The Best Things to Do in Maui
Maui is known for gorgeous beaches, scenic drives like the Road to Hana, and iconic volcano sunrises at Haleakalā National Park. Discover the best things to do on the island with this guide.
Sightseeing in Maui
Since we only had 3.5 days in Maui, our time here was pretty busy. Our activities were a mixture of hikes and stops along the side of the road.
West Maui
Spend a day exploring west Maui. I'd recommend driving around the entire perimeter. The road gets very narrow and windy on the northwest side.
ʻIao Valley State Monument
This can be a relatively short stop or a place to spend more time exploring. All state parks cost $5 to get into/park at. The views right at the parking lot are breathtaking. There's a cute little botanical garden at the entry before you get back to the trails.
There are a few different trails to explore here. The main trail will only take about 5-10 minutes to climb up to the viewpoint of the mountains. We came in the morning and had the place to ourselves.
Waihe’e Ridge Trail
The parking lot at this trail is small, so get there early to get a parking spot. This hike is about 4 miles and is strenuous. It starts out very steep before leveling off for a bit in the middle. The last portion gets steep again.
Starting about halfway up, the views are gorgeous. It was a bit cloudy when we were there, so the summit was foggy at first. We hung out for a bit and the clouds cleared.
There are views both into the mountains as well as out along the coast which makes this a unique hike.
Olivine Pools
This is a quick stop on the side of the road. There is a bit of rocky climbing/scrambling to get down to the pools, so make sure to wear appropriate shoes. Against the warnings of the posted signs, many people swim here.
Nakalele Blowhole
Similar to the Olivine Pools, this is a stop along the side of the road and requires a bit of climbing down rocks. This was the best blowhole we saw in Hawaii. There's supposed to be a heart shaped rock right here as well, but we didn't have any luck finding it.
Makaluapuna Point
This stop is hidden in a resort area. It's about a half mile walk along a golf course to get to the point, also known as Dragon's Teeth. The interesting rock formations make for a nice view here.
Lāhainā Banyan Court Park
I have seen banyan trees before, but none of them compare to the size or beauty of this one. I was in awe of this tree the whole time we were in the park. At first glance, they all look like separate trees, but it is all one connected tree. There are benches throughout the park to sit back, relax, and enjoy this tree.
Road to Hana
The Road to Hana is known to be overrun with tourists, so we got an early start and got to our first stop just as the sun was rising. There are many places to stop, but I've listed just my favorites below. There are plenty of waterfalls to see along the side of the road. Note that mile markers are weird and change directions several times along the road. The Road to Hana is known for being narrow and windy, but we didn't think it was as bad as parts of the road on the north west side of Maui.
Ho‘okipa Beach Park
Mile Marker 9
I wasn't expecting much at our first stop. We weren't planning on swimming or staying long so I figured it was just another beach. Boy was I wrong. I was immediately mesmerized by the huge waves here. Pair that with the cotton candy sky from the sunrise and it was perfect.
Twin Falls
Mile Marker 2
Since this was our second stop, we got here before almost everyone else arrived. The trails wind around giving plenty of room for exploring. It's hard to get a good view of either falls without climbing down off the main trail a bit, which we of course did. The trail goes back a bit further, but since we were there so early, it was gated off.
Rainbow eucalyptus trees
Mile Marker 7
These trees were my dad's entire reason for wanting to come to Maui. There's no sign leading the way here. There is a little 'Rainbow Trees' marker on Google maps (look closely to find it). We actually drove past it and had to turn around to search a second time, so pay close attention.
These trees are on private property. It's possible to see them from the side of the road, but I wanted to get good pictures which required ignoring the posted signs. There are trails leading from the side of the road through the trees, so it seems to be a common thing to do. There are also rainbow eucalyptus trees at the Ke'anae Arboretum, but we preferred these ones.
Waiʻānapanapa State Park
Mile Marker 32
While this spot doesn't take the cake for my favorite spot along the Road to Hana, it was a close second. Starting from the parking lot, this is where you'll find the best view of the sea arch.
Walk down from there to get to a beautiful black sand beach. It may be small, but the surrounding cliffs make it a must see.
Just to the right of the black sand beach is a freshwater cave. This was something I had never seen before. Walk through to the other side to see the waves rolling in.
On the other side of the beach, there's a path that takes you up along the cliffs. Don't skip out on this part. We sat up on the rocks and enjoyed watching the waves crash in over the lava.
Kaihalulu Beach
Unknown Mile Marker
We took an accidental detour that lead us to my favorite stop on the Road to Hana. This red sand beach is the prettiest beach I've ever seen. Park along the side of the road and follow the path for about half a mile. Turn the corner to jaw dropping views.
The water here is a bright turquoise color which is the perfect contrast to the rust red color of the sand.
We even found a seal sun bathing on the far side of the beach. He turned to look at me, posing for the perfect picture.
Pīpīwai Trail
Mile Marker 42
This trail is part of Haleakalā National Park (and past the Road to Hana) which has a $30 entrance fee for 3 days. My dad has a lifetime national park pass which we were able to take advantage of.
