5 Awesome Things to do on Maui, HI

Summer is in full swing and you know what that means… Temps are heating up, BBQ grills are in their ON position and too tight speedos are being worn by hairy men everywhere. Yikes!

This past Spring, I was lucky to get to taste some island fun on Maui. It was my first time there, and I’m already itching to go back. I heard this from people on the plane going, but once there, I figured out for myself… there is simply not enough time to see and eat everything that Maui has got going on in just one visit… though I sure did try! I was kicking myself for not heading out here sooner. Behold, this beauty…

I had a lot of adventures during my 6 day trip there, and there were definitely were some highlights.

Here’s my top 5 list of Awesome things to do on Maui this summer:

1. Take a relaxing Breath of Fresh Air: Ali’i Kula Lavender

Situated in the uplands of Maui, this 13.5-acre working lavender farm resides at an elevation of roughly 4000 ft. and is home to approximately 55,000 lavender plants and 45 different varieties of lavender among other plants and vegetation. General Admission is 3 bucks and there are extended tours available around the gardens. I took a peaceful stroll around the property and couldn’t say no to a lavender-infused coffee sample in the gift shop. I also took home some lavender oils a lavender-red alae salt and macadamia nut seasoning packet and lavender jelly, all of which you would imagine smelled, AMAZING.

2. Feed the Goats: Surfing Goat Dairy

Everyone I talked to while on Maui told me that I had to check out Surfing Goat Dairy farm while I was there. Although it wasn’t a scheduled stop on my busy itinerary, I made a point to squeeze in a visit to the little goat dairy farm which was located in UpCountry Maui. The drive from Ka’anapali was about an hour and the views along the coastline and through the countryside were breathtaking. Once up there, I took a tour of the little farm, fed some baby goats sampled some cheeses and truffles. Surfing Goat Dairy is the only commercial producer of goat cheese truffles in the US (Yum!) and partnering with Maui Ocean Vodka they even have a line of organic vodka infused truffles. (Double Yum!) A great stop for families and foodies alike.

3. Get Laid: Take a Lei making class

I got more action during my 6 days on Maui than I had in the last  few months. (Sad, I know!). Giving Lei’s are a Hawaii tradition dating back from the 19th century and is a way of showing affection to someone, upon someone’s arriving or leaving. Never having been to Maui before, I was expecting I might be lei’ed when I got off the plane like how you see in movies. That didn’t happen, but I WAS lei’ed when I arrived to my hotel AND since May 1st was “Lei Day“, I got lei’d AGAIN the very next day. It’s pretty cool to take part in such a fun tradition, not to mention the fresh flowers smelled great! Many hotels offer the classes or if you are staying in Ka’anapali, you can always check out the ones at Whaler’s Village. There are lots of opportunities to make one for yourself while on the island.

4. Try Spam Musubi: Snack on Spam

The first time I sampled Spam musubi was actually not in Hawaii, but in Portland Oregon on a food cart. A simple sandwich-like roll up of rice, seaweed and spam, It’s a great grab and go snack and I’ve been searching for a good place to get it in LA to get it ever since. In Hawaii, Spam became a popular food after World War II as a meal for troops. Locals have since adopted it into many recipes like musubi or loco moco and I’ve found that it’s a super tasty local treat. If in Lahaina, check it out at this low-key local deli.

5. Pick a Pineapple: Maui Gold Pineapple Tours

Pop quiz! Where do Pineapples come from? If you said your local grocery store, you might be right, but technically… wrong! One of my last stops on the island was to visit Maui Gold Pineapple and see just how pineapples were actually grown and harvested. Locally owned and operated, Maui Gold Pineapple Co. is a  1,350 acre farm that is famous for growing super sweet pineapples low in acidity. What’s the secret? Quality of land and skill of the grower, of course. I got a true education and a peak at their facilities, farm-to-box.

Want more Maui??

Click to read about my experiences as a judge at the Maui Onion Festival!

or what I thought when I saw Saturn for the first time Stargazing on the rooftops!

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[I was a guest of the Maui Visitors Bureau and their partners and thank them for their Hawaiian hospitality. All comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own. Mahalo Charlene, Maui Visitors Bureau, Hyatt Regency Maui all the new friends I made on Maui!]