Maui 7 Day Itinerary

If you’re dreaming of crystal blue waters, golden sand beaches, tropical rainforests, and breathtaking sunsets, then this Maui 7 Day Itinerary will be your guide as you explore this stunning slice of paradise. This itinerary is based out of staying in Kihei, one of Maui’s most vibrant beach towns, but you can easily adjust it to fit any area on the island you decide to stay in.

Follow this Maui itinerary to enjoy the perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, and exploration.

We arrived at the Maui Airport early in the day, so we had time to spare before we could check in to our Airbnb. First off, the Maui airport is small, and super quick to get through, so no time is wasted there.

Rental Car

First stop, pick up our car. We were traveling with 5 people in our party, so opt-ed to rent a van. Renting a car in Maui can get pretty expensive, especially with their limited supply during busy tourist seasons. So I was very excited to find the small local shop Manaloha Rent a Car. The prices were by far the cheapest, and they conveniently left the car in the Maui airport parking lot and texted us directions to find it. Now the van was pretty old, and not in the best condition, but as you’ll read about later, it was put to the test with our adventures and turned out great.

Paia

Visit the town of Paia for a bite to eat, stroll the town’s small shops, and visit a beach favored by turtles. If you’re driving, you’ll want to park at this very convenient (and free) parking lot.

Mama’s Fish House

Eat at Mama’s Fish House. Now this is the crown jewel of restaurants in Maui, and one of my regrets to not being able to get a reservation to eat here. So don’t make the same mistake I did, and book your reservation 4-6 months in advance.

If you’re not able to get a reservation either, don’t worry. We enjoyed the best smoothies and poke bowls from just strolling the streets and picking a place. It’s hard to go wrong with all the amazing choices available.

Kaulahao Beach

Head over to the nearby Kaulahao Beach for a short visit to this stunning (but small) beach, and a favorite spot for sea turtles to sun bathe. Remember to leave the turtles be and to not approach them. The locals are very protective of the turtles and this rule, which is great, because that’s the reason the turtles can continue to feel so comfortable resting here.

Now, my group decided to walk to the beach since it was so close on the map, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The sidewalks end at the edge of the town and there are some hills and fast driving cars that make it a better idea to just drive over in a car. There’s a very convenient dirt parking lot right outside the beach.

Because we decided to walk to the beach, we headed back to the parking lot but decided to do it along the beach instead. Thankfully we all had shoes on, because to get back this way involved walking/climbing lava rocks the whole way. It was an adventure in itself, but again, I would just park outside the beach entrance next time.

Maui Costco

Now that we were fed and had a taste of the beautiful island we were visiting, we decided to make a Costco trip before we checked in to our Airbnb. This ended up being a great idea. It allowed us to stock up on food and beach supplies for the rest of the week, at the lowest possible prices.

Stay in Kihei, Maui

Then we finally headed over to our Airbnb in Kihei. We stayed in this beautiful 2 bedroom condo that was about a five minute walk to the Charlie Young Beach, and had ocean views from the balcony. I chose this Airbnb because I knew I wanted to stay in the Kihei neighborhood, as it is a great home-base on the island. (Especially for first-timers who want to see and experience as much as possible.) And the location of this condo was central and walkable to so many shops and restaurants. It’s tucked right behind the main road, and is a quick hop onto the freeway, but you don’t hear or see any of that – just the ocean and mountain views.

Food Truck & Sunset

For dinner, we stopped by the Kinaole Food Truck that parks just a block away. And it did not disappoint, it was one of my favorite meals from the trip. And from there you can just walk across the street and eat your dinner on the beach and enjoy the sunset.

Choosing the Best Time

I wanted to put a SCUBA/snorkel excursion at the beginning of the trip for a few reasons. Firstly, I did this because I like to add things to the beginning of my vacation that are a priority for me to experience while visiting, but could be affected by the weather. So if the weather and visibility was bad on this day, I would still have plenty of time left on my trip to reschedule the tour for a better day. Secondly, there are rules with how long you need between SCUBA dives and when you’re allowed to go to higher elevations. So I didn’t want this at the end of the trip when I’ll be flying back home, or in the middle of the trip when I was planning to drive up a volcano.

