A Father's Day In Maui

Father’s Day is a big deal. It’s all those days you've missed, packed into one. It’s the day when you look Dad and say, “Thank you.”

So if you are in Maui, then you know the island is a playground for fathers and their families. You can celebrate Dad simply by taking him out to eat, or prepare Dinner and enjoy each other’s company ohana style. If your Father has an aptitude for outdoor activities, then your options are endless in Paradise!

So this weekend we celebrate our own Father, Aloha Vacation Villas Founder, Jake! We want to share with you some ideas on how to enjoy your weekend. Make it relaxing, aloha style.

EAT OUT   |   MAKENA’S FATHER’S DAY BRUNCH, CRAFT BEERS & THE US GOLF OPEN

The Makena Beach & Golf Resort invites all dads and their families for some chill time at their Father’s Day Brunch on Sunday June 21, 2015 from 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM at the Molokini Bar & Grille. For the holiday, the restaurant turns into the ultimate man cave for the whole family, offering an enhanced brunch menu that includes dad’s favorite brunch and pupu fare, full screen TVs to watch the finals of the US Golf Open and a complimentary Maui Brewery craft beer flight for all fathers.

Makena’s Father’s Day Brunch is offered at $55 per adult; $25 per child (ages 5-12). Reservations are required. For reservations or more information contact (808) 875-5888

Check out their amazing MENU.

EAT IN   |   HELLOFRESH

Make Dad his favorite meal or try HelloFresh, which is a weekly recipe-kit delivery service. You choose three delicious recipes each week, and they deliver them straight to your door! So if you want to impress Dad with a Chef designed meal, HelloFresh delivers farm-fresh ingredients needed to make a delicious and nutritious home-cooked meal in less than 30 minutes.  This was the box received this week while on vacation. Included were all the ingredients, spices and condiments to create the dish.

You can get $40 OFF your first order of three meals for two here: https://www.hellofresh.com/?c=R7YJJA. Thereafter, the cost is around $10 per person per meal.  No more grocery shopping, no more food waste. Just delicious, healthy, and fresh food guaranteed from pan to plate in less time than it takes to order takeout.

Also made was this recipe of Smoky Black Bean Cakes with Avocado Salsa & Tangy Mixed Greens Salad. We added fillets of Lime-Cilantro Tilapia to accompany the dish. It was AMAZING!

PLAY   |   MAUI STYLE

Father’s Day is the perfect day to go on a surf camping trip, go spearfishing, try standup paddleboarding, take a hike at Twin Falls or Waihee Ridge Trail for the adventurer, go horseback riding, or just relax on the beach.

When it comes down to it, Dad will appreciate any loving gesture from their kids. A simple handwritten card and a smile from one’s offspring is sure to enhance any father’s Sunday, Father’s Day or not.

A Maui View From The Saddle

Horseback riding along the base of the West Maui Mountains with spectacular views Lahaina below and the islands of Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe will leave you breathless.

Lahaina Stables is conveniently located near Lahaina and Kaanapali and serves all levels of experience. The Trail Guides are knowledgeable riders and are essential to your experience. The Owner Ray Fuqua is a naturalist and former history teacher who started 'Ohe'o Stables in Hana and later moved the business in 2004 to Lahaina (thus becoming Lahaina Stables). Lahaina Stables embodies Ray's philosophy of appreciating Maui's history and folklore. 

Every ride is tailored to the group with trails to Kauaula Valley and Launiupoko Valley. With incredible views of West Maui, your eventual destination will be the stream and reservoir where you'll dismount for refreshments and either lunch or a snack, depending on the tour you choose.

VIDEO

Phone: 808-667-2222

Toll Free: 888-842-7663

Website: www.mauihorse.com

King Kamehameha Golf Club | Guest for a Day

Aloha Vacation Villas is a family owned business and we make sure to experience the island to better convey the best of Maui. Our Son Michael (pictured below) is visiting from the mainland to help build out a couple of villa kitchen projects.  So naturally, we took a break for a family game of Golf Scramble and decided to visit the King Kamehameha Golf Club.

As Maui's only private 18-hole lush course along side the West Maui Mountains, King Kamehameha Golf Club offers an impressive design and ranks 2nd to the Plantation Course at Kapalua. With great conditioning, a superb layout and spectacular panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, many would say it rivals the Plantation Course.

Throughout there are elevated tee shots and slopes -- lots of them. In fact, holes that might seem short on the surface can play extremely long, like the 387-yard ninth, which often plays uphill and into the wind. The approach shot can easily be three clubs longer and that's after a drive that goes nowhere nearly as long as you thought off the tee. The finishing hole is one of the best on Maui at 559 yards, it's reachable because it's downhill, but a lake and waterfall guards the green.

Then you arrive at the 74'000 sq. ft. Frank Lloyd Wright-designed clubhouse. The spectacular building is adorned with original artwork by prominent local artists and has a beautiful golf shop. Lavished with spa facilities, including therapeutic showers, whirlpools, a Furo (Japanese style bathtub) and saunas, King Kamehameha offers a 'Guest for a Day' program ($170+ with limited tee times). The price, by the way, is a bargain compared to other Maui resort courses, especially considering what you get for it.

Furo  |  Japanese Style Bathtub

For dining, there's the intimate Wai Kahe Room and suncourt that are both open for Lunch and cocktails only. The menu includes Hawaiian regional cuisine with a euro-asian flair as well as traditional Japanese food. Food service is also available in both men's and women's lounges with a full bar.

