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We like Hawaii a lot. A few of us are heading there in a few weeks. Here’s some tips to Maui.

Jim “The Travel Organizer,” who last wrote about Hong Kong, Austin, San Antonio, Valley of Moon, California, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Split, Croatia, Krk, Croatia, Koper, Slovenia, Mendocino County, California, Auckland, Oslo, the small German town of Speyer and Deidesheim, Oahu, Napa Valley, Venice, Singapore, Bangkok, Sonoma County and Myrtle Beach, and here are his tips should you visit.

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Visitors to Maui spend most of their time at the resorts stretching out along the western-facing shoreline – and for good reason. A good number make their way to the summit of Haleakala to view sunrise or hike the otherworldly moonscape of its crater. A smaller number drive the road to Hana which is first on Travel + Leisure’s list of “America’s Most Scenic Roads.” Fewer still discover “upcountry” Maui – an adjective that describes lifestyle as much as it does geography – and that is unfortunate. This destination report will provide a roadmap to a day full of unique adventures, unexpected beauty and unrivaled cuisine on the leeward slopes of Haleakala.

Surfing Goat Dairy

What’s more fun than a barrel of monkeys? More than 100 goats (every one named!) who behave a lot more like pet dogs than farm animals! German ex-pats who despaired of finding goat cheese as good as that to which they had become accustomed in their native Germany decided to take matters into their own hands and Surfing Goat Dairy (SGD) was born. SGD is certified humane which means the goats have plenty of room to engage in natural behaviors, enjoying a hormone- and antibiotic-free diet.

The Travel Organizer milking a goat! – Photo: (c) 2019 – Jim Fatzinger, The Travel Organizer

The dairy offers 3 tours: six 30-minute “casual tours” daily ($8.00 for ages 2-12, $12.00 for 13+), “evening chores and milking,” Monday-Saturday at 3:30pm ($15.00 for ages 2-12, $20 for 13+) during which you get to milk one of the goats and receive an “I milked a goat today” ribbon commemorating your experience and a 2½ hour “Grand Dairy Tour” at 9:00am Wednesdays and Saturdays ($39.00 for ages 2-12, $49.00 for 13+) during which you hand milk one of the goats, help lead a herd from the dairy to a pasture, learn about the cheese making process and the piece de resistance – a seated tasting of the dairy’s more than 20 varieties of goat cheeses and truffles accompanied by crackers, olives, pickles and nuts. The fun continues with the names of the cheeses: “Udderly Delicious” (served during the inauguration ceremonies for President Obama), “It’s not Sushi” (chevre with wasabi and soy sauce), “Ping Pong Balls (drained chevre rolled into balls and marinated in garlic olive oil), etc.   The tasting was so generous we hardly had room for lunch!

Kula Bistro

It’s only a 15 minute drive from Surfing Goat Dairy to Kula Bistro (rated 4.5 stars by both TripAdvisor and Yelp!). Open for breakfast (7:30-10:30am Tuesday-Sunday), lunch and dinner (11:00am-8:00pm daily), this family-owned bistro serves “home-style comfort food with an Italian accent.” The stars of the breakfast menu are the crab cake Benedict ($17.50) and the white chocolate macadamia nut pancakes ($13.95). The lunch menu features a variety of outstanding Panini ($14.50-$15.95), all accompanied by Caesar salad. At dinner, the chicken parmesan ($20.95) served with toasted garlic bread is big enough to split and still be full.  Tip: Alcohol is BYOB and there is no corkage fee.

Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm

Many times “the back story” of the places we visit turn out to be as fascinating as the attractions themselves. Just as the story of Surfing Goat Dairy begins with a German tech executive and his high school teacher wife who couldn’t find cheese to their liking, the story of Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm begins with the hospitality gift of a single plant from one of Hawaii’s most famous vocalists. In 1992, Ali’i Chang, whose adoptive grandmother had taught him horticulture as an art, purchased a farm which grew protea, one of the world’s most exotic and expensive flowers (pictured here). In 2001, Emma Veary, known as “Hawaii’s Golden Throat,” gave Ali’i a single lavender plant. While not native to Hawaii, it turns out lavender thrived in the climate of Chang’s farm. Today, Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm is home to 45 varieties of the herb and around 55,000 individual lavender plants. Admission to the grounds is just $3.00; five 30-40 minute guided walking tours are offered daily for $12.00 or you can take one of the two daily extended guided tours by golf cart for $25.00.

