Things To Do in Kahului (Maui) & Kahului Airport Layover Ideas

There’s lots to see on Maui, but it’s best to stick close to Kahului, after which the OGG Kahului Airport was named, unless you have a really long layover.

Hit the Beach

Kanaha Beach is part wildlife sanctuary, part beach and part windsurfers’ paradise.  Kanaha Beach is fully protected from the outer reef. And it’s just minutes from OGG Kahului Airport.

Stop and Smell the Flowers

Maui Nui Botanical Gardens is a seven acre site focused on flora of Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i and Kaho'olawe.  Open Monday to Saturday, 08:00-16:00.

Visit the Maui Arts and Cultural Center

Completed in 1994, the Maui Arts and Cultural Center is one of the island's best venues for both visual and performing arts. The Schaefer International Gallery is Maui's only museum-quality art gallery, while several performance venues including the Castle Theater and Alexander and Baldwin Amphitheater provide space for concerts and plays. Free admission for most exhibits in the Schaefer Gallery. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00-17:00.

Have a Whale of a Time

The Kaanapali Whalers Village Museum includes a 30-foot-long whale skeleton, a whaling longboat, scrimshaw, harpoons, and other exhibits and artifacts.

See the Paper Airplane Museum Maui

Over 2,000 models from around the world grace this small aviation museum. The models range from postage stamp size to wingspans of over 6 feet. To be featured here, planes must be made from a minimum of 95% paper products. The museum features photos and artifacts showing the Hawaiian Islands' aviation history from 1910 to the present. Also included in the museum are the handcrafted designs of the Tin Can Man of Maui. There are hundreds of tin can airplanes, cars, boats, trains, dinosaurs, ukuleles, and more.

Take a Helicopter Ride

Helicopter and small plane tours of Maui and the other Hawaiian Islands are available right at the OGG Kahului Airport. Expensive, but a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

As always, make sure you leave plenty of time to get back to OGG Kahului Airport and clear security in time for your connecting flight. Enjoy your transit city rather than whiling away the time leaning up against your luggage in the departures lounge.