Notes after 3rd visit

You can only get towels when the towel stands are open, same hours as the pool. One of you will need a pool wristband to get them, but you can get as many as you want. If you plan on going down early, I'd suggest getting some towels the night before. There is usually a line at the stands during the day, especially right at open. Alas, I could never remember to do that :/

When you say beach days, I'm thinking you mean away from Aulani. We brought our own lightweight towels (like swimmers towels) for excursions, but usually took a set from the ship (we cruised too) or Aulani to sit on in the car in case we weren't totally dry. So yes, nobody will stop you from taking them offsite.


Thank you!!

And yes, when I said ‘Beach days’ I did mean going off site to other beaches. We will always bring them back, just didn’t know if we should be bringing our own from home.
 
No, they did not say how long Iao Valley would be closed.

We are staying in Ka'anapali at the Westin Ocean Resort Villas North on the west side.

How was Maui? How was the Westin?

We’re staying at the sister property in
Nov- Westin Nanea

Is it pretty windy in Maui?

Any tips you can offer in regards to activities, restaurants etc?

Thank you :) :)
 
How was Maui? How was the Westin?

We’re staying at the sister property in
Nov- Westin Nanea

Is it pretty windy in Maui?

Any tips you can offer in regards to activities, restaurants etc?

Thank you :) :)

The Westin was great. No issues with the resort. Very clean, staff friendly, not real busy. We did a tour of Nanea and the villas are stunning! The pool area was nice, but seemed crowded for shoulder season.

We ate at the Italian restaurant Puleui (sp?) In the north villas twice. Great fresh ingredients. Did lots of happy hour stuff $4 Mai Tai's, $5 drink of the day, $4 snacks. This is at the north beach restaurant by the pool. Happy hour was 4-6pm and 8:30-10pm daily. Did not eat at Aunties in the south complex at all.

It can be very windy in the valley area of Maui but Lahaina and Ka'anapali aren't usually that bad. We went to Iao Valley, Maui Plantation, half the road to Hana (there is construction which adds to the time), to the top of Haleakala (gorgeous day with no clouds and could even see the big island from the top), south Maui (the beach in front of the Fairmont hotel is awesome, picnic tables available in the beach park with huge shaded parking lot), Lahaina, Paia, upcountry, and many beaches along our drives. Along the north shore before you get to Paia, there is a great surf, kiteboarding, windsurfing beach that starts with a K. Can't recall the full name, but the beach on the east end was loaded with turtles! Very fun to sit and watch the surfers there without going all the way past Hana. Picnic tables available in the lower parking lot. Costco in Kahului had the best gas price at $2.57/gallon. Every body else was over $3/gallon. Shopped at Costco and Safeway. Sign up for the Safeway savings card if you don't already have one. Went to the craft fair on Sunday at the Lahaina civic center and there was a great variety of local crafts not junk. However, they are closed for the next couple weeks while they move to the King Kamehameha school at 611 Front St. In Lahaina across from the big Banyan Tree. Every Sunday beginning 10/22. The entrance fee was $1 and will benefit the school. There is free parking across from the school but it fills up very fast.
 
By the way, the weather was perfect every day with no rain and 85-90 degrees. The view from the resort to see both Lanai and Molokai is amazing!
 


The Westin was great. No issues with the resort. Very clean, staff friendly, not real busy. We did a tour of Nanea and the villas are stunning! The pool area was nice, but seemed crowded for shoulder season.

We ate at the Italian restaurant Puleui (sp?) In the north villas twice. Great fresh ingredients. Did lots of happy hour stuff $4 Mai Tai's, $5 drink of the day, $4 snacks. This is at the north beach restaurant by the pool. Happy hour was 4-6pm and 8:30-10pm daily. Did not eat at Aunties in the south complex at all.

