Parents with Grown Children Return to Beloved Maui
We’ve
made a number of trips to Maui over the years but this time we were returning
with our grown children. They flew from a different state and met us at the
airport in Kahului an hour after my husband and I arrived. It was one of the
best, most relaxing trips ever.
TIPSTER: Try and fly direct into Kahului rather than flying
to Honolulu and then taking a connecting flight. It’s a five hour flight from
the west coast to the Hawaiian Islands. Why waste any time waiting around
at an airport?
My in-laws have a condo in the Kahana area of West Maui. It’s right on the
beach and they rent it out. It is still our favorite place to stay but since
the Gunn condo (www.gunncondo.com)
was already rented for our limited available dates, we stayed at a duplex
on the Puamana grounds. It was lovely, comfortable and the unit had everything
we needed, including bicycles that we used to ride into nearby Lahaina. Next
trip, though, we’ll make our reservations earlier so we can return to the
Gunn condo at Hololani—it can’t be beat. (We could’ve saved money by camping.
We’ve done that before but it requires a lot more planning and equipment than
we wanted to mess with this time.)
Our itinerary:
Day One:
Woke
early due to the three hour time difference and walked down to the beach.
Early morning surfers rode the slow, long curls Pacific blue bliss while we
listened to the birds and walked the long stretch of sandy beach. Breakfast
was fresh papaya on the back patio. Many of the residents at Puamana live
there year round. They were friendly and helpful. Spent most of the day at
the pool. Went into Lahaina for groceries at Safeway and shopped at the Cannery.
Stayed on at the Cannery for the free keiki (child) hula show, which was delightful.
Took advantage of the $1.00 taco night at Compadres where the live music was
fantastic.
Day Two:
Rode bikes into Lahaina and had breakfast at the Pioneer Inn next to the banyan
tree. The macadamia nut pancakes were smaller than what our kids remembered
when we ate there years ago, but then, our kids are much bigger than they
were then, too. All of us loved watching the early morning activities at the
harbor as the day trippers left for the adjoining islands of Molokai and Lanai.
We’ve been to both those islands before and have returned several times to
the island of Lanai. With an early morning departure from Lahaina harbor and
a rental car waiting when you arrive on Lanai, you can see much of the island
in one day before taking the ferry back to Lahaina. Our favorite spot on Lanai
is Turtle Beach. We rode bikes around Lahaina after breakfast and then drove
up the West Maui coast to Slaughter House Beach in search of some good waves.
The water was calm that day and large sea turtles came out near the rocks
and swam right alongside us.
Day Three:
Another
day on the beach. This time we drove to Fleming Beach near Kapalua. The wind
kicked up so instead of staying on the beach under our towels, we made use
of the good public showers and drove up the coast to Honolua Bay. The further
north you drive past Kapalua, the more you feel as if you’re returning to
Old Hawai’i. We had to stop at our favorite fruit stand and buy some fresh
pineapples. Returning to Puamana, we barbecued hamburgers on the grill at
the duplex and then took our S’more makings down to the fire pit on the sand
in front of the club house. The sunset that night was amazing. Our kids entertained
us the way they used to when they were in grade school enjoying a family campout
to the beach. We sat for a long time in the balmy weather under the palm trees
and talked and laughed, watching the stars come out.
Day Four:
We
got a 6am start for Hana. Our first stop was Charlie’s on the Hana Hwy in
Paia at 7am for delicious eggs benedict and island French Toast with coconut
syrup. We waddled out with a mele opu (happy stomach) and drove the famous
winding road to the back side of the island. It takes about three hours to
get to Hana but oh, is the scenery worth it. If you go crazy driving 25-30
miles an hour for several hours around hundreds of turns on narrow roads,
this is not the trip for you. If you are settled into the “hang loose” rhythm
of Maui time and like to stop and smell the waterfalls, then don’t miss this
journey. Beyond Hana, at Kipahulu, park rangers collect a fee for parking
and day use at the waterfall and pools. Overnight primitive camping is also
available and well worth the adventure. We’ve camped there several times.
