Fast Facts Discover Lahaina's Best

Experience the charm and rich history of old Lahaina Town by strolling along Front Street. Once the whaling capital of the world and the former capital of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i, Lahaina is now Maui's top destination for shopping, dining, activities and entertainment.

- Lois Whitney

Lahaina is more than just a long series of shops,however. This town exemplifies the living history of Hawai‘i, by preserving the past and by embracing the future. A national historic area, Lahaina features a harmonious blend of tourism and agriculture, the two leading industries of Hawai‘i.

LAHAINA HARBOR once provided a safe haven for numerous whaling and freight vessels. Now it is home to many fishing, diving and sightseeing charter boats, cruise ships and military vessels paying a visit.

Also at Lahaina Harbor is the FORT ON THE CANAL, the old Courthouse and the Banyan Tree. The Fort was built in 1831 out of coral blocks that were hewn by hand. Once covering an area of about one acre, with 20 foot walls, now all that remains is a small section of the southwest corner. The Courthouse, built in 1859, years after the Fort had been destroyed, functioned as a custom’s house, a post office, a collector's office, an office for the Governor, a police office and a courtroom.