Escape the beaches and spend a day in Upcountry Maui, the island's heartland. Situated around the slopes of Haleakalā, the rolling hills, cooler temperatures and misty mountains create a stunning backdrop to explore the unique vendors, restaurants and attractions the area offers.

Start your day early, departing Kahului and coasting along Route 37/Haleakalā Highway. As you drive towards Haleakalā, expansive land on either side of the road provides a serene setting as you climb in elevation. An approximately 30-minute drive will take you to the quaint town of Kula, known for its world-famous botanical gardens, locally owned farms and culinary elegance.

As you continue along Route 37, now known as Kula Highway, you will cross Keāhuaiwi Gulch Bridge before taking a left onto Lower Kula Road. After driving for a few minutes, you will find Kula Bistro, located on the right side of the road. Opened in 2012, the owners offer a casual, family-style restaurant with fresh, flavorful menu items. Guests can enjoy local dishes like Fried Rice served with eggs to elevated breakfast fare like Cajun Seared ahi topped with teriyaki-wasabi hollandaise sauce and comforting classics like Banana Mac Nut Pancakes served with honey butter and maple syrup.

Also in Kula is the renowned Kula Lodge, whose restaurant features panoramic views of the Maui mountains and the ocean. Their brunch menu offers breakfast staples like a two-breakfast plate featuring local eggs and choices of bacon, eggs, ham and potatoes, or rice. Menu specials include Monte Cristo Benedict, which features country bread, ham, Swiss cheese, hollandaise sauce and berry jam, and Lodge Pie, which comprises layers of meats, cheeses, vegetables and tomato jam.

After breakfast, head to one of the many farms and gardens in the area whose rich volcanic soil provides ideal growing conditions for various plants. At the Kula Botanical Garden, located about seven miles south of Kula Lodge, you can wander their eight-acre property exploring the colorful plants, rock formations, koi pond and aviary on site. Established in 1968 by Warren and Helen McCord, the gardens were meant to be exhibit spaces for Warren’s landscape architecture business, and today, the garden has evolved into a popular spot to visit.

Farther down the slopes of Haleakalā is the Aliʻi Kula Lavender Farm, a sprawling property and home to 20 varieties of lavender. The farm is accessible by traveling south along Kekaulike Avenue and turning left onto Waipoli Road. After about a five-minute drive along the tree-lined road, you will come upon the entrance and parking lot for the farm. Guests enjoy strolling the fragrant fields and stopping to rest among the arches and statues throughout the property. While peak lavender season is during the later summer months of July and August, the Spanish and French varieties bloom year-round, so guests can see lavender no matter what time of year they visit.

As your day continues, head north along Route 37 towards Pukalani. At the intersection of Kula Highway and Ōmaʻopio Road, there is an opportunity to visit Ocean Vodka, tour the farm, view the distillery and purchase their award-winning vodka. On their 80-acre farm, over 30 species of Polynesian sugar cane are cultivated for use in their organic vodka. With tastings offered every 30 minutes, a farm store and a café on site, your stop at Ocean Vodka will be the right way to keep your spirits high.

After hopping back on Route 37, a fifteen-minute drive north will bring you to Pukalani, whose name translates in Hawaiian to “the window to heaven.” Known as the largest town in the Upcountry region, Pukalani finds a nice balance between relaxed Island life and a city's bustle.

A must-stop within Pukalani is the Kulamalu Center, located just off the intersection of Kula Highway and Aʻapueo Parkway. This center is home to numerous businesses and eateries like Mahalo Aleworks. Guests can enjoy their artisanal, farmhouse-style ales crafted from wild yeasts collected from the slopes of Haleakalā. A regular rotation of their beer in the taproom is available, like their Imperial Coffee Stout, Banana Bread Dubbel and Dad Jokes, a subtly sweet creamy ale. For non-beer drinkers, they also offer wines-by-the-glass and kombucha, MBC Root Beer and Nitro Cold-Brew coffee on draft. This family-owned brewery also offers tours led by one of their resident “beer nuts,” who share knowledge of the brewery and the beer they serve. Tour admission includes a flight of four five-ounce pours of beers currently on tap.

