From Wailuku take Main Street and turn right on beautiful ‘Iao Valley Road. Just a few miles north of Wailuku the road suddenly enters a rain forest where the walls of a canyon lead to a 2,250’ needle pointing into the clouds above ‘Iao Valley. This 6-acre state park (open 7am-7pm) is full of history and natural beauty, tropical plants, rainbows, waterfalls, swimming holes and hiking trails. Go early in the morning, bring a picnic and spend at least a half-day.
‘Iao ("Supreme Light") Valley, 10 miles long and covering 4,000 acres, is the eroded volcanic caldera of the West Maui Mountains. At the head of ‘Iao Valley four major streams converge into ‘Iao Stream within a broad circular amphitheater. At the back of the amphitheater rain-drenched Pu’u Kukui rises to the highest point in the West Maui Mountains.
In Iao Valley State Park visit the Hawaii Nature Center (244-6500), home of the ‘Iao Valley Nature Center that features hands-on interactive exhibits and displays telling the story of Hawaii’s natural history (10am-4pm; admission $6 adults and $4 children 4 to 12, under 4 free).
In 1790 King Kamehameha the Great and his men engaged in the famous bloody battle of ‘Iao Valley to gain control of Maui. ‘Iao Stream ended up blocked with fallen bodies and after the battle was named Kepaniwai or "damming of the waters." At the entrance to Iao Valley State Park an architectural heritage park of Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and New England-style houses and gardens stands next to ‘Iao Stream at the Kepaniwai Heritage Garden. Plenty of picnic tables and benches make this a convenient picnic spot.
In addition to a bridge, paved walkways cross and follow ‘Iao Stream. Ferns, banana trees and other native and exotic plants flourish in ‘Iao Valley Botanic Garden along the stream. A short walk across a bridge and the end of the park near a large parking area reveals beautiful views of ‘Iao Needle and provides the easiest viewing place. Climb about 100 steps up to a small covered viewing area and you’ll find that the view actually is not a great deal better than the one from the bridge.
Within a few short blocks two centuries of the history of Wailuku and Maui unfold in ten buildings and other sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Park in a large public parking lot with entrances on N. Church St. and Vineyard St. (across from the Maui Bake Shop at the corner of Vineyard and Church). After parking or breakfast, walk up N. Church St. to Main Street passing the Church of the Good Shepherd (1911) on the right. Turn right on Main St. to S. High St., then turn left and walk to the Old County Building (1925) standing under monkeypod trees.
Retrace your steps and walk back on S. High Street to the Circuit Courthouse (1907). Across the street pass Wailuku Union Church (1911), Wailuku Public Library (1928), the Territorial Building and the Ka’ahumanu Church (1876) near Main Street. Look for a small cemetery where Hawaiian nobility (Ali’i) and missionary families were buried side by side.
Ka’ahumanu Church(103 S. High St., Wailuku) was built to honor Queen Ka’ahumanu, the first member of Hawaiian royalty to embrace Christianity back in the 1820s. Built in 1876 this New England-style church still features hymns sung in Hawaiian on Sunday. Just around the corner from Ka’ahumanu Church, and originally built as a girl’s school in the mid-19th century, the Bailey House Museum(2375-A Main St., 244-3326, Mon.-Sat., 10am-4pm, adults $5, children 7-12, $1, seniors $4) became the home of Edward and Caroline Bailey in 1833, the missionary couple that ran the school.
The museum contains an eclectic collection of 19th century Hawaiian and Yankee memorabilia and artifacts. Operated by the Maui Historical Society, the museum is furnished as it looked in the missionary era. A canoe made from a koa log and one of Duke Kahanamoku’s long-boards stands in the pretty garden (a lovely spot for wedding receptions and vows).
Turn right on Ilina Street and right again to Vineyard St. On the left is another old cemetery and on the right Iao Congregational Church (1936). Walk down Vineyard St. to N. Market and take a right to the picturesque art deco Iao Theater (1928). On the same side of N. Market St. is Brown-Kobayashi’s elegant treasure trove of Asian antiques and a mixture of antiques, china, pottery, glassware and furniture at Bird of Paradise Unique Antiques. Across the street Sig Zane Designs sells Maui’s most unique alohawear designs.
Before leaving Wailuku, plan to have a superb Vietnamese lunch or dinner at ‘Onodelicious award-winning A Saigon Café (located beneath Hwy. 32 that splits Main Street) or Latin Cuisine in Kahului at Mañana Garage, another ‘Onodelicious award-winner that’s only a 10-minute drive from Main and Market in Wailuku. Take Hwy. 32 (Main St.) out of Wailuku, pass the intersection with Hwy. 340 on your left, and look to your right in a few blocks for Lono Ave. (across from the Maui Beach Hotel); turn right and in about 100 yards turn left into a parking lot next to Mañana Garage.