King protea bloom at Ali’I Kula Lavender Farm – Photo: (c) 2019 – Jim Fatzinger, The Travel Organizer

Tip: Don’t miss the lavender-infused scones available for purchase in the gift shop. With a 24-hour notice, Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm can arrange a picnic lunch including your choice of 5 sandwiches or a garden salad, gourmet chips, lavender-infused dessert and choice of beverage.

Kula Botanical Garden

According to information in the interesting scrapbooks available for viewing in the sitting room of the gift shop where you purchase admission tickets and obtain maps for your self-guided tour, the property which is now Kula Botanical Garden was originally owned by Chiefess Kekaulike of the last and mightiest ruling dynasty of Maui. Purchased in 1968 and opened to the public 3 years later, Kula Botanical Gardens was the first public garden on Maui. Today, its 8 acres are transected by paved walkways leading to displays of native plants, a covered bridge, a sanctuary for endangered Hawaiian nene geese, etc. Open daily from 9:00am – 4:00pm, admission is $10.00 for 13+ and $3.00 for 6 to 12-year-old children (under 6 are free).

Kula Botanical Gardens’ entrance – Photo: (c) 2019 – Jim Fatzinger, The Travel Organizer

Note: Two links visitors might be most likely to click (“Garden & Directions” and “Tours”) on the website lead nowhere; this needs to be fixed. I hope the founders’ son will continue to maintain and improve his parents’ dream.

Curtis Wilson Cost Gallery

I had never heard of Curtis Wilson Cost before planning our upcountry Maui itinerary. Turns out his renderings of Hawaii’s land and seascapes are some of the most sought after in the world. His gallery in the lower level of the Kula Lodge on Haleakala Highway is home to the longest running one person gallery in Hawaii (35 years).

Makawao

This hub of upcountry Maui is reminiscent of the old west – and for good reason. Makawao is an old Paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) town; the only market left in town is appropriately named the Rodeo General Store. Highlights include a self-guided walking tour, an eclectic assortment of art galleries and a fine restaurant:

Self-guided walking tour

You can pick up a free brochure for a self-guided walking tour (all but two of the highlighted stops on the tour are on a 1½ block stretch of a single street) from the Makawao History Museum at 3643 Baldwin Avenue (10:00am-5:00pm Monday-Saturday, 11:00am-5:00pm, Sunday).

Sherri Reeve Gallery and Gifts

If you love watercolors, you’ll be in 7^th heaven in this gallery at 3669 Baldwin Avenue! The vibrant but soft colors on everything from canvas to clothing to whimsical greeting cards are simply stunning – and affordable, given the quality.

Casanova Italian Restaurant

We had eaten at Casanova Bistro in Kahului shortly after landing and picking up our rental car. We were so pleased with our experience there that we were eagerly anticipating our dinner reservation at Casanova’s Makawao restaurant which was named the best Italian restaurant in all of Hawaii in 2016! I ordered the gnocchi strozzapreti which consisted of 7 large ricotta and spinach dumplings served with both a homemade tomato sauce and a creamy gorgonzola cheese sauce ($14.00). It was so good that I wished for more! My wife chose the tonne fresco, a filet of fresh Ahi tuna, seared and served with tomatoes, olives and capers over arugula ($34.00).

Dinner at Casanova Italian Restaurant – Photo: (c) 2019 – Jim Fatzinger, The Travel Organizer

Tips: (1) Make a reservation and ask to be seated at one of the tables along the panoramic windows overlooking a lush garden (pictured here) at the rear of the dining room. (2) You can get a carafe (about ½ bottle) of wine during happy hour (5:00-6:00pm) for just $5.00.

Efficient routing

Upcountry Maui is best covered as a day trip. Thus, I have organized this destination report so that if you plan to arrive at Surfing Goat Dairy by 9:00am (especially on a Wednesday or a Saturday when you can sign up for their “Grand Dairy Tour), you will be able to do everything in the order listed here including happy hour at Casanova Italian Restaurant before a 6:00pm dinner reservation (made using OpenTable’s reservation system for 100 points for Sunday through Thursday dines) while driving as few miles as possible (because gas is really expensive in Hawaii).

About the Author:

I organize things; it’s what I do! I enjoy the natural adrenaline high of travel as much as the next person but I also try to limit the likelihood that the surprises I experience along the way will be unpleasant ones. To this end, I spend more hours than most preparing for each trip. Fortunately for me, I enjoy the anticipation of travel as much as the experience of it. The focus of my trip reports will be to help those who read them to enjoy high value experiences — maximizing enjoyment while minimizing cost. I’ve been a minister, nonprofit agency executive, professor and consultant; my “job” in retirement is planning our next trip. If you would like additional information and/or recommendations, please feel free to contact “The Travel Organizer” via email.

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