Aloha! We are off to See Maui and our Itinerary Rocks!.

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Photo by by Randy Son Of Robert via Flickr. This photo was taken from the Royal Lahaina Hotel. I sure hope we see a rainbow like this in Maui!

As you are reading this we are on a flight headed to Maui!

Wow – I simply can’t believe we are going to such a fantastic destination!

We are both very excited to bring you photos and stories of our adventures in Maui so you can see first hand what makes this island such a unique and unforgettable destination.

Neither one of us have been to Maui and I only visited Oahu briefly a few years ago when I ran the Honolulu Marathon with Team in Training (and yes, although I am the world’s slowest runner and everyone in the 70 yr old age range beat me, I finished!) so our visit is going to be really special. There is nothing quite like visiting a new destination for the first time and the Hawaiian island of Maui really takes the cake!

Over the next few weeks they’ll be a lot of Maui updates throughout the Beers & Beans network – the blog, Twitter, Facebook,  Pinterest & Instagram (find us on Instagram under BeersandBeans). Don’t forget to follow us across those social media sites because all weekend and throughout next week we’ll be doing live updates with plenty of in-the-moment photos of Maui!

We received our tentative itinerary this week and there are so many fantastic things to do in Maui that I just couldn’t wait to share them with you!

Our Extremely Beautiful Digs:

We’ll actually be staying at two hotels during this trip and both of them look fantastic!

Wailea Beach Villas

This resort is comprised of fabulous villas right on the water! A few of us will be bunking together in the 3 bedroom villa which I’m sure is going to be a lot of fun! Of course it’s quite a bit more luxurious than a hostel (or just about anywhere else we have ever stayed) but the roommate atmosphere is sure to be a good time. One evening we’ll be seriously pampered as the resort chef comes to our villa to make dinner!

Royal Lahaina Resort

This hotel looks gorgeous and it sits right on the ocean! I can’t wait to run and jump in the water or go snorkeling here. We’ll also be taking a sunset cruise offered at the resort and taking in the evening Luau. Rumor has it there are also cliff jumpers and we’re going to make sure we check that out.

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too:

Maui has turned into quite the foodie haven! Here are a few of the great restaurants we’ll be frequenting during our stay in Maui.

Longhi’s

One of the most popular and acclaimed family run restaurants in Maui. Even celebrities make a point to eat here!

Flatbread Pizza in Paia

It’s not 100% guaranteed but it looks like we’re going to have a Tweet Up at this fantastic looking pizza house in Paia. Be on the look out for plenty of food tweets & instagram food photos!

Ko Restaurant hosted by The Fairmont Kea Lani

This looks decadent! According to their website: “Executive Chef Tylun Pang leads the culinary masterpiece of K?, the only fine dining restaurant on Maui to offer cuisine inspired by the sugarcane plantation era. The expansive menu features island family recipes that have been passed down for generations, including Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipino, Portuguese, Korean, and Japanese favorites. By utilizing the island’s fresh produce, meat and seafood, Chef Pang gives these authentic recipes a farm-fresh, contemporary twist.”

Unwind, Educate & Pump It Up – Activities For Everyone:

This press trip is a bit different than most because instead of shuttling us all around in a large van everyone is getting their own rental car to explore the island! Because of this we were able to tailor our itinerary around our interests and with our own car we’ll be able to stop off along the way and shoot a couple photos and do some exploring.

O’o Farm

Located in the Waipoli (misting forest) district of Kula, we’ll be experiencing a true farm to table tour at the organically and  biodynamically cultivated O’o Farm. The farm is privately owned and incorporates stunning panoramic views, wildlife, gourmet food, and insightful commentary coupled with hands-on participation in harvesting and cooking. After the tour we’ll be able to enjoy lunch in the cool mountain air “al fresco” style. This activity is right up my alley and I can’t wait to check out the farm!

Sightseeing in Wailea, Makena & Paia

It’s up to us how we want to explore the area. We’ll be sure to check out Big Beach, La Perouse and the historic Keawalai Church and Cemetery. The walls of the church are made of lava and use coral as mortar! Paia is a surfer town in the heart of Maui’s North Shore with a fabulous beach, art galleries & boutiques – sounds like a great, chill spot.

