Kula
Watching the sun rise above the clouds at 10,023 feet is transcendent — you are literally above most of Maui's clouds. Temperature is 30–40°F at summit; bring layers, gloves, and blankets. Allow 1.5 hours driving from Kihei at 3am. Schedule this early in the trip while the group is still on mainland time and naturally waking at 4–5am — it is far easier than on day 8. If sunrise permits are unavailable, the sunset visit (no reservation required) delivers nearly the same experience with none of the hardship; many visitors actually prefer it.
Reserve timed-entry sunrise spot exactly 60 days in advance at recreation.gov — releases midnight HST. $1 reservation fee + $30 park entry per vehicle. No reservation = no sunrise access. Book this before planning anything else on Maui.
Check the summit cloud forecast within 48 hours. Cloudy summit = clouds blocking the view, not worth the drive.