Maui
Luxury resorts, the Road to Hana, and sunrise above the clouds on Haleakalā.
🌺 Things to do
56 curated experiences
Haleakala Sunrise Watch
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.
Road to Hana Scenic Drive
Hāna
You cannot do everything in one day — you will need to choose. Non-negotiable stops: Ke'anae Peninsula (about halfway, lava church + taro fields + Aunty Sandy's banana bread — order extra, it sells out), Waianapanapa Black Sand Beach (reserve separately $25/person), Hamoa Beach after Hana village, and Pipiwai Trail at Kipahulu for the bamboo forest and Waimoku Falls. Skip the Hana Lava Tube if time is short. Fill gas in Paia before departure — the only station in Hana can be closed. The back road from Kipahulu back to Kihei (~30 min of unpaved road past the Pools of 'Ohe'o) is prohibited under most rental car contracts and not insured; double back the same way.
Baby Beach (Spreckelsville)
Pāʻia
A shallow, reef-protected lagoon on Maui's north shore next to Baldwin Beach, the calmest swimming spot in the Paia area and a good pick for families with small children; there is no shade, so bring an umbrella or tent.
H.A. Baldwin Beach Park
Pāʻia
A 17-acre county beach park named for the Baldwin family, whose sugar business built Pāʻia. Calm "Baby Beach" at the west end; heavy shorebreak mid-beach. Lifeguard, restrooms, showers, free parking.
Hoʻokipa Lookout
Pāʻia
Clifftop view over the Pavilions surf break, the windsurfers and the turtles on the sand below.
Kula Botanical Garden
Kula
An 8-acre upcountry garden of native and exotic plants (proteas, orchids, a small petting area) on the slopes of Haleakalā; a relaxed, low-key stop to pair with a Haleakalā sunrise/summit trip or the 'Ulupalakua wine/vodka run through Kula. Not a headline attraction, more a pleasant half-hour to hour detour.
🥾 Hikes
8 trails
Wailea Beach Path
Wailea
A paved mile of oceanfront past the resorts between Ulua and Polo Beach — the South Maui postcard. Pedestrian only: park and walk. Humpbacks from the path in winter.
Iao Valley State Monument
Wailuku
Sacred valley with a striking 1,200-foot green needle (Iao Needle) rising from the valley floor. Site of the 1790 Battle of Kepaniwai. The valley receives 400 inches of rain annually — impossibly lush.
Pipiwai Trail & Pools of 'Ohe'o
Kīpahulu
The Kipahulu section of Haleakala National Park is completely different from the summit — lush, coastal, and jungle-green. The Pools of 'Ohe'o (Seven Sacred Pools) cascade in tiers to the ocean and are beautiful to photograph; swimming is now prohibited due to bacterial risk. The real experience is the Pipiwai Trail (4km round trip): after 20 minutes through dense rainforest, a section of giant bamboo appears — a cathedral that blocks the sky, with the stalks creaking and resonating in the wind. It is genuinely unlike anything else in Hawaii. The trail ends at 61m Waimoku Falls. This is the best 2 hours at the end of a Road to Hana day and the reason to not turn around at Hana village.
La Pérouse Bay
Mākena
End of the road: Haleakalā's last lava flow meets the sea. Wild goats on the black rock, a coral-white cove a two-hour walk along the King's Trail. No shade, no water, no services.
Kapalua Coastal Trail
Kapalua
3.5-mile public coastal trail connecting three distinct beaches. Passes ancient Hawaiian ruins and coastal lava formations. Whale watching from the trail December–April. Best swimming at Kapalua Bay itself.
Waihe'e Ridge Trail
Central Maui
The best mountain hike on Maui that is not Haleakala — 6.4km round trip through the lush West Maui Mountains with 500m elevation gain. The upper ridge delivers sweeping views of the north coast on one side and Ma'alaea Bay on the other, with deep green valley walls on either flank. After rain, waterfalls appear on the ridges and the vegetation turns impossibly vivid. Far less crowded than Iao Valley 15 minutes away. Pairs naturally with Iao Valley for a full West Maui day: do Waihe'e Ridge in the early morning while it's clear, then Iao Valley after.
🏨 Where to stay
23 vetted properties
Kihei Kai Nani
Kīhei
Budget condos directly on Kamaole I beach — you can't beat the location at this price. Basic units, no pool, but wake up 20 feet from the ocean.
Hāna-Maui Resort, a Destination by Hyatt
Hāna
Remote luxury retreat at the end of the Road to Hana. Sea Ranch cottages with ocean views, farm-to-table dining, horses on property. Stay 2 nights — one night is never enough. The resort shuttle takes you to Hamoa Beach (one of Maui's best).
Kamaole Sands Condominiums
Kīhei
Condo complex directly on Kamaole Beach III — one of Maui's best swimming beaches. Full kitchens save money on meals. Best for families doing 7+ nights.
Maui Banyan Vacation Club
Kīhei
Spacious condo units with full kitchens, short walk from Kamaole Beach II. On-site pool and barbecue areas. Units are privately owned — read individual unit reviews before booking.
Koa Resort
Kīhei
Basic but clean condo-style accommodation in central Kihei. Tennis courts, pool, hot tub. Walking distance to restaurants and the Kamaole beach chain.
