Upcountry Adventures: Maui's Winery at Ulupalakua Ranch

On our most recent upcountry adventure, we added Maui's Winery at Ulupalakua Ranch to our itinerary.

Having learned the hard way, the first time that we tried to go to the winery back in January, that GPS will send you astray, we followed the directions on their website this time.   After having lunch at Grandma's coffee shop in Kula (definitely worth a stop for a baked treat or lunch), we continued onward.   The drive is gorgeous - windy roads through the countryside with views of the ocean.   If you're driving, it is your responsibility to keep your eyes on the road.

Wine tastings are complimentary.   Where else can you try pineapple wine?   In addition to the wines, they sell a variety of locally made products and wine accessories.    I bought some macadamia sugar for my coffee and some amazing Thai basil sea salt.   There's also fascinating information about the history of the land - very different plants and trees grow upcountry compared to the shore.
  
Maui's Winery also has tours at 10:30 and 1:30 and I do love my tours.
I'll have to go back for a tour.    And another tasting.  

When you go upcountry, consider visiting Surfing Goat Dairy and/or Kula Country Farms. 

Show and Tell: Bamboo Forest Hike - Maui

If there's one hike that I've heard about from everyone since moving to Maui, it's the Bamboo Forest. Everyone loves it.   Everyone does it more than once.

This is the hike that you take visiting friends (or new residents...ahem) on to show and tell:  this is is the real Hawaii.   

It's not marked.   There's not a designated parking lot.   You enter through breaks in the fences.   Hiking through the bamboo.   Over, around and through creeks, pools and falls.

To get to the last waterfall,  swimming is required.   You use questionable looking ropes and ladders. Some people hike barefoot.

It is in guidebooks and on trip advisor, but you're more likely to do it with someone who has done it before.

You can also jump off waterfalls....and who doesn't love that?

And tradition says that afterwards, you eat lunch at Flatbread (yum!)

Have you had a real local experience where you live recently?   What did you do?