It can be very windy in the valley area of Maui but Lahaina and Ka'anapali aren't usually that bad. We went to Iao Valley, Maui Plantation, half the road to Hana (there is construction which adds to the time), to the top of Haleakala (gorgeous day with no clouds and could even see the big island from the top), south Maui (the beach in front of the Fairmont hotel is awesome, picnic tables available in the beach park with huge shaded parking lot), Lahaina, Paia, upcountry, and many beaches along our drives. Along the north shore before you get to Paia, there is a great surf, kiteboarding, windsurfing beach that starts with a K. Can't recall the full name, but the beach on the east end was loaded with turtles! Very fun to sit and watch the surfers there without going all the way past Hana. Picnic tables available in the lower parking lot. Costco in Kahului had the best gas price at $2.57/gallon. Every body else was over $3/gallon. Shopped at Costco and Safeway. Sign up for the Safeway savings card if you don't already have one. Went to the craft fair on Sunday at the Lahaina civic center and there was a great variety of local crafts not junk. However, they are closed for the next couple weeks while they move to the King Kamehameha school at 611 Front St. In Lahaina across from the big Banyan Tree. Every Sunday beginning 10/22. The entrance fee was $1 and will benefit the school. There is free parking across from the school but it fills up very fast.

I’m so happy to hear you loved the Westin and the Nanea as well, yay!! We’re staying in a 1 bedroom, so I’m thrilled to hear they’re stunning:)
How was the beach there?

Thank you for the tips on Happy Hour, will most definitely take advantage of those.

Thank you for all your tips! Most of the things you mentioned we will be doing.

How was the drive to Haleakala? Did you go during the day or early morning? We’re not early risers so I could see us arriving around noon lol

Road to Hana I really want to do! We’re going to play this one by ear as to how far we will end of going, but I do hope we make it a good distance.

Awesome tip for the gas, thank you!!

Sounds like you had a fabulous trip! Thank you again for taking the time to help me out;)
 
I’m so happy to hear you loved the Westin and the Nanea as well, yay!! We’re staying in a 1 bedroom, so I’m thrilled to hear they’re stunning:)
How was the beach there?

Thank you for the tips on Happy Hour, will most definitely take advantage of those.

Thank you for all your tips! Most of the things you mentioned we will be doing.

How was the drive to Haleakala? Did you go during the day or early morning? We’re not early risers so I could see us arriving around noon lol

Road to Hana I really want to do! We’re going to play this one by ear as to how far we will end of going, but I do hope we make it a good distance.

Awesome tip for the gas, thank you!!

Sounds like you had a fabulous trip! Thank you again for taking the time to help me out;)
We did Haleakala in the late morning and it was still amazing. It was also still cold, so don't leave your hoodies in your cabin like we did!! D'oh! Cuz the visitor center literally had two hoodies ($60 each), both XL, so we just had to power through it. I got exactly ONE selfie with the family and they were in the car!!! Haha

WRT the drive, the road is well-paved and well-marked, so you should have zero issues.
 


I’m so happy to hear you loved the Westin and the Nanea as well, yay!! We’re staying in a 1 bedroom, so I’m thrilled to hear they’re stunning:)
How was the beach there?

Thank you for the tips on Happy Hour, will most definitely take advantage of those.

Thank you for all your tips! Most of the things you mentioned we will be doing.

How was the drive to Haleakala? Did you go during the day or early morning? We’re not early risers so I could see us arriving around noon lol

Road to Hana I really want to do! We’re going to play this one by ear as to how far we will end of going, but I do hope we make it a good distance.

Awesome tip for the gas, thank you!!

Sounds like you had a fabulous trip! Thank you again for taking the time to help me out;)

I have heard that the 1 bedroom units at Nanea are in the back of the resort, but don't quote me on that. The 2 and 3 bedroom units are the ones closer to the beach with views. The beach in front of Nanea and all along there is great. Not too rough and great snorkeling. My husband saw 5 turtles swimming under water at the same time along with lots of fish.

We went to Haleakala in the late morning. I think we left the resort about 9 am and had no plans for the day, but when we got to the central valley Haleakala looked great so we decided to go up. We got to the top about 11 am and there were absolutely no clouds going up or at the top nor on the way down. It was stunning. Other days we drove into the valley and Haleakala was covered in clouds so it is luck of the draw. The last visit to Maui it was clear until about 1000 feet from the top and then it was socked in so bad you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

The beach park with the surfers and turtles is Hookipa Beach, to the east of Kaluhui on the way to Paia.

