View of the sunrise as we drove along the coast to our 7AM diving course each morning
It’s easy to see why Maui is popular with honeymooners. The island is beautiful and filled with breathtaking scenery, excellent beaches, some of the best dive sites in the state, and some pretty incredible hikes. It’s populated enough that there are tons of great restaurants, yet not overcrowded or touristy.
We spent four days in Maui: two days completing our open water SCUBA dive certifications, another day going out on a real dive (as certified divers!), and one more day hiking at 10,000 feet at Haleakala, the famous and stunning dormant volcano.
With Bryan’s gazillion Starwood points that he gathered from his work trips, we booked our entire stay at various Westin and Sheraton resorts. In Maui, we stayed at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa in Ka’anapali, which we loved. Even in the winter, the weather in Ka’anapali (the western side of the island) was always sunny, warm, and dry. That definitely wasn’t the case everywhere on Maui (more on that later!).
The ocean view from our room was spectacular, and the direct beach access was great.
Even the view on the other side, facing a golf course and mountains, was still beautiful.
Our first night in Maui we headed straight to Lahaina Grill, a well-known, upscale bistro located right near the ocean in a lively, bustling area of Lahaina. I mainly chose this restaurant because it repeatedly showed up on every single “best of” list for Maui. Furthermore, it focused on innovative New American cuisine showcasing Hawaii’s regional ingredients, something I didn’t want to miss. The restaurant’s been around for close to 25 years, yet continues to grow in both physical size (at least two major expansions since 1990) and global recognition.
Lahaina Grill is a great choice for dinner for several reasons. It’s in a fun location, a block from the ocean in a bustling area of Lahaina Town. The sunset on the water is gorgeous. If you can, time your dinner to start right after sunset so you can explore the shops along the ocean and take in that beautiful sunset before heading into a nice dinner (the restaurant does not have views of the ocean).
The food is also excellent. Although none of the dishes are particularly groundbreaking, they are all very good and executed at a high level. The ambiance is relaxed but nice, and the service is super friendly. Prices are on the higher side, but you’ll notice that in general about the Hawaiian Islands. Everything (except for maybe macadamia nuts and other local produce) is noticeably more expensive. At least, the portion sizes here were very generous. You won’t go home hungry. All in all, we had a wonderful meal there and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to others visiting Maui.
This post is part of a larger series on our two week trip to Hawaii. Other posts in this series!
Big Island
Exploring Volcano National Park
Da Poke Shack and Umeke’s on the Big Island
A Mantay Ray Dive, Sea Turtles, and Kona Coffee
Maui
Haleakaka and the Hali’imaile General Store
Mama’s Fish House and the Road to Hana
Sansei Restaurant & Sushi Bar (+ Diving in Maui!)
Lahaina Grill, Maui
Oahu
Kokohead Cafe, Honolulu
La Mer Honolulu
Lahaina Grill Maui
127 Lahainaluna Rd
Lahaina, HI 96761
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