Magic & Lu`au Shows
Warren & Annabelle's is considered Maui's premier sleight-of-hand magic show complete with resident ghost Annabelle's hospitality and many humorous moments with the magicians. The Family Show is offered during major school breaks, and in the Summer it is available June, July and August on select evenings, Monday through Friday. During this early evening show which runs from 4:15 to 5:45 pm, tropical fruit smoothies, shakes and soft drinks are available before the magic begins with Brenton Keith and his bag o' tricks. There are special rates for children 6 to 12 years and teens 13 to 17 years. 

Kupanaha, Maui Magic for All Ages is a spellbinding illusionist magic show, featuring Hawaiian myths expressed with traditional hula and chant. The Baran family performs the amazing magic illusions, while Maui's award-winning Kanoeau Dance Academy students perform accompanying hula. A sit-down dinner is served in a three-course island menu for parents and teens, and a special keiki menu for younger children. Tickets are specially priced for teens aged 13 to 20 years, and children aged 6 to 12 years; kids 5 years and younger get in free. Performances run Tuesday through Saturday, from 4:45 to 7:45 pm. 

Lu`au dinner shows are a wonderful way for the entire family to experience a taste of Hawaii's culture and heritage. Each lu'au, whether located in a resort or on its own grounds, offers discounted prices for children aged 12 years and younger. There is one lu'au show that provides a special Keiki Buffet kids' menu for dinner, the Royal Lahaina Lu'au. It features hot dogs, chicken nuggets, mac-n-cheese, corn on the cob and potato chips for those picky young eaters. The stage show against a backdrop of Ka'anapali Beach is a Polynesian revue in which dancers, musicians, and fire artists weave Hawaiian, Tahitian, Samoan and Maui legends into mesmerizing performances. Royal Lahaina Family Nights are scheduled each week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. One child (aged 12 and under) is admitted free when accompanied by a full-paying adult. In Kapalua this summer, The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua hotel features a Polynesian lu`au on select evenings from June 28 to August 29. Festivities include a lei greeting, artisan demonstrations, entertainment by local musicians and a traditional imu roast pig ceremony. An abundant dinner buffet is served offering foods of the islands; the outdoor show on the Beach Lawn includes hula and fire-knife dancing. Tickets for children aged 5 to 12 years are half-price. 

Water World Attractions 
Maui Ocean Center, the Hawaiian Aquarium, offers a day camp this summer from June 6 to September 2. The single-day sessions will take place Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 4 pm and are available to kids aged 8-12 years. If you need a day for shopping or just relaxing, your children can spend the day with trained ocean naturalists, learning about Hawaii's unique marine life. The specific topics vary each day and include sharks and stingrays, deep sea creatures, corals and other ocean subjects. Children completing a full week will earn a Junior Naturalist certification. Each child receives lunch and a Maui Ocean Center coloring book. If your teen is a SCUBA certified diver, aged 15 years or older, he or she can take advantage of a unique experience with the aquarium's Shark Dive Maui. In this 2.5-hour orientation and dive, shark sightings are guaranteed. Descend into the 750,000-gallon Open Ocean exhibit and become immersed in the tropical underwater world with over 20 sharks, stingrays, and thousands of tropical reef fish. Available Mon., Wed. and Fri. Price includes SCUBA tank, weights, and admission to the Maui Ocean Center for a family member or friend to watch. 

For youth who aren't certified divers but who dream of seeing the undersea world, an Atlantis Submarine Adventure is the way to go. These real submarines carry up to 48 passengers to depths of 130 feet along the West Maui coastline. The submarine tour is 90 minutes long; children must be at least 36 inches tall to ride. The whole family can learn about the tropical reef ecosystem supporting thousands of remarkable creatures. A great value to take advantage of this summer is the Atlantis Adventures' Maui Value Pass, which includes an Atlantis Submarine ride, admission to the Maui Ocean Center and a tram tour of the Maui Tropical Plantation, plus a ticket for a land ride on the Sugar Cane Train. Tickets are one price for adults and half-price for kids. 

How about an amphibious tour? Lahaina Honu is a state-of-the-art Hydra Terra amphibious vehicle painted bright yellow so you can't miss it whether driving the historic streets of Lahaina or gazing from the picturesque Ka'anapali Beach shoreline. This tour features the best of both land and sea worlds to learn about the historical attractions of old Lahaina and to cruise in the ocean with green sea turtles and frolicking dolphins. It's a very affordable activity, with children's pricing through age 15, offered Monday through Saturday. 

Rainforests & Plantations
Hawai'i Nature Center at 'Iao Valley brings the beauty of a tropical rainforest to your fingers and toes with an Interactive Nature Museum and Rainforest Walk. This fun and educational combination of activities is perfect for families who want to know why Maui and the Hawaiian island chain are unique and to be preserved. On a moderate loop trail, follow ancient footpaths across 'Iao Stream with a guide who shares the lore of this historic location; see native and introduced Hawaiian plants and the remains of ancient habitation. After the walk, go into the nature center museum to see, hear and feel exhibits that will interpret and enhance your new understanding of Hawaii's cultural and natural history. Designed to appeal to all ages; walkers must be five years of age or older. Offered daily, the hike fee includes admission to the museum. Special summer programs for parent/child teams are also available. 