This time we just enjoyed the pools for the day. Hundreds of visitors come
to Kipahulu every week and yet in the thirty years we’ve been visiting this
incredible spot, the area has maintained its sense of natural, pristine beauty.
Our son loves jumping off the rocks. Our daughter loves sunbathing on the
smooth boulders. My husband loves sitting under the waterfall and getting
his head massaged. I love swimming in the pools and taking in the deep greens
of the tropical foliage, the obsidian black of the volcanic rocks and the
crisp blue of the sky. We love this place.
Day Five:
Slept in after our late night return from Hana. Breakfast was leftovers from
last night’s kalua pig from Da’ Kitchen in Kahului.
| DON’T MISS IT! The best local grinds on the island with another location in Kehei. Since it was such a hot day, we headed upcountry to the Tedeschi Winery at the Ulupalakua Ranch. This is our favorite picnic spot. If you arrive before 2:00 you can order lunch from the grill in the General Store where many of the ranch hands go for lunch. We ordered elk burgers and bags of taro chips and were not disappointed. The beef and the elk meat in their burgers comes from the ranch and is lean and delicious. Not what you’d expect to find or eat on Maui but Maui is a marvelously diverse island and the Tedeschi is one of the quiet secrets that makes Maui magical. Returned to Lahaina in the evening to stroll and explore all the wonderful art galleries. Our favorite artist is Betty Hay Freeland (www.bhfreeland.com) who captures such a joyful image of her beloved homeland. |
Day Six:
Leisurely
morning walk along the beach and a final dip in the pool before packing up.
Had lunch in Lahaina at Kimos. The waterfront view is always refreshing. The
fresh fish is always delicious. The Naughty Hula Pie is always a treat. Bought
going-home leis from the Aunties gathered on the front lawn of the Baldwin
House Museum stringing together the beauties.
What felt different about this trip over the others we’ve made to Maui over
the years was that we stayed in a quiet place and that set the tone for all
of us to downshift and take each day slow and easy. Ideally, it would be great
to have 10 days to 2 weeks there. Everyone was entertained enough without
having to do any particular activities. We had lots of opportunities for leisurely
talks since we weren’t on a schedule. It was the perfect time for us to connect
with our grown children, catch up on their lives and make some more memories
together in the place all of us love and like to think of as our second home.
Be warned! Once you visit Maui, the island Trade Winds will call to you the
rest of your life, beckoning you to return. Mark Twain said it well: “No alien
land in all the world has any deep strong charm for me but that one, no other
land could so longingly and so beseechingly haunt me, sleeping and walking,
through half a lifetime, as that one has done. Other things leave me, but
it abides; other things change, but it remains the same. For me its balmy
airs are always blowing, its summer seas flashing in the sun . . . in my nostrils
still lives the breath of flowers that perished twenty years ago.” Roughing
It in the Sandwich Islands.
Recommended Guide Book: Moon Handbooks: Maui by
Robert Nilsen
Web Site Links to Places You’d Recommend:
www.ulupalakuaranch.com
www.puamanavacations.com
www.kipahulu.com
www.kimosmaui.com
www.da-kitchen.com
TIPSTER: All of us brought too many clothes. It’s hard to
remember that you’re going to end up spending most of your time in your bathing
suit or favorite pair of shorts so a lot of outfits aren’t necessary.
Our Top 3 Family Highlights: Picnic at Ulupalakua Ranch;
Day at waterfalls at Kipahulu; and the evening we roasted marshmallows at
sunset
TIPSTER: You’ll feel most like a native if you put on a pair
of flip flops when you arrive and keep them on the whole time. It’s polite
to remove your sandals (flip flops) when entering someone’s home. This is
because the sand and the ever present red Maui volcanic dirt is difficult
to remove from the carpet.
TIPSTER: Kid-Friendly Food I’d Recommend That You Might Not
Know: POG. It’s a beverage you can buy in the grocery stores and was created
by the Haleakala Dairy on Maui. It’s passion fruit, orange and guava juice.
Delicious!.