Wai Kahe Room  |  Suncourt

Practice facilities are also impressive with a full grass range, short-game area and putting greens. Training aids, such as alignment sticks and weighted clubs, are a nice touch on the range for warming up before a round.

So, while visiting the Kapalua Resort, you can include King Kamehameha on your rotation. Like all private clubs, their goal is to sell memberships. But you can try it out at least once. As a 'Guest for a Day', that's perfect and perhaps you would consider joining if you regularly visit Maui.

Journey to Hana | by Jake Jacobs

Lynn and I have lived on the island for 8 years. We are constantly asked by our Aloha Vacation Villas Guests, about the journey to Hana. Well this weekend, my son Rob who just moved to the island, a full grown man decided he and his friend Deano (another full grown man) were going to drive to Hana and go all the way around! Lynn, my wife said, "It's suppose to rain, and most of what you want to see is along the road to Hana. So have a good guide with you." So at 8:30 am, off they went on their adventure without much of a plan. Yup, it was raining too, and they said not to worry.

Well, it was around 5pm when the sound of the road warriors returned. “How'd it go?” I said.  “Well it's exhausting and I guess we drove right by the 7 sacred pools, not a lot to see and the road after Hana is scary at best” my Son said.  “OK (chuckle)...So did you stop along the way?” He said, “We went to Jaws, saw a whale…and saw lots of bridges. Oh and it rained as hard as I have ever seen it rain.”

So the lesson learned here is to plan. Although my Son's experience is different than most, it will be for everyone. But with a little research and planning, Hana can remarkably be a memorable journey.

The Road to Hana is one of the most scenic drives in Hawaii that hugs the Pacific Ocean’s coastline. It’s a two lane road - 40 mile stretch of highway that’s carved into the cliffs with winding roads, lots of one lane bridges, several waterfalls off the side of the road, with hiking trails, and swimming holes nestled in the rainforest. A few of the most popular areas to see on the Road to Hana are Twin Falls, the Garden of Eden, the Bamboo Forest, Wainapanapa State Park and Black Sand Beach, Hana Bay, and the Seven Sacred Pools.

So this is what we tell our Aloha Vacation Villas Guest:

Decide on whether you will drive yourself or take a tour. If you choose to visit Hana at your own leisure, decide on a day-trip or overnight experience. If you stay overnight, we highly recommend the Travaasa Hana Hotel, a Conde Naste Readers Choice.  The hotel is right in the middle of Hana Town and is one of the nicest places to stay in Hawaii. If you're staying overnight, consider having groceries delivered to your accommodation to save some money and have everything you might need.

You will need a rental car (convertible is best), something small enough to navigate the narrow road. You’ll also need to decide just how much you'd like to see, so do some research. If you plan accordingly to your interest, you can experience Hana in a day.

We recommend this Road to Hana guide. It's inexpensive and is like having an experienced guide sitting next to you.

With the Road to Hana CD Guide, you will find:

• Hidden waterfalls, as high as 400 feet
• Secluded jungle waiting to be explored
• The most romantic places on Maui
• Jaw-dropping natural wonders
• Panoramic views of sparkling coastline
• An enchanting bamboo forest
• A "clothing-optional" beach ;)
• Incredible food stands and restaurants
• And the 3 stops you will NOT want to miss!

What's Included:

• 26 narrated tracks on audio CD covering:
• The top 15 spots on the Road to Hana
• History of Hawaii
• Plus, Hollywood on Maui
• The best spots as voted on by R2H customers
• Large map with important mile markers
• Your choice of a 1 or 2-day itinerary
• Driving Tips for the Road to Hana
• Checklist of important items to bring
• Photos from the Road to Hana

So, Leave early and grab a picnic lunch. The Kuau Store is on the way and opens at 6:30am. You can top off the gas tank in Paia; grab a picnic lunch and some snacks. Look for the famous surfboard fence (808) 579-8844.

Lastly, pay attention to time and be sure to leave Hana at least a couple hours before sunset. It gets very dark and you’ll want to be back on time for Dinner.

Who We Are | The Owners of Aloha Vacation Villas

We are a family owned business that grew organically through our great love for Kapalua and West Maui.  We had made the area our vacation destination of choice for most of our lives until one day, we decided to put down our roots and call this magical paradise,... home.

In the course of frequent visits, we had come to know many of the homeowners in the resort and looked forward to seeing them each year.  When they learned we were settling as permanent residents, it was a natural progression to have us keep watch over their prized investment. 

We are fortunate to say we have never had to advertise our services.  All of the properties we manage have come to us from satisfied owners, guests and those individuals who've helped us service them.

Our mission has always been to create an experience that we, along with our friends and family would enjoy and remember fondly. It may sound simple, but this belief has proven to be the most important factor in our success. 

We proudly oversee 50+ privately owned homes in West Maui, Hawaii.  Following our dreams years ago and becoming a part of the island was the best decision we ever made!

Welcome to paradise!  

Jake & Lynn                       

The Wine Palette

We found a Wonderful and really fun new place to eat in kapalua. The WINE PALETTE.

  The entire menu is pupus, (hors d'oeuvres to you mainlanders). Every bite is so good and the wine selection top notch. They have a full bar, so no worries for whatever you might want to drink. Really fun thing to do is paint an ornament, canvas, or wine glass.

Sit outdoors or in. The decor is very thought out and beautiful.

There is only one way to experience the WINE PALETTE...come to Maui, stay with Aloha Vacation Villas and have a vacation of your life.


website:  http://www.the-wine-palette.com/

Reviews:  http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-wine-palette-lahaina-3