Located on the Mahalo Aleworks lānai is Upcountry Sausage Co., who offer freshly- grilled, made-to-order sausage sandwiches that pair perfectly with the brews on tap. One popular menu item is their Ze German which starts with a grilled bratwurst topped with grilled sauerkraut and a drizzle of spicy brown mustard. For those who like a blend of sweet and spicy, their Ragin’ Cajun might be the right choice. This tangy beef and cheese hot dog is topped with pineapples and vegetables before being drizzled with a Dijon mustard teriyaki glaze.

Another cornerstone of the Kulamalu Towncenter is Restaurant Marlow which specializes in Neopolitian sourdough pizzas topped with locally sourced meats and vegetables. Each pizza is cooked in a kiawe wood oven from Italy which runs about 700 degrees Fahrenheit. After just a few minutes in the oven, the pizzas emerge with a beautiful char, crispy bottom and an airy crust. From appetizers like oven-roasted Kauaʻi Prawns topped with parsley chimichurri to their handmade pizzas, entrees and sides, Restaurant Marlow has a lengthy menu full of tempting options.

From Pukalani, continue along Route 37 until it intersects with Makawao Avenue, leading to the main street of the charming and soulful town of Makawao. Famous for its paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys) past, Makawao is known to have one foot in the past, as it honors its ranch heritage, and one in a thriving art community.

Drive past the town's main intersection, at Makawao Avenue and Olinda Road, and continue onto Piloholo Road, which leads to the Makawao Forest Reserve. Seven trails can be found within the 2,079 acres of protected woodland. The most popular trail within the reserve is the Kahakapao Loop Trail, which runs six miles in length and takes hikers through a dense forest of Cook pines, Kupukupu ferns, and ʻAwapuhi (ginger) plants.

After exploring the trails and forests of Maui, head back to Baldwin Avenue to walk the mix of eclectic shops and visit Komoda Store and Bakery, a mainstay of the community since the 1950s. This popular mom-and-pop shop sells scratch-made baked goods with customer favorites, including luscious cream puffs, guava malasadas (Portuguese fried donuts filled with sweet guava jelly) and stick donuts that are light, fluffy and dipped in a sugar glaze.

Once you’ve secured your sweets, hop in your car and continue North along Baldwin Avenue for about five minutes until you see the Hui Noʻeau Visual Arts Center on the right side of the road. Housed on the Kaluanui Estate, the property's main building was built by Harry & Ethel Baldwin in 1917. The mansion was designed by Harry’s cousin, famed architect Charles W. Dickey, incorporating Mediterranean-style elements such as a red-tile roof, arched windows and stucco exterior. Being deeply involved in the community, Ethel was inspired to establish a group of like-minded artists and founded Hui Noʻeau in 1934 with the couple’s daughter, Frances.

Today, the organization continues bringing artists and art enthusiasts together through its educational classes, workshops, exhibits and outreach programs. When you visit the site, you can enjoy a self-guided tour of Kaluanui to see the current exhibits, view the working art studios and discover Maui’s history. The organization hosts up to eight rotating fine art exhibitions throughout the year. The gallery shop also features products handmade by 75 local artisans, many made by Hui’s members in their jewelry, ceramics, printmaking and glassblowing studios.

After spending time at Hui Noʻeau, head North to Haliʻimaile, a tiny town once covered in the sweet-smelling maile vine. Today, the laidback town is a mix of homes and businesses within about a three-square-mile area.

To view breathtaking works of glass art, visit Makai Glass Maui, whose artists create hand-sculpted pieces that illuminate the essence of Hawaiʻi. From majestic koholā (humpback whales) to intricate coral designs, each one-of-a-kind piece in their gallery can be shipped directly to your doorstep with the guarantee that it will arrive intact.

