Nestled between the coast and the West Maui Mountains, Lahaina is known for its long history as well as the gateway to Kapalua and Kaʻanapali beach resorts.
Front Street shopping, oceanfront restaurants, and stunning mountain scenery are just a few of the reasons to visit this seaside town. Lahaina is historically significant to the Kingdom of Hawaii as it was the capital for 25 years in the 19th century. When you visit the island, you will want to spend time on the beach, surfing, and shopping, so use our list of 10 “MUST” do things to help fill in the gaps.
Banyan Tree
The Lahaina Banyan tree is an Indian species brought to Hawaii by Sheriff William Owen Smith. Smith planted the tree to honor the fiftieth anniversary of the Protestant mission in Lahaina, which occurred on April 24, 1873. Today, the tree stands sixty feet high, with 16 major trunks rooted in the ground and stretching over 200 feet. The tree has the distinction of being the largest in the USA. Maui County Arborists maintain the shape and health of the tree for visitors. You can find this beautiful tree in Banyan Tree Park near the courthouse. On weekends, crafters and local artists set up booths and tables to sell their wares. Musicians, cultural dances, and hulas are available here.
Sunset Sail
In our honest opinion, the best way to watch the sunset is from the water. It’s made even better when you have delicious pupus, island music, and drinks! You’ll spend around 2 hours on the water, sailing if there is enough wind and likely watching whales breach in whale season. Leaving Maalaea Harbor, you’ll get a chance to see Maui from a different perspective.
Baldwin Home Museum
The Reverend Ephraim Spaulding built his home from 1834 to 1835 on the island of Maui. The Baldwin house has the distinction of being the oldest house in Lahaina. The main structure consisted of four rooms on a single level for the year Spaulding lived in it. Becoming ill in 1836, he returned to Massachusetts, and Reverend Dwight Baldwin moved into the home. Life was hard for Baldwin as his new wife lost two children before they reached their third birthday. However, the couple had a total of eight children. The need for a larger house meant restructuring the home Spaulding built into a two-floor building and medical study, added in 1849. You can see the home as it was after the Baldwins made additions.
Myths of Maui Luau
From the vibrant hula dances to the delicious spread of Hawaiian food, the whole family is sure to be happy at the Royal Lahaina Resort’s Luau, Myths of Maui. This show brings an authentic Hawaiian experience to visitors from around the world. Guests will be treated to performances showcasing the beautiful cultures of Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, and Samoa. With hula lessons, lei making, and temporary tribal tattoos, you can expect to feel the aloha at the Royal Lahaina Resort. This luau is selling out quickly, and we encourage you to book as early as possible.
Mala Grill
Mala Grill is an oceanside restaurant with a delectable menu, including Asian seafood pasta and local delicacies. During the height of the season, you may need to call for reservations, but even on a Monday at the usual dinner hour, you are almost guaranteed to get a seat right away during the off-season. Whether you enjoy burgers, oysters, or pasta, you can find it here. Mala has one of the best oceanfront decks on Maui. You can literally feel the ocean spray from waves crackling on the rocks.
Surf Break Wall
The Break Wall is a surfing area at the Lahaina boat harbor. The marina has a wall that breaks the surf to keep the boats and yachts safe from large swells. For new surfers, this is the place to go (south of the wall). You can paddle from the beach or walk along the rocks of the wall, but the waves can be somewhat dangerous closer to the rocks. Public access is permitted, and it is easy to find as it’s across from the Banyan Tree. There are many Maui surf schools here that will help you learn in a single day! If you’re on the south side, the Cove is very similar to Break Wall as far as learning. We particularly love this Kihei surf school.
Atlantis Submarine
Do you want to explore the underwater world but have always considered scuba diving beyond your capabilities? The Atlantis Submarine in Maui is the perfect way to dive more than 100 feet down and see mysterious marine life. The submarine is capable of carrying forty-eight passengers. The trip will take you throughout the reef, including a sunken boat used as an artificial reef.
Honolua Snorkel Sail
For a truly luxurious experience on the Pacific, Maui’s sailing catamaran offers an assortment of can’t-miss tour opportunities on Maui. Departing from Lahaina Harbor, all tours include a unique snorkeling experience aboard their luxury sailing catamaran. With smaller group tours, tons of onboard amenities, and excellent customer service, Lahaina sailing trips are hard to beat when it comes to romantic and relaxing days on the ocean. Enjoy a guided snorkel of Honolua Bay as well as plentiful food options, and treat yourself to a day well spent in paradise.
Shopping on Front Street
Lahaina has shopping for everyone, whether you need a new surfboard, bathing suit, or art. The top three places you do not want to miss are Old Lahaina Center, Lahaina Cannery Mall, and Lahaina Gateway. All three sites feature local artisans and crafts, as well as those lovely “Hawaiian” trinkets you want to bring back for the family. And, of course, there are always the shops along Front Street.