Biking Down A Hawaiian Volcano

Yes, you read that right. We will be riding with Maui Easy Riders and biking down a volcano! Randy is really psyched about this and I’m not going to lie – I am a bit nervous. I’m only about 5′ tall and I can’t ride male bikes – I just seem to fall off! On a different press trip last year they had no female bikes and all of the male bikes were made for someone about 6′ tall. I simply couldn’t ride them – as a result I ended up on a kid’s bike and about 2 minutes into the bike ride it started pouring rain which turned the dirt paths into mud. With every cycle my knees were up to my chin on this teeny, tiny bike and let’s just say I got a really good workout cycling through mud! With this memory in mind I decided to check out Maui Easy Riders website and when I read the write up on their website it became really clear that Billy & Billy (the owners & guides) are truly passionate about their craft and they have several sizes of bikes available – yah! I’m sure that cruising on this downhill mountain bike tour will be a blast. We’ll also be able to stop off at small Hawaiian towns along the way for lunch, sightseeing and photo ops!

Hawaiian Sailing Canoe with Maui Sailing Canoe

What I lack in biking ability I make up for on the water! I’m really excited to learn how to sail a Hawaiian canoe and check out views of Maui from the ocean. I won’t be taking any photos during this activity but we’ll be sure to tell you all about the experience.

Sunset Dinner Sail with Teralani

This activity is sure to be a show stopper. We’ll be sailing off Kaanapali Beach on a luxury catamaran while an award winning chef prepares our meals. Did I mention that this tour with Teralani includes an open bar? This sounds like a relaxing way to end the day!

Ziplining with Skyline Eco Adventures 

In Maui I’ll have the chance to tackle an activity that scares me! I ziplined once in Mexico and I almost cried BUT I lived so I’m hoping this time I’ll be able to relax a bit more and enjoy all the beautiful views of Maui. Randy is basically doing back flips over this activity as he has never ziplined before and is definitely an adrenaline junkie.  The zipline cables at Skyline Eco Adventures will take us over mountain streams, Maui’s historic Lahaina town and provide us with views of West Amui Mountains highest point Pu’u Kukui. The tour includes a delicious lunch and lasts approximately 3.5 hours.

Luau at the Royal Lahaina Resort

We’ve both always wanted to experience a true Hawaiian Luau and this one is is noted as the best on the entire island. It includes a shell lei greeting, dinner, open bar and Polynesian Revue. Sure to be a great time!

Stand Up Paddle Boarding with Royal Hawaiian Surf

This is an activity I specifically requested so I can’t wait! I have been dying to try out paddle boarding for a long time and I’m really excited that Maui is the spot I finally get to do it. I can just tell that I am going to love this activity and the full body workout. I can feel my core getting stronger as I type this…

Taking in the History of Lahaina

Both Randy and I love history and we’re really looking forward to these laid back activities in Lahaina. On the list is a walking tour of the town, a visit to the Baldwin Museum and Lahaina Heritage Museum, a visit to the Jodo Mission and a famous Banyan Tree.

As you can see we’ve got a plethora of excellent things to do in Maui! From high adrenaline ziplining to laid back museum visits and luxurious dinner cruises we’ve got the gamut covered. We’ll be able to fill you in on several different activities and show you what a visit to the island is all about. Our aim is to explore, discover and get lost in the beauty of this tropical isle.

From the smallest detail to the expansive vista, we’ll be looking for that special something that makes the island of Maui such a unique and memorable part of this beautiful world!

Want to Learn Even More About Maui? Follow Our Fellow Maui Travelers!

The Maui tourism board has worked very hard to make sure that everyone on this press trip is able to sample something different from the island and by checking out the other travel writers on this trip you will learn even more about Maui’s hotels, activities & restaurants.

Be sure to follow along with:

Traveling Canucks, Jason’s Travels, La Carmina, Land Lopers, Alison Brick, Melissa Rundle

As a last note we will all be using the hashtag #seeMaui for this trip. Keep an eye out for it on all the social media sites as an easy way to watch the magic of Maui unfold before your eyes.

Aloha!

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!