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Charming Makawao Union Church was built in stone by Hawai’i’s most famous modern architect, C. W. Dickey, as a chapel for the Baldwins, a missionary, industrialist, and generously philanthropic family. Across the road stands the Holy Rosary Church and, outside it, a statue of the beatified Father Damien (see Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Moloka’i).

Fairly far from the madding crowds, the Mākena Resort has only one hotel – The Maui Prince – and two golf courses, both designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. The natural highlight of the Mākena area is Oneloa (Big Beach), a 3,000-ft long dazzling white sand beach. In days long gone, Mākena was a busy port. Paniolo (Portuguese cowboys) drove their cattle down the slopes of Haleakalā to be prodded into the surf at Mākena Landing, then lashed to shore boats and taken to waiting barges for shipment to market in Honolulu. (see Mākena)

Although the Catholic priests who arrived on Maui in 1846 were unpopular with the established Protestant leaders, Catholicism quickly became the island’s largest denomination as a result of the influx of Catholic laborers from Portugal and the Philippines. The church was built in 1856 and enlarged in 1858. The beautiful structure, which now stands at Waine’e and Dickenson streets, is a replica of the 1858 church.

A beautifully preserved coral and fieldstone building. Its exterior hasn’t changed a jot since its completion in 1834, when it was built for ships’ officers and their families as a respite from the “heat and unpleasant dust of the market.” It now houses the Lahaina Restoration Foundation.

An up-close experience of Pacific marine life, such as sea turtles, rays, and whales, for those who don’t want to get wet. Visitors can view sharks while walking though a 50-ft-long clear acrylic tunnel, and they are invited to touch harmless marine animals such as sea stars and sea cucumbers at the Discovery Pool.

Located outside of Wailuku on Route 30, this attraction offers a glimpse into Maui’s agricultural industry. There are displays and exhibits showing how 14 varieties of fruits and flowers are cultivated and processed; a mini tram tour through fields of sugar cane, pineapple, bananas, coffee, papaya, and macadamia plants; plus a store where the finished products can be bought.

A popular surfing spot, Mā’alaea Harbor marks the beginning of a three-mile stretch of beaches that reaches to North Kīhei. Boat charters depart from here for fishing trips and snorkeling excursions to Molokini. During the winter, Maui’s most famous visitors, the humpback whales, breed in the warm waters of the bay, and whale-watching tours set off from the harbor several times a day.

Also known as the Sugar Mill Museum, this 19th-century industrial building was the work of R.W. Meyer, a German immigrant engineer. When the mill first turned in 1878, it used real horsepower and a steam engine to crush and process sugar cane. Recently, it has been lovingly and beautifully restored, and now exhibitions are held regularly. You can also take a self-guided tour through the mill.