Attractions in and around Kaanapali
In Kaanapali, you'll find casual to elegant restaurants, rooms from modest to luxury prices, just about every kind of beach activity there is, challenging golf, fun historical attractions, and delightful shopping.
Landmark Puu Kekaa: This is commonly referred to as "Black Rock" and was once a sacred location to native Hawaiians. They revered it as a place where the spirits of the dead went to leap from this world to the next. It was considered extremely brave to leap from the same spot as the spirits of the dead. Puu Kekaa, along with many other sites along the beach and rolling greens of Kaanapali, becomes even more fascinating than usual when you learn about the mythology and history behind it. The best learning experience is through the Kaanapali Historical Trail & History and Legends Tour. This fascination may help explain why a great majority of visitors to Maui stay in Kaanapali.
Hanakoo Beach: This is a gorgeous stretch of beach that is also the most popular beach in Kaanapali. Theyre right in front of some of the ritziest hotels on the island. The sands are clean and the waters are great for swimming.
The Sugar Cane Train: This is a train that was used to haul sugar cane from one place to another on the island by the Lahaina, Kaanapali and Pacific Railroad.
Entertainment
The Banana Moon: This is an entertainment spot you dont want to miss. You can dance or find romance in a candlelit corner of the restaurant. You can find the spot inside the Marriott Hotel.
Museums and Galleries
Whaler's Museum: This museum is partially a mall in the area and partially a museum. You can shop here, or you can walk around and learn about the history of Maui. The mall is right in Kaanapali.
Center Art Galleries: This is the home of some of the best art galleries on the island. Youll find all types of art. Some are by celebrities, others are by locals who have been artists for years.
Activities in Kaanapali
Golfing and Tennis:
In the heart of the resort lies the vast, green expanse of the Ka'anapali Golf Resort.The Royal Kaanapali (par 71; Robert Trent Jones, Sr.) and Ka'anapali Kai (par 70; Arthur Jack Snyder) golf courses offer an unforgettable experience for any avid golfer. Nestled throughout the resort are 30 professional tennis courts and a tennis stadium.
Ka'anapali Golf Courses, 2290 Ka'anapali Parkway, Lahaina, HI 96761.
Try 36 holes of golf at the Championship Royal Kaanapali Golf Courses. Three more golf courses are in Kapalua, just minutes away. Amazing snorkeling is located just down the beach at famous Black Rock, where colorful reef fish and sea turtles abound.
Shopping:
Whalers Village shopping complex: This is located in the center of the scenic Ka'anapali Beachwalk. It offers a wide array of retail options from resort wear and beach accessories to international haute couture and convenience stores. Specialty shops feature jewelry, gifts, art, Hawaiian crafts, sporting gear for the whole family and more. And, there's food for every mood at Whalers Village from the international food court to beachfront island cuisine restaurants. History buffs wont want to miss the Whalers Village Museum, which provides a fascinating look at an important period in Mauis history: it is believed to house the largest single collection of whaling memorabilia and scrimshaw in the world. Fairway Shops at Ka'anapali is an intimate retail center, featuring specialty shops, services and dining.
Dining
Chico's: This is a restaurant and bar in Kaanapali where you can get a nice atmosphere and drink and eat to your heart's content.
Ocean Activities:
Americas Best Beach (honored by Dr. Beach in 2003) for ocean activities. Snorkeling should be one of the activities you choose, because the coral reefs along Kaanapali Beach provide some of the most colorful underwater spectacles to be seen anywhere. The area between Puu Kekaa and Kahekili Beach Park (north) is an exceptional place to start. From December to May, whale watching fever strikes the island and particularly Ka'anapali when the gentle giant humpback whales frolic while breeding and giving birth. For those who would like a closer look at the whale activity than from the beach, a resort lanai or oceanfront restaurant, there are whale watch cruises available, which can be booked from your vacation rental or at Kaanapali Beach.
Beach facilities are excellent, and natural conditions are perfect to indulge in the pleasures of swimming, snorkeling, parasailing or simply sunbathing under a tropical sun. Snorkel sails available at the beach are very popular with recreation-loving tourists and sunset sails present an exciting opportunity for lovelorn couples to spend a romantic evening out on the ocean.
Canoe Paddling: The native sport of canoe paddling is popular and culturally important in Hawai'i. Summer is paddling season. That's when you'll see outrigger canoes- long, sleek, and brightly colored- out in the water, the crews working to perfect the synchronization of their strokes. It's the season for weekend races and regattas, for volleyball games and cookouts on West Maui's beaches.
Whale watch: Humpback Whales return in the month of November every year, migrating to the waters off Ka'anapali Beach to calve and to mate.
Travelers can enjoy many other activities like kayaking, snorkeling, surfing, body boarding, parasailing, diving, beach volleyball, hiking and ziplining.
Festivals and Events in and around Kaanapali:
They don't call Ka'anapali Resort "the playground of the Pacific" for nothing. In addition to the daily carnival of Maui's seaside attractions-the ocean activities, the elaborate pools and waterslides, the restaurants and great shops, golfing, tennis, the fitness and spa facilities, and the many island activities within a short drive from the resort- Ka'anapali has some sort of celebration or annual event to enjoy every month of the year.