The trail is about 3.4 miles long and moderate. It's uphill on the way there, but it isn't too steep. It leads to a great view of Waimoku Falls.
We also did the quick half mile loop to the Pools of 'Ohe'o when we got back. While they were pretty, it wasn't as impressive as the falls we just came from.
Central Maui
Our last full day was spent around central Maui closer to where we were staying. It started with an early wake up call but ended a bit more relaxing.
Haleakalā National Park
One of the most popular things to do in Maui is view the sunrise from the summit at this national park. Some advanced planning is required to do this. Reservations are required and open 60 days in advance. We didn't plan this far ahead, but luckily, a small number of tickets are released at 7 am two days ahead of time. They go fast though, so get them right at 7 am (or plan ahead better and get them two months in advance). There are tours (most of which bike down from the summit), but it was easy to do on our own.
Sunrise was around 6:45 am when we were there and we got to the summit around 5:30 am. We chose to stay warm in our car for a bit, but to get a good spot along the railing, we probably should have started standing outside around the time we got there.
It's very cold at the summit (I think it was around freezing), so wear plenty of layers. Most importantly, make sure to bring gloves. I forgot to bring gloves (who needs gloves in Hawaii?) and my fingers got so numb trying to take pictures that I couldn't move them by the end.
Being above the clouds and watching the sunrise into the crater was a pretty incredible thing to see. As cold as it was, I thought it was completely worth it. There is a visitor's center to warm up in as well. Anthony chose to stay warm and enjoyed the sunrise from inside the visitor's center.
After the sunrise, we drove up to the observatory and enjoyed sweeping views of the island before getting too cold and returning to the warm car.
Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm
This farm is very close to the summit entrance, so we decided to stop on our way back. It costs $3/person to get in which ended up being well worth it. We weren't expecting much from this lavender farm, but we ended up really enjoying ourselves. There are expansive gardens to explore on the property.
The whole place is very peaceful and relaxing. They even have a scavenger hunt with a prize of cookies upon completion. Of course, no lavender farm would be complete without a gift shop full of lavender treats to buy.
Maluaka Beach
After a much needed nap, we spent the rest of the day relaxing on this beach. There isn't a ton of shade here, but we managed to get a spot.This beach is known for sea turtles. We thought we would have to snorkel to see them, but two different turtles swam right up to us while we were swimming in the ocean.
Where to eat in Maui
Fish Market Maui
Both the fish tacos and poke here are very good. The poke is incredibly fresh. Unlike the mainland, it's just the fish with some sauce. It doesn't come with rice or toppings.
Lāhainā Ice Cream Parlour
Trying Dole Whip is necessary while in Hawaii. This ice cream shop is just a couple of blocks from Lāhainā Banyan Court Park. Get the Dole Whip topped with fresh pineapple and enjoy it in the park.
Leoda's Kitchen and Pie Shop
This is a must stop for dessert. They have savory pies as well, but I can only speak for the sweet ones. We all agreed that the lilikoi (passion fruit) pie was our favorite. I also really liked the banana cream pie as well.
Nalu's South Shore Grill
Conveniently located right down the street from where we were staying, this was an easy choice for dinner. Get the Ahi Club and thank me later. We all liked it the best.
Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice
The ice is shaved finely so it's very soft (not crunchy). The sauces are all homemade with local ingredients. Make sure to get it with ice cream.
Gazebo Restaurant
This restaurant is incredibly popular. We waited in line for about an hour for brunch on a weekday. Make sure to check out the turtles on the shore while waiting in line. The fried rice was delicious and the combo pancakes were fluffy and a must order (coming from a non-pancake lover).
Wildlife in Maui
Whales
Spotting whales from the beach is common in Hawaii. We were lucky enough to see whales very close to the shore while driving along the coast. We pulled off and watched three of them for quite a while.
Sea turtles
You can find sea turtles at the beach while swimming and snorkeling. They can also be spotted right on the shore sometimes.
Wild chickens
Wild chickens are everywhere in Hawaii. They're especially common in Maui and Kauai. We frequently woke up to the sound of roosters.
Feral pigs
We spotted a few of Hawaii's wild pigs along a beach while we were relaxing right before heading to the airport.
Getting to and around Maui
Kahului Airport is the main airport in Hawaii. It's easy to get a direct flight from the mainland there. I'd recommend renting a car during your stay since that's the easiest way to get around the island. There are buses that can be used to get around the island, but it's easiest to have a car to get to most places.
Where to stay in Maui
A lot of people stay in west Maui since that's where most of the resorts are. If you're looking for something more centrally located, I'd recommend finding an Airbnb in near Kihei. This will allow you to get to either side of the island within about an hour.
Best time to visit Maui
I'd avoid visiting in the summer since it's a popular time to visit and the weather is beautiful year round. For the least amount of crowds, spring and fall are good times to visit. Winter is a good time to visit if you're looking to escape cold temperatures elsewhere.
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