Maui, Hawaii

March 5th-13th, 2013

The island of Maui is a world away from Peoria, Illinois. I was only about 12 when I went on this family trip. The only knowledge I had of Hawaii prior to going, was Lilo and Stitch, the movie. I pictured clear blue water, hula girls, tropical flowers, drinks with umbrellas in them, and island music. Oh yeah and that's exactly how it was, but better.

My family and I landed at the Maui airport and stayed in Lahaina, Hawaii. Our home for the next six days was the Sheraton Maui Resort. The first few days there, my sister and I spent hours on the beach, sipping umbrella tropical smoothies, and tanning.

After two relaxing beach days, my dad took me golfing at Kapalua. Kapalua golf course, 2000 Plantation Drive, used to be a pineapple plantation on the island. It overlooked the blues of the Pacific Ocean. It was blazing hot that day, around 98-100 degrees. The course was beautifully hilly, on a cliffed range, making it super windy.

Kapalua Golf Course

The next day we wanted to get the full Hawaiian experience. As tourists, we decided to go to a Luau dinner at Old Lahaina Luau Dinner Theater, 1251 Front street. It was right on the beach and we arrived as the sun was setting. Tiki torches lit up the border of the restaurant. Live music came from the stage, drummers and ukuleleist played. Native Hawaiian dancers performed hulas and one juggled fire. Hearing the waves crash loudly, almost blocked out the sound of rain slowly pouring down. Before we knew it, the Luau got rained out.

Dinner the following evening consisted of going into the Lahaina Historic District. At 744 Front St. we found Fleetwood’s on Front, a seafood restaurant with rooftop seating overlooking the ocean. I tried a plantain for the first time there, they have the best ones on the island. A bagpiper performed on top of the roof, walking back and forth off the edge, so that the whole town could hear his music.

Bagpiper playing on rooftop

My favorite day of the trip was March 11. My family and I took a helicopter tour of the island. Between flying over volcanoes, and skimming waterfalls, I saw the Earth's most beautiful features. It was my first time doing anything like that, and I wasn’t even afraid of heights. I was excited and loved every thrilling second of it. The pilot played music through our headphones to add to the ambience of the tour even more.

View from helicopter ride over Maui island.

The last day of the trip included a half day of whale watching from a large sailboat. We left for the boat early in the morning as the sun was rising around 7 am. About two miles from shore out shore we began to see whales and dolphins. Many traveled in groups and didn’t seem to concerned that we were watching. I loved the salty ocean water splashing on my face while I barely held onto the boat.

Whale watching

Overall, I accomplished so many things that week. A lot of first time things as well. I had never flown in a helicopter, went to an authentic luau, gone whale watching, or stepped foot on an old coffee bean plantation before that trip. Experiencing it with my family by my side was even more memorable. This is a trip I would definitely recommend to others. Additionally I would welcome the opportunity to go back to this beautiful island again. Hopefully, next time I can go to a luau without it getting rained out. And maybe add a few new experiences like scuba diving or cliff diving, tasks still on my bucket list.

Experiencing the Hawaiian culture is one I’ll never forget. Between trying the foods, listening to music, or getting used to the tropical rain, I hope to experience it all over again.