Kaanapali Beach, Maui

Good afternoon folks,

We are sailing next April on Celebrity and are interested in Kaanapali Beach for the day. We are tendering in Lahaina. Does anyone know if they have beach chair rentals as well as how far it is from the port if we want to take a cab?

Thank you!

Janine

Hi Janine,

Kaanapali Beach is 4 miles from the port in Lahaina ... a cab will be about $15. each way. Here's the route.

Re beach chair rentals - here's a link to previous threads on Kaanapali Beach - near the top of the list is a recent thread re chair & umbrella rentals.

Depending on how much time you have in port, you might find it worthwhile to rent a car and explore a bit further in West Maui - there are some really nice beaches in Napili and Kapalua, and it's a scenic drive as well. But for beach, shopping, restaurants and not venturing too far - Kaanapali will work well.

As Susan-M said you may want to consider a rental car however depending upon how many hours you're in Lahaina renting a car would take about 90 minutes of your time. Most rental car agencies in West Maui require being shuttled to their offices in north Ka'anapali & if returning after office hours (about 5:00-ish) you'd need to take a taxi back to the tender pier. You'd also need to pay for parking at Ka'anapali although many Whalers Village businesses will validate your ticket for a couple of hours (2 or 3) of free parking.

There is a shuttle bus from Lahaina to Ka'anapali which costs $2/pp/ow. You get the shuttle from the back of the Wharf Cinema Center which is about a 5 minute walk from the tender pier & across the street from the large banyan tree park adjacent to the pier. With a ship in town it will be crowded & probably not a great option as it only departs hourly.

http://www.co.maui.hi.us/index.aspx?NID=605

http://thewharfcinemacenter.com/bus-schedule/

I'd think that a taxi would be your best option & here's a link to a company with estimated prices showing $12 between Lahaina & Ka'anapali. We have our car on Maui so don't have any personal experience with a cab in Lahaina & only from our South Maui house to the airport.

http://westmauitaxi.com/services_and_rates

Whalers Village shopping center is in the middle of Ka'anapali Beach with shops & restaurants (fast food & table service). Our favorite casual dining spot is the Barefoot Bar located across from the beach at the Hula Grill restaurant. Most of the tables are in the sand with prices in the $15-$20 range & they frequently have live music.

http://www.hulagrillkaanapali.com/menus/barefoot-bar

I'd suggest leaving some time to walk around the historical old town of Lahaina which was the capital during the Hawaiian monarchy. There are free pamphlets available from tourist brochure racks around town & if you're interested in the history of Lahaina they're helpful. It's a small town that you could walk end to end in about 15-20 minutes without any stops.

Janine...whatever you decide to do in Lahaina & West Maui have a great relaxing visit...Aloha! :)

Thank you both so much! We are in Maui for 2 days, we are doing a tour one day as well as the old Lahaina luau. We wanted to have one day to just do a beach day. We will definitely look into all of your suggestions. You've been so helpful!

We want to do West Maui and are renting a car. What is the parking like in the Lahaina and Kaanapali area? Where can we rent chairs and umbrellas for Kaanapali Beach?

Hi Janine,

 

Re beach chair rentals - here's a link to previous threads on Kaanapali Beach - near the top of the list is a recent thread re chair & umbrella rentals.

Sorry, that link was working earlier, but isn't now .. however, if you put "Kaanapali Beach" in the search box at the top of the Hawaii forum page, you'll get a list of threads that should provide some helpful info, including the thread about "chair and umbrella rentals".

Thank you both so much! We are in Maui for 2 days, we are doing a tour one day as well as the old Lahaina luau. We wanted to have one day to just do a beach day. We will definitely look into all of your suggestions. You've been so helpful!

That's great that you overnight in Lahaina & able to go to the OLL...that's much better than on Princess. :)

Notion of the Ocean....regarding parking in Lahaina there are some pay lots in town and free parking on the street if you can find it. Just be sure you watch your timing diligently as they monitor very closely and you do not want to find yourself with a ticket.:D We usually have better luck if we park a couple of blocks off the Main Street through town. Everything is very walkable.:cool:

Half the Safeway parking lot is a pay lot... We always park there and walk the block to the main drag of Lahaina. Then if you need anything at the store before getting to the ship....

