For primary groceries (including alcohol) we recommend the Kihei Safeway.  

But first, Island Gourmet is a Whole Foods-type store that you will want to visit early in your stay. It’s an easy stroll from the condo so a great place to start your first morning. Excellent Breakfasts to order (plenty of seating in the open-air plaza around the corner from the Market), specialty food stations (Poke, Sushi, Paninis), a barista station and smoothies. The groceries quality is first rate. They also offer wine & spirits, even cigars. 

When you do your  primary  shopping, check our condo first to see what marinades etc. have been left by previous guests.

If you enjoy a Farmers Market, on Saturday morning visit either the Maui Swap Meet at the University of Hawaii campus or the Maui Upcountry Farmers Market in Makawao. Huge selection of fresh local produce plus local arts n crafts booths, food trucks etc. On Tuesday mornings the Wailea Farmers Market is great and it’s just a couple blocks away (Look for The Maui Cookie Lab!!)  

Dining – The specialty restaurants in the resorts around you are amazing but can be quite expensive. For better value in the Wailea area we recommend Pita Madness. They offer excellent Mediterranean food, a fresh catch of the day, and are typically much less crowded than the Monkey Pod (next door to them). 

For a big breakfast buffet the Marriott next door (you can access from the beach walk) is excellent.  For a more casual experience, better value and a fantastic locals favorite for breakfast, go to Nalu’s South Shore Grill in Kihei. 

One morning you should try the cinnamon rolls at Cinnamon Roll Fair in Kihei, crazy good. You can grab them and bring back to the condo to enjoy on the Lanai. They also do (excellent) breakfast sandwiches.  For your Starbucks fix (Hey, we get it) ,  the Marriott next door to the condo has a full service Starbucks.

For dinner, overall in Kihei you will find restaurants a better value and more casual than Wailea. Our current favorites are Ekolu, Three’s, and Paia Fish Market. For even more casual try Fabiana’s Italian, Coconuts Fish Café, and Maui Thai Bistro (oh, “medium” hot is very hot for most Americans). For Indian try Monsoon Bar & Grill. Monsoon is also the only true ocean front restaurants on this side of the island.  Cones on Kihei is a great spot for ice cream.  

For truly Fine Dining take a drive upcountry to Haliimaile, one of the top restaurants on the island.  2 for 1 entrees  in off peak hours. http://bevgannonrestaurants.com/haliimaile/. 

 Two other nearby recommendation of ours are Gannon’s, right here in Wailea, or Nicks FishMarket at the Fairmont. You may have heard of Mama’s Fish House, it’s an institution, but over-hyped compared to these others. If you need to do Mama’s, make sure you get a reservation around the time of sunset.

Snorkeling & tennis -The condo has extensive snorkel gear in the back lanai closet (rinse and organize the toys & gear for the next guests PLEASE). You can typically see turtles on the reef to the right as you swim out from the beach and a healthy fish population. Tennis racquets are in the master closet shelf, the Wailea Tennis Club (world class facility, less than a mile from your condo) offers daily clinics, lessons, ball machines etc. along with player pairings. The Pickleball court here in Elua has racquets and balls. 

Bikes & Boards – Prices are reasonable and the equipment good at the following places. South Maui Bicycle is your place for cruisers, E bikes or road bikes. For local biking Wailea has wide easy sidewalks and bike lanes. We like to ride east past Wailea and Makena to the Lava Fields, Big Beach and the National Marine Sanctuary for incredible snorkeling. 

For Road  Riders wanting to get more miles, you can get maps from the bike shop. We will often ride to Stillwell’s Bakery (34 miles, breakfast or lunch)  a convenient destination  and bike lanes the whole way. Bike in the morning unless you’re on E bikes. Afternoon trade winds home can be tough. 

For Paddleboards and kayaks, try the Surf Shack at the Mana Kai. For surfing (beginners and intermediate), take a left out of Elua and drive to Kihei for board rentals and surf lessons at Kamaole II Beach Park.  

Wailea Beach Trail - runs past Elua down by the pool. You can stroll or run this ocean front path for miles in either direction. For a loop you can take one of the numerous beach parks up to the sidewalk and return to Elua that way. 

Hiking – Look for the Maui Hiker guidebooks in the condo or refer to AllTrails on line. Talk to us about our favorites and suggestions specific to your group.

Bigger Adventures –For dive trips we like the gang at Maui Dreams. They offer a bit more variety for experienced divers with 2 tank wreck dives, Molokini island dives and more.  

If diving and snorkeling aren’t your bag but want to see the sea life, try the Maui Aquarium or better yet, a genuine submarine adventure. http://www.atlantisadventures.com/maui. The sub takes you out, drops you down nearly a hundred feet and tours the bay and a wreck. Big glass windows on both side of the sub provide amazing views. We’ve taken my elderly mom out on this; a fantastic experience for virtually any age.  NOTE: SUB IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED.

The bike ride down Haleakala Crater is an adventure you will remember forever. The tour companies take you to the top of the crater, you get to watch the sunrise, then bike down on your own to the bike shop. Stop at the Kula Lodge for breakfast on the way down. Park your bikes, warm up by the fire (it’s seriously cold up top), enjoy an incredible country breakfast.  

For horseback riding we recommend Triple L ranch  www.triplelranchmaui.com.. 

Less Strenuous but amazing – Speaking of Haleakala, watching the sunrise over the crater is another phenomenal experience. You can drive yourself or take one of the tour buses up. (4 am, rise and shine!) Seriously though, it is COLD up there. As in freezing. Literally. Worth packing thermals, gloves & hat into your luggage for this. 

Check out the Maui Hiker guidebook in the condo for more hikes. Our favorite “bigger” hike is Waihee Ridge, 4 miles RT, strenuous, gorgeous views. For big wave surf (viewing?) head over to the North side of the island. You’ll also pass the Speckles sugar cane museum, give yourself an hour to tour and see an interesting history of the island’s development and history.  

The Luau – The traditional Luau is probably something you should do at least once in Hawaii. The number 1 rated Luau used to be the Marriott next door, but we’ve read the Andaz is making that claim now. Make reservations a few days in advance. Both Luaus are an easy walk from your condo.  

Shopping – Kihei has lots of tourist shopping opportunities  along south Kihei Road. If you want the upscale experience (Prada, Gucci, Galleries) you should wander through the Shops at Wailea. There are also several good restaurants there. Easy walk from the condo, just turn right past the front gates.  

Spas- Each of the resorts in Wailea have outstanding Spas and non-hotel guests are typically welcome at the same prices. Reservations required; space limited. You can easily walk to these resorts via the beach path.  

Swimming & Beaches - Beaches abound on Maui but you will probably discover that Ulua beach is one of the best, just steps from your condo. There is also a Beach front shower within the main pool area, near the beach gate, provided for owners and guests (good place to rinse your gear and toys). Early risers get a big bonus; flat water and best visibility from sunrise to 9:30am.   

Waterfalls & natural pools are part of the Maui experience. These range from the convenient to remote, depending on the level of seclusion you're looking for. The road to Hana has many turnouts with paths to great spots. Drive slow, get a Hana Drive Map (sold roadside). This windy road takes many hours to reach Hana so in our opinion, either enjoy some of the spots along the way and turn back at some point OR do an overnight in Hana. We love Hotel Travaasa. You can also drive past Hana all the way back to the condo. That option is a long, long windy road though, can be hairy, don’t take this route at night.