Hawaii: Day 5 (Kauai / Maui)

On our last morning in Kauai, Dave and I hit breakfast and coffee at Kalaheo Café & Coffee Company, which served hot breakfast, pastries, and tea/coffee. We wanted to check out the beach one last time, but it was cutting it too close to the flight, so...next time.

We caught a flight to Maui, our last island hopper. As with the others, it was easy and fast. 

The forecast had been iffy, but the weather looked great when we landed, so we headed over to the Iao Valley for a short hike at the national monument; this is a super short (0.6 mile) trail, and don't forget to make a reservation!

The valley was stunning; it reminded me of Jurassic park and was one of the wilder areas within driving distance; everything else sort of looks like suburbs.

We stopped in an artsy little town, Wailuku, on the way back to the hotel. We bought a couple of koa wood butter knives at Native Intelligence, where I also drooled over the many beautiful baskets.

There are a bunch of murals throughout the town, so of course we walked around trying to find many of them. Our guidebook recommended a few of them; my favorite was on the back of a gas station.

Mural in Wailuku

We had some time to kill before Dave could check into the hotel, so we stopped at Kahului Ale House for a pint. They had a lot of local brews, also a lot from California and the western United States.

Later, we also visited Maui Brewing Co., the largest on the island and allegedly the tastiest. They are one of two who actually brew here. We really liked the POG Hazy and the imperial coconut porter. Then we had dinner at Humble Market Kitchin (sic); the view was spectacular, and the food was tasty, very vegetable-forward. Dave and I both got the catch of the day, which was similar to a mahi mahi, but it wasn't mahi mahi (I can't remember what the fish was).

We also found the Hawaiian station on the radio, which has been a fun way to drive all around on each island. It really sets the tone for the ride and the place. Our favorite is still KAPA-FM on the Big Island.

Now we're in the hotel and Dave's found his haunting shows, so all is well. Tomorrow he helps out the schools with FAFSA and emergency funding questions.