Watch whales from a beach town where kings were born

Front Street is Lahaina's main downtown street, home to bars, clubs, restaurants, shopping and art galleries. [Photo/AP]

And make sure to visit the tree around sunset, when hundreds of mynah birds sing inside its canopy.

"It's kind of the center of town," Fuqua says. "Everyone knows where it's at. It has an important significance to the town and it feels good under there."

Not into history? Lahaina offers plenty of other touristy things to do.

Instead of whaling, the harbor has now become the launching point for fishing, parasailing, ocean cruising or whale watching in the winter. The restaurants along Front Street are top-notch, offering straight-out-of-the-ocean fish daily.

The tiny Lahaina Civic Center transforms from a local events center into the center of the college basketball universe during the Maui Invitational in the days before Thanksgiving every year.

Lahaina also is the hub of western Maui, a gateway to golf courses in Kaanapali and Kapalua, sandy beaches and some of the best snorkeling found anywhere in the world.

"There's a lot to do here, even for a small town," Fuqua says. "It's just a cool town."