I’ve been to Maui before (clearly), but every time I come, I try to do something or see something new. It feels as though I’ve covered pretty much everything; food, local businesses, and ways to vacation on the cheap. However, because I’m on this quest to keep every trip to Maui new and fresh, I often realize that there is so much to do, see, and eat that it’s impossible to ever cover it all! So, in hopes that my Maui content doesn’t overlap too much, this travel guide will attempt to cover the spots that are missing on The Canadian Creative. It will be similar in format to Vegas and Collingwood, but because we’ve already covered a ton of food options and places to stay, I’ll leave some of those details out. Let’s get into it!

AN UPDATE ON THE FOOD

No secret: food here is KILL-ER! There’s fresh fish and seafood, some awesome food trucks, and a ton of locally-inspired hot spots. Generally, I like to stick to my guns when it comes to restaurants on Maui because I have very few days to eat out and so many options to choose from. Gotta go to Star Noodle, gotta head out to Fat Daddy’s, and I can never leave Maui without the teriyaki chicken from Da Kitchen. This year though, we decided to branch out and try a few new spots (or at least new to me). Boy, am I ever pumped to let you know that The Pour House in Kapalua has some of the best clams I’ve ever had. The Spaghetti and Clams are tossed in this white wine garlic sauce and it is to. die. for! You gotta try it. Also a must-try is anything from their burrata bar and their hummus of the day which changes daily based on the freshest available ingredients.

Hot Tip: The Pour House also has live music Sunday to Friday from 6pm til 9pm.

We also stumbled upon a group of food trucks on the West side of the island, as well. They’re located in an open lot just outside the Honokowai Marketplace plaza. Choose from teppanyaki, Thai, fresh seafood, Vietnamese, tacos and more. It’s a great place to bring little kids as there is a lot of space for them to run around and play while remaining in immediate eyesight. Notable recommendations: Thai Dragon Shrimp from the Hooked truck, and the Grilled Chicken Salad Rolls from the Da Best truck (they’re the size of your face).

THINGS TO DO

This is something I haven’t covered much on the blog, and that is not because there is a shortage of stuff to do because there definitely isn’t. Last year, my dad and I went ziplining with Kapalua Ziplines. They are home to Maui’s largest all dual zipline course, so be sure to buddy up because we had an awesome time zipping through the valleys and trees. They’ve also got the longest and tallest suspension bridge in Hawaii, yet another reason to participate.

However, from December to April, the absolute best activity to do on the island of Maui is whale watching. Humpback whales swim their way down from Alaska in the end of October and beginning of November to give birth in the warm, shallow waters of the Maui Nui Basin. The cool part of this is that during this time, the mother whales are helping their calves build enough strength for the long journey back to Alaska by teaching them how to breach! Good news for us because we get to see this happen, sometimes even just a few feet away. We typically venture out with Maui Adventure Cruises because they operate on navy pontoon boats which tend to handle better in the water (i.e. less ocean sickness). Still, there are tons of options when it comes to whale watching, so just be sure to do your research. And don’t forget to book your trip a few days in advance because those boats fill up fast!

A completely different activity, one that we did for the first time on Maui this year, was glass blowing lessons. Moana Glass, Lahaina's premier glass blowing studio and art gallery, offers private glass blowing lessons starting at $150. Choose from a number of different designs, and learn first hand what it takes to create works of art out of glass. We opted to make drinking glasses, because who wouldn’t want to drink out of a glass that they made by hand?! I mean how cool is that. Our instructor Stephanie was great; extremely patient, super knowledgable, and a perfectionist just like I am. If you’re willing to spend a little extra cash on a super cool experience, this is the one to try.

TIPS:

Tourist attractions tend to get pretty busy, especially in the winter when everyone is vacationing away from the cold. If you plan on checking out some of the activities I mentioned, along with the Maui Ocean Center or the Nakalele Blowhole, be sure to plan or book your excursions way in advance. As I said, trips tend to book up pretty fast, so if you want to make it on a tour, think ahead!
One of the best ways to travel the island is by moped or scooter. There are lots of places to rent from all across Maui. It’s super fun, makes for easy on and off, and you can get right up to the beach without having to find a parking spot! Just be sure to have lights on at night because it can get pretty dark on the highways and streets.
Speaking of dark, one of my all-time favourite things about Maui (and Hawaii in general) is how dark it gets at night. For someone like me, who is a huge astronomy nerd, this is the best place to go star-gazing. There is a lot less light pollution than in a big city, so you can see stars from horizon to horizon on a clear night. If you’re really getting nitty and gritty, the Institute for Astronomy at the University of Hawaii has an observatory on the top of Haleakalā at 10,000ft above sea-level. The observatories are not open to the public. However, there are public talks and events hosted by the Haleakala Amateur Astronomers Group and at the Advanced Technology Research Center (ATRC).
Streets on Maui are typically named in the local Hawaiian language. The language is deeply rooted in Hawaiian culture and history, so reading up on it is a good idea. Feel like Kama'aina (locals) when visiting the island by ensuring you better understand the pronunciation of certain letter or word combinations.
If you’re down to get cultural and learn how to hula dance, there are places with lessons all over the island. A spot to stop on the West side is Whaler’s Village. Not only do they offer lessons at the Center Stage, they also teach Hula Culture, Lei Making, Coconut Husking, and put on evening Hula performances. Don’t miss out!

Have I exhausted my Maui content by now, or is there still more you want to know? Maybe you’re interested in Hawaiian coffee and produce? I can’t figure out what else I have yet to cover, so let me know in the comments below! And let me know where your next travel destination is (hopefully it’s Maui!).