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4th of July Fireworks Celebration on Maui 2011

2011-06-22T12:16:00.006-10:00

We're excited to announce Maui will again be hosting a 4th of July celebration with fireworks from Lahaina in addition to its yearly Makawao rodeo and Paniolo Parade.
Maui is the place to be on Independence Day!
Starting on the morning of July 4th, you may want to venture to Maui's upcountry Paniolo (Hawaiian word for cowboy) town of Makawao, which every year celebrates their ranching history with their annual rodeo festival and paniolo parade. The celebrations begin at 9am and go through noon. The parade starts at the lower end of Baldwin Avenue, follows up Makawao Avenue, ending at the Eddie Tam Center.
Evening fireworks celebrations will be in Lahaina Town. Pretty much anyone on Maui who wants to watch the fireworks will be heading to Lahaina, so you should expect heavy traffic whether coming from the north (Kaanaapali, Kahana, Napili or Kapalua), the south (Kihei, Wailea), Central Maui towns (Kahului, Wailuku, Paia) or our upcountry towns (Makawao, Kula, Haiku, etc). Parking will not be too easy either...
For those of you who just want to enjoy a hassle-free 4th of July celebration, we at Ohana Fun Hawaii came up with some very fun Maui 4th of July cruises 2011 that are guaranteed to give you an awesome time and the best seats in the house, as you'll be watching it from an unobstructed all open boat floating on the Pacific Ocean!
For those of you coming from the north (Kaanapali, Kapalua) we have a great 3-hour sailing tour departing from Kaanapali Beach at Whalers' Village that will also include a beautiful sunset sail!
If you're coming from Wailea, Kihei or the central and upcountry areas of Maui, and want to avoid the usual traffic jams of our one-lane road to and from Lahaina, we have a 3-hour + cruise leaving from Maalaea, taking away the "sting" of all the long bumper-to-bumper drive and parking hassle in town. We even have a "Alcohol Free" Cruise also leaving from Maalaea, for those bringing their kids, who want to make sure they will be participating in a family oriented tour.
Those of you who actually enjoy the warmth of Lahaina Town and look forward to walking around with all others, but still want the best seats in the house, good food and a fun time, we have a 4th of July Fireworks 3-course Dinner Cruise and also a Lahaina 4th of July Cocktail Cruise, both leaving from the town Harbor. One of them is bound to be the perfect cruise for you!
All of the above Independence Day Fireworks Celebration Cruises for 2011 on Maui have a special price for our OhanaFun.Net customers and are sure to be sold out a few days prior to the 4th of July. If you have questions or just want to be sure you can still get in, please call our concierge hotline at 1-800-350-3849. We'll be sure to give you the most up-to-date availability and come up with the perfect cruise for you.
From all of us at OhanaFun.Net a Happy and safe Independence Day celebration for you and all yours!!

Maui Family Dolphin Tour - Summer's best deal!

2011-05-27T15:25:00.005-10:00

As we continued our search for the ultimate deals for families coming to Maui to enjoy fun in the Sun, we found this awesome snorkeling & dolphin encounter tour that is sure to be an unforgettable experience for the entire family, Pacific Whale Foundation's Lanai Wild Dolphin Adventure!

This awesome half day adventure guarantees dolphin siting* and includes snorkeling off Lanai (weather permitting), breakfast, barbecue lunch, beverages (3 alcoholic ones for those over 21), all snorkeling equipment, flotation devices, snorkeling lesson and a fun water slide! On your way back to Maui your kids will get to spend a fun time with one of PWF's marine naturalists who will entertain them with great activities that are sure to keep them busy while you get to relax and enjoy your ride. If what you have read so far was not enough, your kids will receive a FREE DOLPHIN POSTER once you stop by the PWF store in Lahaina, upon your arrival.

OK... did I mention this is summer's best family snorkel deal on Maui yet? So, here it goes... to top it off, you will get one child (12 & under) FREE with each paying adult ticket! With Ohana Fun! Hawaii's special rate, a family of 2 adults and 2 kids (12 & under) will spend under $164.00.

This tour departs daily from Lahaina Harbor at 8AM and since we're going to have a very busy summer, you should book your Lanai Wild Dolphin Excursion and all of your other great summer activities with Ohana Fun! Hawaii for the best summer deals, so don't miss out!

* In the event of a "fluke" and you don't see dolphins during your cruise, you'll receive a ticket for a free 3-hour dolphin encounter cruise.

Maui Family Zipline - Introducing Maui's Newest Family Activity!

