If you're seriously considering Haleakala sunrise, prepare well the day before. It's freaky driving up in the dark, because it's a long winding road. Take a thermos of hot chocolate or coffee and snacks because there's nothing up there. But it is awesome. If your 2 1/2 year old can sleep in the car, all the better.
Makawao, as mentioned above, is quite different - it's actually considered Maui's "cowboy country" so it has a different feel from what you'd expect in Hawaii (not on the water, rural) There's a bakery there that I've seen on a couple of travel shows - their cream puffs are apparently worth the drive (if you like that sort of thing).
Paia on the north coast is a fun hippie town with some cool restaurants. It's also the start of the Road to Hana. We didn't make it all the way to Hana but enjoyed stopping at little towns and waterfalls along the way.
Also, if you're so inclined, there is Big Beach on the bottom of the island, which is a great...big beach. I did some body surfing there until a wave picked me up and slammed me down on my back at full force. I think I got off lucky with cuts and bruises.
Right next to Big Beach is Little Beach, which is clothing-optional. That was fun.
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We may curse our bad luck that it's sounds like its; who's sounds like whose; they're sounds like their (and there); and you're sounds like your. But if we are grown-ups who have been through full-time education, we have no excuse for muddling them up.
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