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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.

west maui map

 

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.

old fort

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.

under banyan

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.

banyan tree

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

 old jail gallery

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

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.


Lahaina Harbor


You can launch yourself into any number of adventures from the Lahaina Harbor on board the charter boats or just by walking around and imagining what's possible.

lahaina harbor

Oldest Lighthouse


King Kamehameha III ordered this Oldest Lighthouse in the Pacific built in 1840 as an aid to navigation for whaling ships. It was only nine feet tall and powered by oil lamps. Look how it has grown.

old lighthouse

Carthaginian III


carthiginian
The brig Carthaginian III is a replica of a 19th century square rigger typically used for whaling and hauling missionaries around. Several earlier versions sank but this one's been around since 1980. A visit features videos, recorded whale songs and a whale boat.
• Carthaginian III

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

Baldwin Home


Hale-Pa'ahao Prison
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

Lahaina's Front Street

Lahaina's Front Street

Behind these sunshades lie the treasures you have always dreamed of...maybe. Front Street is a bazaar whose shops and galleries change faster than we can keep track. Good hunting.

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.

Domed Theater

Wo Hing Society

 

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.

Jodo Mission Buddha

Sugar Cane Train


  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

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.

Skeleton of a Whale

Whale Museum

 

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

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