Indulge Your Five Senses with Five Maui Day Trips
From the sandy shores of Mākena Beach to the cloud-capped peak of Mount Haleakalā, Maui is not only a great island to call home or come visit, but also a rich sensory experience. Here are five day trips to indulge your five senses around Maui…
1. Ali‘i Kula Lavender Farm
Sunset, Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm in Kula. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Kaiscapes.
If you’re ready to stop and smell the lavender, head upcountry to Ali‘i Kula Lavender Farm off Waipoli Road. The soothing scents and stunning views are known to bring relaxation and tranquility. The 13.5 acre farm is home to 55,000 lavender plants in 45 different varieties. According to folks who visit, to call this farm fragrant is an understatement. The farm offers five daily walking tours, or you can explore the grounds on your own, wandering the paths through the fragrant lavender fields surrounded by stunning views down Haleakalā. There’s a Lavender Treasure Hunt for keiki, and the farm offers a gourmet picnic lunch option. You can also take one of the seasonal crafting classes—a way to get up-close and personal with lavender while creating a wreath or a mini garden. At the gift shop, you can take some of the farm’s tranquility home with you; there’s an assortment of lavender-scented gifts, from from bath salts to honey.
2. O’o Farm gourmet lunch & farm tour
O‘o Farm tour and lunch off Waipoli Road. Photo courtesy of O‘o Farm.
Also on Waipoli Road, the 8.5-acre O’o Farm offers a feast for your eyes and your stomach. The farm serves up a unique gourmet lunch with the chance to harvest many ingredients yourself, pulling the freshest produce from the slopes of Haleakala. O’o Farm’s lunch and farm tour is known as a sensory experience that reminds guests to reconnect with what they’re eating. After you help harvest, a professional chef prepares the lunch, allowing you to sit back and sip some wine while you await your hard-earned meal.
3. Visit Maui Wine – ‘Ulupalakua Vineyards
Maui Wines at ‘Ulupalakua Vineyards. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Ewen Roberts.
Maui Wine at ‘Ulupalakua Vineyards offers visitors a sensory experience beyond a glass of wine. You’ll enter the stunning winery grounds framed by flowerbeds and trees planted more than 150 years ago on the original Rose Ranch estate. Check out the King’s Cottage as you enter: it was originally used as a mountain retreat by King Kalākaua, the last reigning king of Hawai‘i. With its sweeping panoramic views of Maui and the surrounding islands, it’s easy to feel like royalty here. The tasting experience takes place inside the King’s Cottage at a bar made of a giant mango tree; here you’ll sample a variety of handcrafted wines that reflect the diverse tastes of Maui. From pineapple wine to a Syrah the vineyard describes as “strong yet sensitive like a velvet boxing glove,” there’s a flavor for every palette here.
4. Surfing Goat Dairy Farm
Surfing Goat Dairy Farm off Omaopio Road. Photo courtesy of Brian Lauer.
This family-friendly venue in Lower Kula includes goats, cheese and surfboards. Home of award-winning goat cheeses for the past nine years, Surfing Goat offers a few tour options depending on how involved you want to get. You can roll up your sleeves and milk the goats and go behind the scenes of the cheesemaking process, or you can just take in the sights and scents, and of course sample some of the cheeses produced here.
5. Road to Hāna
Waterfalls on the road to Hāna. Photo courtesy of Joe Parks.
When it comes to stimulating the senses on Maui, a drive along the road to Hāna is always on the list. This 64-mile stretch of road leading to one of Maui’s most idyllic small towns is a photographer’s dream. From Upper Waikani (“Three Bears”) Falls to ‘Ohe‘o Gulch, there’s plenty of stunning natural wonders to stop on your way to Hāna; it’s one of the most famous roads in Hawaii for good reason.
For more local travel tips, visit http://islandtravelhawaii.com.
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