2011-05-26T23:49:00.014-10:00

Summer is just around the corner and Maui now has even more fun activities for the entire family! We had the opportunity to experience Maui's newest family fun activity the entire family will enjoy! If you are planning on a Maui vacation for you and your family, and especially if you have little ones, you should really consider one of Maui's family zipline adventures. We know just hard it can be to figure what tours would be fun for kids, so we at Ohana Fun! Hawaii have been scouting Maui's tours and picked this awesome zip line tour guaranteed to bring a huge smile to everyone in your family! This is our TOP PICK for its central location, fun staff, beautiful views and most of all because we and our kids had a blast and we are sure you will too!!

Kid's Favorite Zip line Tour We just got to enjoy this awesome zip line tour that specializes in families. Kids 5 & up, weighing at least 50 pounds are guaranteed the time of their lives! We got to watch these two beautiful girls (ages 6 & 7 having such a blast, zipping with so much confidence while their parents had the biggest grim on their faces! It was fun for the kids and fun for the adults! The crew could not have done a better job at making sure we were all safe while having an awesome experience! We got to zip side-by-side throughout the entire course and had tons of photo and video opportunities! Those who did not want to zip got to walk along the course and enjoy the beautiful views of the Maui Tropical Plantation and West Maui Mountains for free! It was a very EASY walk which required very little effort, except for walking up a few flights of steps to get to the top of the zip tower. This was definitely a tour we know you and your family should not miss!!
For more information on this and other great Maui Zip Line Tours please visit OhanaFun.Net. We are committed to giving 10% of our commissions to Hawaii non-profit organizations devoted to assisting Hawaii families, through our Ohana First program.

Maui Activities Review

2011-02-18T05:19:00.004-10:00

I just updated our site to share some things to do in Maui. Of course, here at Ohana Fun! we are interested in all Hawaii Activities, but we want to give some attention to each of the islands as they have their own beauty, uniqueness and ways to enjoy.

The main highlights for Maui are as follows. Maui has some of the best Luaus in Hawaii. In addition to a Luau, we find that most people want to do some snorkel trip as Molokini and Lanai offer great snorkel boat tour options. Thirdly I want to highlight the importance of trying to get up in a helicopter tour while in Maui. It is utterly spectacular to get up in the air and at Ohana Fun we have really worked hard to make it affordable.

Of course there are many more great things to do, but this is just a quick list of some of the more popular. Please contact one of our concierge if you have further questions.

Christmas and New Years gone so Soon!

2011-01-02T21:59:00.003-10:00

Many people are leaving the islands of Hawaii now, headed back to their respective homes and quite possibly snow! But as seasons go, we leave one and are right into the next. Now it is time for Hawaii bound travelers to start planning their spring and summer vacations.

A good thing to keep in mind is that the majority of people are only able to come on vacation to Hawaii around the same times, which means it can be very busy here! So when you know what you want to do and when you want to do it, book your Hawaiian activities as soon as possible! Some things you can get by booking a little more last minute, like jet ski rentals or parasailing. But you cannot be so whimsical with every activity or tour. For instance, I have customers call me and say "Can I make a reservation for the Old Lahaina Luau (on Maui) tomorrow night", to which my response is "Sorry, they are sold out, and their next availability is after you leave".

So please, when you come to Hawaii, think about how you can make the most of your time. Whatever you want to do, plan in advance and get it taken care of... just don't over schedule, you do want to relax while you are here!

Maui Ocean Raft Snorkeling

2010-12-23T20:50:00.004-10:00

Last week I think I did one of the best snorkeling trips in Maui! It was with Ocean Riders out of Lahaina. First of all, Chad and Patty (the crew) were amazing. Very personable and helpful.

For this snorkel trip around Lanai they only take about 16 passengers. So it really has the feel of a private snorkel boat to Lanai, without the Private costs. An early start, but well worth it. We saw whales crossing the channel, followed by a close inspection of shipwrecks on the coast of Lanai. A little further we came to our first snorkel spot. The water was so clear, so many fish, and very few other snorkelers as our boat was the only one there.

Two more snorkel stops and an adventurous ride along the cliff faces rounded off the day - not to mention the great deli lunch. I saw some of the bluest waters and spectacular fish as I've ever seen. This certainly is a top Maui Activity to keep in mind for anyone.