A treat for family members of any age, the Sugar Cane Train keeps West Maui history alive with its nostalgic train rides on the Lahaina-Ka'anapali Railroad. Authentic reproductions of 19th century steam locomotives carry passengers in open-air boxcars for a picturesque view and colorful narrative of the coastline and Maui's sugar plantation era. The train departs daily between 10:15 am and 4 pm. Every Thursday, beginning at 5 pm, is the Paniolo Express Dinner Train - roaring good fun for kids and their parents. When passengers disembark from a sunset train ride at the Ka'anapali station, Hawaiian Cowboys and Town Sheriffs entertain and feed you with a hearty all-you-can-eat island-style BBQ, live music and hula dancing under the stars. 

To learn about nature's bounty in a tropical fruit plantation, look no further than Waikapu for a scenic tram ride at the Maui Tropical Plantation. The narrated tour takes you past fields of tropical fruits, flowering trees, and exotic flowers, as the tram rolls through a 60-acre working plantation. Learn a few things about husking a coconut by hand. The tram runs daily between 10 am and 4 pm; it's a nominal fee to ride. 

Enjoy these family fun deals from the ocean to the land. To discover more things to do on Maui, visit the Activities section of our website at visitmaui.com

Back to the top of the page 

·Beach Blanket Baby - 
Kid-Friendly Beaches
So you're bringing the kids to Maui; of course you'd like to find the best swimming beaches for the whole family to enjoy. We have our insider favorites and have included recommendations by the island's guest service industry. Most of Maui's beaches offer clean sand and clear water under sunny skies, plus the right movement of tradewinds for some exciting ocean activities, but there are several beaches that are also protected by a coral reef, providing calm wave action and a shallow swimming area. 

Makena to Ma'alaea
Makena Landing at Po'olenalena Park
Polo Beach (adjacent to The Fairmont Kea Lani)
Wailea Beach (adjacent to Grand Wailea Resort)
Ulua Beach (northern end of Wailea)
Keawakapu Beach (southern end of Kihei)
Kamaole I, II and III Beach Parks (in the heart of Kihei)
Kalama Beach Park (S. Kihei Rd.)
Ko'ie'ie Fishpond at Kalepolepo Park (S. Kihei Rd.)
Sugar Beach (along N. Kihei Rd. to Ma`alaea)

Maui County Ocean Safety Officers maintain three lifeguard towers at the Kamaole Beaches in Kihei. 

Lahaina to Kapalua
Launiupoko Beach Park (south of Lahaina on Honoapi'ilani Hwy.)
Kamehameha Iki Park (in Lahaina next to 505 Front St.)
Baby Beach in Lahaina (accessed from Kenui St. off Front St.)
Wahikuli Beach Park (north of Lahaina along Honoapi'ilani Hwy.)
Hanakao'o (Canoe) Beach (south Ka'anapali on Honoapi'ilani Hwy.)
Kahekili Beach Park (Keka'a or north Ka'anapali on Kai Ala Dr.)
Honokowai Beach Park (Lower Honoapi'ilani Rd.)
Kahana Beach (Lower Honoapi'ilani Rd.)
Napili Bay (Lower Honoapi'ilani Rd. adjacent to Napili Kai Resort)
Kapalua Bay (Lower Honoapi'ilani Rd. adjacent to Kapalua Bay Hotel)

Maui County Ocean Safety Officers maintain a lifeguard tower at Hanakao'o Beach (next to the Hyatt Regency Maui) in Ka'anapali and D.T. Fleming Beach (next to The Ritz-Carlton) in Kapalua. 

Central Maui (North Shore)
Kanaha Beach Park (between Kahului and Spreckelsville)
Baldwin Beach Park (Pa'ia)

Maui County Ocean Safety Officers maintain a lifeguard tower at each of these beaches. 

Back to the top of the page 

· Golf Tips from the Pros
Wailea Golf Club, one of the country's top golf resorts, launched the Wailea Golf Academy in late 2004, a personalized instruction program based at the club's exclusive 12-acre training facility. Led by a team of Class-A golf professionals, such as Tim Mitchell, PGA and Eddie Lee, PGA, the academy offers classes for individuals and small groups whose skill levels range from beginning to advanced. Services at Wailea include private instruction, video lessons, playing lessons, as well as half- and full-day schools. See waileagolf.com. Here's a tip on putting from Tim Mitchell, PGA:
On Maui, most if not all of the golf courses grow Bermuda grass on their greens. Unlike courses using other varieties of grasses, those with Bermuda greens have a few additional factors golfers need to consider when deciding where and how hard to strike the ball in order to hole it. The major difference is leaf overlay, also referred to as "grain." Grain is the common direction the blades of grass grow, which is influenced by the direction of the setting sun and the drainage of water on the greens. Each blade of grass leans towards the setting sun, seeking its last source of daily nourishment. Because each blade of grass grows in the same direction, the golf ball will be influenced significantly by this directional force. Therefore, putts heading "down grain" will move faster than you might expect, and putts "into the grain" will be slower than you expect. "Cross-grain" putts will modify the break, depending on the prevailing direction of the grain. 
You might be asking yourself, "How do I know where the grain is growing?" Well, there are two steps you can take. First, ask any golf course staff member, "Where is the sun setting today?" That piece of information will give you the general direction of where the grain is growing. To get more specific information, look closely at the hole. One side is browner, less cleanly cut, and more sun-burned. This side of the hole is the direction in which the grain is growing. If you are putting directly into the sunburned side of the hole, you are putting directly into the grain. Don't be alarmed if this direction is different from the general grain direction. Drainage on the greens can cause inconsistencies to the grain. Keep the general grain direction in mind for longer putts, and keep the more specific grain direction in mind for the last three to four feet of the putt, as grain will have a larger effect on a putt during the last few feet of roll. With practice, you'll be better able to read the grain and have greater success with your putts. Good luck! To learn more about the golf courses on Maui's Golf Coast, visit the Golf section of our website at visitmaui.com