Half the Safeway parking lot is a pay lot... We always park there and walk the block to the main drag of Lahaina. Then if you need anything at the store before getting to the ship....

Safeway is at the Lahaina Cannery Mall about a mile from Lahaina with free parking...are you talking about Foodland at the Old Lahaina Center? :confused:

Yiks! Apologies you are right we shopped at both grocery stores.... You do have to pay and it is a short block to the main drag...

Yiks! Apologies you are right we shopped at both grocery stores.... You do have to pay and it is a short block to the main drag...

Mahalo for the clarification...I didn't think it changed in the couple of months we've been on the Mainland. ;)

Another option across the street from the Old Lahaina Center at the Lahaina Center (now an "outlet" center) some businesses like Hilo Hatties (last one on Maui) have validated parking.

We want to do West Maui and are renting a car. What is the parking like in the Lahaina and Kaanapali area? Where can we rent chairs and umbrellas for Kaanapali Beach?

At Kaanapali, we always park in the lot at the Whaler's Village Shopping Mall which fronts the beach. You just walk through and come out on the beach on the back side. We like the area as someone who gets tired of the beach can shop or go through the museum. I believe it is flanked by a hotel on either side. We had lunch at a beachfront lounge at one of them and probably both have chair rentals. I believe there are also water tours like snorkeling which leave from the beach in that area. You just sign up at the hotel.

Good advice that street parking in Lahaina can be slim to none. And be warned if you're renting a larger vehicle, many of the paid lots parking spaces are unbelievably tight. We generally try to find a lot that is a block or 2 off of Front St (the main drag that runs right along the coast through Lahaina), and just pay for parking. It's a lot less stressful than trying to find street parking usually.

Whalers Village is indeed between 2 hotels, as one looks "makai", toward the ocean, the Westin Hotel is on the left, and Whalers Village Condos will be flanking the right. Both Leilani's and Hula Grill are front and center beachfront restaurants with drop dead gorgeous views.

There are a good number of beachfront stands that will rent you chairs and umbrellas, from the Sheraton at Black Rock, just north of Whalers Village, down toward the southern end of Ka'anapali Beach at the Hyatt. There are also a few that do all sorts of water activities like SUP, snorkeling, etc.

The views from Ka'anapali Beach are IMHO among the most beautiful in the world. As one looks across the Au'au Channel toward the island of Lana'i to the west, with Moloka'i to the north, rugged and mysterious. Look toward the south and you will see the uninhabited island of Koho'olawe, which for many years was mercilessly used for bombing practice. There are groups now trying to replant native species of plants here. I love how many islands one can see from this vantage point. If you're in the Wailea area, also stunningly beautiful, you can see much the same. GORGEOUS!!!

A drive up just a bit past Kapalua in northwest Maui will bring some very interesting scenery and the Nakalele Blowhole. It is almost a rock climb as opposed to a hike down to the blowhole. IF you drive this way, I highly recommend you do not go past the blowhole. The road becomes very rough, and there's way too much more of lovely Maui to see. Also, PLEASE if you do climb/hike down to the blowhole, be warned to stay well back from both the blowhole and the shoreline here, as rogue waves can and have happened and in my understanding there have been fatalities here.

Our cruise (Disney Wonder) will be docking overnight in Kahului for 2 glorious days on my beloved Maui and I cannot WAIT!!!!

Another Maui tidbit that's good to know is that a few years back Maui County banned plastic bags in stores, so I love to buy really cute local shopping bags. If you don't want to buy bags, be sure to take your own.

If you like sushi, you will LOVE poke! Poke is a local dish that can be found in restaurants and in grocery stores. In stores you can peruse the seafood counter and ask kindly to try what looks good to you. Then you buy a little, they will put it over rice if you like and you have instant, cheap eats that are DIVINE! Mmmm!

Also, if you want some amazing coffee, head for the tall smokestack in Lahaian to Maui Coffee Roasters in the cute little dark green plantation style cottage right under the smokestack. They have a flight of coffees you can choose (for small fee), sample and then buy your favorite Hawaii-grown coffee to take home! DH loves their Lava Flow. But many love the locally grown Maui Moka.

