Great park with an amazing view!!! Bring a picnic blanket and your snacks. Went here on a breeze…read moreslightly overcast day and my little enjoyed her almost 3 hours of play! If you have kids, be sure to make this playground a stop on your OGG list.

This is our go-to park, even though it's a bit of a drive from where we live, it's that worth it!…read moreThe fresh Upcountry air, wide open space, and peaceful vibe make it the perfect spot to unwind and let the kids burn off some energy. The playground is super clean and fun, and there's plenty of grass for picnics or just relaxing. We love coming here as a family, whether it's for a quick play session or to spend the whole afternoon. There aren't too many people, which is a nice change from the busier parks. And the view? So beautiful, especially on a clear day! It's definitely a bit out of the way, but we don't mind the drive, it's always worth it.

My little fam and I did a day trip to Maui and as we were driving down from Upcountry Maui (after…read morepicking up our yummy yet quick dinner from Pukalani Superette), we stumbled upon a gift of a HUGE park with the most amazing playground. The playground was a dream: tons of activities to choose from and only 1-2 other families. My review is mainly about the playground but the park was gorgeous, tons of space to run and play, covered picnic areas, and tons of parking. (There is a porta potty which was really the only dim spot for me.) The Kalakupua Playground is really well-taken care of by the neighborhood. Hardly any grafitti, only one tiny area is broken (but it's taped off), and it's very safe - as the entire ground is covered in cut up pieces of tires. There are swing sets on both sides of the playground - and safe toddler swing sets, too. Climbing choices galore, many slides to choose from, a great parkour for kids area, and even a tiered sitting area for parents to wait while their children roam free in the safe, fence-surrounded playground. Truly, truly a gem if you are looking for a playground for your kids. I can't believe we stumbled on it. But we all left so happy: as parents it was nice to let them roam free, my 1-year old daughter knocked out for her nap, and our 6-year old yelled as we were leaving, "Mom, that's a 5-star playground!" I totally agree.

I come here because it's close to my mom's house. So I take a stroll every now and then here…read more Big grassy area. They have pavilions for parties here. They have a nice jungle gym for the keiki for all ages. It's nice for them to play on. They have swings and bucket swings for the younger ones. Just a nicer park overall.

A stroll on the boardwalk. And access to the water at 3…read morepoints. Some bird life. Overcast and windy day.

We stopped by the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge on a rainy day. The visitor's center was…read morevery interesting, and had nice clean bathrooms. The Friends of the pond organization had reasonably priced gifts, such as magnets and t-shirts. We drove from the visitor's center over to the ponds, but we could have walked. There were a lot of Black-necked stilts (AKA Hawaiian Stilt) and a few other birds, but not many due to the weather. We returned the next day under better weather, first stopping at the Kealia Bird Sanctuary board walk. Again, not many birds, but it was a nice visit. The boardwalk has a couple of spots where you are invited to take a picture from a phone holder and then submit it via email. You will then get a link to a page of time-lapsed photos taken by visitors over the years. It was interesting to see the ebb and flow of the ponds. All in all, a very nice stop with friendly staff at the center.

Waikapu Park is a small park and community center tucked away off of Waiko Road, located behind a…read moreresidential area. Parking is adequate. Views of Waikapu Valley and the West Maui Mountains are beautiful. There's a basketball court, baseball field, picnic tables and a newly renovated community center. The open-air community center has a small covered lanai, indoor seating, kitchen, restrooms and charcoal grills. OVERALL: Nice place to host a small-sized daytime party.

If you don't know the area, you'll easily pass it and miss it. It's known better as the Waikapu…read moreCommunity Center. You have to go up a what looks like a residential road and pass about 2 houses and you're here. The park itself is old, the fences still serves its purpose but it look like it can fall apart. The county maintains the park. There's a full basketball court, a baseball field (I don't think it's a full field,maybe for kids) and then there the community center. Parking is along side of the baseball field and there is a parking lot for maybe 10 cars at the community center .

It's just a nice small grassy park in the Upcountry area, with lots of easy parking and great views…read moreof the Central Valley and West Maui mountains. The cooler climate makes it easy to play outdoors without overheating. Kids love to take their cardboard pieces and slide down the hill here, reminiscent of the old Hawaiians who would slide down steep hills on wooden sleds. There is no ballpark and there's not a whole lot of flat areas.

After picking up some food, decided just to chill at this park and enjoy the beautiful views!!…read moreWatched someone release balloons and we decided to bring out some bubbles and just let the gentle wind blow them away.

