August 5th, 2008 by Kate - NWA WorldVacations

Maui, Hawaii is one of the most memorable, adventureous and exciting vacations. Maui offers many great places to eat and activities to enjoy. We have taken many Maui vacations and would like to share with you some of our favorite places to go and things to do on this paradise island. And, as always, if you have any Maui travel tips, please comment below and share your tips on our Blog.

Restaurant - Bubba Gumps
This restaurant is situated right on the water, almost like its own boathouse right in downtown Lahaina. The wait for a table can be long, but I guarantee it’s well worth it. While you wait, you can wander into the stores nearby or wait in the lobby. I recommend the “Bucket of boat trash” as your meal! I’ve also eaten at Bubba Gumps in Honolulu at the Aloha Shopping center - both have identical food and atmosphere, but the location in Maui makes you feel like you’re actually in a boathouse.

Golfing
Maui has some of the best golf courses to choose from for your Hawaii golf vacation. You can play courses where the pros have walked and where one season of “The Big Break” was filmed for the golf channel. Maui golf courses are top of the line in play and in service!

Molokini Picnic and Snorkel Cruise
Snorkeling in Maui is a must because the water is so clear. It is extremely quiet and peaceful, and the hustle and bustle of other islands is missing. Right off the shores of Molokini island there is one of the best known snorkel spots in all of the Hawaiian islands. The water is deep! If you are afraid of deep water, the staff on this cruise is terrific in helping you overcome your fear. They are even so kind as to lead you around with a float board. They went above and beyond my expectations and I had a wonderful snorkeling experience.

Hawaii Art and Shopping
Maui Hands (link - http://www.mauihands.com/galleries_mh.html) is a great shop with lots of handmade Hawaii art. They have things in every price range. I bought postcards, cards and prints, but they have jewelry, sculpture, large framed original artwork, etc. It is the best place to shop for nice souvenirs that are authentic Hawaiian. They have four Maui locations. There is one in Pa’ia, which is on the Hana Highway on the way to Hana. In addition, you can explore even more local Maui artists in Pa’ia - a really fun town with a ‘hip and happening’ art scene.

The Best (the Only?) Irish Pub on Maui
Mulligan’s on the Blue (link - http://www.mulligansontheblue.com/) They are on the golf course across the street from the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea. They have great fish and chips, and good Celtic music. Their specialty is an evening of Hawaiian music called “Wailea Nights” (link - http://www.mulligansontheblue.com/WaileaNights.htm). Wailea nights includes dinner and music. They have indoor and outdoor seating. (It can get loud inside.)

Other Maui and Hawaii Travel Tips

We recommend having a car rental on Maui because everything is very spread out.The Road to Hana is great sight-seeing! If you stop along the way to admire the scenery, the roundtrip will take the whole day!If you are going to more than one island in Hawaii and are taking more than one bag, pack one bag for each island. Then you do not need to pack and unpack as much.