Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens Park

Two miles west of Wailuku, the family-oriented Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens Park pays tribute to Hawaii's varied ethnic heritage. Among the highlights are a traditional Hawaiian hale, a New England-style missionary home, a Filipino farmer's hut, Japanese gardens with stone pagodas and a Chinese pavilion with a statue of revolutionary hero Sun Yat-sen (who, incidentally, briefly lived on Maui).

'Iao Stream runs through the park, bordered by picnic shelters with barbecue pits. The place is cheerfully alive with families picnicking here on weekends.

At the west end of the park is the Hawaii Nature Center, a nonprofit educational facility with kid-oriented exhibits. The center also leads two-hour rain-forest walks; reservations are required.