Coming to Maui during Christmas and New Years 2010-2011

2010-12-06T11:49:00.003-10:00

Aloha Kakahiaka! (Good Morning! in Hawaiian)
Gosh, I can't believe we're already coming to the final stretch of 2010!! Here at Ohana Fun! Hawaii we've been getting pretty busy preparing for the busiest time of the year in Hawaii. We receive an even greater percentage of our visitors as returning guests, coming for more of Hawaii!! I guess, once you come once, you can't help it but to come back for more!!!
If you're planning on coming over during the last 2 weeks in December, for a Hawaii holiday, you must be getting very excited by now, especially if you're already dealing with some of the freezing weather in the Mainland and Canada!
So far, we've been able to find some special events going on on Christmas Day, here on Maui:
The Kea'Lani Resort in Wailea will be hosting Santa Claus, who will be arriving by outrigger canoe at 12 noon. For more information call the Kea'Lani at 808-875-4100. Admission is FREE!!
Also on Christmas day the Pacific Whale Foundation will have Christmas brunch cruises leaving from Lahaina; a great way to view Maui's beautiful coastlines, spot whales as an alternative to a brunch where you'll be in one spot the whole time... For more information call 1-800-350-3849 and an Ohana Fun! Hawaii concierge will check on all available cruises for you. One call does it all!
Also, for a New Year's Eve celebration on Maui, the Hyatt Luau is now offering a New Years Eve luau starting at 9:30 PM, which includes a champagne toast at midnight, not to mention all the awesome dishes already available at the luau! The seats are going very fast, as this is the only luau offering the late night show, and here, at Ohana Fun we're offering discounts too, so if you'd like to know more about it, just give us a ring.

Things to do for Free in Maui

2009-12-01T15:27:00.003-10:00

Last post I said that I would publish some great things to do for free here in Maui. Of course there are great Maui activities that you can pay for, and I will cover some of them, but not everything great will cost you a lot of money in life. One qualifier... public transportation is not great here, so you will still need to rent a car while in Hawaii, unless you really don't want to see more than your hotel room and pool - which should be a punishable crime. And of course, gas prices here are not cheap. You're looking at between $3.50-$4.00 per gallon, depending on grade and island you're going to.

I'll start with with both my wife's and my favorite drive. It is the drive around the North/East side of the West Maui Mountains. This drive is exceptionally beautiful. I know many will say that you should start from the Lahaina or Kapalua side and drive East. However, I am partial to starting in Wailuku and making our way around to the North from there on State Hwy 340. On this drive you will have vast ocean views over rocky cliffs, green bouldery hillside that will remind you of Scotland or Ireland, lush tropical vegetation, and an old Hawaiian village. Despite some of the narrow, bumpy & winding roads, this area of Maui is so peaceful. Be sure to stop along the way to get out of the car and take it all in. Also, some rental car companies here have restrictions on where you can drive on the island, please be forewarned.

Free Maui Activities?

2009-11-23T14:59:00.003-10:00

My mother-in-law has been visiting us here in Maui for the past several weeks. She came over for the birth of our second child, but how can you come to Maui and not be a tourist? This also gives us a great opportunity to be tourists ourselves. No matter how much one tries to take advantage of living in paradise, life seems to crowd in and prevent the enjoyment that living here can bring. So really now we have an excuse to take in the island beauty.

Over the next few days I will write and share about some of our tourist excursions. Believe it or not, there are some great things to do for Free while in Hawaii - not all Maui activities will cost you an arm and a leg. So we'll talk about that some too. Tonight we're going to a Luau in Wailea... which is not one of the "free" activities, but I'll report on that as well.

Winter's Back!

2009-10-26T11:03:00.004-10:00

We are coming into my favorite time here in Hawaii. The winter season is so refreshing an enjoyable, particularly in Maui. The trade winds are blowing, the humidity is subsided and some small rain showers to round everything out. Overall a very enjoyable climate. I also heard that the Whales have started to make an appearance in our wonderful waters. This also means that the whale watching tours will soon be taking off. My wife and I went out on a boat last year to see the whales. I will say that we were both pleasantly surprised with the adventure. We definitely are looking forward to this upcoming season to get back out there to enjoy the sun and the brilliant blue seas, and of course the massive beautiful beasts!

Overwhelmed

2009-09-22T12:17:00.003-10:00

Today is a good day. It's clear, sunny and beautiful here in Maui. It's warm, though not too hot. I try not to take for granted that this is my home. I step out of my front door and look straight into the splendor of the West Maui Mountains. I take a walk down my street and am in awe of Haleakela rising out of the mighty Pacific. I am grateful that this is my home. You know though, after living here for years there is still so much to see and do. I anticipate checking off the list.. the hikes, the tours, the snorkel spots.. Maybe one day I'll have seen all of Hawaii from the air. One day. Until then I will enjoy today and thank God for the air I get to breathe here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

2009-09-11T17:09:00.002-10:00

Being September 11th we want to take a moment and honor all those that fought for the safety and preservation of life just eight years ago. May we not forget the threat that we were under then and still remains today. The worst thing we could do is to ignorantly move forward thinking that things have been resolved or the problem of terrorism is behind us. Never forget. They haven't.

