Sunrise at Haleakala Crater – A beautiful Paradise Island with flowers, good food, warm sunshine, and beaches. Walking along the beach of Kanapalii in Maui is an unforgettable experience. My Dream Vacation Wow, what a beautiful view. I was finally here, my dream vacation to the beautiful Hawaiian Island of Maui.
Welcome to Maui
As we approached the Kahalui Airport, the view out the window was breathtaking. My daughter had arranged for a shuttle to take me to the Kaanapali Alii Resort where they were waiting for me. Ka’anapali Alii Resort At Ka’anapali Alii you never have to leave the resort area; everything you need is within walking distance, including restaurants, shopping, swimming, walks on the beach. Whether you like to swim in the ocean or pool, it’s there waiting for you. Surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing on the ocean, taking a cruise out whale watching, or just lying in the sun or building a castle in the sand, it’s all right there. If you venture to cross the Honoapi’ilani Highway, there is the Royal Ka’anapali Golf Course with a breathtaking view of the ocean, for those that enjoy the sport. There is fun for the whole family.
Daily Walks Along the Beach I was showered and dressed ready for my morning walk along the beach by 7:00 am. How refreshing to get up early and take a walk while the dew is still on the ground. Walking along the trail by the beach is so relaxing. The beautiful hibiscus flowers along the way were red, yellow and pink. Stopping every now and then, I looked out over the ocean and watched the boats as the crew prepared for their day in the water. Later I took Isabel for a walk in her stroller. We walked along the path, stopping every now and then to look at a waterfall or to watch the birds walking around on the beach. Isabel and I went back to the condo to change to our swimwear and head to the pool and beach for the afternoon. While Isabel and her mom and dad prefer the pool, I prefer the beach and ocean. Isabel, Terra, and Austin joined me later for some play time in the ocean. Isabel loves for them to take her in the deep water and pass her back and forth between them as she squeals with laughter. I enjoy just standing back and watching them enjoy the water. Fine Outdoor Dining The restaurants are superb. The first night there we walked down to Whalers Village where we dined outdoors, at the Leilani’s on the beach restaurant.
The next morning we drove across the highway and up the hill to a quaint little village atmosphere where we had breakfast at a local diner. We also ate breakfast at the Cane & Taro restaurant which is located at the entrance to Whalers Village. The Hula Grill and Barefoot Bar and Grill is another great beach restaurant where you can dine outdoors barefoot with sand between your toes. There is nothing like relaxing and eating in the great outdoors on the beach with a marvelous view of the ocean and listening to the waves.
These are just a few of the great restaurants in the Ka’anapali area with fresh fish and delicious food. Whalers Village Shopping Before dining at one of the exquisite beach restaurants you can stroll around Whalers Village and do a little shopping. There are several unique gift shops, such as Totally Hawaiian Gift Gallery with scented glycerin soaps, lava glass items, and Abalone boxes among other Hawaiian gifts. Several kids clothing stores which include Blue Ginger Kids, Cinnamon Girl, and Tommy Bahama, with boys’ aloha shirts and little girls’ beach dresses. I loved the Honolua Wahine store, with all the beautiful swimwear. Several booths are set up throughout the outdoor mall. You can even pick out your fresh pearl and have it set up as a ring, necklace or bracelet. These are only a few of the many stores in Whalers Village. Then if you get hungry and just need to grab a quick bite, walk down the steps to McDonald’s Express, Dragon Wall Express or Mr. Sub/Mr. Taco. Hawaiian Luau with Authentic Dances We attended a luau next door at the Weston Hotel. This was an experience I never dreamed of getting to participate in. It was wonderful and relaxing. The entertainment was awesome, with all the Hawaiian music, dances and fire. It’s amazing what they can do and the stories they tell with their hands and movements. Haleakala National Park and Seeing the Volcano at Sunrise You don’t want to go to Maui without venturing off the resort and doing some sightseeing. We ventured out of bed at 3:00 am to drive to Haleakala National Park to catch the sunrise at the Haleakala Crater at 6:37 am.
This was the most spectacular sunrise I had ever seen. It was very windy and cold, but well worth it to experience the beautiful view. Looking down into a dark volcano was kind of scary, but exhilarating just thinking of the magnitude of all this. On the way back down the mountain, we stopped at the Kula Lodge for breakfast and shopping in the little general store located there. Shopping in Lahaina The day before we were scheduled to head back to San Francisco, California, we took a trip down the road to Lahaina.
This is a beautiful quaint little town by the ocean with unique dining, art, and shopping. I bought my little granddaughter, Isabel, a beautiful little Hawaiian sundress and my grandson, Lincoln, an adorable little Hawaiian shorts and shirt, very reasonably priced. I also bought souvenirs for everyone, including myself. Experience of a Lifetime My week on the lovely island of Maui was wonderful. An experience of a lifetime. I could live here, it is so beautiful and the weather is perfect. So relaxing and refreshing. Maybe someday I will return and bring my husband with me. There is so much more I want to see that I did not have time to see on this trip, such as the waterfalls.
