Day 1

I started the day with a quick run to Foodland to pick up some drinks and snacks for the house.  They have a nice selection of produce, organic and natural foods, fresh fish, and all the other basics.  As with everything on Maui, groceries are a bit expensive, but that was no surprise to me. They do have a small selection of beer, wine, and liquor as well.  It’s a small supermarket, but had what we needed (and a lot that we didn’t need!). And, there is a Starbucks next door, so our girls could get their morning fix.

We eased into our first day with a trip to the beach, followed by lunch at Maui Fish Market.  We chose Kapalua Bay Beach which was a quick drive from our townhouse in Lahaina.  First, parking is tough. The parking lot immediately attached to the beach is small, and cars line up on the side of the road to park, making driving a little bit precarious.  We quickly discovered that parking was available at the tennis center across the road for just $10.  The beach itself is rather small and narrow, so finding a spot to sit can be tricky, but we were able to find enough room for the four of us to spread out on the sand. There are lots of big slippery rocks at the shoreline, which require care when entering the water.  There were lots of families with small children, so it’s not the most peaceful vibe, but the views are beautiful.

Tip: bring your own drinks, as there really isn’t anywhere to purchase drinks within walking distance of the beach, and you’ll need them.  The sun it hot!

Afterwards, we hit up Maui Fish Market for lunch and Barefruit Bar for dessert.  To be honest, we had dessert first, but after a day at the beach, icy cold treats are in order!  Both places are in a small strip mall on Honoapiilani Road, less than 15 minutes from the beach. The first thing I noticed when we walked in to

Barefruit Bar was the smell – it smelled so good and of fresh fruit. We ordered smoothies, an acai bowl, and a shave ice.  The shave ice was ok – the syrups weren’t the best flavors but the ice was nice and fluffy. The smoothies were fresh and delicious and served with a tamarind coated straw.  All in all, pretty good.  MauiFishMarket was hopping when we walked in late Monday afternoon.  It is anchored at the end of the stip mall, and you can’t miss it because there are lots of customers in front of it.  You can order prepared food at a walkup counter on the left side or you can purchase fish and various salads by the pound to go on the right side of the store. Service was friendly and fast.  We ordered the fish and chips and grilled fish tacos – both were fresh, excellent quality, and brought to our table within minutes of ordering.  They have limited seating both inside and outside, but at 2:30 in the afternoon we had no problems finding a spot.  This is a great place for a quick and delicious lunch.

For dinner that evening, we went to Pacific’O for dinner.  It’s a nice restaurant in the shops at 505 Front Street.  The area is cute, and touristy with a few different restaurants as well as stores.  There is a parking garage below the complex, as well as paid parking across the street.

*Tip about parking in Lahaina:  There are several lots a block or so off Front Street that are prepaid. You can pay online, via phone, or using the pay boxes at each lot.

We did not have reservations, but were promptly seated at an outdoor table overlooking the ocean by a very friendly hostess.  I chose Pacific’O based on some reviews I read as well as the fact that they source ingredients from a local farm in Upcountry.  Additionally, Chef Greg Harrison’s experience working with famous chefs like Morimoto was impressive.  Our meals were all fabulous.  Service was slow, but very friendly.  We started with the ceviche served with local chips which was very good.  We all loved the variety of fresh, salty chips that accompanied the flavorful ceviche.  For our entrees, we ordered The Vegetarian dish consisting of gnocchi in a pesto sauce, the Coconut Crusted Mahi, the Hapa Tempura, and the Kona Winds.  The Kona Winds was out of this world with a variety of flavors coming together on the plate:  the catch of the day (which happened to be ahi tuna), with local goat cheese, two kinds of rice (jasmine and black Thai), greens, and a nice vinaigrette.  The Hapa Tempura is basically a fried sushi roll, but a deluxe one on a bed of seaweed salad.  Everyone enjoyed their meals, and it was a great way to kick off a week of dining. For dessert we ordered the donuts which were served with a chocolate sauce and a caramel sauce. Delicious!

Continue to Day 2