Must-See Sights in Maui: An Eight-Day Itinerary

Pick up a rental car, check in to the hotel and drop off your bags. I recommend staying near the airport for the first couple of nights since you’ll have an early start the next two days (3 am departure) and will want to be in this area for your big drives. Hotel options: Maui Seaside Hotel or Courtyard Maui. There are plenty of hotels further away on the west coast of the island, however that will add another 45 minutes to an hour at the beginning of your day, which is already early start. I don’t think it’s worth the extra time in the car, but you make that call. From Day 4 onward, you’ll have your pick of luxurious hotels at the beaches on the west side in Wailea.

Relax on the beach (Kaulahao or Baldwin Beach) or drive to the town of Paia for food and some local shopping.

Food recommendations

• Paia Fish Market - Fresh seafood in the middle of town. Doesn’t take reservations, so best to come off peak to beat the crowds.

• Tobi’s Poke and Shave Ice - Both things you need to try in Hawai'i! Casual with picnic-style seating.

• Mama’s Fish House - Make a reservation immediately, since this restaurant fills up fast. This was the perfect dinner setting I pictured before I came to Maui — right on the beach, fresh local food and Polynesian decor.

• Download the Shaka app so you can listen and learn while you’re on the road. Purchase the Maui Tour Driving Bundle since this guide will be using a minimum of two of the tours.

Morning

Plan to leave your hotel around 3 am (depending on where you’re staying) in order to make it on time for sunrise. The key is to arrive at the summit an hour before sunrise so you can park and find a spot to watch the sunrise. Turn on the Shaka app (Sunrise at Haleakala Nat’l Park Tour) while you drive towards the summit. It makes the drive in the dark go faster and is your own personal tour from your car. Be ready for a magical moment. This isn’t just a regular sunrise. You’ll be above the clouds watching the sky light up in beautiful colors while you view the volcanic craters and mountains below.

Very important: You must book a reservation for the specific day you are arriving in order to enter the park.

Some tips before you make your journey

• Fill up your gas tank the night before.

• Pack a winter hat and warm layers (thermals are easy to pack and keep you warm). I know it sounds strange to bring this to Hawai'i, but it is extremely cold. I visited the summit in June and the temperature was just under 40 degrees.

• Pack breakfast. Head to the local grocery store to pick up something the night before since nothing will be open when you wake up.

• After the sun is up, you can explore the rest of the park. One specific stop I recommend is the Kalahaku Overlook where you can see a view of the volcanic craters from the cliff. You can also select other stops when you look at the app depending on if you want to go for a hike or stop to see more views.

Afternoon ideas

If you still have some energy before going back to the beach:

• Maui Chocolate Coffee Tour at Kupa’a Farm - Do a single tour of chocolate or a combo to also learn about coffee grown on Maui.

• Kula Botanical Garden - Peaceful spot to see beautiful flowers, plants, trees and fish.

• Maui Alpaca Farm - Get up close with alpacas and angora bunnies. Options to feed or take a walk with the alpacas.

• Surfing Goat Dairy - Take a tour of the farm, eat some fresh cheese and book a reservation to be hands-on with a baby goat.

• Kula Country Farm - Pick strawberries or pumpkins, depending on the time of the year you’re in town.

You will check out of your hotel this morning and spend the night in Hana. Most people drive back the same day, but I highly recommend an overnight stay so you’re not rushed and can relax after being in the car all day. Plus, the next day you can see a few more spots that you wouldn’t be able to get to if you drove back in one day.

The Road to Hana is the number one tourist attraction in Maui! It’s a full day driving along the coast making stops as few or as many times as you want. The Shaka app (Classic Road to Hana Tour) tells you when you can stop while you drive, so you can select which places to check out. Keep in mind that some stops are simply a 10-minute pull-over to see the view, while other stops can take about an hour and a half for hiking. Since you most likely walked around the town of Paia on Day 1 or 2, your first stop this morning will be Ho’okipa Beach, right past Mama’s Fish House.

I recommend leaving your hotel by 6 am so you are able to get to stop number two (Twin Falls) before the parking lot is full. They only have 55 spots, so once they hit capacity, you will just need to skip it as there are no other parking options.

Around 4 pm (depending on how many stops you take), you arrive at the Hana-Maui Resort where you will spend the night. When you book your hotel through me, I’ll be able to give you perks such as free breakfast, a welcome amenity and a hotel credit (one option is to use this benefit right away at the pool bar). For dinner, follow the path from the hotel to lead you to the food trucks park. My pick to eat was the fresh fish tacos!

Enjoy your complimentary breakfast onsite at the hotel that overlooks Hana Bay before checking out and hitting the road by 9 am. These are three stops that I did and I was able to make it to the Wailea area by late afternoon.

• Wailua Falls - This is the largest waterfall on this drive at 80 feet tall

• Pipiwai Trail - You’ll see an incredible banyan tree and walk through a bamboo forest before making it to the Waimoku Falls. This is a moderate hike and takes about two to five hours round trip depending on your hiking ability and number of stops. If you’re limited on time or don’t feel up to doing a moderate hike, you can stop once you hit the bamboo forest (about an hour into the hike) and turn around.

• Hana Lava Tube (Ka’eleku Cave) - Explore an underground lava cave through a self-guided tour. About a 30- to 45-minute stop.

This is your day to recover from all the driving the last two days.

Head to South Maui Gardens for the hula show — purchase tickets in advance. I really enjoyed this low-key alternative to a full-on luau since there are food trucks to purchase your meal from (many options) and the show is only two hours. Check the website for exact dates, but currently they have three shows per week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays starting at 5 pm.

Take a snorkeling tour. The sunrise tour leaves from Maluaka Beach in Makena at 6 am. It’s an early start, but the benefit is being the first boat at Molokini Crater in the morning and being back at the beach before 10 am. I enjoyed this tour for the food (warm cinnamon rolls before snorkeling and a full egg breakfast afterwards, including bloody Marys and mimosas), smaller capacity and ability to be up close with sea turtles in Turtle Town. If you’re not an early riser, there is also another tour that leaves later in the morning at 9:45 am.

Besides enjoying your hotel amenities and the beach, here are a few other ideas if you’re up for more activities.

• Surf lesson - Take a two-hour group lesson at Kalama Park in Kihei with the Surf Shack.

• Pineapple farm tour - Learn how the local pineapples are grown and get a complimentary fresh pineapple at the end of your tour.

• Wailea Beach Path - Enjoy the stunning view from this paved path (1.5 miles long). I recommend going in the morning for a run since it’s less crowded or for a leisurely walk after dinner.

• The Shops at Wailea - Besides shopping, there are several events including ukulele lessons, coconut husking and wood carvings.

• Golf - There are three courses in the Wailea area: Wailea Golf Course, Wailea Blue Course and Wailea Emerald Course.