Maui is the epitome of vacations in paradise. The weather is sunny, slightly balmy, with a perfect breeze. It’s hard to beat! We have been to Hawaii three times now, once to the Big Island and twice to Maui. And although the Big Island has some great things to offer, in this post, I will be sharing the ideal itinerary for an exciting Maui adventure. I have cherry-picked the best sights, eats, and adventures from both of our trips to create the ultimate tropical vacation.
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Getting There
There is one major airport in Maui, Kahului Airport (OGG), which is located on the North side of the island. There are many direct flights into this airport; however, a cheaper flight might be a connecting flight through Honolulu on Oahu or Kona on the Big Island. Coming from the mainland, we prefer to fly Southwest; however, all of the major airlines fly here. We love using Trip.com for booking flights. We also use Trip.com to book rental cars. They offer great package deals! I would definitely recommend renting a car for your Maui Trip. Many of the sights and attractions do require some driving. If you are planning to travel the Road to Hana or go to some of the great restaurants Maui has to offer, you will need a car to get around. If you are not interested in getting a rental car, there are many agencies providing tours for both Road to Hana and Haleakala.
7-Night Itinerary Breakdown
DAY 1: Travel day and check-In
DAY 2: Explore resort and enjoy the beach
DAY 3: Snorkeling at Molokini Crater or the island of Lanai
DAY 4: Resort and beach day
DAY 5: Road to Hana (Click here to read my blog on the Road to Hana)
DAY 6: Explore Secret Cove or snorkel at Black Rock
DAY 7: Beach day with afternoon trip up to Haleakala for sunset
DAY 8: Check-out and return trip
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Where to Stay
There are two main areas most travelers stay when visiting Maui: Ka’anapali/Lahaina or Wailea/Kihei. There are benefits to staying at each location. Both areas are big tourist areas and offer lots of attractions, restaurants, and shops.
Ka’anapali/Lahaina is about 40 minutes from the airport and has several hotels including Ka’anapali Beach Resort, Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa, and The Westin Maui Resort. This area has large golden sand beaches that are very clean. These hotels are very close to Whalers Village, which is an outdoor shopping center with high-end stores and restaurants. Additionally, these hotels are also within walking distance of Black Rock, which is a huge attraction for snorkeling and rock jumping. Black Rock is located directly in front of the Sheraton but is also in close proximity to the other hotels. You can access all of these areas walking along the beach or there is a paved boardwalk connecting all of the hotels and shopping center. On our most recent trip, we stayed at The Westin Maui. It was newly renovated and was a lovely resort. It welcomes you with a waterfall and koi pond with their very own flamingos. The Westin Maui offers fantastic ocean view rooms; however, for a little money-saving, you can book a mountain view, which gives you fabulous panoramic views of the mountain with a beautiful sunrise each morning. The Westin has multiple pools, two restaurants, a market for to-go orders, Starbucks, and pool-side service. The beach in front of The Westin is very large and not overly crowded. There are fun attractions (i.e., parasailing, jet skis, sunset cruises, etc.) offered on the beach directly in front of the hotel.
On the other side of the island is Wailea and Kihei. This part of the island is also about a 30-40 minute drive from the airport in the Southeast corner of the island. Wailea is home to many celebrities and high-end hotels and resorts, including the Grand Wailea, Wailea Beach Resort, and The Fairmount Kea Lani. You can not go wrong with any of these resorts. Similar to Whalers Village, Wailea also offers an outdoor shopping center, The Shops at Wailea. Although the beaches in Wailea are absolutely beautiful, they are somewhat smaller and feel a bit more crowded. They also offer less water attractions compared to Ka’anapali. There is a public beach in the town of Kihei, which is also very popular. We stayed at Wailea Beach Resort while on this side of the island. The town of Kihei gives a more local, surfer vibe. In Kihei we found more mom and pop Hawaiian restaurants and shops, which we prefer; however, if you are looking for a more tourist vibe and like what the tourist areas have to offer, you may prefer Ka’anapali.
Where to Eat
Maui has so many great spots to eat and even over our 2 weeks we spent on the island, we still have not made it to all of them. However, here is a review of some of the places we enjoyed most, along with the places that are still on our list!
