Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chinese, Filipino, and New England-style houses stands in harmony by Iao
Stream at Kepaniwai Heritage Garden. This is a good picnic spot, with plenty
of tables and benches. You can see ferns, banana trees, and other native and
exotic plants in the Iao Valley Botanic Garden along the stream.
WHEN TO GO The park is open daily from 7am to 7pm. Go early in the
morning or late in the afternoon, when the sun's rays slant into the valley and
create a mystical mood. You can bring a picnic and spend the day, but be pre-
pared at any time for a tropical cloudburst, which often soaks the valley and
swells both waterfalls and streams. Plan to spend at least 30 minutes, and maybe
more if you picnic here.
INFORMATION & VISITOR CENTERS For information, contact Iao
Valley State Park, State Parks and Recreation, 54 High St., Room 101,
Wailuku, HI 96793 ( & 808/984-8100 ). The Hawaii Nature Center, 875 Iao
Valley Rd. ( & 808/244-6500; www.hawaiinaturecenter.org), home to the Iao
Valley Nature Center, features hands-on, interactive exhibits and displays relat-
ing the story of Hawaiian natural history; it's an important stop for all who want
to explore Iao Valley. Hours are daily from 10am to 4pm; admission is $6 for
adults and $4 for children ages 4 to 12.
WEST MAUI
HISTORIC LAHAINA
Back when “there was no God west of the Horn,” Lahaina was the capital of
Hawaii and the Pacific's wildest port. Today, it's a milder version of its old self—
mostly a hustle-bustle of whale art, timeshares, and “Just Got Lei'd” T-shirts. I'm
not sure the rowdy whalers would be pleased. But if you look hard, you'll still
find the historic port town they loved, filled with the kind of history that
inspired James Michener to write his best-selling epic novel Hawaii.
Baldwin Home Museum All ages. The oldest house in Lahaina, this
coral-and-rock structure was built in 1834 by Rev. Dwight Baldwin, a doctor
with the fourth company of American missionaries to sail around the Horn to
Hawaii. Like many missionaries, he came to Hawaii to do good—and did very
well for himself. After 17 years of service, Baldwin was granted 2,600 acres in
Kapalua for farming and grazing. His ranch manager experimented with what
Hawaiians called hala-kahiki, or pineapple, on a 4-acre plot; the rest is history.
The house looks as if Baldwin has just stepped out for a minute to tend a sick
neighbor down the street.
Next door is the Master's Reading Room, Maui's oldest building. This
became the favorite hangout of visiting sea captains once the missionaries closed
down all of Lahaina's grog shops and banned prostitution. By 1844, when hotels
and bars started reopening, it lost its appeal. It's now the headquarters of the
Lahaina Restoration Foundation ( & 808/661-3262 ), a plucky band of histo-
rians who try to keep this town alive and antique at the same time. Stop in and
pick up a self-guided walking-tour map, which will take you to Lahaina's most
historic sites. Plan at least 15 minutes for a quick look-see.
120 Dickenson St. (at Front St.). & 808/661-3262. Admission $3 adults, $2 seniors, $5 family. Daily
10am-4:30pm.
Banyan Tree All ages. Of all the banyan trees in Hawaii, this is the greatest
of all—so big that you can't get it in your camera's viewfinder. It was only 8 feet
tall when it was planted in 1873 by Maui Sheriff William O. Smith to mark the
50th anniversary of Lahaina's first Christian mission. Today, the big old banyan
Search WWH ::




Custom Search