| Kihei | Kahuli | Wailuku | Pa'ai | Makawao | Lahaina | Ka'anapali | Wailea | Kapalua | Hana |
On the 1st and 3rd weekends of every month (Sat.-Sun., 9am-5pm), Hawaiian artists and crafters gather under the Banyan Tree in Lahaina to display, sell, and demonstrate cultural arts and crafts,. Hawaiian music is featured live. Community members “talk story” and demonstrate traditional uses of native fruits and plants. Every Friday evening, year-round, from 7-10pm you can stroll through more than a dozen art galleries in "The Art Capital of the Pacific" to see special gallery shows, meet artists, see their work and enjoy refreshments. Art Night in Lahaina is free and open to the public.
Many of Lahaina’s art galleries and shops are located within just a few blocks of each other on and near Front Street. After finding a legal parking spot for the amount of time that you want tour the town, a good place to start touring is at the Lahaina Visitor Center (9-5pm) at the Old Court House. Pick up your complimentary Art Night Brochure and Lahaina Town Map.
Lahaina Town is about 1½ miles long northward from the 505 Front St. Shopping Center where you’ll find free parking at the corner of Shaw and Front St. and free 3-hour parking at the corner of Prison and Front St. (warning: avoid the bus parking spots!) Arrive in Lahaina before 10am in the morning (even better before 9am) in order to find a parking space on the street or in one of these parking lots.
Your closest coffee (and email access) is at the Swiss Café across from Banyan Tree Park or breakfast (without email) at the Pioneer Inn, the Sunrise Café around the corner, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Lahaina Coolers or Longhi’s. For lunch, Lahaina has a dozen excellent choices. Plan your shopping and gallery tour in a way that leads you to the right meal and pupu choices at the right times of day.
One advantage to parking near 505 Front St. is that, at the end of the day, you’ll only be a few steps away from an appetizer and a drink at I’o or the Pacific ‘O. For martini’s at the bar and sublime seafood appetizers oceanside, I'o’s is the place. You’ll be very tempted to stay for fish entrées. Next door at Pacific ‘O appetizers also are marvelous. For dinner, Polynesian and Indian cuisine at Pacific ‘O includes ahi tuna tartare or mussels baked with blue crab and ginger; and for fish-lovers, ahi and ono tempura served with white miso dressing and a lime-basil sauce. Linger over mango cheesecake dessert, especially Thursday through Saturday evenings (beginning at 9pm), when you can listen to live jazz at Pacific ‘O.
A unique store on Maui, Lahaina Printsellers has a large selection of antique maps, historical, nautical, and botanical prints and engravings and reproductions of one-of-a-kind images by artists such as John Kelly, Frank Macintosh, Eugene Savage and Richard Fields.
Reproductions and posters of art by musicians and other celebrities including Anthony Quinn, Jerry Garcia, John Lennon and Miles Davis.
A royal village lies buried beneath Lahaina's Maluuluolele Park. This gallery is dedicated to excavating the village and raise funds for the project by selling sculpture, paintings, jewelry, native crafts, fabrics, books, and local foods produced by Mauians.
What better way to prepare yourself for a day of shopping and gallery browsing in Lahaina than to have a massage, facial or other body therapy or aromatherapy at Lei Spa Maui. Made-on-Maui beauty and bath products sold here include Hawaiian Botanical Pikake shower gel, kukui and macadamia-nut oils, mud masks with Hawaiian seaweed, aromatherapy body oils and perfumes, handmade soaps and fragrances of torch ginger, plumeria, coconut, tuberose, and sandalwood and other rejuvenating, cleansing, and soothing potions for body and hair. So rest, relax and revitalize Maui style at the start or perhaps near the end of a Perfect Day right next door to wonderful snacks, refreshments and entertainment at I’o, Pacific ‘O or The Feast at Lele.