Breakfast
- KIHEI CAFFE is my NUMBER ONE recommendation on all of Maui. There are 2 locations, one in Kihei and one in Lahaina. But the Kihei location is my absolute favorite. It is a small, quaint cafe that is an order-at-the-counter breakfast spot located across the street from Kamala Park, dawning ocean views, a nice breeze, and mascot chickens and roosters. This location has outside seating only and offers all of the breakfast classics (eggs and bacon), some traditional Hawaiian plates (Loco Moco), and a few unexpected options (Huevos Rancheros) as well. Their food, lattes, and POG are all mouthwateringly delicious!
- NALU’S SOUTH SHORE GRILL is a lovely breakfast spot a little further down Kihei Road, but it has great breakfast offerings, including Loco Moco, Island Pancakes, and Acai Bowls.
Lunch
- TIN ROOF is located over by the airport in a shopping center. It is take out only and many people eat on the benches outside of the storefront. This tiny spot offers a variety of local dishes, including poke bowls, noodle bowls, and salads. It was quite delicious.
- PAIA FISH MARKET has multiple locations on both Maui and Oahu. The Maui locations are in the town of Paia (on your way to Hana), in Lahaina, and in Kihei. They offer many different dishes, but they are best known for their fresh fish that is caught daily. Highly recommended!
- HANA FARMS ROADSIDE PIZZA STAND is a great choice after a long day of hiking and swimming in waterfalls. This is a small restaurant located on the Hana Highway in between the Hana Lava Tubes and Waianapanapa State Park. They offer pizzas with homemade dough and salads. There is also a small farmer’s stand on property that has homemade goods and local refreshments.
Dinner
- MAMA’S FISH HOUSE is my NUMBER ONE pick for dinner spots! Not only is the food amazing, but the location could not be more perfect! Mama’s Fish House is located just a few minutes passed Paia on the Hana Highway. It is nestled in among palm trees set along the perfect ocean view. The property is idyllic for pictures and family gatherings. They offer many fresh fish and seafood dishes and great cocktails. Mama’s Fish House has become extremely popular and does require reservations made months in advanced. We booked two months out and were only able to get a 3 o’clock reservation. Also the price point for Mama’s is about fifty dollars or more per person; however, it was worth it. I would definitely recommend the venison carpaccio and the New York strip.
- HALI’IMAILE GENERAL STORE is a lovely restaurant inside a general store that was built in the 1940’s. The original location is located off the beaten path on your way to Haleakala. They have a second location in Kihei. They have great house drinks and offer more traditional Hawaiian dishes of ahi noodles and seafood curry, along with more traditional farm to table dishes, such as onion soup and steak. This meal was delightful!
- HULA GRILL is another great option for dinner! The atmosphere is a bit more laid back, but the food was just as good! Hula Grill is located in Whaler’s Village in Ka’anapali with ocean views and live music. They also have great cocktails and desserts! The seafood chowder was amazing!
- LEILANI’S on the Beach and Leilani’s Beach Bar are across the way from Hula Grill. Leilani’s on the Beach offers more sophisticated dining options of steaks and seafood dishes, whereas the Beach Bar has a more laid back ambience with great drinks and live music. Both offer a phenomenal sunset view over the ocean.
- Other options to consider: Maui Brewing Company, Ko, Humble Market Kitchen, MonkeyPod Kitchen, South Maui Fish co (food truck), Nuka, Mala Ocean Tavern, and Cane & Canoe
Things to Do
Whether you want to relax with cocktails seaside or take an exciting adventure up a volcano, Maui has something for everyone! It is a great island with a variety of options for families, couples, and even solo travelers. Here are a few of my favorite things we experienced while visiting Maui.
- BLACK ROCK is a great snorkeling spot located directly in front of the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa in Ka’anapali near Lahaina. It is within walking distance from The Westin Maui and Whalers Village in Lahaina. It can become quite busy as they day goes on so I would highly recommend going early. We found that the surf is much calmer in the morning and it is a great time to see sea turtles feeding off of the coral. For unsure swimmers, a floatation device or life vest would be recommended as it gets quite deep a short distance off the shore. There are a couple of different shops where you can rent snorkel gear; however, if you would prefer to take your own gear, our family loves this Oceanic Snorkel Set from Amazon. It is adjustable to fit adults and older kids and it is very durable. For those looking for even more adventure, you can swim out towards the end of the rock and climb up and jump off Black Rock! It is very thrilling! However, always use your best judgment based on your ability level and always use high caution when attempting these types of adventures!
