About Andrea from Maui Condos -
Vacation Rentals & Accommodations

ABOUT ANDREA
Well, it’s certainly not difficult to describe how I fell in love with Maui. I spent the early part of my childhood in Brooklyn. Eventually we moved west—way west—and I grew up in L.A. —but more important, on the beach. I’d always dreamed of Hawaii and what it might be like to surf Hawaii. In high school, my best friend’s father was the director of the now-famous Elvis film, Blue Hawaii. My longing for all things Hawaiian only increased as my friend shared photographs of the set and stories of the Islands.

Finally, in 1975, my husband and I made our first and last visit to Maui. We arrived in the dark of night and I couldn't see anything, but in the morning when I drew open the curtains of our hotel room, I was completely blown away! It was more beautiful than I had ever imagined. No photograph could ever do it justice. From my window, I could see endless blue sky, an abundance of flowers and greenery that was unimaginably lush, miles of unspoiled beach, and a turquoise ocean that seemed to be dancing just for me. I hadn’t even stepped out of my pajamas—and I was struck with a bout of island fever that has remained incurable to this day! We never had the chance to “visit” Maui again—ten months after my first glimpse of Maui, we moved there!

I’ve never regretted that choice. Neither did our kids—they loved growing up “Hawaiian.” My dream of surfing Hawaii came to be a reality and I started the Maui Surfing School (specializing in beginners and cowards) in 1980. I started quite a trend. Back then, surfing wasn’t nearly as popular as it is now—and women surfers were extremely rare. I’ve taught literally tens of thousands of people—young and old—to surf. Many of them caught their first wave during their first lesson. I became a local authority of sorts on surf conditions, and served as the “Beach Tip Girl” for local cable TV from 1980-1985. I also wrote articles for the South Maui Times on the subjects of water safety, surfing and water sports. From 1983-1985, I ran a snorkel business with a friend who is a marine biologist.

Of course, Maui just wouldn’t be Maui without romance! I started one of the first wedding companies on Maui which you can still visit today at www.mauiweddings.com. I became licensed to perform weddings and vow-renewal ceremonies, and I personally performed over 500 ceremonies!

In 1994, I bought my first oceanfront vacation condo. Soon, I had five oceanfront properties. That is how I began www.mauicondos.com, and it has been a dream come true! I had been planning vacations for friends and surf and wedding clients for years, and I finally had a way to share my island paradise with everyone!

After more than two decades on Maui, my kids had grown up and moved away. It was time for me to see the world, the way I had always dreamed of doing. These days, I divide my time between my “home base” in Lake Tahoe, Maui, and the rest of the world—I go where adventure leads me!

Now that I winter in Lake Tahoe, I have become an avid skier, both down hill and x-country. I enjoy running and have completed 2 marathons.I’m a scuba diver (divemaster) and enjoyed my trip to the Great Barrier Reef and Fiji last year. Ask me about it all if you are interested in going. Adventure travel is one of my great loves and I just got back from a month in Corsica, Sardinia, Italy, Germany and Austria.  Kayaking, surfing, sailing, being in  nature, classic cars, photography, and being with family and friends are things you’ll also find me doing.

As you walk and eat and travel, be where you are, otherwise you will miss most of your life – Buddha