2009-09-11T17:04:00.002-10:00

Hello all... sorry for the lack of correspondence over the past few months. My wife and I have been traveling plenty and maintaining a blog fell to the bottom of the list. But we should be back! Of course things at Ohana Fun have been going great and moving forward! I look forward sharing this and more with you soon, including some of the fun activities we have been able to participate in both in Honolulu and Maui recently.

Royal Lahaina Beach Luau

2009-02-26T15:53:00.001-10:00

Here at Ohana Fun! we love to take part in many of the activities that we offer. After all, how can we hand-on-heart recommend something that we have not tried? Last night we were guests at the Royal Lahaina Luau, at the Luau Gardens and my, what fun it was!

From the start we were treated to creation's finest as we watched the warm afternoon sun slip below the horizon as the cool island-breezes played with the palm fronds. As the light faded the show from the stage began to dazzle.

But first it was a trip to the buffet where typical Hawaiian fare catered to all tastes and left no-one hungry. Central to the buffet was the Pulled Pork but special mention should go to the Mahi-Mahi which was, for me, a highlight. A variety of Island deserts to finish with really did sweeten the deal.

And to drink, sir? If you somehow escaped the pre-show drinks and evaded the many bars on the way to your table you could not manage to avoid the attention of the waiters who made it a point of pride not to leave anyone without. If rum's your thing then your smile will be fixed for the evening. The mai tais were to perfection, but the bar staff are equally adept with your drink of choice. A good selection of virgin drinks complemented the menu adding options for everybody.

Seated comfortably, the show began. The live band provided the sounds as a backdrop to a walk through history from Tahiti to Hawaii, narrated through dance. We discovered how Hawaiians trace their ancestry and along the way we experienced the different dances, costumes and music of this beautiful culture. The dances ranged from mellow to the exotic with a highlight being the fire dances.

The whole show was slick, engaging and with great variation. The end came all too soon and I was left wondering to myself where that time went! The evening was a sensual feast and I left exhilarated and completely absorbed in the fun of it all. If you're in Maui and only have a few days, I would mark the Royal Lahaina Luau as a priority for one of your evenings! You wont be disappointed.

Maui Rain!

2009-01-27T11:34:00.004-10:00

What a wonderful day of constant rain! A refreshing break from the heat of the last couple of days, almost like we're not even in Hawaii. So it's a good day to be in the office. Get some work done... a day of brainstorming even.

It's nice actually to get some peace and quiet. It seems like every conversation I get in lately is about the economy, and the "economic situation". I'm not sure how I feel about this. You know, certainly it's a good reminder to spend wisely, but we also need to keep fear in perspective.

Most of our information on this "economic situation" comes from a media blast that doesn't completely reflect the reality that we live in. However, we buy into it. We yield ourselves to the constant drone of "hard economic times", it scares us into a corner, and we're saturated in fear and greed. But we don't want that. We want to live free. We need a reality check, absent of propaganda.

You know, my wife and I were on a flight from LA to Maui last week, and yet again I was shocked at how full the plane was. There sure still seems to be ample of travelers, and travelers to Hawaii none the less, in these "economically difficult times". Don't get me wrong, I know that there are people suffering out there due to some economic situations... my problem is that these sufferings are a result of greed and people not living in reality. We need a reality check.

Or maybe you need a Hawaiian vacation! Actually, maybe I need a Hawaiian vacation! That's more like it... I need to get on some of these Maui activities.

A Happy Hawaiian New Year!

2009-01-05T15:51:00.006-10:00

We at Ohana Fun! just want to wish you all a happy New Year. Now that the holidays are over, everyone is buckling down again and getting down to business - which is Maui, Big Island, Kauai and Oahu activities of course.

We always want business to be fun and trust that this coming year will be a prosperous one for people, and that you all would have fun! Make sure you take time for family and enjoy those vacations. Especially you should take some time out and make your way to for some great family Hawaii activities and attractions.

Do not be overwhelmed. Do not fall prey to the economic hysteria. Press forward. How do you eat an elephant? The same as anything else, one bite at a time.

Merry Christmas! (from Maui, Hawaii)

2008-12-25T12:11:00.005-10:00

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas from all of us at Ohana Fun! Hawaii. We know that this is a wonderful time to be with family and relaxation. Hopefully Maui, or somewhere in Hawaii is the backdrop for your time. And if you're fortunate you have plenty of activities to participate in while here in Hawaii. We are taking some time with family as well, but are still available to be your personal Hawaiian concierge. Make the most of Hawaii with our selection of Maui activities, Big Island activities, Oahu activities and Kauai activities!