As your day ends, choose from two tours in the same area as Makai Glass Maui. One option is the Haliʻimaile Distilling Company’s tour, which takes guests through their distillery to learn the story behind the flavors captured within their award-winning spirits and the story of the paniolo. Another option is the Maui Pineapple Tour, which highlights the growing cycle and cultivation techniques of Maui Gold Pineapple. As a bonus, each attendee gets a free pineapple with every tour.

Finish your day at one of the most cherished restaurants on the island, Haliʻimaile General Store. Originally a plantation store that offered butchering services, fresh fish, household goods and daily provisions, the building was purchased by Chef Beverly Gannon and her husband, Joe, in 1987. The couple dreamt of using the space to run Chef Bev’s catering company, which was previously run out of their Kula home. In addition to catering services, the team also offered gourmet take-out and eventually evolved into the award-winning restaurant known today. As Chef Bev’s restaurant grew, so did her involvement in the Hawaiʻi culinary scene, culminating in her distinction as one of the founding chefs of the Hawaiʻi Regional Cuisine movement in the 1990s.

At Haliʻimaile General Store, guests can dine in the relaxed, open-air dining room enjoying outstanding dishes like their Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi served with Molokaʻi whipped sweet potatoes, tropical fruit salsa and a mango-lilikoʻi butter sauce or their Korean BBQ Braised Short Ribs served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, ginger rainbow baby carrots and crisped onion strings. Dinner ends on a high note with their signature Haliʻimaile Pineapple Upside-Down Cake that incorporates caramelized Maui Gold Pineapple, buttery vanilla pound cake and fresh whipped cream.

As your day in Upcountry Maui comes to a close, relax on your peaceful drive back to town, taking in the stars in the sky and the sweet country air.

Kula Bistro; 4566 Lower Kula Road, Kula; (808) 871-2960; open Thursday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; www.kulabistro.com.

Kula Lodge & Restaurant; 15200 Haleakalā Hwy., Kula; (808) 878-1535; the restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday with brunch from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; happy hour 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; dinner 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; pizza is available 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; kulalodge.com.

Kula Botanical Garden; 638 Kekaulike Avenue, Kula; (808) 878-1715; open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; kulabotanicalgarden.com.

Aliʻi Kula Lavendar Farm; 1100 Waipoli Road, Kula; (808) 878-3004; Open Friday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; aliikulalavendar.com.

Ocean Vodka; 4051 Ōmaʻopio Road, Kula; (808) 877-0009; open daily with guided tastings every 30 minutes from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Farm Store open from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; café open from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; oceanvodka.com.

Mahalo Aleworks; 30 Kupaoa Street, #101, Pukalani; open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; mahaloaleworks.com.

Up Country Sausage Co.; 30 Kupaoa Street, #101 Pukalani; (808) 357-9746; open daily from 12 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; upcountrysausageco.com.

Restaurant Marlow; 30 Kupaoa Street, #A104 Pukalani; open daily with breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., dinner from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; restaurantmarlow.com.

Maui Nui Forest Reserves; dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/frs/reserves/maui-nui/.

Komoda Store and Baker; 3674 Baldwin Avenue, Makawao; (808) 572-7261; open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Hui Noʻeau Visual Arts Center; 2841 Baldwin Avenue, Makawao; (808) 572-6560; open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; huinoeau.com.

Makai Glass Maui, 903 Haliʻimaile Road, Makawao; (808) 419-6685; open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.;makaiglass.com.

Haliʻimaile Distilling Company; 883 Haliʻimaile Road, Makawao; (808) 758-5154; Open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; haliimailedistilling.com.

Maui Pineapple Tour; 883 Haliʻimaile Road, Makawao; (808) 646-6592; Open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; mauipineappletour.com.

Haliʻimaile General Store; 900 Haliʻimaile Road, Makawao; (808) 572-2666; open daily for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.., dinner from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and the bar remains open between lunch and dinner;hgsmaui.com.