Choosing the Right Tour

I also wanted to do some research to find a boat tour that would allow for both SCUBA divers and snorkelers, since not everyone in our group was certified yet.

We ended up booking a fantastic tour with Scuba Luv Maui. It was extremely convenient since we left out of the Kihei boat ramp just a few minutes away from where we were staying. And the tour operators were also excellent and assessed the water conditions at many different locations before picking the perfect spots to dive. We ended up going to a beautiful area inside the Molokini Crater and another great stop in southern Maui. We saw turtles, many colorful fish, and just had a fantastic time in the water exploring.

They also provided snacks, water, and any SCUBA or snorkel gear we needed. Definitely would give this tour five stars.

Snorkel-Only Tour Options

However, if you’re not looking for a SCUBA excursion, these highly-rated snorkel tours would likely be better suited for your adventure.

Since most SCUBA and snorkel tours start so early to catch the calmest water, you can expect to be done around noon in most cases.

Maui Brewing Company

Afterwards, we got cleaned up and headed out to lunch at the Maui Brewing Company. This was the perfect place to relax and unwind after swimming all morning. They have a ton of seating inside and outside, plus drinks and food that the whole family loved.

It was also fun seeing the wild maui chickens running around!

Choosing When to Go

The Road to Hana is another activity I wanted to make sure to plan for the early part of our vacation. This is because you do not want to go on a very rainy day, if at all possible. The roads are already hard enough to navigate, and some of the spots would not be worth visiting in the rain. So plan to do it early on, and if you check the weather the night before and it says it’s going to pour rain, swap it for another day’s plans. Small spots of showers, however, are normal in Hawaii, and I wouldn’t switch plans in that case.

Getting a Tour Guide App

My absolute best advice for the Road to Hana is to download the Road to Hana Maui GyPSy Guide. It’s $14.99, and acts as an amazing tour guide throughout your trip. It tracks where you are and tells you exactly when stops are coming up so you don’t miss them. But it will also tell you what you can expect at each stop and whether it is a “must stop” or an “if you have extra time” stop. It made the trip so smooth! Plus it tells you the history of Hawaii in between stops as you’re driving, so you get a full tour guide experience. We loved it!

Start the Road to Hana Early

My second, but still very important piece of advice is to start early. As in, plan to leave in the dark and begin the Road to Hana as the sun is coming up. We left Kihei at 5am, and it was the best decision. The whole ride out on the Road to Hana we were some of the first or only people at each stop and it was incredible. Driving these tiny roads (especially in our mini van) was also so much less stressful when you don’t have any oncoming traffic the whole way there.

If You Don’t Get an Early Start, Do This

If you’re getting a later start, you may want to work backwards to avoid a some of the traffic that will be built up at the earlier stops. You can drive to Oheo Gulch first to hike the incredible Pipiwai trail then complete any other stops on way back. You don’t want to be on this road after sunset since visibility is so poor, so be sure to keep that in mind with your schedule. Overall the drive out to the Oheo Gulch from Kihei is just under 3 hours without stops.

Top Stops on the Road to Hana

Here are some of the top stops along the Road to Hana, their mile marker number (MM) to look for, and a short description.

