Oh Maui, you will forever have my heart… I think Jenna Kutcher had it right when she decided to buy a bungalow on the island and turn it into an Airbnb! Fixing up a cutie little home on the island is officially on our bucket list and we cordially invite you all to stay there once it’s complete 😉  When traveling to Maui you should definitely plan to spend some time in Lahaina it gives you a little bit of everything: history, shopping, and beaches. I’ve rounded up for you my favorites and must sees and dos in Lahaina, Maui!

1. Shopping: Lahaina is known for it’s shopping, with so many fun souvenir and local stores you’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for.  My favorite was the Maui Pineapple Store, seriously so cute! I wanted to take everything home with me.

2. Beaches: You’ll want to check out Ka’anapali and Kapalua! Here’s a hint when you’re in Hawaii… All the beaches are public beaches, meaning if you see a beach you want to go to you are more than welcome to go! Our strategy during this trip was to gravitate towards the block of fancy hotels.. Chances are the beaches surrounding them were good options for swimming!

3. History: While you’re there you should swing by the famous Banyan tree! This tree was planted in 1873 and is the largest tree in the United States.

4. Food & Drink: If you’ve ever wanted to go to Cheeseburger in Paradise IN paradise, here is your chance! It’s located right on the water with endless views of the ocean, fun atmosphere, and delicious cheeseburgers.  This location was actually the original!

We were able to spend two days in Maui while on our Hawaiian cruise and I’m so glad we did because it was by far my favorite island!  On day one we spent our time exploring the town of Lahaina on the west side of the island.  Lahaina is full of culture and history as it was a whaling village during the whaling boom of the mid-1800s (thank you Google).  We took our time browsing the shops and walking up and down the streets.  Lahaina is the best place to do your souvenir shopping in Maui!  One of my biggest regrets was not grabbing anything from these store to take home!

Aside from all of the amazing shopping and views of the gorgeous blue waters in Lahaina, this place actually holds a special place in my heart.  See, it came recommended to us by my parents who honeymooned in Maui years ago!  My mom always spoke highly of their time there and absolutely raved about the Pina Cooladas from a restaurant called Longhi’s that was right on the water.  We looked up the restaurant and sure enough we found it on the corner of the street overlooking the ocean!  I ordered the Pina Colada and it was AMAZING! If you do go here, just know that the service is sloooow. So if you’re starving, maybe try somewhere else but I will tell you going for a Pina Colado is worth the trip!

Notice the side of fries up there? Haha anyone who knows me isn’t surprised one bit! It was the perfect addition to our island drinks! Our first day in Maui did not disappoint one bit! Stay tuned for next week’s post on what we did on our second day on the island!

XOXO,

Sarah Ashley