The Best Maui Adventures in 6 Days
Maui’s breathtaking beaches and undeniably warm culture provide an escape that will feel like a dream! You will have adventures of a lifetime – The Road to Hana, sunrises at Haleakala Summit, true Hawaiian luau’s, and resort pools that dreams are made of are just a few! This will be a trip that you talk about with family and friends for decades to come.
Maui Itinerary Cliff Notes
- Sunrise at Haleakala Summit
- Adventure the winding roads of the Road to Hana
- Snap a selfie at the Black Sand Beach (Road to Hana)
- Experience a Hawaiian Luau
- Snorkel Molokini Crater and Turtle Town
- Hike Waimoku Falls trail on Road to Hana
Itinerary At-A-Glance
Day 1
Check In / Explore Resort
Day 2
Haleakala Summit Sunrise
Iao Monument State Park
Kaanapali Beach
Day 3
Resort Day
Hawaiian Luau
Day 4
Road to Hana
Day 5
Molokini Crater / Turtle Town Catamaran
Dinner at Merriman’s
Day 6
Oneloa Bay Sunrise
Ferry to Molokai or Lanai Island
Day 1: Explore Resort
Arrival day! Spend this day getting settled into your hotel. Go to bed early tonight so you log as much sleep as possible before waking up in the middle of the night for the sunrise at Haleakala Summit.
Side Note: Can’t decide where to stay in Maui? The good news is that there is no “wrong” area! All of Maui is beautiful. The airport is centrally located, and the resort areas are a 30-60min drive. We recommend narrowing your search in locations to to Kapalua Bay, Waimea, and Kaanapali Beach.
We LOVED and highly recommend The Montage Resort in Kapalua Bay – see details in “where to stay” below of what makes them one of the best 5 Star Hotels in the world!
Day 2 (early am): Haleakala Summit Sunrise
You must plan to do the sunrise at Haleakala Summit the first day in Maui (unless you expect weather to be terrible – ask your hotel concierge). Why the first day? It is an hour+ drive up the 10,000ft mountain, so you will have to leave your hotel very early. Since your body won’t be fully acclimated to the new time zone, it will be much easier for you to get up on day one!
This is one of the most serene and amazing sunrises you will see in your lifetime. But you are going to have to work to get it. Make sure to book your tickets for the state park here before going. The summit requires a $1 reservation that you will have to show near the parking lot at the top of the mountain.
If you are staying in Kapalua Bay, it will be a two-hour drive from your hotel. Yes, this means you will have to get up at 2:30am to ensure you have plenty of time to spare. Wear multiple layers – it gets very cold up there! Pack blankets, extra coffee, and some snacks in your rental car – you are going to want it.
(The Montage had our rental car fully packed with blankets, coffee, and snacks! Talk about service! )
When you get to the base of the mountain and start driving up, you will immediately realize how much the road curves – it is a lot of hairpin turns! If you get car sick or motion sick often, make sure you take a Dramamine before you begin the drive up the mountain.
When you get to the top, show the security guard your reservation, proceed to the parking lot, and wait in your car until close to sunrise (its cold up there!). When it is about 30min before sunrise, hike up the 0.25mi trail that you will see on the side of the parking lot to the very top.
Then, sit and watch as the sky comes alive and the sun rises. You won’t regret your morning adventure when you see this sunrise – I promise!
Day 2 (pm): Iao Valley State Monument, Kaanapali Beach
After you have watched the colors change and the sun fully rise, head down the mountain and drive to Iao Valley State Monument. After this, grab breakfast at McDonalds if you need it (or somewhere local) and head back to Kapalua Bay. Make a stop at Kaanapali Beach (known as Maui’s best beach!) and spend a little bit of time relaxing before heading back to your hotel. The rest of the day will be about relaxation, so spend as much time here as you want. At Kaanapali Beach, walk to Black Rock near Whaler’s Village for the best part of the beach. After a fun day in the sun, enjoy happy hour at Napili Bay’s Sea House.
