What to Check Out in Lahaina
Lahaina is considered one of the main attractions here on Maui with all that there is to see and do. The most popular area in Lahaina is called Front Street.
Front Street is home to some of the best shops, restaurants, bars, and home of the harbor for the West Side of the island. Overall it’s hard to be bored when here in Lahaina area. Though with all the options things can be a bit overwhelming so this post is to help give a breakdown of fun activities to do in Lahaina.
Let’s dive in !
FOOD :
When venturing to island it makes sense to want experience dining that you may not have back home. Lahaina town makes dining out convenient with having a number of options available all within a small radius of each other. With all the choices it can be a bit overwhelming ( especially if trying to make a decision when hungry ) so those listed below are some of the best to check out !
Down the Hatch on Front Street | all day
DTH ( nickname ) is a popular stop for many when here on island. This restaurant is located outdoors at the Wharf Cinema center on the lower level ( keep this in mind if you have any family members who may be handy cap since there is a very small set of stairs to go down but there are other entrances through the back of the Wharf ). It features live music, has a koi pond which is always entertaining for kiddos, a bar area, and an attached option for smoothies, shaved ice, and acai bowls. Overall this place has it all without requiring reservations or costing an arm/leg. I favor it for the breakfast option but they are open all day and serve lunch + dinner. I find the morning and early afternoon to be a bit more family friendly since the evening with how things liven up it gets pretty crowded and the bar scene is a bit more busy.
Papa’aina on Front Street near the harbor | breakfast + lunch
This dining option opened after lockdown and quickly became well known with how delicious it’s food is. This IS a breakfast joint and closes by 2PM. It is possible to make reservations which I do recommend to do but you may also show up and ask for a table. Papa’aina has a local chef who creates a menu based off of local dishes/what is in season with things on the menu changing almost daily keeping everything unique to the experience and delicious ! They recently opened a side section for a bakery/coffee bar if you just want a small on the go option while walking down Front Street. The restaurant option can be a tad pricier depending on what you get but overall is not overly priced with the side bakery option being very reasonable.
Kihei Cafe located in the shopping center across from Safeway | breakfast + lunch
The original Kihei Cafe is located in well you guessed it Kihei but about 2 years ago it’s sister location opened up in Lahaina and is my FAVORITE place to grab a bite ! The atmosphere is very laid back and almost like a small diner experience. The service is incredibly friendly and you receive your food very quickly. They do not take reservations here but they do offer a pick up for any to go orders which is helpful if you want to take your breakfast down to the beach. The menu is massive with local eats, breakfast favorites, a bakery, and coffee bar - basically they cover all basis with so many amazing options to choose from ! Pricing they are very reasonable and the portions are incredibly filling. They are a breakfast through lunch joint where their doors open at 6AM and close by 2PM. This last year they have become more popular ( rightly so with how yummy their food is ) so I do recommend to go earlier in the AM or a bit before 12PM.
Cool Cat Cafe on Front Street | lunch + dinner
If you have been to Ruby’s in California this is very similar to there. Think of a classic diner that has incredible burgers, fries, and shakes and BOOM you get Cool Cats. When going out for dinner as a family with a laid back vibe my family and our friends all love to head here. Depending on the time you go there may be a small wait time but it passes by pretty quickly if you can’t get in right away. I will say go if you are hungry - the portions are large and filling so you’ll want to have an empty stomach for sure ! They do have a bar inside and also offer adult milk shakes along with a large variety of flavors with normal shakes if you have a sweet tooth.
Tommy Bahama’s end of Front Street | lunch + dinner
The first Tommy’s opened up on the South Side in Wailea but this sister location is a newer one as of the last few years. With it not being located right in the heart of Front Street it’s a little hidden but so worth plugging in the GPS to go to. I have gone for dinner several times which is a very pleasant experience that can feature live music. However, I recently went for lunch and MY GOODNESS there is no wait time and the experience is just as grand. If you have any kiddos who are mac and cheese lovers theirs is AMAZING ! I normally order their tacos but tried their salad during lunch which was veryyyy well covered for having the best topings. Quite truthfully it may have been the best salad I have ever had and I am not the biggest salad fan so hopefully that helps describe how great it was ! Their drinks like mai tai’s are some of the best here on island as well. If you have any family members that want a new aloha shirt attached to their restaurant are some of their clothes available to purchase.
Mala Tavern on Front Street right behind Safeway | all day
You can absolutely visit as a family but I recommend this being a nice date location. The location of Mala Tavern is directly above the shoreline with a beautiful ocean view. I would highly recommend to go online to their website and make a reservation since I have been one of people to not get in before from trying to just show up. It is a little more high scale than the above places - nothing you need to get dressed up for but I also wouldn’t recommend showing up only in your swimsuits. The food is delicious and well worth the experience.