Whale Watching (When in Season)
Cruise on a large catamaran offering whale watch tours around West Maui. Get right in the heart of the action with a West Maui Snorkel, Sail, & Whale Watch Tour. Maui is well known as one of the best spots on the planet to watch humpback whale surface activity. You won’t forget this incredible experience!
Love Love Lahaina, a working town that has something for eveyone A stone throw from the wonderful Kaanapalli beach. Lahaina and Kaanapalli have my heart.
Thank you for your article on the historic district of Lahaina.
Pretty much all areas of West Maui are part of Lahaina and the area is so large there are different climates and weather.
Kaanapali, Kahana, Kapalua are names of districts within Lahaina.
A great memory of Maui, was taking the helicopters, doing the mail routes,
and seeing how the other folks live!!!
I disagree with the choice of luaus, and Mala Ocean Tavern. I would do a little more homework and decide which luau works best for you and your family and there a so many fabulous restaurants here to choose from.
Ok, then what do you suggest? Everyone has their own opinions, and disagreement is fine, but not offering recommendations of your own doesn’t help much.
Went for 6 months and stayed for 6 years! Aloha Maui!
Still waiting for her suggestion 5 years later! lol
Don’t waste your time or money on Atlantis submarine!
REALLY? Why was your experience bad? We’ve never heard a bad review for the sub. We’ve personally done it many times and love it. In the future, if you leave a bad review, please explain yourself.
Your responses to people who disagree with what you posted on your site is a bit immature and argumentative. A simple “Thank you for your input.” Would be just fine. If you’re going to open up for comments then you we’re going to get opinions, just like your post which is opinions of places you think are great.
We appreciate sharing of opinions (whether good or bad), but we get comments and reviews across the web that are competitors, ex-employees of the operators or spam, so if you don’t like the particular activity, share why. That’s constructive input. Otherwise it’s an unqualified slam for no reason.
I don’t see how asking for more information was “immature and argumentative”… the reviewer who was just sharing their “opinion” sounds almost like a troll. If someone is going to be so negative, they should be gracious enough to share why. They are very welcome to their opinion, but this a travel log and people are looking for the best fit for their vacation. If someone has a negative opinion, I for one want to know the reasons behind it so I can evaluate it against my vacation plans.
Absolutely agree, thank you!
I’m sorry you felt that way. We feel it was one of the highlights of our visit to Lahaina.
We’ve been on Atlantis Submarine several times in Grand Cayman and always a great experience.
We went on the Atlantis Sub in Cozumel and thought it was great. Can’t wait to go again when we get to Maui. 🙂
Don’t forget Kohola Brewery.
All the other recommendations are spot on.
Thanks Ed. AGREE!
I loved Front Street. It’s such a cute little shopping area. I also recommend eating at Fleetwood’s on Front Street. So good! We were there for Christmas and had the most delicious steaks.
I found your site as I was searching for images of Lahaina before these fires of August 2023. Your site is now historic documentation of how beautiful the Front Street and Banyan Tree sites were. It’s too soon to know how it will look after restoration. I hope you can keep this site up for future generations to enjoy!
It’s absolutely tragic. We’re all making efforts to help our ohana here on Maui.
I found this article very interesting and informative, as it gave me a brief overview of the history and culture of Lahaina, as well as some of the best attractions and activities to enjoy in this seaside town. I learned that Lahaina was once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and that it has a stunning banyan tree that is the largest in the USA. I also liked how the article suggested some fun and exciting things to do in Lahaina, such as watching the sunset from a sailboat, attending a luau, and visiting the Baldwin Home Museum.
Glad to hear it. It feels a bit disingenuous considering you wrote comment 4 days after the fire, want to share your website, and Lahaina is currently massive news. I’m hoping you just didn’t know about what’s going on and are not an evil troll. Regardless, you’re write about your findings. We’ll rework this post someday to share how Lahaina has risen from its ashes and become a haven for Hawaiian culture. God willing.
I pray for your people and hope that your displaced find suitable stable homes to live in while restoring your lives and homesteads. I pray you find peace during this tragedy. God Speed
Mahalo, Paula! These are tragic and very sad times. It’s hard to even know where to start, but taking care of our people and their animals seems to have been the best place to put our personal efforts. Been a hard few weeks.
I grew up in Lahaina went to Lahainaluna High School my son also raised in Lahaina for a short time there still are many family members there my brother a police officer also in Lahaina it’s the most beautiful place in the world the people are unforgettable and i hope that oneday it☺️ will rebuild so tourist can go back and comment how wonderful it is once again God bless lahaina
I still cannot believe what happened to your beautiful, quint little town. I had the pleasure of visiting Oahu in December 2022. I loved my trip and the Hawaiian people are the best. So friendly and caring. So, I feel very sad that so many people lost their lives and so many are suffering. I wished that I could come over and help the people. I feel very sad that Lahaina was not on our list of things to see while in Hawaii. It looked like a “must see” town. I hope and pray that the Banyon tree survived and gives the people something to hope for and the will to rebuild what they lost. Praying for Lahaina and it’s people. Love you!
This was very informative!
Thanks