Giving the tree 5 stars for surviving the fire. While downtown Lahaina is gooooone, there are some…read morefabulous local restaurants to support - like Honu Oceanside.

The Lahaina Banyan Tree lives! After the 2023 fire it was questionable but the tree is being…read moreprotected and nurtured, and even though they had to remove a third of it, it is growing! There is fencing around the whole courtyard so you can't go under it, but you can walk all the way around it, and there is free parking nearby.

I was just out and about in Maui, Hawaii and we were walking across this park and I saw this. It…read more was the remainder of an old fort. What was left of it? I guess they couldn't leave more of it because of the danger of the rocks falling, but it's something to see. I guess this was a fort used to defend the island. At some point I took a snapshot of what it was saying and the history. Nice to take some selfies by the fort.9

You can find the Old Fort in Historic Lahaina, Maui on the corner across from the Lahaina…read moreCourthouse. It's an interesting recreation of one corner of the old fort that once stood on the property and a good example of cut coral building construction - something you see from the early days of Hawaii's settlement from the west. Divers would go out into the reefs and chisel out huge blocks that would be shaped into the building blocks - several historic buildings on Maui and Oahu use similar materials, like colonial churches. I'd say overall this location is of only modest interest, there isn't much innovation to be seen through the example. It is on a beautiful stretch of property however and perfect for a photo op. Plenty of free street parking nearby but really, just stay in Lahaina and walk to it - it's on the Historic Lahaina walking tour, which I also recommend.

Friendly and welcoming staff! Kara greeted us outside as we were reading information posted on the…read morebillboard. She invited us inside to take a look around some of the artifacts and murals. She invited us to take a free tour of their organic farm and we gladly accepted her offer. She informed us about some of the other tours available as well as daily Kids Activities. The farm is on the small side, but she pointed out several fruits, herbs and plants that we were unaware of. She even picked some star fruit, papaya and mangoes and shared them with us. What a nice treat! (Hope she doesn't get in trouble for me mentioning that!) We definitely felt the Aloha Spirit from Kara and her coworker (sorry, I didn't catch her name). One thing I'd like to mention is that it would be great if the Ritz Carlton restaurants would make better use of the land and farm, and cultivate and utilize more organic produce that they grew themselves. I don't want to compare apples to oranges, but we also took a Farm Tour of O'o Farms in Kula, who provide most the organic produce for Pacific O'o in Lahaina and was super impressed on how they utilize and cultivate their land to provide organic produce for their restaurant.

About 7 miles past Hana sits Wailua Falls, and it's absolutely worth the stop. This spectacular…read morewaterfall feels like one of those "you're really in Maui now" moments. It was raining when we went, which actually worked in our favor (fewer tourists). I highly recommend checking it out if you're already exploring that side of the island. And bonus, there's actually a small area where you can park, which feels like a miracle on the Road to Hana.

Beautiful waterfall with just a quick walk across the street, and a 2 minute walk closer to the…read morefalls! Definitely recommend.

Finally attended the Lahaina Restoration Foundation's 60th Gala which was supposed to be in October…read more23 but was postponed due to the Aug 8 fires. What an amazing night, full of music, dance, culinary delights and fevered fundraising. With these funds LRF and its workers and volunteers can rebuild Lahaina and it's historical buildings, keeping history and culture alive and thriving. Many Mahalos to everyone involved, from the LRF board to volunteers, dancers and servers, Kimberley in the office who answered my emails regarding the night, to the greeters at the doors of the Old Lahaina Luau. Everyone involved made it a night to remember!

IMHO If you want a…read morerespite from the tourist trappings on Front St., head up Prison St. and visit the old Whaling Prison. It's free and there are a few free parking spots right up front.

Quick stop to check out the ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs…read more These are subtle but worth viewing. Little creek running nearby.