- ROAD TO HANA is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE adventures my family has ever done! It is full of hiking, swimming in waterfalls, and some of the best panoramic views you will ever see! If you plan to drive the entire road, you will need to plan a full day starting at sun up and ending early evening. Click here to read my post on our Road to Hana adventure, including some of the most amazing stops along the way and all the tips and tricks for making your trip as unforgettable as ours.
- MOLOKINI CRATER is an amazing volcano crater that is mostly submerged. It has created a reef that is the home to thousands of fish and sea creatures, making it an ideal location to snorkel. We saw needle fish, baracuda, bright yellow fish, striped fish, and even an octopus! Molokini can only be accessed by boat and I would recommend booking an excursion for this adventure. Our excursion included snorkeling at Molokini and Turtle Town. Turtle Town is a smaller fishing town a little further East of Wailea. While snorkeling at Turtle Town we had dolphins join us for a swim! It was incredible!
- LANAI is a smaller island not too far off the shore of Maui. It is known for the shipwreck of a WWII tanker, which creates a cozy home for fish and sea creatures alike. Lanai too can only be accessed by boat. Most of the excursion companies offer trips to this beautiful island.
- SECRET COVE is quite the hidden gem! This small cove has some of the bluest turquoise water I have ever seen. Secret Cove can be found along Makena Road shortly after passing Makena Beach where the road narrows. It is a mostly residential area with no parking. You park along the road and climb over a fairly big embankment that takes you through a tropical garden of honeysuckle and palm trees. The garden then opens to a small beach where you can wade in the water and climb on the black volcanic rock to get some breathtaking views. My kids loved climbing over the rocks and playing in the pools of water on top.
- HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK is located 10,023 feet above sea level. It is a volcano that has been dormant since the 1600’s and makes up the Eastern part of Maui. Driving to the top of the volcano takes you to what feels like another planet. You go above the clouds to a land of dirt and rock with winds of 30mph or higher. It is quite chilly at the top so I would definitely recommend taking a jacket. Most people make their way up the mountain at 3am to watch the sunrise or at 5pm to watch the sunset. If you plan to go for sunrise, reservations are required and only a specific number of cars are allowed to go through as this is a very popular activity for visitors to the island. The afternoon is less busy and was a good option for my family. Although we did go in the afternoon, you do still have to pay to enter the park. From Wailea, it took us about an hour to get up to the national park where we waited approximately another hour for the sunset. It was so magical and was a highlight for my boys! Many visitors will wait another hour or so to stargaze and hopefully catch a glimpse of the Milky Way!
- SHOPPING is always a great activity when traveling. No matter which part of the island you are staying, finding shopping near you should not be a problem. For those near Lahaina there is Whalers Village and for those near Wailea or Kihei there is The Shops at Wailea. Both of these outdoor shopping centers offer good selections of high end retail and a few souvenir shops with tchotchkes, Maui apparel, and Hawaiian treats. For more small boutique souvenir shopping, the town of Paia is great! Paia is a great little town where you can walk along the shop lined streets, snag some ice cream, or sip an afternoon cafe. It has very classic souvenir shops and other small boutiques to meet all of your shopping needs!
Need tips and tricks for packing with confidence for your dream vacation? Check out my blog Mastering the Art of Confident Packing for a great guide to keep you organized.
Wherever you choose to stay and whatever you decide to do, there is a very high chance that you will fall in love with this island in the middle of the Pacific. It is the idyllic vacation spot that offers a little something for everyone. You can do as much or as little as you need or want. And no matter how you plan your adventure, Maui will leave you feeling refreshed and maybe even transformed. It truly is one of the best places on this Earth!
I hope you find this blog helpful for planning your next dream vacation.
with love and dreams,
Jessica
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