Maui is amazing. For our first trip to Hawaii, we wanted an island that offered a mix of beach life and adventure. Needless to say, we couldn’t have been happier with Maui. The island offers a variety of attractions for those seeking adventure or relaxation, fine dining or cheap eats.
Lobster tail from Mama’s Fish House
Where to Eat
808 Grindz Cafe: Best. Pancakes. Ever. You know that feeling when you open a large bag of Doritos, have a few chips, then look down 10 minutes later and the bag is empty? The “mac-nilla sauce” makes these pancakes equally addicting, so consider yourself warned. We recommend pairing the sauce with the macadamia nut pancakes – you will be in for a (very sweet) treat. On top of that, 808 might be the best bang for your buck in Maui. Two great-quality, large-portioned meals for under $25 total is our kind of place.
Mama’s Fish House: Mama’s might have been our favorite restaurant on the island. There is nothing budget-friendly about it, but it is worth the trip if you have the means to go. Our favorite menu item was the lobster tail with melted pineapple butter…it’s even better than it sounds. The atmosphere at Mama’s is also breathtaking. Try to grab dinner in the early evening so that you can see the sun setting over the ocean from your dinner table. There is no better pairing of food and scenery on the island.
Da Kitchen: Living in Atlanta, we have an appreciation for good comfort food. Sometimes, you just need an unhealthy amount of fried meat and carbs to feel whole again. Lucky for us, Da Kitchen knew exactly how to send us into a food comma before the long flight back home. The fried spam musubi and the katsu chicken moco had a perfect balance of fried goodness and creamy gravy, and each entree was big enough for two, maybe three meals (or one if you’re up for a challenge). Food this good, paired with friendly, quick service and affordable prices, makes Da Kitchen a must visit.
MonkeypodKitchen: If you choose to stay in the Wailea area (more on that below), you will likely hear about Monkeypod. With a celebrity chef’s name attached to the restaurant, it understandably gets a big draw and has turned into a tourism hot spot. Honestly though, we would recommend skipping dinner and going straight for dessert. The main courses were good, but Maui has better. The dessert, on the other hand, was awesome. We loved the chocolate macadamia nut pie, but we heard more than a few rave reviews about the strawberry pie. Sounds like you can’t go wrong with either option.
Turtles lounging at Ho’okipa Beach
Road to Hana
The Road to Hana is a must do in Maui. The beauty of the waterfalls and pools along the way are dependent on how much rain that side of the island gets, but regardless, it’s a great drive that offers a ton of areas to explore. Below are five tips for your day trip.
Stop and refuel at Costco prior to heading out. There are gas stations on the Road to Hana, but like all Maui gas stations that aren’t Costco, they are very expensive.
Be sure to swing by Ho’okipa Beach in the morning to see the turtles lounging on the far-right side of the coast. There are more turtles in the evening, but they are roped off and tend to attract a bigger crowd. If you have the opportunity to go in the morning, you can get some great photos of the turtles from a closer distance (still respecting the legal restraining order, of course).
Get banana bread from Aunt Sandy’s. Regardless of how long the line is – you have to do it. It is sweet and delicious and everything you want from banana bread. You can even enjoy some shaved ice, pineapple, or cool beverages while you wait. Our only regret is just ordering a single loaf. This is not a slight on the portion size – it’s a testament to the joy we got from eating an entire loaf of bread.
Try to travel the road on an off-day. We drove the Road to Hana on a Sunday, which worked out pretty well since there weren’t as many commuters or locals out on the road. This is an underrated benefit, because locals get very impatient being stuck behind tourists that are cruising along to enjoy all the sights.
Think about the stops you want to make before heading out for the day. We weren’t planning on staying a night in Hana or the surrounding area, so we knew we wouldn’t have time to see everything on the Road. The GyPSy app ended up being really helpful for this planning because it provides a mile-by-mile guide of the Road to Hana and details the tour guide’s “must see” spots.
Haleakala summit at sunrise
Other Things to Do
Haleakala: The Haleakala summit has a beautiful view, and while pictures don’t do it justice, the colors of the sunrise are majestic. It’s in your best interest to leave early, as the roads are windy and traffic get awful as you get closer to sunrise. We also recommend doing the summit your first full day in Maui. Take advantage of the jet lag – waking up before 3:00 AM isn’t nearly as terrible when it feels like it’s five hours later. We ended up leaving around 3:15 AM and arrived before 5:00 AM. It was great to do some star gazing and also saved us the headache of having to sit in traffic. You can also use the extra time to take a nap if you need it! We also suggest wearing very warm clothes. The summit is quite chilly, so please do not underestimate it. If you’re like us and didn’t plan for cold weather in Maui, ask your hotel for help. Some offer blankets for you to use on the summit, so be sure to check with your concierge or front desk prior to leaving that morning. Personally, we brought two blankets apiece and would have gladly accepted more.