After 30 years in the Lahaina Courthouse, the nonprofit Lahaina Arts Society thrives with a loyal membership of more than 185 Maui artists. The Society’s Gallery is an excellent place to start an art tour of Lahaina after breakfast or lunch. Across the street, the Pioneer Inn on Wharf St. serves a very nice breakfast. Next to the Pioneer Inn, the patio behind Sunrise Café (693A Front St., 661-8558, across from the Baldwin House Museum) is one of our favorite “hidden” breakfast spots.
Lahaina’s art galleries enable visitors to see many very talented American and international artists that otherwise they might not see outside of New York City, Los Angeles or Chicago. Within just a few blocks on Front Street an abundance of international-quality art is exhibited, mostly behind modest storefronts that, in contrast to galleries in big cities, bask in mostly wonderful weather day and night.
Dolphin Galleries has been in the business for over 25 years and its clients typically are looking for international artists rather than local ones. Only a few Maui artists who have risen to stardom, like Betty Hay Freeland, are exhibited in Dolphin Galleries. Artists exhibited at Dolphin Galleries are superb at their craft, whether or not you like their work. Dolphin Galleries heavily promotes painters Alexandra Nechita, Thomas Pradzynski and the sculptor Vanderveen and the Maui jewelry designer Mikel whose “Petroglyph Collection,” “Love Pendants” and other Hawaii-inspired works are elegant and beautiful. In addition to its Front Street location, Dolphin Galleries is found in the Shops at Wailea and Whalers Village.
Since 1970 Village Galleries has led the way on Maui in support of local artists. The roster of artists represented by Village Galleries includes many of the best artists on the island in every media. On display at Village Galleries you’ll see works in acrylic, watercolor, mixed media, oil, ceramics, glass, prints and other media. If their work is not on display, ask to see works by: George Allan, Pamela Andelin, Margaret Bedell, Uri Blayer, Stephen Burr, Joyce Clark, Karen Davidson, Betty Hay Freeland, Kit Gentry, Pam Hays, Pegge Hopper, Fred Kenknight, Carleton Kinkade, Diane and Wayle La Com, Robbie Laird, Kathy Long, Suzy Papanikolas, Macario Pascual and Hiroshi Tagami. Village Galleries Contemporary (180 Dickenson St., 661-5559) always has an excellent show of up-and-coming artists on Maui.
Browse through Wyland’s marine life galleries on and near Front St. Also 711 Front St., 667-2285.
Three of Lahaina’s best restaurants are located along the same side of Dickenson St. as Village and Wyland galleries: Kobe Japanese Steak House, Lahaina Coolers and Penne Pasta Café.
This gallery offers mostly limited edition reproductions of works by local marine and “environmental” artist Christian Riese Lassen and also artists William DeShazo, Douglas Wylie and Richard Stiers.
For more than ten years visitors have seen the Curtis Wilson Cost Gallery and the artist’s beautiful landscapes at the Kula Lodge in upcountry. Now a great many more art lovers and admirers can see Cost’s originals and prints at his Lahaina gallery. 10am-10pm daily
Browse through this Wyland marine life gallery and the one located at 136 Dickenson St., 661-0590.
David Lee uses special pigments and Chinese brush painting techniques to paint ethereal colors on silk. (David Less Galleries also is found at the Grand Wailea Hotel) 10am-10pm daily
Peter Lik is one of the world’s finest landscape photographers. Be sure to see his work in this beautiful gallery.
Founded in 1976, today eight Lahaina Galleries are located on Maui and the Big Island, in San Francisco and Newport Beach, California, and Bend, Oregon. Among the 30 featured artists in the Lahaina gallery are: Guy Buffet, Otsuka H. and Thomas Leung, Andrea Smith, Ronald Macedo, Lau Chun, Dario Campanile, Raymond Page, Joseph Quillan, Gay Swanson, Gregory Deane, Loren Adams, Aldo Luongo, Americo, Eva and A.B. Makk, Adolf Sehring, Robert Watson, Frederick Hart, Samy Charmine and others.
ALERT: You’re about to pass BJ’s Chicago Pizzeria on the second floor of 730 Front St., with a great view over the harbor.