Common Draw Hawaiian…read morePetroglyphs (aka Pu'u Kilea) that are purported to be drawn in by some of the original inhabitants of the island of Maui. The Good: *Over 100 figures depicting animals and humans *It's definitely more interesting considering these native Hawaiian drawings and how closely they match some of the Native American's Petroglyphs that I've seen throughout the desert southwest. *1.1-mile out-and-back easy trail that begins at the Olowalu General Store *You can forgo the trail and drive right out to the Petroglyphs, but I'd highly recommend an AWD SUV, like a Jeep® or that ilk. *Dog-friendly trail *Free The Meh: *While interesting, it's def one of the least impressive displays of Petroglyphs I've seen, but I'm pretty spoiled. *While there are a decent amount of Petroglyphs, they're all very far away and difficult to see. Fwiw, the ones in my photos were taken with a 100-500mm lens. The Ugly: *Location of the Petroglyphs has a very creep Deliverance-style vibe to it. Also, be aware you're near some residences, so be prepared for a local yokel to come jamming thru the area at 80mph. TLDR: If you really want to see it, then buy all means, go for it. But, if you're on the fence about visiting, then definitely skip this. Only recommended for the true Hawaiian history connoisseur.

Great walkway. Amazing sunsets. A few cool restaurants. Dukes is not too far away. A few merchants…read moreset up at the Westin.

This is about a couple of miles long. It runs through the whole entire Westin property from end to…read moreend. No motorized vehicles, skateboards and no bicycles. That's what I admire the most. No dodging the above while you're walking the entire length. It's not that wide so I appreciate the restrictions. About three big homes sits in this property just next to the Westin. They're pushed a bit from the walk way with a low fence but please respect their privacy. Easy access to the beach from this walk way. The end takes you to a public beach and to a different resort facilty as well. Nobody's fenced in really. It's all a pass thru that's open to everyone. Awesome way to walk off that HH food and booze or to do a simple short two mile jog. Whatever it is you want do with this place you will admire it for its simplicity and access form the main road. Beautiful sunset can be had here while you're walking. You will also walk by a couple of the Westin's restaurants. The Pailolo Bar and Grill and Ocean Pool Bar and Grill. We use this everyday in lieu of walking the road to go to the Whalers Village. Thank you for putting this up! Mahalo!

It's only used for civic business events (leased). Not open for tours as far as I know. Built in…read more1833 according to their website. From their site: "When the whaling industry declined during the Civil War, the U.S. Seamen's Hospital officially closed on September 10, 1862. The building was leased as a boarding school in 1864, then in 1878, the Bishop Estate took ownership. It has also been used as a private home and a meeting room for civic groups. Today, the property is leased for business use." The humongous anchor on the front lawn caught my eye. It's a short stroll from Lahaina Harbor.

Great place right off of Highway 30 to catch the sunset! Beautiful views in general though. Parking…read moregets pretty packed closer to sunset so best to be a little early. You can even see other islands from this lookout. Worth putting aside 30 minutes to take in the scenery.

View Whale Papawai…read moreLookout (aka "the pali lookout") a scenic vista point along Honoapi'ilani Highway. The Good: *Doesn't need to be said, but I'll say it anyway: free! *Great 180° viewpoint with almost zero obstructions. *Views of Haleakalā, as well as the islands of Molokini, Kaho'olawe and Lana'i. *Evidently, this is the spot for whale watching. I can't confirm this as we arrived in April, which is towards the end of the whale spotting season (November-May w/ peak viewing being Jan-March). *Fantastic spot for sunsets *Paved parking lot w/ a left turn pocket for safe exit if you're traveling westbound. The Meh: * The parking lot is fit for maybe a dozen or so cars, and I've heard it can get full pretty quickly. The Ugly: *There's some trails to get you down closer to the water, but I'm not sure if they're official or just "social paths." Regardless, remember my dad's rule #1: I told you not to be stupid, you moron. TLDR: Fantastic views at my favorite price point.