Maui Tours and Activities for Rainy Days
The winter months tend to be the rainiest time of year for Maui. Compared to the Mainland, temperatures are still much warmer, not to mention snow-free, except for the very top of Haleakala on rare occasion. So what do you do if you’re on vacation and the weather isn’t panning out for the activities you had in mind? Here are our suggestions.
Catch a Live Performance – There are plenty of live performances taking place regularly on Maui. Try Ulalena at the Maui Theater in Lahaina, or check out what’s happening at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center where there are concerts, comedy shows, and a myriad of other entertainment types throughout the year. For example, the Shanghai Circus comes every January. Both options feature indoor venues.
Visit the Maui Ocean Center – This aquarium hosts the biggest collection of Hawaii’s marine species in the world. Educational and dazzling to those who love fascinating aquatic creatures, it’s a must-see. The exhibits are either indoor or sheltered, but since you will be exposed to the open sky when crossing between exhibit buildings, you may wish to bring an umbrella.
Book a Spa Treatment – Take your pick of massages, facials, body scrubs, couples treatments and more at one of Maui’s beautiful spas. You could spend your time soaking in a hot tub or relaxing in a steam or dry sauna. Some spas even feature various aromatherapy tubs, like Spa Grande at the Grand Wailea Hotel. In any case, you’ll find no shortage of options, and listening to the rain can make the experience all the more soothing.
Get Your Shopping Done – If you plan to do any shopping for your own souvenirs, or you want to find gifts for your loved ones, you could easily devote a rainy day to this goal. Some of Maui’s shopping centers are mostly open air, like Whaler’s Village and Maui Mall, but others like Queen Ka’ahumanu Shopping Center and Lahaina Cannery Mall are covered, providing shelter from the rain.
Explore Museums – Maui has several historic buildings that now serve as museums to the public. If you enjoy history, you could possibly visit a few of these in one day. For example, you’ll find the Wo Hing Museum on Front Street in Lahaina, with the Baldwin Home Museum just a short walk down the same street. Hale Ho’ike’ike at the Bailey House is another wonderful museum to visit, and you’ll find it located on the other side of the West Maui Mountains in Wailuku. Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center is also a good option for those interested in art, and although much of the grounds are under the open sky, there are indoor points of interest, including glass blowing demonstrations and fine art exhibitions that rotate eight times per year. If you need Maui transportation services to take you, contact us about our custom Maui tours.
Splurge on Dining – If there’s a specific Maui restaurant or two that you’ve been dying to try, why not punctuate your rainy day with a culinary adventure? You might agree that tasty food is even more comforting on those cool stormy days, when the experience can take the center stage. Otherwise, you may find your favorite dining moments wedged in and rushed between all the activities of a sunny day, where they won’t stand out as much in the fray.
Relax in Your Accommodations – Last but not least, it’s easy to get tired out by the many fun things to do on Maui. The list of activities can seem endless, and few are able to squeeze everything into one vacation. But when you’re hustling to get everything done in the short time you have on the island, you might look back on the vacation as a blur, albeit a beautiful one. Why not take a rainy day to sit back, relax and reflect on the days you’ve enjoyed and the days yet to come? If you have a nice view from your lanai, you could enjoy the dramatic sky, and the frothy rain cascading down to the powerful ocean in the distance.
Before we go, we have one final tip! Here on Maui, weather conditions can change faster than you might believe possible, so have back-up plans in case a storm appears or clears. Mahalo!