Famous people either created the works in this gallery or celebrities are the subject matter. In addition to celebrity artists like Tony Bennett, John Lennon, Anthony Quinn, Carlos Santana, and Jerry Garcia you'll also find a selection of works by 20th-century masters such as Picasso, Chagall, Matisse and others. (Célébrités Galleryalso is at the Shops at Wailea, 875-6565)
Gift items from a diversity of continents, cultures, media and eras are sold at this fascinating shop that also has been instrumental in launching Lahaina’s Friday Art Nights.
Examples of just about every type and media of contemporary international art are shown here from Keith Haring, Andy Warhol and other pop art and kinetic sculptures to originals, limited-edition graphics, posters, etchings, silkscreens, sculpture and works by Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Erté, Toulouse-Lautrec, Roy Lichtenstein, Fred Prescott, Thomas McKnight, Mark King, Linnea Pergola, Yamagata, Susan Rios and other noted artists. Martin Lawrence Galleries also are in Beverly Hills, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Newport Beach, San Francisco and Santa Clara.
Staff at this gallery and Sargents’ Hyatt Regency Maui gallery do an excellent and low-key job of helping collectors along the whole spectrum of art collecting to understand and appreciate the talent that Sargents represents, including: Bill Mack, Basso, Romero Britto, Gil Bruvel, Dennis Curry, Ann Good, Isaac Maimon, Michael Groban, Kim McDonald, Julian Ritter, Kim McDonald, Lola Mallea, Dale Zarella, Jim Stallings, Rick Lawrence, Nisla, Joanna, Norr, Sherrie Barnhard, Andreas Nottebohm, Gary Markowitz, Sussen Rubin, Grace Kaiulani, Phanelphia and, in the recent past, especially the Russian Surrealist Victor Bregeda.
Local artist Jim Kingwell uses watercolors and oils to create colorful renditions of local scenes.
This is a fun place to browse for a souvenir or unusual piece of memorabilia like art pottery, glassware, vintage clothing, Hawaiiana, old bottles and the like.
David Paul’s Lahaina Grill and Gerard’s are on opposite sides of Lahainaluna St. Westside Natural Foods also is further down David Paul’s side of the street.
Over and underwater whale art by the internationally renowned Robert Lyn Nelson.
Alert! Somehow you managed to pass Cheeseburger in Paradise overlooking the ocean.
One of Lahaina’s galleries to visit just for fun art including Ben Kikuyama, Sergio Bustamente, Michael Bedard, Charles Fazzino and others.
Vladimir Kush calls his work “metaphoric realism.” It is metaphysical as well. He legitimately argues against comparisons with Salvador Dali. Artistically and technically very gifted, this former Russian uses photographic quality surrealism. See for yourself. Like his art or not, Kush clearly is an extraordinary talent. 10:30am-10:30pm daily.
Starting with Lahaina Fish Company, this block is practically restaurant row with: Café O’Lei, Kimo’s and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. overlooking the ocean, Moose McGillycuddy’s and, on the other side of Wo Hing Temple, Longhi’s.
Book lovers will be happily overwhelmed by JaAnn Carroll’s fabulous two-story bookstore, its shelves, counters, and aisles crammed with more than 25,000 used books. No matter what your interests -- Hawaiiana, fiction, mystery, sci-fi, military history, cookbooks, children's books, philosophy/religion, books on tape, videos and more – you’ll find enough to keep you browsing. Take a break from shopping and gallery browsing and lose yourself in this feast of used books.
Gary’s collection of aloha shirts, including offbeat styles by the likes of Toes on the Nose, are fun to look at even if you don’t buy one. You also have to pass through Gary's to enter the open-air oceanfront room of Café O’Lei restaurant which means that, within a few steps on Front St., you can visit three or four galleries, browse in the Old Lahaina Book Emporium, check out Gary’s resortwear and have a delicious lunch or sunset pupus and drinks with great oceanfront views.
