Maui Paintball – it hurts! People might try to tell you it’s not too terrible when you get hit with a paintball, but in the wise words of Chris Farley: “That’s gonna leave a mark.” It’s completely worth the pain, however, to run around a great course and try to hit the other team with paint. Especially if the other team includes your kids who … Continue reading Maui A to Z: Paintball
Maui has a strong Japanese influence, so it is no surprise that we are given multiple opportunities to observe Obon on our island. Obon is a Japanese custom to honor relatives that have passed away. Bon odori (dances) are performed during the events and lanterns are lit to celebrate the lives and sacrifices of departed relatives. It’s a beautiful way to remember loved ones that are … Continue reading Maui A to Z: Obon
Maui has one National Park called Haleakala and it has two distinct districts: Summit and Kipahulu. When most people think of Haleakala, they picture the mountain area that rises 10,000 ft out of the ocean. It’s spectacular and is hard to beat in terms of view. On a good day, you can see 6 of the 8 main Hawaiian islands. Hawaii is actually made up of … Continue reading Maui A to Z: National Parks
The Maui County Fair is one of those events on the island that practically everyone attends. Maui has a population of about 155,000, and 100,000 people go to the fair each year. Visitors attend as well as locals, and it’s a great place to people watch, load up on some ono food, lose it on one of the rides, or just visit with friends. At … Continue reading Maui A to Z: Maui County Fair
For today’s installment of the A to Z Blogging Challenge, we’ll begin with Lavender. Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm is one of my favorite places to visit on the island of Maui. It’s crisp up there on the side of Haleakala, and the view is amazing. Whenever I need a little dose of fall weather in a place that smells and looks a bit like heaven, I head … Continue reading Maui A to Z: Lavender and Lava
When we start to miss the seasons a tiny bit, we head up to Kula for a dose of cool and a change of flora. You can always count on the Upcountry area for a drop in temperature. It makes for an ideal growing location for much of the island’s produce, and gives an escape for those who don’t like sunny and eighty degrees. Every … Continue reading Maui A to Z: Kula
If you want to see a jellyfish on Maui, the only smart place to do so is at the Maui Ocean Center. Catching up with one of these creatures in the wild is not recommended, and the always available antidote to their painful sting might be a little more traumatizing than the initial encounter with the jellyfish. Your options are limited, and you either get a … Continue reading Maui A to Z: Jellyfish and Jaws
Iao Valley is one of those strange places on Maui where one minute you are sitting in an office building in Wailuku, and ten minutes later you can find yourself in this primitive looking tropical jungle. Iao is easy to get to, has a paved trail, and can be taken in during a lunch break. From the top of the trail, you have great views … Continue reading Maui A to Z: Iao Valley
The end of an era is arriving on Maui. HC&S has announced its impending closure. By the end of 2016, this 144 year tradition of sugar farming will be no more. Last summer, before the announcement was made, a close friend that works at HC&S invited our family to see a spectacular sight: a cane fire, up close and personal, right as they set flame to … Continue reading Maui A to Z: HC&S
The pineapple industry used to be big on Maui and throughout the islands. Today, pineapple is grown here on a much smaller scale. Out of the ashes of Maui Land & Pine emerged Maui Gold. Over the last five years, this pineapple farm has not only survived, but thrived. Maui Gold is not the variety that you find in your local grocery on the mainland. This … Continue reading Maui A to Z: Gold
Iowa Meets Maui 