Happy planning everyone!:D

Good advice that street parking in Lahaina can be slim to none. And be warned if you're renting a larger vehicle, many of the paid lots parking spaces are unbelievably tight. We generally try to find a lot that is a block or 2 off of Front St (the main drag that runs right along the coast through Lahaina), and just pay for parking. It's a lot less stressful than trying to find street parking usually.

 

Whalers Village is indeed between 2 hotels, as one looks "makai", toward the ocean, the Westin Hotel is on the left, and Whalers Village Condos will be flanking the right. Both Leilani's and Hula Grill are front and center beachfront restaurants with drop dead gorgeous views.

 

There are a good number of beachfront stands that will rent you chairs and umbrellas, from the Sheraton at Black Rock, just north of Whalers Village, down toward the southern end of Ka'anapali Beach at the Hyatt. There are also a few that do all sorts of water activities like SUP, snorkeling, etc.

 

The views from Ka'anapali Beach are IMHO among the most beautiful in the world. As one looks across the Au'au Channel toward the island of Lana'i to the west, with Moloka'i to the north, rugged and mysterious. Look toward the south and you will see the uninhabited island of Koho'olawe, which for many years was mercilessly used for bombing practice. There are groups now trying to replant native species of plants here. I love how many islands one can see from this vantage point. If you're in the Wailea area, also stunningly beautiful, you can see much the same. GORGEOUS!!!

 

A drive up just a bit past Kapalua in northwest Maui will bring some very interesting scenery and the Nakalele Blowhole. It is almost a rock climb as opposed to a hike down to the blowhole. IF you drive this way, I highly recommend you do not go past the blowhole. The road becomes very rough, and there's way too much more of lovely Maui to see. Also, PLEASE if you do climb/hike down to the blowhole, be warned to stay well back from both the blowhole and the shoreline here, as rogue waves can and have happened and in my understanding there have been fatalities here.

 

Our cruise (Disney Wonder) will be docking overnight in Kahului for 2 glorious days on my beloved Maui and I cannot WAIT!!!!

 

Another Maui tidbit that's good to know is that a few years back Maui County banned plastic bags in stores, so I love to buy really cute local shopping bags. If you don't want to buy bags, be sure to take your own.

 

If you like sushi, you will LOVE poke! Poke is a local dish that can be found in restaurants and in grocery stores. In stores you can peruse the seafood counter and ask kindly to try what looks good to you. Then you buy a little, they will put it over rice if you like and you have instant, cheap eats that are DIVINE! Mmmm!

 

Also, if you want some amazing coffee, head for the tall smokestack in Lahaian to Maui Coffee Roasters in the cute little dark green plantation style cottage right under the smokestack. They have a flight of coffees you can choose (for small fee), sample and then buy your favorite Hawaii-grown coffee to take home! DH loves their Lava Flow. But many love the locally grown Maui Moka.

 

Happy planning everyone!:D

This is fantastic information! Thank you so much!

You are most welcome, Jzad! :D

There are a good number of beachfront stands that will rent you chairs and umbrellas, from the Sheraton at Black Rock, just north of Whalers Village, down toward the southern end of Ka'anapali Beach at the Hyatt.

Thank you so much for actually answering the question about chairs/umbrellas instead of telling us to do a lengthy, laborious, often fruitless "Search" for the answer. So much quicker and easier to just answer the question like you did. It's a big help! :D

We want to do West Maui and are renting a car. What is the parking like in the Lahaina and Kaanapali area? Where can we rent chairs and umbrellas for Kaanapali Beach?

At Kaanapali you can valet park your car at the Sheraton Maui for $5.00 and that puts you right at Black Rock. There are also 3 parking areas with free beach access parking at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel, between the Westin Maui and Whalers Village and between the Kaanapali Alii and Marriott. Parking is limited in the beach access areas though. Or you can pay to park your car at whalers Village. If you buy enough there you can get your parking validated and park for free.

At Kaanapali you can valet park your car at the Sheraton Maui for $5.00 and that puts you right at Black Rock. There are also :)parking areas with free beach access parking at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel, between the Westin Maui and Whalers Village and between the Kaanapali Alii and Marriott. Parking is limited in the beach access areas though. Or you can pay to park your car at whalers Village. If you buy enough there you can get your parking validated and park for free.

Thanks for sharing this insider information. You can't buy guide books that have this kind of practical and needed info. :)