Activities

The Healeakala Crater Ride is reason enough to travel to Maui. Where else can you ride a horse into the crater of a volcano? This four hour ride takes travelers on horseback down the Sliding Sands Trail to the Crater floor. You descend over 2500 ft., listening to volcanic cinders crunch beneath your horse's hooves as you pass by the rare Haleakala Silversword, dramatic cinder cones and awe-inspiring views of this colorful volcano. This ride takes you into one of America's great National Parks-- Haleakala National Park. Doug Smith of Pony Express Tours has been leading riders into Haleakala for 25 years, so he knows a thing or two about this dynamic system. He's the main guide for this unique riding adventure. At the crater floor, you'll enjoy a well deserved picnic lunch with tasty croissant sandwiches. The round trip is 7.5 miles and takes around 4 hours. Prior riding experience is a must for this ride. You'll be traveling from about 9,870 feet to around 7,500 feet, so if you have issues with changes in elevations, this is not the ride for you. Consider substituting the Kipahulu Old Hawaii Ride instead of this riding day. The Kipahulu Old Hawaii Ride takes riders into the other side of Haleakala National Park, a lush area of rainforests with native Hawaiian guides.

Piiholo Ranch is a working ranch located on the edge of a rainforest, 2,000 feet above the bright, beautiful blue Pacific Ocean in Maui's Upcountry. Riding at the ranch is diverse. There are lots of wide open ranges for faster riding and panoramic views of the open range where cows graze and the bright blue Pacific, as well as Eucalyptus Forest, Koa, and Ohi`a trees, and green Kikuyu and Pangola pastures. This 3-hour ride explores the ranch at a faster pace, trotting through pastures, cantering along Koa Ridge and to breathtaking views up on Piiholo Hill. Then, enjoy lunch at the ranch. This is an advanced ride but can be catered to beginners as a walking ride. 

Piiholo Ranch works to preserve the environment, including serving as a safe haven for the endangered Nene, Hawaii’s State Bird. This goose is named after the soft nay-nay sound that it makes when it eats. Riding here, you may hear about paniolo culture in the Upcountry. Paniolo’s are Hawaiian Cowboys, who learned their ways of working cattle from the Mexican cowboys called Vaqueros. It's a culture unique to the Hawaiian Islands.

Enjoy a beautiful Maui sunset from on horseback in the West Maui Mountains. This two-hour evening ride is appropriate for all levels of riders. Check in is usually around 4pm and you'll depart around 4:45, returning to the stables after two hours of riding. The times vary a bit, so you can make sure to be out for a nice sunset. You may ride over lush pineapple fields, through tropical valleys and ironwood forests, and enjoy panoramic views of Maui and the neighbor islands, as guides recount the history-rich Hawaiian valleys and ancient home sites.

Accomodations

You'll spend each night at a Hawaii resort, staying at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel located along Maui’s beautiful Kaanapali Beach. The hotel is set amid colorful, tropical gardens and decorated in a traditional Hawaiian style. For you and your non-riding companions, there are lots of activities and attractions at the resort alone, including two restaurants, spa and salon and large swimming pool, as well as complimentary Hawaiian activities.

TravelAge West Magazine has voted Kaanapali Beach Hotel as one of "Ten Beloved Hawaii Hotels: Islands Landmarks that captivate clients and keep them coming back." Only one other Maui hotel made the list.

Family Vacation Critic travel Website recognized Kaanapali Beach Hotel as one of the "10 Best Budget-Friendly Resorts".  Of the properties mentioned, only six are in the U.S. Kaanapali Beach Hotel is one of only three beach resorts as well as the only Hawaii hotel.

Trip Advisor, the most trafficked travel website, has named Kaanapali Beach Hotel as one of the "Top 10 Family Hotels in the US" This list is developed solely through positive guest comments.  Again, Kaanapali Beach Hotel is one of only three beach resorts featured and the only Hawaii hotel to be recognized.

America Online (AOL) Travel website included Kaanapali Beach Hotel in their list of 10 "One-of-a-Kind Beach Retreats Within Reach". Again, just six of the properties listed are in the U.S. and Kaanapali Beach Hotel is the only Hawaii property.

Food

Kaanapali Beach Hotel serves the best of Hawaii Regional cuisine. Readers of the Maui News, the local community newspaper, have voted the hotel restaurant's offerings "The Best Hawaiian Cuisine."

There are a variety of dining options just on the resort and the beach town of Lahaina with many, many options is a short drive away. At the resort, enjoy a Pacific Rim breakfast or dinner at the Tiki Terrace Restaurant. Lighter snacks, sandwiches and cocktails can be enjoyed at the Tiki Bar and Tiki Grill.  Take in Maui’s best entertainment dining value at Kupanaha Hawaiian Magic Dinner theater. Gerard's French Restaurant produces the finest Contemporary Island French Cuisine in Hawaii.

Each night at the hotel, there's a special Nightly Hula Show.

Area Activities

Besides the diverse horseback riding, riders and non-riders may enjoy relaxing at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel, set amid colorful, tropical gardens and decorated in a traditional Hawaiian style. Activities and attractions at the resort include two restaurants, spa and salon and large swimming pool, as well as complimentary Hawaiian activities.

The Kaanapali Beach Resort Area includes 1,200 acres with two championship golf courses, private homes, five condominiums, several restaurants, the Whaler's Village Shopping Center and Museum, and six hotels.

A short drive from your resort (three miles south) is Lahaina Town, a lively port that is one of Maui's top attractions. Lahaina, once the royal capitol of the Hawaiian kingdom, still exudes a special charm that contributes to its rich heritage and has many shops and restaurants for visitors to enjoy.