We only went part way to Hana because we wanted to see something we missed the last time. I hated the drive just as much as the first time. Although they have improved the road, there were delays from construction/maintenance this time and still many drivers who do no understand the you need to wait your turn on the hairpin turns/over bridges, etc. Some places the road is one lane and you just take a chance if somebody else is coming or not because you can't see around the curve.

There is a neat country store and restaurant right before you turn off the road in Kula to go up to Haleakala. We stopped on the way back and ate a picnic lunch and shopped. Upcountry Maui is very nice. Last time we went to the lavender farm up there and that was nice also.

Another thing we did that was unexpected is stop at the Kealia Pond Wildlife Refuge on the way to South Maui. There is a very nice boardwalk and we saw so many birds there. Great beach also with nobody on it. After you go past the Aquarium and turn right towards south Maui you will come to the wildlife refuge pretty quickly.
 
We did Haleakala in the late morning and it was still amazing. It was also still cold, so don't leave your hoodies in your cabin like we did!! D'oh! Cuz the visitor center literally had two hoodies ($60 each), both XL, so we just had to power through it. I got exactly ONE selfie with the family and they were in the car!!! Haha

WRT the drive, the road is well-paved and well-marked, so you should have zero issues.

I think that’s what we’re going to do. Hopefully arrive around noonish.

I got a good chuckle about your Sweater incidents :chat: hehe...this is totally something I would have done too!

Note to self- bring warm clothes and don’t forget them!? Lol
 
I have heard that the 1 bedroom units at Nanea are in the back of the resort, but don't quote me on that. The 2 and 3 bedroom units are the ones closer to the beach with views. The beach in front of Nanea and all along there is great. Not too rough and great snorkeling. My husband saw 5 turtles swimming under water at the same time along with lots of fish.

We went to Haleakala in the late morning. I think we left the resort about 9 am and had no plans for the day, but when we got to the central valley Haleakala looked great so we decided to go up. We got to the top about 11 am and there were absolutely no clouds going up or at the top nor on the way down. It was stunning. Other days we drove into the valley and Haleakala was covered in clouds so it is luck of the draw. The last visit to Maui it was clear until about 1000 feet from the top and then it was socked in so bad you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

The beach park with the surfers and turtles is Hookipa Beach, to the east of Kaluhui on the way to Paia.

We only went part way to Hana because we wanted to see something we missed the last time. I hated the drive just as much as the first time. Although they have improved the road, there were delays from construction/maintenance this time and still many drivers who do no understand the you need to wait your turn on the hairpin turns/over bridges, etc. Some places the road is one lane and you just take a chance if somebody else is coming or not because you can't see around the curve.

There is a neat country store and restaurant right before you turn off the road in Kula to go up to Haleakala. We stopped on the way back and ate a picnic lunch and shopped. Upcountry Maui is very nice. Last time we went to the lavender farm up there and that was nice also.

Another thing we did that was unexpected is stop at the Kealia Pond Wildlife Refuge on the way to South Maui. There is a very nice boardwalk and we saw so many birds there. Great beach also with nobody on it. After you go past the Aquarium and turn right towards south Maui you will come to the wildlife refuge pretty quickly.


I really hope we get a somewhat of a decent view at the Westin. At Aulani we have Ocean view, so would kinda suck if we ended up overlooking a parking lot or something like that at the Westin.

We all love to snorkel, so can’t wait to hit the beach at the resort!!

You’re so lucky you had such a perfect day for your trip to Haleakala. I hope we have that kind of luck too!! We are probably going to arrive around noonish. I have no problem getting up and out the door early, but my DH, not so much! My kids are easy, so they will just follow along lol

I looked up Hoopika Beach and it looks gorgeous! I’ve added it to my list, thank you!

You mentioned so many other neat places to visit as well, thank you! We have 10 days in Maui, so I will see what we can get accomplished!!
 
Excellent! I actually just did the math and realized both my kids will be in college by then (OMG...), so September probably won't work :( BUT! Maybe we can do fall break instead, which is usually the second week of October. How is that time usually? Much more rain by then?

We went last year for Halloween, and it was perfect. The weather was great, we were there for 9 days and it never rained. The crowds were minimal.
 
Loved this review

We'll be there for our 3rd stay in just under 2 weeks (1st time Jan 2012, 2nd May 2017)

Though we rent a car, as DVC members it gives us free parking.
 

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