A Maui vacation is one of those dream trips that is hard to mess up. You won’t leave the islands experiencing disappointment if you miss out on viewing these attractions, but those memories will certainly be enhanced if you can fit them in. After all, how often do you get the opportunity to revisit an otherworldly paradise?
Garden of the Gods
Okay, so technically speaking, visiting the Garden of the Gods qualifies as a day trip from Maui to Lanai. But boy, is the trip worth it if you want to see a part of the Hawaiian Islands that will have you thinking you traveled through space and time to wind up somewhere more reminiscent of the Badlands of South Dakota. One look at the impressive rock formations found on the nearby island of Lanai and you will swear you’ve just signed up to become an extra in a John Ford western.
Maui Ocean Center
Zagat awarded the Maui Ocean Center its rating for the number one family attraction in all of Hawaii. Not just Maui, mind you, but all of Hawaii. If you think you’ve been to all huge aquariums if you’ve been to one, then surely you must have already been to this one. The Maui Ocean Center offers opportunities to dive among its collection of sharks, enjoy the nation’s largest collection of coral, marvel at enormous sea turtles and, not to be missed, surround yourself with the extraordinary colors of sea life swimming all around you as you make your way through the acrylic tunnel slicing its way through 750,000 gallons of water.
Molokini Crater
Molokini Crater from the air is a semi-circular growth of land peering up out of the ocean. Your Maui vacation should most definitely set aside some time to explore what lies beneath. And on the typical day, you can see quite clearly what Molokini Crater has to offer as far down as 150 feet below the surface. Among the more than 200 different species of fish that call Molokini Crater home at least part of the day is the real gentle giant of the sea, the whale shark. Dive down deep to explore a world you will rarely get the chance to see without special equipment.
Haleakala National Park
Speaking of rare opportunities, if you are a particularly hardy traveler, you can take advantage of the very rare chance to bike your way down a volcano. Just be aware that there is no bike path, per se. This featured attraction of Haleakala National Park should be reserved only for the truly adventurous. Others may want seize the moment to check out for the first time in their lives just how many stars you can see in the night sky when urban pollution doesn’t obstruct the view.
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