Haleakala National Park
This is a special place that vibrates with the stories of ancient and modern hawaiian cluture. The park preserves this culture in its many place names that speak to the bond between the land and its people. The park also cares for endangered species of plant and animals some of which exist no where else on the planet.No place you have ever been can prepare you for the experiences and feelings you will have on the summit of Haleakala volcano. The landscape - deeply sculpted, richly colored, and intensely evocative will be unlike any landcape you have known. Visually expansive, the summit area continually eludes any attempt to understand its scale or dimensions.
You may spend a few hours hiking in the cinder desert landscape, or a few minutes looking for native birds in the shrubland - whatever you choose to do, you will do it surrounded by native Hawaiian plants and animals. The mountain summit is one of the only easily-accessible areas of Hawaii where our rare and endemic species survive and thrive. Already impressive in the light of day, the summit takes on a new dimension at night when the darkness reveals the brilliant night sky.
Come visit this special place - renew your spirit of adventure amid stark volcanic landscapes, sub-tropical rain forest and the unforgettable experience of hiking the backcountry.
Remember that all areas of Haleakala National Park are fairly remote - stores, services and lodging are all at least 30 minutes away. So plan for your trip by reading these pages to make sure you bring with you all that you need for a safe and comfortable trip. Don't forget that you will be visiting a natural area with unpredictable weather - it may be hot, dry, wet, or cold in any part of the park at any time.
Lahaina Town
Often called the "jewel in the crown of Maui," Lahaina is a destination that is experienced by two million people, or 83% of all Maui visitors, annually. Lahaina town is the second most visited spot on Maui after beaches. Visit this historic town, which is nestled between the calm waters of the Auau Channel facing Lana'i island and the fertile peaks and valleys of Mauna Kahalawai (West Maui mountain range). Lahaina has provided a home for many cultures over the centuries, always welcoming visitors to its inviting shores.
When the first Polynesian settlers arrived at these shores well over a thousand years ago, Lahaina offered them abundant freshwater streams, verdant valleys with fertile volcanic soil, warm, sunny days and a pristine, bountiful sea. Even today, much of this can still be said of Lahaina. Steeped in a history which consistently documents its progress from one era to another, Lahaina has retained a flavor of each to this day.
In the past, Lahaina has been the residence of Maui's highest chiefs, the first capital of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i, the site of the breaking of the kapu of ancient Hawai‘i and a few years later, the first secondary school established west of the Rockies. Lahaina is home to Hawaii's first hotel - the Pioneer Inn. To commemorate Lahaina's rich heritage, the Lahaina Interpretive Plan Team has designed a series of interpretive signs and orientation maps called Ala Hele Mo‘olelo O Lahaina, the Lahaina Historic Trail, which is now installed throughout Lahaina's two historict districts surrounding Front Street. It replaces the forty-year old Lahaina Walking Tour, adding to it considerably with more sites from the pre-western contact days and the plantation era. This self-guided walking tour provides a view of each era of the town that is considered one of the most historically significant places in Hawai‘i.
Whether you park at the south end of town in the 500 block of Front Street (near the Moku‘ula restoration site) and journey north, or park near 900 Front Street (at Lahaina Center) and stroll south, you'll discover that there are many notable spots marked by a metal plaque with the name of the trail and a breadfruit design at the top. In several parking lots in town there are wooden kiosks which display a large, colorful map of the town and 62 historic trail sites. By stopping to read the trail markers, you will get a good idea of what really took place at these spots and see a photo or rendering of what the site may have looked like in generations past.
U S S Arizona National Memorial
The USS Arizona is the final resting place for many of the ship's 1,177 crewmen who lost their lives on December 7, 1941. The 184-foot-long Memorial structure spanning the mid-portion of the sunken battleship consists of three main sections: the entry and assembly rooms; a central area designed for ceremonies and general observation; and the shrine room, where the names of those killed on the Arizona are engraved on the marble wall.
The USS Arizona Memorial grew out of wartime desire to establish some sort of memorial at Pearl Harbor to honor those who died in the attack. Suggestions for such a memorial began in 1943, but it wasn't until 1949, when the Territory of Hawaii established the Pacific War Memorial Commission, that the first real steps were taken to bring it about.
The Visitor Center is the first stop for visitors planning to tour the Memorial. Located within the Center are: two theaters, a museum, a bookstore, restrooms, limited snack bar, public telephones, and exhibits outlining the Pearl Harbor attack.When guests enter the Visitor Center, they are asked to line up for a numbered ticket, which provides free admission to the Memorial tour. While waiting for the tour to begin, many visitors tour the Visitor Center and its shoreline exhibits including the museum and Remembrance Circle. When the number that appears on their ticket is called, visitors are asked to assemble at the theater entrance in preparation for the tour to begin. The guided tour* of the USS Arizona Memorial includes a 23-minute documentary film depicting the attack on Pearl Harbor, a short boat trip and a self-guided exploration of the Memorial.
For visitors interested in a narrated tour an audio headset is available for rent at the visitor center front lobby. Join Pearl Harbor Survivors as they remember December 7, 1941 in this one hour audio tour that is narrated by Academy Award winning actor and US Navy WWII veteran Ernest Borgnine.