Works exhibited here cover a wide range of styles, price ranges and media including oils, acrylics, giclees, lithographs, ceramics, and sculptures in bronze and stone featuring Craig Bone, Karen Bierce, John Cosby, Kim Donaldson, Dale Evers, David Miller, James Tandi, Michael Wilkinson, Elan Vital and other local and international artists. 9:30-10:30am daily.
Cristian Riese Lassen seascapes, other paintings and sculptures and works by William DeShazo, Douglas Wylie and Richard Stiers are shown in this gallery. (Also at 700 Front St. and the Maui Marriott Hotel Ka’anapali.
Created by 19th-century sailors spending long hours at sea and also modern artists fascinated with the craft, scrimshaw consists of intricate whalebone carvings – knife handles, letter openers, rings and a wide assortment of decorative items – inscribed with marine images. Designer David Welty creates beautiful dolphins and other sea creatures in white and yellow gold pendants, necklaces, earrings, rings and other forms of decorative jewelry.
Gifts from around the world. 10am-10pm daily
Reproductions on canvas of whales, mountain scenes, English cottages and other images by well-known Carmel-artist Thomas Kinkade.
Exhibits by the exceptional Hawaiian artist Roy Tabora.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House is strictly for dinner. Lahaina Store Grille & Oyster Bar, a two-story restaurant with rooftop dining and a 47-foot raw oyster bar, is a terrific addition to bustling Lahaina Town.
Watch master woodworker Derek Bencomo create beautiful works of art from native wood.
Karl and Andrew Lehmann have collected primitive art and taken fantastic photographs around the world that they exhibit in their gallery along with insights into diverse cultures, wildlife and landscapes. Look at their web site for a glimpse of the wonders that you’ll find in their gallery. Find your way to Limahana Place where, in addition to Lost World Arts, you will find an interesting collection of art, woodworking and craft stores and studios (Island Woodworks, Gold Fantasy, Red Palms, Quilters Corner) and one of the island’s best bakeries, The Bakery (991-D Limahana, 667-9062) Traveling toward Ka’anapali on Hwy. 30, take a right at the Pizza Hut on Hinau St., and right again on Limahana Place. At the end of the street is the Sugar Cane Train’s Lahaina Station.
Sells a huge selection of Hawaiian quilts and needlepoint, as well as plenty of tropical-print fabrics, silver jewelry, and other local crafts and gift items.
A store not to be missed for beautifully made Hawaiian crafts like pheasant hat lei made by feather lei makers Mary Lou Kekuewa and daughter Paulette Kahalepuna, Tutuvi silk-screened dresses and shirts, Maile Andrade’s velvet accessories painted with Hawaiian scenes, colorful muumuu, other art, crafts, gifts, and clothing made by master Hawaii artists and a wonderful book corner for browsing.
In addition to several interesting specialty shops for gift and souvenir browsing, Lahaina Cannery Mall has some of Maui’s best quick ethnic meal shops: Athens Greek Food, Ba-Le French Sandwich & Bakery, Compadres Taqueria, Edo Japan, King’s Chinese Seafood Restaurant and others. Across the street Aloha Mixed Plate is the best (and only) place on Maui for a plate lunch and a mai tai with ocean views. The Old Lahaina Luau is right next door.
Look for beautiful paintings, prints and wood creations by Maui artists including: Lynden Tripp, Bill Tully, Jill Ireland and others.
Hawaiiana gifts (not necessarily made in Hawaii) include a high-quality selection of handcrafted items such as Ni’ihau shell jewelry, Norfolk pine bowls, Hawaiian quilt kits, Hawaiian quilt patterns (sewn in Asia), perfumes and soaps, handcrafted dolls and koa accessories. Especially look for the high-quality woodwork by artists such as Kelly Dunn, Jerry Kermode and Pat Coito. The Gallery also is at the Maui Marriott Resort, 667-2171.
Hawaiian Island Gems (858 Front St., 661-1219) A large selection of rings, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, Hawaiian heirloom jewelry and other items sold here are made of gold, Tahitian and other pearls and coral with designs by Steven Douglas and Kabana. (Also at 858 Front St. and the Hyatt Regency Maui, Ka’anapali)