• Waikamoi Ridge Loop (MM 9) – short rain forest stroll
• Garden of Eden (MM 10) – short walk in botanical garden $20, open 8am-4pm
• Honomanu Bay Lookout (MM 13/14) – nice view, only a few parking spots to pullover
• Keanae Peninsula and Village (MM 17) – see old lava flow
• Puaa Kaa State Wayside Park (MM 22) – bathroom, small waterfall
• Hana Lava Tubes (off Hana MM 31) – explore 1/3 mile underground lava tunnels, $15, open 10:30am-4pm
• Waianapanapa State Park (MM 32) – black sand, pay per car + people, nice for a picnic
• Hamoa Beach (MM 51) – pretty beach, super soft sand
• Wailua Falls (MM 45) – great falls, short trail to base of fall on Hana side
• Oheo Gulch at Kipahulu (MM 42) – 7 sacred pools, good weather can swim, hike Pipiwai trail to 400’ Waimoko falls – 4 miles roundtrip and gains 650 ft. of elevation. It takes anywhere from 2 1/2 – 5 hours to hike

Packing List

And lastly, here is a quick packing list for your trip along the Road to Hana:

• Wear hiking shoes and clothes
• Bathing suit and towel
• Water shoes or sandals with wrap around straps came in handy for the hiking/swimming stops like the Venus pools
• Bring a change of clothes if you plan to swim
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, hats – all the sun protective items you have
• Water and snacks
• Cash, some of the stops you need to pay for, and you’ll also want to have it for all the delicious food stands along the way
• Download the Road to Hana Maui GyPSy Guide beforehand since signal can be spotty while driving there

Tour Options if You Don’t Want to Drive

If the thought of driving the Road to Hana is making you second guess going, please don’t! This magical stretch of road is a must-experience in Maui and should not be missed. Here are some top-rated tours that will take away all the planning and stress of diving the dangerous roads, and you can focus on the memory-making:

Haleakalā National Park is another great adventure for your trip to Maui. The volcano takes up 75% of the island, and is such an amazing landscape to experience. Especially in comparison to the rest of Maui’s luscious greenery, Haleakalā contrasts this completely with a landscape many compare to Mars.

When to Go

Going on a clear day is a huge win. That’s why I wouldn’t recommend adding this too far into your trip, just in case you need to switch it for a day with better weather.

Many people also recommend going up to the summit for sunrise, but to do that you will need to reserve your tickets ahead of time. And beware, they are released 60 days prior and sell out quick! And you do need a reservation to get into the park anytime between 3am and 7am. Because this is the most popular time to go, you’ll also experience a lot more crowds and traffic. So you’ll want to wake up and go even earlier to account for that.

In the end, we opt-ed to go for sunset instead. We didn’t need to reserve tickets, which gave our trip flexibility, and there was no traffic (except a short line to purchase a ticket at the park’s entrance gate) and much less people overall. And we still experienced all the same beauty and views!

Maui Upcountry

If you decide to go to Haleakalā National Park at sunset, I recommend making a day of the trip by spending the afternoon in Upcountry. This neighborhood at the foot of Haleakalā has so many unique experiences that you can enjoy, and restaurants to try.

Unique Maui Experiences

Ocean Vodka Tour – Book a vodka tasting, enjoy the sweeping views and live music. Guided tastings start at 11am and happen every 30 minutes through 5pm every day.

Surfing Goat Dairy – A great place to meet some friendly goats and try some delicious goat cheese. They’re open Tuesday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm.

Maui Bees – Visit the farm, take a tour, and try some fresh Hawaiian honey. They’re open Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30am to 5pm.

Ali’i Kula Lavender – Enjoy a walk through the lavender fields and soak in the views. Open Friday through Monday from 10am to 4pm.

Where to Eat

Kula Bistro – This is a popular stop for delicious food on either your way up the volcano or on your way down. It has a wide variety of tasty food options for everyone to be happy, and it’s just a friendly and great atmosphere.

Tin Roof Maui – If you’re looking for a stop on your way to or through Upcountry, the Tin Roof is a great place to try. this has almost a cult following on Maui for its fresh, delicious and inexpensive food.

Heading Up Haleakalā

Make sure to keep track of when sunset is and allow yourself enough time to make it up the volcano in time. Aim to be at the summit at least an hour ahead of sunset to explore. And if your car is a bit older, like our mini van was, give it even more time so that it doesn’t overheat making it up the steep and windy roads.

There are short hiking options around, and so many view points to checkout. There is also a much longer hike that goes into the volcano’s crater, and if you have extra time you can explore a portion of that hike too.