These events provide a great way for visitors to experience something completely new, to mingle with Maui's diverse population, and to learn about Hawaiian culture and the cultures that have made their home in the Islands. They make excellent family experiences; kids love them.
You have the options to enjoys the following festivals and events while you are enjoying your vacation in Kaanapali.
Maui Onion Festival (August) (Whalers Village): The celebrity chefs demonstrate how to make magic with Maui's famous sweet onion. The festival includes entertainment, an onion-eating contest, an onion recipe contest, and a farmers market.
Maui Chefs Present (September): The most innovative chefs on the island gather at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa to throw a gala dinner, cocktail party, and silent auction. Proceeds benefit community groups. This is an opener for Maui's top culinary festival, A Taste of Lahaina.
Maui Marathon & Race Weekend (Septmeber): This 26.2-mile race is one of the 10 most scenic marathons in North America. It begins at Queen Ka'ahumanu Center in Kahului and ends at Whalers Village.
Maui Tacos Fun Run (September) (Kaanapali Resort): A 5k run/walk just through Ka'anapali Resort.
Maui Makahiki (October) (Kanapali): This is part of the statewide Aloha Festivals, this is a re-enactment of a traditional Hawaiian cultural festival including games, music, dance, and crafts.
Halloween in Lahaina (October) (Lahaina): This is also called "the Mardi Gras of the Pacific" as 30,000-plus revelers gather on Front Street, Lahaina, for music, dancing, costume contests, food, crafts, and rambunctious activities.
Hula O Na Keiki (Novemeber): Each year Hawaiis keiki (children) compete in solo performances of ancient and modern hula.
EA Sports Maui Invitational Collegiate Basketball Tournament (November): The top U.S. college teams stay in Ka'anapali for this three-day pre-season tournament that takes place just before Thanksgiving at the Lahaina Civic Center. There are pre- and post-game events and an awards banquet, too.
Christmas Day (December 25, 2009): Rotisserie of Christmas Goose over the famous Kiawe Smoke fire, many Yule favorites make up this daylong feast.
Na Mele O Maui (December): This annual festival to perpetuate Hawaiian culture features a children's song contest for Maui students grades K through 12, also an arts and crafts fair and a juried art exhibit for high school students.
Holiday Lighting of the Banyan Tree (December): Santa comes to Lahaina and brings snow with him! The holiday season begins with a craft fair, live music, and a cookie workshop. Ka'anapali and its hotels celebrate yuletide throughout the month with festive decorations and events.
New Years Eve Party (December 31, 2009): Celebrate the coming year with a grand party and wonderfully delicious food. A themed event, popular with the guests and locals alike, is sure to entertain with continuous fun, party favors, and many other surprises.
Hula Bowl Maui Heisman Trophy Winners/NFL Autograph Session (January): A free opportunity to meet top collegiate and pro football players at Whalers Village. Each year Ka'anapali Resort hosts the college all-stars and coaches who have come to compete in Hula Bowl Maui.
Chinese New Year Celebration (Lahaina): Front Street is closed off for a free celebration, including a parade, firecrackers, food, live music, and martial arts demonstrations.
Valentines Day Brunch (Sunday, February 14, 2010): A rose for each lady. Kaanapali Beach Hotels Famous Sunday Brunch featuring amazing entertainment. The Tiki Terrace Restaurant will be serving Chef Tom Muromotos "Winners Dinner" by popular demand. The restaurant will serve a 3-course menu of "Taste of Lahaina" winning dishes created by our culinary team. Every lady will receive a long-stemmed rose as the gift.
Chinese New Years Sunday Brunch (February 21, 2010): The Playful Chinese Lion (Dancers) visit your table, while the Chef weaves the Brunch menu with a Chinese Flair.
Ocean Arts Festival in Banyan Tree Park (March) (Lahaina): Celebrate the annual migration of humpback whales with this free festival of art, music, hula, and marine-related activities.
Banyan Tree Birthday Party (April) (Lahaina): A party for Lahaina's largest living resident, the enormous banyan tree that was planted in 1873-cake, art, and art activities for kids.
International Festival of Canoes (May): This two-week program dedicated to cultural revival brings master carvers and canoe-makers from all over the Pacific. These native artisans create canoes, carry them through Lahaina town in a big parade, and demonstrate traditional skills such as surfboard shaping, drum carving, and house thatching.
King Kamehameha Day Parade & Celebration (July): A joyous Hawaiian floral parade travels along Lahaina's Front Street, with pa'u equestrians, floats, marching bands, food, crafts, and entertainment.
Celebration of Independence Day (July 4) (Lahaina): Ka'anapali Resort hosts a grand celebration of Independence Day all afternoon at Whalers Village, with fun free activities for kids, then a massive fireworks display along Front Street, Lahaina.
Maui To Moloka'i Ocean Challenge (July): Paddlers race across the channel between islands, from Ka'anapali to Kamalo, Moloka'i.