Hale Kamaole
Kīhei
Condos across from Kamaʻole Beach III; one-bedroom units with a kitchen and lanai, two pools. Quieter than the Kamaole Sands next door.
🍽️ Where to eat
13 places our scouts eat
Café des Amis
Pāʻia
Café des Amis (Paia, Baldwin Ave) — crêpes, curries, and fresh salads on a shaded outdoor terrace. One of the most pleasant meals on the island and excellent value. Live music several evenings a week. Go for lunch; dinner requires reservations on weekends.
Coconut's Fish Cafe
Kīhei
Fish tacos that made the place famous — grilled mahi on cabbage slaw with mango salsa. Counter service, shaded tables, fast.
Kūʻau Store
Pāʻia
A long-running roadside deli and general store at 701 Hāna Hwy, the last stop before the Road to Hāna.
Mama's Fish House
Pāʻia
Mama's Fish House (Paia, north shore) — Hawaii's most celebrated restaurant since 1973. Book 3–4 months ahead for weekends. The fish is caught daily by local fishermen whose names appear on the menu. Worth every dollar of the $75–120/person bill.
Mana Foods
Pāʻia
The natural-foods grocery at 49 Baldwin Ave that works as Pāʻia's gathering place. Picnic food and the best restroom stop in town.
Paia Fish Market
Pāʻia
Paia Fish Market (Paia, and a second location in Kihei) — the best quick fish meal on Maui. The Seared Ahi Burger Cajun Style (seared tuna with a mildly spicy sauce) is extraordinary and unlike anything on the mainland. Loud, fast, and beloved by locals. No reservation; line out the door at noon.
📅 Events
53 on the calendar
Dec 15 – Apr 15, peak Feb–Mar
Humpback whale season
Leeward coast (ʻAuʻau Channel)
Every winter, thousands of North Pacific humpback whales migrate roughly 3,000 miles from Alaska to the warm, shallow waters around Maui to mate, calve and nurse their young. The ʻAuʻau Channel between Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi becomes one of the best whale-watching areas on Earth, with sightings of breaches, tail slaps and mother-calf pairs. You can watch for free from Maui's leeward coast — the Papawai Scenic Lookout (Māʻalaea Pali), McGregor Point, and the beaches of Kāʻanapali and Wailea are reliable vantage points — or take a naturalist-led boat tour out of Lāhainā or Māʻalaea harbors. Morning trips generally have the calmest water. Peak season is February and March, though whales arrive as early as December and linger into April. Federal law requires staying at least 100 yards from a whale.
2026-01-01
New Year's Day Virtual Run - Kahului (Maui)
A running race on Maui, Hawaiʻi, held January 1, 2026. See the linked listing for distances, start time and registration details.
2026-01-03
Quadrantid meteor shower (peak)
The Quadrantids are one of the year's strongest meteor showers, with a brief, sharp peak in early January that can produce 40 or more meteors per hour under dark skies. Because Hawaiʻi has some of the clearest, darkest skies in the U.S., the islands are a superb place to watch. Look in the hours before dawn, away from town lights — a high-elevation spot or a dark leeward beach is ideal. No telescope needed; just let your eyes adjust for 20 minutes.
2026-01-05 – 2026-01-11
The Sentry (PGA Tour season opener)
Kapalua Plantation Course
The Sentry is the PGA Tour's season-opening event, a winners-only tournament that gathers the previous season's Tour champions to tee off the new year. It is played on the dramatic Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort on Maui's northwest coast, famous for its sweeping downhill fairways, trade-wind-swept greens and Pacific-and-Molokaʻi backdrop — including the par-5 18th, one of the most photographed finishing holes in golf. Held in early January in Kapalua, West Maui, it draws the world's top players and pairs perfectly with the start of humpback whale season just offshore. Grounds tickets and hospitality packages are sold each year; the West Maui resorts book up early around the event.
2026-02-04
2026 HSA DUKES LEGENDS of the Bay
An amateur surf contest on Maui, Hawaiʻi, held February 4, 2026. See the linked listing for distances, start time and registration details.
2026-02-15
World Whale Day Parade
Kīhei · Kalama Park
World Whale Day is the centerpiece of the Maui Whale Festival — a whale-themed parade followed by an all-day festival at Kalama Park in Kīhei. The free celebration features live Hawaiian and contemporary music, food trucks, local craft and nonprofit booths, and keiki (children's) activities, all honoring the humpback whales that winter in Maui's waters. Held in February; come early for parking along South Kīhei Road.
🎧 Self-guided tours
5 narrated routes
🎧 Self-guided · Maui Scooter Shack
North: Kihei → Keālia
7 stops · about 3 h · 22 km
🎧 Self-guided · Maui Scooter Shack
South Maui, your way
15 stops
🎧 Self-guided · Maui Scooter Shack
South: Wailea → Makena
8 stops · about 4 h · 35 km
🎧 Self-guided · Kiu Walks
Pāʻia to Hoʻokipa
10 stops · about 3 h · 5.6 km
🎧 Self-guided · Kiu Walks
Wailuku to ʻĪao Valley
8 stops · about 4 h 30 min · 11 km
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