First, Thanks so much for the restaurant tips/ activites. We had a great time- I don't even mind that I came back with a few pounds :o . We did the parasailing with UFO and Pride of Maui Snorkeling- they were great. We also went to the winery and that was fun. Not what I was expecting, but it was a nice drive. We also did the road to Hana for about 4 miles. Very pretty but that road is so curvy!!

Now to the important stuff- food! We actually found a restaurant better than Mama's! We ate there twice b/c we loved it so much. It is The Waterfront in Ma'alea. SO Good! It was over $100 for both of us, but worth every cent. They have a table side caesar salad and crabcakes to die for. We got fish, and the best prep, IMHO is the Island Style. Coconut, ginger, lemon grass. WOW! The white chocolate blueberry cheesecake was so good too. I just cannot rave enough. They are rated by Zagat as well as recieved an award from Wine Spectator for their list- I should say book. It is in a condo building but is a quiet place, seats maybe 70, and on the water. A wonderful place. The owner is the host. A family run place so high on quality. I just can't say enough!

Mama's Fish House was second. Wonderful food.

Roy's- Awesome.

Haile'Ma'ile General Store- Great.

Wailea Steak and Seafood- Good for the price you pay. More middle of the road- not nearly the quality of the above 4, but it was close to the hotel and we needed to eat somewhere cheaper for a change! :rolleyes:

We also loved Cheeseburger in Paradise. We didn't even have to wait in line!

Our hotel was so great, the Renaissance Wailea. Quality through and through. Room service food was pretty good too- the Maui Onion was great for lunch. I would highly recommend the Renaissance. Right on the beach, great for what you pay. Beautiful grounds. I liked this area better than Ka'anapali. Not as many people and more greenery etc. at the hotel. We were about 25 minutes so a nice drive in the convertible.

On a sad note, we were in the mood for Thai and went to a place based on an ad, Sala Thai. It was the worst Thai we have ever had, and we are conniseurs if I have to say so myself. Terrible is all I can say!

Well, that is my last week in a nutshell. I loved it, but will only go back if we can upgrade to first class. My legs still hurt from the steerage seats. (Our planes were all jammed packed, no way of getting honeymooner special treatment)

Thanks everyone!

[Mamasue]

Welcome back and CONGRATULATIONS Mrs. Molli! :D