Lahaina Overview

Lahaina means “land of the cruel sun,” and as visitors soon realize, it is an apt title—in any season, Lahaina (pop. 9118) sizzles. Once the prize of Hawaiian royalty, due to its abundance of freshwater, Lahaina’s natural harbor and convenient location made it the island’s most bustling port. From the 1820s to the 1840s, King Kamehameha III resided here, turning it into the capital and center of the emerging Hawaiian democracy. Remnants of Lahaina’s history are still visible in the restored buildings and sites of the downtown historic district, though they are overwhelmed in many places now by T-shirt shops, activity booths, and themed restaurants. Lahaina has become a tourist trap, but that doesn’t keep people from enjoying it. Perching on the seawall on Front St. provides endless people-watching as well as front row seats to a dazzling sunset.

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