Duckine on Front Street right behind Safeway | 11AM-10PM
This is also a newer place to eat and is a sister restaurant to Down the Hatch. It is AMAZING ! They offer lunch through dinner with two different happy hours. The menu works well eating family style where order whatever you would like and then split it with your family since it is SO SO hard to choose from all the delicious options so this way you get to try a bit of everything. Overall it is well priced and the portions are filling. They do also have an attached bar but this restaurant works well for families with young kiddos all the way to a date night option. I would recommend to go onto their website and make a reservation.
Prison Street Pizza located on Front Street by the public parking | 11AM-8:30PM
With a very laid back atmosphere this small pizza joint is one of my family’s favorites ! Though pizza is in their name ( and is beyond delicious ) they also have some of the best burgers, sandwiches, and salads on the West Side. If you are too tired after your beach day and don’t want to go anywhere they do offer a delivery option - just pop onto their website and select whatever sounds good !
Ululani’s Shaved Ice on Front Street | 11AM-8PM
If you have a sweet tooth and want to try the BEST shaved ice in Hawaii Ululani’s hands down ! There is nothing like it with it’s soft flakey ice and sooo many amazing flavors to top it with ! They also have the option to add ice cream with your order where macadamia nut with shaved ice truly is a match made in heaven ! This is a small location so once you order you take it to go where you can sit on Front Street at take in all the sights !
BEACHES :
It’s no shock that Maui has so so many beautiful beaches to choose from but the West Side is home to some of the best !
Baby Beach off of Front Street in Lahaina
100% the best family friendly beach to go to on Maui ! Baby Beach is located right at the end of the main strip on Front Street through a residential neighborhood. The beach is a long stretch that is lined with palm trees with a lovely view of the West Maui mountains behind them. A reef fronts the beach which blocks waves making it possible to wade out all the way to the end of the reef from how shallow it is. If you or your kids enjoy snorkeling there is plenty to see here in the shallow water with all the fish and turtles. During whale season the channel that fronts the beach is where the whales like to hang out so it’s common to hear them singing if they are nearby while in the water. It does get crowded here so it’s best to get a spot out on the sand by 8AM. The session in this post is located at Baby Beach.
505 Front Street Beach ( Kamehameha Iki park can be used for an entrance )
Another long stretch of beach on the opposite end of Front Street’s end is 505. There are some shops and places to eat in a shopping center right in front of the beach if you want a little something before hitting the sand. This beach is great for any tanning and mellow playing in the water. The big perk of this beach is surfing. Surf lessons are offered from companies for this location but whether through a company or a rented board it’s easy to get out there and enjoy yourselves !
Mala Ramp at the end of Baby Beach
Those who are a bit more adventurous and want to get some solid snorkeling in the ruins of Mala ramp have made for one of the best snorkeling locations here on island ! There are snorkel tours from boat companies that will take you out to the snorkel/dive site but you can also access it from shore. I would recommend only going from shore if you are a comfortable swimmer. If you are certified for diving sign up for a tour to go out ! More information about Mala can be found on my post Fun Family Activities in Maui Hawaii.
Launiupoko Beach heading towards the exit of Lahaina
Calling all surfers ! Another wonderful beach popular to spend hours catching waves is this one. It is located towards the very end of Lahaina ( as if you are driving back towards the direction of the South Side ). There is a small parking lot but parking fills up quickly so I recommend arriving early if you want to snag a spot. The waves are mellow and great if you just want to relax and ride in with an amazing view of the West Maui mountains in front of you.
OTHER ACTIVITIES :
As you can tell this post is focused on the Lahaina bubble itself but Lahaina extends all the way on the West Side if you look at any addresses. There are so many other places to eat, beaches to see, and activities to do on the West Side but those will be for another post. As for Lahaina town here are a few other things to do -
BOOK A BOAT TOUR
Lahaina harbor is home to some of the very best companies here in Hawaii for going out and exploring ! Book a snorkel tour, whale watch/dolphin watch, or dinner/cocktail cruise to get some time out ON the water. You can even visit our neighbor island Lanai for snorkeling which has some incredible spots to swim at. A few favorite companies are : Trilogy, Ultimate which is a raft that is really fun to be on, and Pacific Whale on their catamaran Ocean Spirit.
BOOK A SURF LESSON
If you have never been on a board before or are novice now is the perfect time to get out on the water while you are here in Hawaii ! Lahaina has some of the best waves for learning on keeping the lesson laid back and enjoyable. One of my favorite companies is Lahaina surf shack located right by the public parking lot right on Front Street in Lahaina Town.
BOOK A LUAU
Two of the best Luau’s located on Maui are located in Lahaina - Old Lahaina Luau and Feast of LeLe. Really experience Hawaii’s beautiful culture by attending one. A heads up these book out far in advance so as soon as you know you are coming to Maui I recommend booking this activity ASAP.
BOOK A PHOTOSHOOT
Maybe you are just on this post because you saw it on Google or in a travel group and a photoshoot was not on your agenda. Trust me it is worth scheduling one ! Even if you come to Hawaii every year it’s such a special place to be able to document your memories at ! I promise you will not regret having some photos snapped during your visit to always look back at and think happily about your Maui vacation. BOOK HERE