· Wedding Corner
Although Maui is favored year-round for weddings, the months of February through June see the largest number of ceremonies on the island. Making the choice of its poetic scenery for your vows is not enough, however. Careful planning of details and research into legal requirements will ensure that your wedding day will dawn worry-free and your ceremony will be as romantic as Chad and Maile"s in the movie "Blue Hawai'i." 

Obtaining a State of Hawai'i marriage license on Maui is very simple, but it needs to be done before the ceremony is performed. There are six authorized marriage license agents on Maui: four in West Maui, one in South Maui, and one in Central Maui. Even if you work with a wedding coordinator, these agents are the only ones who can issue your license. They offer a variety of business hours to accommodate most schedules. In Hawai'i, the marriage license is immediately valid, so that means if you obtain the license on Friday morning, you can have your wedding ceremony later the same day. Both bride and groom must appear personally before the licensing agent and present a photo I.D. Proof of age is required for anyone 18 years old and younger: present a birth certificate, passport, or immigration papers. There are no residence or citizenship requirements. Hawai'i has no waiting period, and blood tests are not required. If you were divorced less than 60 days from the date of the wedding ceremony, written proof of the divorce decree is required. Otherwise, just the month and year of your divorce, plus county and state in which you were divorced are requested on the application. The marriage license may be used on any island in the State of Hawai'i and is valid for a period of 30 days. The state's license fee is $60, payable in cash only at the time the license is issued. The licensing agent provides you with a legal document that you must take with you to the ceremony. Your minister/officiant makes sure it is witnessed and signed. The licensing agent sends the fee and signed application directly to the Hawai'i Dept. of Health, and the state office mails a certified copy of your marriage license to you in 90 to 120 days. For more details, go to the official state Dept. of Health website to view online information and download a license application or contact the County of Maui Dept. of Health registrar's office in Wailuku at (808) 984-8210. If you plan to get married on Lana'i, call (808) 565-6411, or on Moloka'i, call (808) 553-3663. For planning assistance, log-on to the Maui Wedding Association's comprehensive website at mauiweddingassociation.com

·Chef's Corner
Many of you know the outstanding reputation for innovative, New American cuisine and stellar service at David Paul's Lahaina Grill restaurant. Did you also know that the restaurant has been voted "Best Maui Restaurant" for 12 consecutive years by the Honolulu Magazine readers' poll (1994-2005)? Not only is David Paul's Triple Berry Pie a perennial favorite of customers, but it also makes a beautiful red, white and blue presentation at an Independence Day picnic and is a delicious use of the summer berry harvest. 

Triple Berry Pie
Chef/Owner Jurg Munch and Chef Arnulfo Gonzalez
David Paul's Lahaina Grill

One Pie, Serves 10
Ingredients (crust):
12 oz., All-Purpose Flour
1 pinch, Salt
3 oz., Unsalted Butter
3 oz., All-Purpose Shortening
1/4 cup, Sour Cream
1/2 cup, Ice Water
1 Raw Egg, scrambled
3 packets, Sugar in the Raw-Maui Sugar or 3 teaspoons sugar

Crust Method:
Gently rub flour with salt, butter and shortening together. Add sour cream and ice water, gently knead until all ingredients are folded into the dough without over mixing. Place in a bowl, cover dough with a moist towel or plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for about 1 hour. 

Ingredients (filling):
12 oz., Blueberries
12 oz., Raspberries
1 cup, Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup, Granulated Tapioca
1/4 cup, Crème de Cassis liqueur

Filling Method:
Mix all ingredients together. Line a 9" pie pan (sprayed with vegetable pan coating) with approximately half of the prepared dough, rolled out to approximately 1/8" thick. Add berry mixture, and cover with remaining dough. Cut a 3/4" hole into the middle to allow steam from berry mixture to escape while baking. Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle with raw brown sugar. 
Bake at 375°F with a fan on for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake until berry mixture starts bubbling, approximately 40 minutes. Cool and store in refrigerator until served. Garnish with vanilla flavored whipped cream and fresh seasonal berries, or raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream, if desired.