Stargazing Tour in Ka’anapali, Maui: Why We Loved This

Let Donna Meistrich, a passionate astronomer, take you up on the sides of the West Maui Mountains for this fascinating stargazing tour in Ka’anapali. Our family enjoyed the fantastic tales of supernovas, the birthplace of gold and platinum, and, of course, the stargazing! She moved from one constellation to the next. We even did it during a full moon so we got excellent pictures of the moon. Learn more below.

our family at the stargazing tour in Ka'anapali

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Activity Overview

  • Departs From: Maui – Lahaina (West)
  • Duration: 1.5 hours
  • Price: $125
  • Included in the price: Telescopes and stories of the heavens! Bring warm clothes.

Stargazing Tour in Ka’anapali: Quick Info

  • 1.5-hour duration
  • Price for Group Tour: $125 per adult, $100 per child, $300 per family
  • 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM Thursday – Monday (no tours on Tues & Wed)
  • Stargazing is on the sides of the West Maui Mountains. Donna has spots from Olowalu up to North Ka’anapali. You will not go up the mountains, but you will drive up a little from the highway.
  • The location for stargazing depends on the conditions. Donna and her team will contact you with directions to the exact location.
  • Small group tours to private tours are available
  • Bring a light jacket or a sweater as it may get chilly!
  • Handicap friendly and accessible!
  • Children of all ages are welcome! The telescopes are expensive, so Donna will assist the children.
  • Super convenient if you’re staying in Olowalu to Kapalua! This is our go-to recommendation for a stargazing tour in Ka’anapali.
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Details for this Stargazing Tour in Ka’anapali

We had a lovely dinner in Ka’anapali, put on our sweaters (pack them for this activity and/or a Haleakalā sunrise tour), and left the Maui Westin Resort & Spa at 7:45 PM. It was a quick drive to North Ka’anapali, and it was about a mile or two up the mountainside.

Donna and Scott, her assistant and astronomer, were easily spotted on the side of the country road. They had two large telescopes set up and a table with numerous lenses and other equipment. We happened to be the only ones on the tour because our family had reached its minimum limit for the tour.

Donna embraced us with a warm smile and the energy of a neutron star. She kept us, along with our 3- and 7-year-olds, entertained with stories about the constellations, planets, and nebulae.

stargazing tour in ka'anapali maui jordan stargazing
This is me, with Donna’s help, looking at the Pleiades constellation. The inspiration for Subaru’s logo.

Why we recommend this stargazing tour in Kaanapali:

  • Convenience! If you’re staying in Kaanapali or West Maui, then this is an excellent way to see the stars without driving to Haleakala.
  • A good value! Donna’s tour is a reasonable price for individuals or families.
  • With a small group size, she can craft the tour to show people what they want to see.
  • The weather along the West Maui Mountains is excellent, but you can get cloud cover. The further south toward Olowalu, the better the chance of clear skies. Donna did a great job communicating the weather and location to us.
  • We are not experts in telescopes, but we were impressed with their knowledge of the equipment, the quality, and their ability to move from one heavenly object to another.
  • This tour is worth doing more than once. The night sky changes, so every tour will be unique in what you see.

FYI, stargazing from ocean level is excellent in Hawaii. With the dark night sky of Hawaii, we’ve enjoyed the convenience and warmth of not having to climb a volcano.

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Watch our video below. You can fast-forward to the end to see this stargazing tour from Ka’anapali.

Looking for things to do near Ka’anapali Resorts? Watch our video on a perfect itinerary day out in Ka’anapali. We finished the day on this stargazing tour in Ka’anapali.

About Stargazers Anonymous

Donna Meistrich became an astronomer after a friend of hers sparked her interest with wild tales of stars, constellations, and all that cool stuff. Donna ran an art gallery in Lahaina for years before it was destroyed in the Lahaina Fire. This gave her a reason to launch into her passion for sharing her knowledge of the stars. With lots of fancy equipment later, she welcomes visitors to Maui with the best stargazing tour in Ka’anapali. She will tell you it’s the best stargazing tour on Maui, and we won’t argue with her about that.

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Two other tour companies exist: one in West Maui and one on Haleakala. We share all Stargazing Tours on Maui here.

Be sure also to check out more things to do in Kaanapali:


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