exploring
Planning Your Trip
Free & Affordable Things To Do
OGG, the airport
Iao Valley, the spiritual center
Wailuku, old Maui
Kahului, the shopping center
Paia, windsurfing capitol
Hana, the last Hawaiian place

Lahaina, sin city 1860
Maalaea, ocean center
Kihei, condos, malls, beaches
Wailea, big hotels
Haleakala Crater
Upcountry. cowboys, shopping

Lahaina Town

Sin city in the sixties (the 1860's that is) when whalers stopped here to play. Lahaina, which means merciless sun, is still a great party town. King Kamehameha III made it the capital of his kingdom. When sugar replaced whaling at the turn of the century, Lahaina became a plantation town.

You can shop, eat, gallery and visit historical spots along Front Street until you're full of rich experience. Here's what to look for as you walk down Front Street from the south.

 

Old Fort

Consider the corner of the Old Fort that protected the royal capital in the 1820's. Sailors got angry at the missionaries for trying to cleaning things up. They lobbed a cannon shot into town. So the fort got built. When sailing died out, it was torn down. This corner was rebuilt in 1964.

Banyan Tree

The block-spanning Banyan Tree was only 8 feet tall when it was brought from India in 1873 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Lahaina's first Protestant Mission. This is the biggest single tree we've ever seen (it covers 2/3rds of an acre) and you're only looking at part of it. It 's a neat place to shelter from the sun, watch the world go by and rest up for the next adventure. <<< On the weekends, the Lahaina Art Society has an outdoor show under the Banyan Tree. Local artists put up their paintings and crafts for sale. Who knows, you might pick up a piece by the next Picasso.

Lahaina Courthouse

The Lahaina Courthouse was built in 1859 and now houses the Lahaina Visitors Center where you can pick up free information and brochures. The two galleries of the Lahaina Art Society are also residents. • Lahaina Art Society   Drop down to the Old Jail Gallery in the basement of the Courthouse. The cells now house paintings rather than prisoners. Another of the Lahaina Art Society's two galleries is upstairs. You'll find the paintings, pottery and fiber art of some of Maui's up and coming artists here.

Pioneer Inn

The historic Pioneer Inn was built in 1901 by George Freeland, a Canadian Mountie who was sent here to get his man but didn't. He decided to stay. You can stay here in rooms that are nice but noisy. The bar is a happening place with entertainment at night.

Baldwin Home

Hale-Pa'ahao Prison

Medical missionary Dwight Baldwin built the Baldwin Home in 1834 and lived in it until 1871. Now it's the center of Lahaina preservation efforts. Stop by to experience what life was like back then.

• Baldwin Home

Hale-Pa'ahao Prison (Stuck in Irons House) is where they kept the bad guys in the 1800's. This is where blocks from the Old Fort ended up. There's a spooky wax sailor who'll talk to you when you visit.
• Hale-Pa'ahao Prison

Domed Theater

Watch a 60 foot wide, 180m degree screening of the film "Hawai'i: Island of the Gods." at the Hawaii Experience Domed Theater. Kids love the sensation of hurtling down Haleakala on a bike. Cool show and cool place to rest from the heat of Front Street.

Wo Hing Society

Chinese workers, brought here to harvest cane, built the Wo Hing Society social hall as a place to worship and hang out. In the cook house next door, you can sit in the dusk and ponder some of the first movies of Hawai'i shot by Thomas Edison in 1898 and 1903. • Wo Hing Society

Jodo Mission Buddha

The Jodo Mission Buddha is the largest bronze Buddha outside Asia and a serene place to sit and contemplate whatever is going on in your head.

Sugar Cane Train

 
Officially called the Lahaina-Ka'anapali & Pacific Railroad, the Sugar Cane Train will take you on a 12 mile rumble through the cane fields. Tam definitely thought it was cool to play engineer in the cab of this heavy iron.
• Sugar Cane Train

Skeleton of a Whale

You'll have to drive out to Ka'anapali's Whaler's Village to find out all about whales. Right out front, you can commune with the skeleton of a whale.

Whale Museum

The Whale Museum is stuffed with stuff about whaling...ship models, tools, scrimshaw, whatever it took. • The Whalers Village Museum