Ahihi Nature Reserve: Ahihi was our favorite spot for snorkeling in Maui. The waters are calm and clear, and there are plenty of colorful and interesting fish. We bought some cheap snorkeling gear from our hotel, and it was definitely worth it and cheaper than renting for the day. Depending on your preference, there are two snorkeling spots in Ahihi. The first is through a stone pathway that is connected to the back of the main parking lot. From what we heard, this spot is more likely to have turtle sightings, but it is deeper and not quite as clear. The second option, where we spent most of our time, is just off the main road and a 3-minute walk from the parking lot. This location is shallow, family-friendly, and filled with colorful fish. Regardless of which location you choose, it is best to snorkel in the morning, as the waters are much calmer. We quickly learned that 10:00 AM was too late to get started, but the conditions were perfect when we arrived at 7:00 AM on a different day.
Big Beach: Big Beach was our favorite beach in Maui! It is part of Makena State Park, which is just south of the Wailea area. The name doesn’t lie. It is a really big beach. Think wide and deep, with plenty of space for games on the sand and spots on the shore. But take caution – the tide is very strong. Foolishly, I (Jordan) thought these conditions were great for body surfing. Wrong. This attempt ended up washing me all the way to shore and up five feet of sand. Fun for a second, but irritating for the rest of the day. Fortunately, the sand itself is very nice, so it’s great for lounging and having a beach day. They also have a food truck on site that sells assorted seafood options, in case the current makes you work up an appetite.
Maui Brewing Company: There are two Maui Brewing Company locations in Maui: one close to Lahaina, and one close to Kihei. We went to the actual brewery, which is the location close to Kihei. We loved the variety of beer. Our favorite was the Pineapple Mana Wheat, and as you would expect in Hawaii, they have some other great fruit beers. While we missed this benefit, the brewery also has live music on occasion. The vibe in general is very nice, and we definitely recommend a visit for anyone in the area.
Wailea Beach Resort
Where to Stay
We spent a decent amount of time debating which part of the island to call home. Ultimately, we narrowed our search to the Marriott and Starwood properties so that we could use points. Inexplicably, some of the Marriott properties don’t accept points (stupid condos…), but we luckily still had four options: the Ritz Carlton, the Westin, the Marriott Wailea, and the Sheraton.
Based on tips from friends and reviews of the properties, we were able to determine that:
The Sheraton was located on a really nice beach
The Westin had pretty small rooms but was located near many shops and restaurants
The Ritz Carlton was very nice but secluded
The Marriott Wailea was recently remodeled and located near a few nice beaches
While we didn’t know anyone that had stayed at the Marriott Wailea before, we decided to go with that option due to its location and potential. As far as we are concerned, it was an awesome choice. We got a complementary upgrade to an ocean view room with a balcony that was located right over one of the pools. The pools are special too – from the infinity pool, on just the right day, you can watch whales breach off the coast.
We personally love the Wailea area. While it is full of upscale stores and restaurants, it is also fairly close to some good value eats, great beaches, and snorkeling – not to mention it’s much closer to the Road to Hana and Haleakala than the hotels in the Lahaina area.
Makena Cove at Sunset (Photo Credit: Sasha Prince)
Other Tips & Tricks
Makena Cove: Makena Cove is a beautiful, small, secluded beach just south of Wailea. It is straight out of a postcard with palm trees, lava rocks, and perfect blue water, so people will typically stop by around sunset for some terrific photos. If you’re lucky (or unlucky, depending on your perspective), you may also catch a bride and groom taking wedding photos on the beach. Or you may see a guy like me (Jordan) awkwardly waiting for people to clear out of an area so that he can propose to his girlfriend.
Costco: We decided to become Costco members when we knew that we were going to Maui. The rental car deal won us over. Costco is also a great option because it is by far the cheapest place for refueling. Every time we went to refuel, the line was at least three cars deep in each lane. Annoying, but an important deal if you are traveling on a budget.
Rent a Convertible: We don’t typically like driving convertibles, but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be stereotypical tourists and show up everywhere with burnt faces and wind-swept hair. With the slower speed limits and perfect weather, especially on the Road to Hana, a convertible really makes the experience.