Hawaii Review

2008-12-01T20:52:00.006-10:00

Some of us from Ohana Fun! Hawaii have left the beautiful Hawaiian islands for a few weeks. We find ourselves in the brisk, sometimes frigid air of China! China is wonderful and a must for any avid traveller as we are at Ohana Fun!

We know the value of time and the importance to make the most of your time while on any trip. This is why we want to offer superb personal Hawaii concierge services to any wanting all they can have from the Hawaiian islands and activities.

The cold China air brings a healthy reminder of the warm Maui breeze to come, and all those Maui activities awaiting us. The Maui vistas and majestic ocean is always a wonderful thing to return to... even though the rest of the world is awaiting.

Maui Rain

2008-11-18T21:39:00.004-10:00

Man, did it ever rain here the last day! Maui rain is exceptional though... flashing downpours often refreshing. It seems as though this past one helped usher in the comfortable Maui winter. Hawaii weather is typically predictable, especially here. Eighty degrees and sunny. But we love to see our grass green up. Not to mention that Hawaii winter equals North Shore swell! And Hawaii North Shore means nothing shy of Hawaii Surf! The mighty ocean bears down on our beloved beaches and reefs. Green and blue are the backdrop for all of our Maui & other Hawaii adventures and activities.

Lizard Man

2008-11-13T12:02:00.006-10:00

When walking about you must not get too consumed with your mission to miss the simple beauties of life! Life is not just point A to point B, there are the vast wonders in between. Just like this guy. He's walking about his day, as were we... our paths intersect and we stared at each other for a few moments.

Hawaii is not a place for speed, it is all about taking deep breaths and pulling back a notch or two. But even here in the islands we can tend to get caught up in our own little worlds. Not to mention how easy it is for any Hawaiian Tourist to return home more tired than when they arrived if they try to take in all the Hawaiian island activities and attractions that there are.

My suggestion for life is to do what you can, and plenty of it, though do not be in such a state where you cannot pause for simple pleasure and gentle beauty.

Kona Blues

2008-11-11T14:37:00.004-10:00

Last week we had the privilege of traveling back and forth from Maui to Kona several times. Living in Maui is great, great breeze and sunshine, though it is wonderful to traverse the oceans to the other islands from time to time and experience the difference in scenery as well as, believe it or not, the climatic change. And this past time was the Big Island of Hawaii... specifically Kailua-Kona.

We flew over on a little 10 seat airplane that gives great views of Haleakela and the coasts of both Maui and Kona. You can really appreciate Hawaii so much more when you see it from the air. It is amazing to see these volcanic mounds popping out of the mighty Pacific Ocean. I am amazed every time I think of the remoteness and splendor of Hawaii.

Anyways, this trip I was particularly struck by the bright blues that surround the Kona coast. I snapped this photo from my phone as we were taking off, returning to Maui. It captures the rustic, pure beauty of the Hawaiian Islands, inspiring in their own right. Make sure to make an aerial exploration as part of your Maui or Big Island activities!

Drizzle

2008-10-28T12:06:00.009-10:00

I will often have friends or visitors comment on the occasional rain that we get here in Maui, especially on the North Shore. I am surprised at their surprise. My response, of course, is: we do live on a Hawaiian TROPICAL island! You do not get the tropics without some precipitation! Now the great thing in all of this is though that even the rain here is pleasant most of the time.

Warm sunshine, drizzle, rain, warm sunshine... the cycle of life, especially during the winter. There is so much that this offers us here though, especially on the Road To Hana. as an example of exceptional Maui activities We have splendid waterfalls, tropical rainforests, even a bamboo forest, all explorative when you do one of our Hana van tours. So let's embrace the rain as refreshment on our lives. And remember that we are in the land of rainbows that show us there is always the sun right behind the waters.

Sunsets and Such

2008-10-24T11:42:00.004-10:00

Let's take a minute to talk about Maui sunsets. Of course there are the tourist ways to take in such spectacular events with various Maui activities, but what is amazing is the simple unexpected ones.

Often, as my wife and I drive home in the evenings, we are stunned by the beauty. For instance just last night we decided to spend some time reading in town at Border's. I stepped outside to take a phone call and stepped into this wonder (see inset photo). The reds and pinks are astounding. The peaceful serenity overwhelming. The cloud texture is always different especially with the volcanic West Maui mountains in the backdrop.

I believe sunsets are a time to relax and breathe it all in, especially with your family and loved ones around. And how can you not be excited to enjoy the wonder of Maui when here?