Somewhat off the radar refuge owned and managed by the Hawai'i Land Trust, with a 3-mile loop trail…read morethat's mostly wide and flat, good for those looking for a relaxing , non-strenuous hike. There's a beautiful shoreline with some sand and abundant rocks and driftwood, and a few picnic tables in an adjacent grassy area. Not really a place for swimming. It's free, including parking, and easy to get to but the (short) access road off the street is gravel and the parking area is unpaved. Be sure not to leave valuables in your vehicle--always good practice on Maui. The trail is mostly open, so a hat and sunscreen are strongly advised. Bugs (sand flies and gnats mostly) can be an issue on parts of the trail and bug spray or a headnet would be helpful. There are a few cultural sites along the trail, with informative signs. In addition, there are several abandoned old houses and a former dairy....a few cows are still around. The Land Trust runs a volunteer program for cleanup and native plant restoration, and has a few videos on their site that are worth checking out: https://www.hilt.org/waihee

What a treasure this coastal reserve on Maui is. For my first time here I was part of a volunteer…read moregroup where we got to learn some of the history and some of the current activities. My group got to learn the cultural practice of cordage making with the native sedge species. Other groups participated in moving rocks for the fish pond, or hiking along the coastal trail. I definitely need another trip back here to do some more exploring. It's open to the public for no charge, and they encourage volunteers on Fridays and Saturdays I believe. Check their website for more information. This is a historically significant part of Maui and Hawaii, and therefore it's being preserved and somewhat restored. They can use more help because funding is getting harder due to... you know what.

This is probably Maui's most hidden and unknown park due to its location…read more   Located on 4.7 acres, this neighborhood-developed parcel is nestled deep within the Pomaikai subdivision in Kahului, surrounded by tract homes and bordered by two cul-de-sacs (Pono & Huali Ways). I'm pretty sure it was an "open-space" agreement in accordance with the area's master plan to create some greenery. The L-shaped park is as no-frills as they come, with simply maintained grass and a few shade trees; nothing else. It's open 24/7 as there are no barriers to close up the place. Besides the eye-sore landscaping of the surrounding homes, you're also treated to views of Maui's two mountain ranges. Parking is on-street on both sides of the park.   Personally, I wouldn't want to live in the homes abutting the park because who knows what goes on especially at night. But on the positive, it's one less neighbor to deal with! OVERALL: Quaint little sliver of undeveloped land in the urban jungle known as Kahului. Bring a pet or loved one and chill.

I often hijack reviews of parks to let some steam off, and this review of Kalama Park will be no…read moredifferent. I've found yelp and google maps to be the best canvas for getting out my pain and creative juices... alright enough yapping. Let me lock in. My family and I came to this beautiful park on Maui, as it was the location for my 100th grocery store rotisserie chicken review of the year, which also marks my semi-retirement. I'm tired of eating mid chickens, and I just want to do different things creatively, as dumb as that sounds. I know in my soul it's time to move on. As I got in the white mini van my Dad was driving to head to Foodland, my navy Banana Republic suit clinging to my body in the island humidity, I was ready to be hit with a wave of emotion. But it just didn't come. It felt like any other day at the office. Business trip. I stepped into Foodland, picked the bird up, and got back into the mini van to head to the park just down the road. Setting foot into Kalama Park must have been how the great Kobe Bryant felt walking into Staples Center for the last time. This was right when the emotion I was anticipating earlier began to creep into my prefrontal cortex. However, I fought it off. I just truly felt I needed to treat it like any other day. I'll celebrate after. Rest at the end not in the middle. I crouched on a little stoop maybe 8 feet from the water, set the tripod up, and got to work. Once I finished the review, I ran straight into the ocean and popped a bottle of Veuve my parents had bought for the occasion. I'm always hesitant to celebrate small wins, as the quote "if you sleep on a win you'll wake up with a loss" rings through my head, but this felt like something that must be celebrated. 100 of them things. Self pride is something I rarely feel. I'm my own worst critic, and I don't mean that in a cute, performative way. I mean it in a vicious, nasty way. If someone talked to me how I talk to myself, I'd have no choice but to put hands on them. It might sound a bit cocky or egotistical but when you know what you're capable of, it's hard to settle for anything less than a fully reached potential. Idk. I struggle with it everyday. All this to say, as dumb as this following sentence sounds, I am proud of this grocery store rotisserie chicken journey. Truly proud of myself. I legitimately cannot remember the last time I felt like this about something I did, and my God it feels GOOD. I created something from scratch, saw it through to the end, and made the best decisions I could at the time it was to make them. Success is in the effort, and I gave this everything I had. So yeah, I sit on this balcony in Hawaii, enjoying the hell out of this 3rd glass of Veuve Cliquot and 6mg Wintergreen Zyn. I have no idea what's next. Maybe it's all downhill from here. Maybe I peaked and will fade into obscurity, but god what a fun peak it was. I enjoyed every second of it. IG @johnny.novo Tiktok @jnov__ Substack @johnnynovo

Such a great time biking around Kīhei beach . We rested in Kalama Park. The park is clean , walkway…read morefor outdoor stroll with amazing views of mountains, beach , trees and courteous locals.