A Travel Diary || Maui, Hawaii

Maui, Hawaii

 Maui is my heaven on earth! There are so many beautiful and amazing things to see there and it's a chance to kick back and relax. But above all i think that the best part of any vacation is to spend time with the people you love the absolute most! 

                                 

                                         

Aloha!

When in Maui some of our FAVORITE things to do are:

Mt. Haleakala

This dormant volcano that stands at over 10,000 feet above sea level is one of the volcanoes that helped form the Hawaiian islands originally. One of the best things we have done on our last couple of trips to the islands is to ride our biked down Mt. Haleakala. There is a company that drives you up to the top and supplies you with gear and a bike, so all you have to worry about is coasting down the slope! Along the way there are some adorable stops with beautiful scenery. On your way down you have the chance to stop at Ali'I Kula Lavender Farm which is so amazing. They also have such yummy lavender sugar cookies which i would recommend trying! My favorite part is when you're going through the Eucalyptus forest, the smell is INCREDIBLE. This is definitely doable for the whole family and something that you will want to do again and again each time you visit. 

Whale Watching + Snorkeling

We used to go out on the boat on two separate days while in Hawaii, one day to go whale watching and another day for snorkeling. But in the end you don't really need two days to do both. This trip in particular we saw some huge whales who were totally putting on a show for our boat!  It ends up being the perfect amount of time to watch the whales as you are riding to and from your snorkeling destination!One of the BEST snorkeling spots in Maui is Molokini. Molokini is a crater not far off the coast of Maui that has some amazing snorkeling, lots of animals to see and the bluest water! A definite must! P.S March-May is the BEST time to see whales! They come to Hawaii during these months to give birth!

Nakalele Blowhole & Heart Rock

This was a new adventure for us this time around, but i would definitely recommend it. We made the mistake of assuming that it was more of a walk then a hike, my sister and I were wearing skirts and flip flops. It is a pretty steep decline on your way to the blowhole. However, it was so breathtaking and for a minute you felt as if you were transported to the coast of Ireland or something. When you get down to the bottom the blowhole was on the left and the heart rock was to the right. It was for sure one of those moments where you can't believe how much Mother Nature rocks!

Honolua Bay 

On your way home from Nakalele you run right into Honolua Bay in Kapalua. It was a definite Tarzan moment for us as we were walking through the jungle and swinging on vines! We didn't do this ourselves but I hear that it has some great snorkeling.

Whalers Village

Whalers village offers some great shopping and some good restaurants in Lahina! It's close to a lot of resorts so it becomes a nightly routine to walk over for dinner or some shopping!

Road to Hana

Oh the infamous Road to Hana. This is a full day trip, some find it even more enjoyable to make it two days and get a hotel in Hana somewhere. I personally have only done this one time, and we didn't get over there this trip but i thought it was beautiful, as long as you take some Dramamine before you get going. On your way to Hana you will go through 620 curves and 59 bridges which makes for one of the most scenic drives in the world. But now you understand what I mean about the Dramamine. You begin your trip in Paia, which is the sweetest historic towns and go all the way though to Hana. You will see breathtaking coastlines famous beaches, tropical landscapes, waterfalls, some awesome lookout points, botanical gardens,and honestly so much more! 

When in Maui some of our FAVORITE places to eat are:

1. Mama's Fish House

2. Leoda's Kitchen and Pie Shop (BEST KEY LIME PIE EVER)

3.The Gazebo

4. Leilani's Grill

5.Scoops (Best shaved ice on Maui, with vanilla ice cream on the bottom is heaven, also Kona Mud Pie Ice Cream is amazing, every where you can get your hands on it!

There are honestly so many amazing places to eat in Maui. Something that works really well for our family, however, is to hit up Costco upon our arrival and stock up on some groceries. This way you end up eating healthier and saving money!

Of course there are many more things that we love to see and eat while in Maui, but hopefully this gives some good insight on some places not to miss on the island!

My sister, Alex, made the cutest video to help us really be able to remember our trip! Check it out!

Maui 2015 from Alexandria Jaramillo on Vimeo.

Sincerely, Mackenzie