Lahaina Center
Published On: Oct 26, 2006

When visiting Maui, Hawaii, many visitors are anxious to hit the stores and do some serious shopping! If this description sounds like you, be sure to head over to the Lahaina Center in Maui and get ready for an amazing shopping experience.

The Lahaina Center shopping experience is unlike any other you will find in Maui. A delightful mix of history, local restaurants, upscale stores, and chain stores make for an eclectic mix of choices.

While you are at the Lahaina Center, you will be in good company. Lahaina itself manages to draw eighty-three percent of all visitors to Maui to its fabulous district.

Its picturesque location between the Auau Channel and the West Maui mountain range make for more than great shopping and help with that tourist draw.

While touring around the Lahaina Center, you will be happy to find that there are all sorts of stores and other attractions appealing to a different range of tastes and interests.

For example, there are such well known shops as Banana Republic as well as Hilo Hattie Fashion Center which is an island department store. The department store helps visitors to Lahaina really enjoy the Hawaiian spirit, as they sponsor a hula show at two o'clock in the afternoon each Wednesday and Friday.

When you are ready for a bite to eat, options range from the infamous Hard Rock Cafè to local restaurants and pubs with a decidedly Hawaiian flare. If you are ready to escape the Hawaiian sun (or rain) for a bit, there is also a movie complex for visitors' enjoyment.

In addition to the great shopping, Lahaina has cultural interest as well. The town of Lahaina has erected an attraction that is meant to be an old Hawaiian village.

The town of Lahaina took great pains to ensure authentic attention to detail when constructing the village. The huts are constructed of ‘ohi'a wood, pili grass, and coconut twine. Children especially enjoy exploring the three huts while learning about the ancient Hawaiian people.

The Lahaina Center also has a rich historical heritage. The town of Lahaina was once the home of the Kamehameha dynasty in the early 1800's. After its turn as a royal city, it changed over to more practical uses and became a whaling town.

Missionaries heard of the town of Lahaina and the "heathen" whaling population and decided to move into the town. There were many battles between these puritans and the original whaling folk.

The area where the Lahaina center is located was formerly a canal that was used when native Hawaiians and explorers traded their goods with one another. The canal remained in existence until 1913 when it was disassembled to make way for the current Lahaina Center.

The Lahaina Center does indeed have a little of something for everyone visiting Maui. There is excellent shopping, a movie theater, and a rich history to explore. So, when you are making your travel plans for Maui, be sure to include a trip to the Lahaina Center.

Lahaina Center
900 Front Street
Maui, Hawaii

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