Aloha! There are so many fun things to do and see on the island of Maui in Hawaii. Since you can travel anywhere on the island within a day it is easy to see and do a lot in only a few days. My husband and I traveled to Maui for the first week of our honeymoon. We fell in love with the picture perfect sunsets and island spirit. Maui doesn’t have big sky scrapers, but does have plenty to keep you occupied. Below is a list of 5 of our favorite things to see on the island.

The Nakalele Blowhole

The Nakalele Blowhole is found on the north end of the island at Nakalele Point. The blowhole is just past a road side hut for Julia’s Banana Bread. There is a small hut with refreshments by the entrance of the hiking trail to the blowhole. You will hike up a hill and then down into the basin towards the bay where the blowhole is active. For best views, make sure to head over when the ocean starts to kick up and be a little more rough. The blowhole is most active around that time.

Once you get down into the basin you will also find the heart shaped rock. Many honeymooners and couples stop here to take a photo with the heart or kissing next to the heart. The easy part is getting down to the blow hole. Take heed of the warning signs posted in the area and DO NOT jump into the blow hole or stand over it. When the blowhole goes off it can suck you down into the ocean and many people are killed here yearly. Nevertheless, this is a stop you will for sure need to make on your next trip to Maui. The views are beautiful and you can’t take a bad picture at any angle.

Haleakala National Park

Haleakala is the volcano that formed part of the island of Maui. The summit of the volcano is now a national park and they offer many types of tours. You can always hike the park for the beautiful views of the ocean and waterfalls, but you can also watch sunrise or sunset at the summit over the crater.

There are so many beautiful hiking trails in this park, but one of the most amazing views you can get is the first glimpse of sunlight over Haleakala crater at sunrise. The summit can drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit at certain points of the year, so you might need to pack a winter coat if you plan on visiting this location in the tropics. Cheer as the sun reaches over the clouds and watch the sunrise while natives sing welcoming the new day. You will need tickets for both sunrise and sunset to get into the park so check out their site. You can also book a sunrise downhill bike tour and get your pass into the park that way.

The Road to Hana

The Road to Hana is one of the most famous road trips to complete in Hawaii. The road itself has some of the most beautiful landscapes and dangerous twists and turns on the entire island. You will need to make sure you have a travel guide book with notes for gas stops along the way since you could run out of gas without stopping at the last station before Hana. Tons of tourists run out of gas on their way around the island.

Depending on the time of year, you may or may not want to continue to drive around the island completely. if you continue be sure there hasn’t been a lot of rain or once you get into the Haleakala national park the road may be completely covered with water in certain areas. So be prepare and aware of your surroundings and the dangers. The road gets much more narrow once you pass Hana and it goes on for miles as a grated dirt road. If you are not driving a four-wheel vehicle you might want to rethink your rental car.

The road to Hana has so much for all ages. There are stands every mile or two with tons of different types of food, from BBQ to juice stands, to shave ice, and so much more. Make sure you bring cash and enjoy the ride by stopping as much as you want along the way. If you love hiking there are over 20 hiking trails along the Road to Hana. Some are harder than others so make sure you have a good guide book to tell you where to pull over since some trails aren’t even marked with a sign.

Lahaina

Lahaina was the capital of the kingdom of Hawaii from 1820-1845 and there is so much history to the city. The old courthouse building and some of the original homes are still standing. You can read all about the history as you walk the avenue. There are a ton of shops, art galleries, and restaurants that line the streets. They have a park full of Banyon trees that provide a nice shady spot to rest in front of the old courthouse. Shave ice is a big thing in Hawaii and it’s basically “water ice” or “Italian ice”, but the ice is shaved instead of crushed. It’s really refreshing, especially in the Hawaiian sun.

You will enjoy every minute of your time in this quaint and beautiful town.

Black Sand Beaches

One of the coolest things to do and see in Maui are the black sand beaches. There are a few of them on the island and they are magnificent and beautiful. There is one black sand beach you can see on the way to Hana that many people stop at. The black sand beaches are not small course sand, but instead large pebbles. Be sure to wear water shoes and bring a beach chair if you plan on staying for a while since walking and sitting on the beaches can be pretty painful. These beaches are mostly flocked with tourists who are passing through. Not many people spend their entire day lounging here so be ready to see a lot of people hiking through in a steady line.

Either way, the beaches are a must see. They have a unique beauty that set them apart from beaches in other places on the island.

Maui includes so many fun and relaxing things to do for people of all ages. Make sure you check out my post about tricks to save money in Maui!

That cheeseburger and fries you ordered was HOW MUCH?!? One of the downsides to vacationing in Hawaii that you always hear about is the outrageous prices of EVERYTHING. You’ve already spent thousands just getting to the island and now you have to sell your first born child just to afford lunch, no thanks. Especially in tourist towns like Lahaina or Hanalei you are going to run into this everywhere. Here is a list of the top 5 ways to avoid spending your entire year salary on your vacation to Hawaii.

#1 Pose as a local.

One of the best ways to cut costs when food shopping is to open up a card at the grocery store so you can receive the discounts they give to the regular customers. Just pick an address you saw somewhere and fill it in or make one up. No one is going to know the difference. The grocery stores jack up the prices for tourists knowing damn well they probably aren’t going to open a card. Also, know that they will not offer this option to you, you will need to ask them for it. However, you’ll need to find a Safeway or larger chain grocery mart. Smaller businesses may not have this option.

#2 bring your own snorkel gear/bum them.

The shops that sell and rent snorkeling equipment are insanely expensive. You can either buy snorkel gear at home and pack it in your suitcase or you can buy everything except the flippers at Walgreens in Lahaina. It is significantly cheaper. You will probably pay between $40-$50 there opposed to $90 a person at the snorkel equipment shop. Another option is to go down where the cruise ships are and find a beach nearby where all the tourists from the cruise ships are snorkeling. You will very likely be able to find snorkel gear for free.

#3 coupon like the god/goddess you are

Good ole coupons. You can find coupon books both in the airport and in your hotel. Check with the concierge if your hotel has one or your front desk representative. If no luck there, you can head to downtown Lahaina where there are literally coupon books for free you can pick up in stores and in little wire holders along the sidewalks. There are excursion deals/packages, and coupons for food that can help with the prices. We used this when we were in Kauai and were able to book a helicopter tour for half the normal price.

#4 eat less meals

It’s kind of obvious, but cut down to two large meals per day on your trip and if you’re super hungry stop at one of the road side stands all over the island and grab some banana bread. (Julia’s Best Banana Bread is by far my favorite. It literally melts in your mouth and you can have it delivered to your home back on the mainland. Click here to see their website.) So eat strategically and you will spend less money overall. If you’re still hungry after all that drink a couple cups of that good Kona coffee. Coffee is a natural appetite suppressant and that should help curb your appetite until you can eat again.

#5 stay in a condo

By staying in a condo at a resort you will automatically have more space and privacy to do as you please. Being in a condo means you don’t need to go out for every single meal of the day. This means you can cook in your condo. Choosing this option, you won’t need to add gratuity to your list of expenses. If you are also shopping at the grocery store with a local grocery card than you can get your food cheaper. Staying in a condo at a resort is also helpful because many of the necessities you might have to buy may be provided. Many resorts also have grills outside in common areas for guests to use so you can grill that ribeye steak you bought at Safeway instead of ordering it in a restaurant for three times the cost.

Do you have any additional tips or tricks you’ve used in Hawaii? Leave a comment!!

Gabby On The Go

We got this.

Tag: hawaii food guide

5 Must See Places In Maui