For sunset, many people brought picnics and blankets, which was a great idea. Especially the blankets! The temperature drops significantly at such high locations, and it gets pretty windy too. So bring your warmest clothes and blankets (or beach towels) for added warmth, and then you’ll be better able to soak in the surreal views.

Or, You Can Join a Tour

If you want to skip the stress, planning, and reservations that can come along with a trip to a sunrise/sunset at Haleakalā National Park, a tour would be a great option. For a bit more adventure, try the tour option that drives you up for the sunrise and then give you a bicycle to ride down on. I had a friend do this tour and had the best time and highly recommends it. So it’s on my plan for my next trip to Maui!

Lahaina is the other major neighborhood on Maui besides Kihei, and is worth planning a day to explore this area. It’s located on the western coast of Maui, and about a 45 minute drive north from Kihei. The drive is absolutely beautiful too, along the ocean and cliffs and rolling greenery.

But before you stop in Lahaina, you’re going to keeping going north a few more miles and stop first in the beautiful area of Kaanapali.

What to Do in Kaanapali

Head to Whalers Village to park and explore Kaanapali. There are amazing beachside restaurants with breathtaking views and delicious food, such as Leilani’s on the Beach and Hula Grill for lunch. And if you’re in the mood for shopping, there are great shops all around.

Then be sure to take a leisurely walk along the Kaanapali beach walk. This path offers stunning ocean views and also takes you along the manicured gardens of some of Maui’s most beautiful resorts.

What to Do in Lahaina

Next, drive over to Lahaina and park in the free parking lot in the city center. Grab an ice cream or coffee at any of the small shops around, and head over to the Lahaina Bayan Court. Take a seat in the park and enjoy your snack under Maui’s oldest living bayan tree, and a local landmark worth seeing.

Take a walk north along Front St. for ocean views and to explore all of the local shops. This is a great area to find a unique piece of art, jewelry, or souvenir from your trip.

Old Lahaina Luau

Finally, head over to The Old Lahaina Luau. This turned out to be one of the absolute highlights to our Maui 7 day itinerary. To include this luau in your itinerary, be sure to make a reservation a few weeks in advance.

The luau begins at 6:15pm, and you should get there no later than 5:45pm. We arrived around 5:30pm, and got great parking and amazing seating. Upon entering, you show them your reservation and receive a flower lei and are seated. We opted for the traditional seating (a cushion and low table) in the front row instead of the regular sized tables, and loved it.

They immediately give you a drink menu to begin enjoying the open bar. You can also take some time to explore the grounds and get the most amazing sunset photos. The luau also includes a four course meal, which you can send any meal restrictions in ahead of time for. It was absolutely delicious!

And of course the luau show was extraordinary! I loved the variety of performances, including story telling and songs along with incredible dancing. It’s definitely a must-experience in Maui.

When to Visit

If you’re feeling up for it, you could technically add this day’s adventures to the beginning of your Old Lahaina Luau day to consolidate. Honolua Bay and Nakalele are both north of Lahaina, so it would make it doable and save you some extra driving.

However, I wasn’t in a rush or in need to consolidate activities. We wanted to be able to lay back and relax when in Hawaii, so we spread the excursions out a bit. I also didn’t want to be having a day of hiking and swimming and then go to a fancy luau dinner with no chance to shower or change. So that’s a bit of background to help you plan your Maui itinerary for what you’re most comfortable with.

But now let’s jump into what this day’s adventures look like!

Nakalele Blowhole

To get to Nakalele Blowhole, you will take the Acid War Zone trail, and park at the entrance. The trail name gives you a great idea of the landscape you will encounter along the way. You’ll go from green hills to a rocky martian landscape that involves traversing rocky hills without a clear path to follow. It’s almost like the greenery was blasted away in some acid warfare.

I found this guide for the Acid War Zone trail to the Nakalele Blowhole to be the most accurate and comprehensive in case you want a step-by-step guide of what to expect. There is also an alternative shorter hike to the blowhole and information for that path as well.

Be sure to follow all the signs and warnings, and do not go near the blowhole. There have been deaths associated with people getting way to close to the blowhole, the tide unexpectedly pulling them out, or smashing into the rocky cliffs. You can get great views of the blowhole along the cliffs above, and you’re much safer.

We ended up spending a lot of time watching the blowhole for a big eruption, but never quite got one. We got a few medium sized spurts, and a lot of smaller ones (caught one in my picture). But honestly, the hike and the landscape was the most interesting part to me.

Honolua Bay

If you are wanting to find a snorkeling spot on Maui, Honolua Bay is one of the best. The only drawback is the parking situation. It’s very hard to find parking, so you’ll want to drive slowly along the road to scope out open spots if it’s a busy day. Here is the best place for parking at the trail entrance.

Once you park, you will find a short, yet gorgeous, jungle trail leading to the bay. There are wild chickens, and tropical birds, plus coconut and banyan trees all around. I was taking pictures of it all every step of the way, it was so pretty.

When you reach the bay, you will be greeted by a rocky beach with plenty of shade under the surrounding trees. Wade out into the calm bay waters with your snorkel gear and enjoy sighting many tropical fish, puffer fish, turtles, and more!

It seemed that the right side of the bay was home to a few more fish than we found on the left side,. And the turtles we found were a bit further out on the right side of the bay as well. This may change with the days and if there are crowds of people though.

What to Bring

Before you head out on your day’s adventures, make sure to pack these items so you are prepared:

• Hiking shoes
• Snorkel gear
• Sun protection
• Towel and change of clothes for after snorkeling
• Water and snacks
• Cash to buy some homemade snacks at food stands along the road

For the final day of our Maui 7 day itinerary, we stayed in Kihei and enjoyed the local sites and activities.

Morning Surf

We rented a long foam surfboard from Boss Frog’s and spent the morning surfing along Kamala Beach, which is a great surf spot for beginners. You’ll also see a lot of surf lessons happening in this area. This is because there are consistent and long small waves that are really easy to ride. We setup our towels and snacks up on the grassy area of Kamala Park, and then walked down the rocky beach to the waves.

We also saw quite a few turtles here catching the waves and swimming near us. It was an awesome expereince, and just wish I had brought my snorkel mask so I could see them better underwater.

Snorkel & Tide Pools

Before we returned our rental snorkel gear to Boss Frog’s we stopped by Charley Young Beach, and were not disappointed. We saw so many fish and sea creatures here. They were mostly hiding out towards the right/north side of the beach where the beach ends, but you can still keep swimming a bit more north.

If you don’t have snorkel gear, the morning is still a great time to explore the lava rocks on the right/north side of the beach. They become little tide pools and you can see sea life without ever getting into the water.

Shopping

If you’re looking for some classic souvenir shopping, Kihei Kalama Village, is a great place to stop. A lot of local vendors setup their stalls in this small open air marketplace. And if you’re wanting to continue shopping, Kihei Marketplace is about a block away and offers that same style of shopping.

You’ll also see a lot of local artists will have roadside stands. The craftsmanship at many of these was amazing, and definitely worth a stop to check it out.

Tattoo

Speaking of souvenirs, I had an epiphany on this trip that I wanted to start getting tattoos as souvenirs on my travels. My whole group wanted to get a matching tattoo, and we wanted it to be unique to our trip. So we ended up with a mash-up of a Hawaiian pineapple and classic Honu (sea turtle).

Since you want to keep tattoos clean after you get them, that meant we wanted to schedule it for the end of our trip. Having to skip the beaches and ocean while in Maui would’ve been tragic! Scheduling it for the end of the trip also gave us time to come up with ideas and get mock-ups from our tattoo artist.

So we made an appointment at Paradise Tattoo with Matt, went over our ideas, and came out with a weird little tattoo that I love.

For more things to do in Kihei, keep reading.