Day 3: Resort Day, Kapalua Coastal Trail, Old Lahaina Hawaiian Luau
After your travels and early extremely early morning to Haleakala Summit yesterday, wake up and enjoy the fresh Maui air. If you are staying in Kapalua Bay, take the Kapalua Coastal Trail that winds down to Oneloa Bay and then on to the The Ritz Carlton at DT Flemings Beach. You will be amazed at the privacy and serenity this trail offers – take note and plan to come back for a sunrise or sunset later in the week!
On your way back, find your favorite view at the resort pool and kick your feet up and take in the Vitamin D. Side note, at the Montage Resort, the staff brings snacks to the guests at the pool area on the hour, every hour. My favorite was banana bites with Nutella, and Nic loved the coconut macaroons and papaya! Don’t forget to order a Mai Tai – a local alcoholic drink!
In the late afternoon, head to a Hawaiian Luau. We recommend Old Lahaina’s Hawaiian Luau – the longest running luau in Maui. Your luau will be a full night of food and entertainment – Hawaiian Style! Although this can be “cheesy”, it is a staple and a must do while in Hawaii. You should expect to get a dipping into native Hawaiian culture that includes a full entertainment show with all the Hawaiian food and drink you want! You should book as soon as you know the dates you will be visiting as they can book up quickly during peak seasons.
Day 4: Road to Hana
What is on the itinerary today? The full day adventure on the Road to Hana! The Road to Hana is a globally known 64mi coastal road on the edge of Maui that boasts beauty, incredible hikes, waterfalls galore, and delicious local food. You will be talking about the Road to Hana for years to come with your family friends.
You should get an early start to the day to beat the crowds and allow for plenty of time to make all the stops. The drive alone will take 4.5 hours, and you should plan for this to be a full day activity that will take 10-12 hours. To make preparation and planning easier, we wrote a blog post on all the frequently asked questions about the Road to Hana. Read more here!
Now you may be wondering, what are the best stops on the Road to Hana and how do I pick? Click here to read more about every stop on the Road to Hana along with a map you can print that shows all the mile markers to make your day stress free!
Our favorite stops were:
- Waianapanapa State Park’s Black Sand Beach
- Oheo Gulch and the Seven Sacred Pools.
- Red Sand Beach in Hana
Don’t forget to stop along the road to get local fresh fruit, and homemade snacks. You won’t find some of the unique offerings anywhere else in Maui. Our favorite snack that we bought from a local vendor were chocolate covered macadamia nuts rolled in coconuts and fresh, homemade banana bread. My mouth still waters thinking about this delicious sweet we found!
It will be close to sunset by the time you make the Road to Hana loop, so pick up a pizza for dinner and enjoy at your resort or a local beach on the way back. One of the coolest things to do in Maui is set up a little picnic on a beach right off the road! (Prison Street Pizza was our favorite pizza joint!)
Day 5: Molokini Crater, Turtle Town in Waimea, Dinner at Merrimans
For today, pre-book a catamaran excursion to the Molokini Crater through the Pride of Maui that leaves from the Maalaea Harbor. This is a well-run business with around 100+ tourists on board. The catamaran excursion will include snorkeling at the Molokini Crater, swimming with the turtles in Turtle Town at Waimea Point, and a delicious hot lunch on board. Although a touristy type excursion, a great family activity that is full of fun for the whole family!
For dinner, pre-book reservations at Merriman’s – you won’t be sorry! This place offers top notch ocean views, best in class service, and incredible quality food that will make every dollar you spend worth it. This restaurant ranks in the top 3 restaurants we have eaten in the world. Reservations are allowed 30 days prior, so make sure you set an alarm in your phone or you will miss out on this popular hot spot! If you make your reservation for 6pm, you can enjoy your dinner and the full sunset while there. Oh, and DO NOT LEAVE without ordering the malasadas for dessert (these are little chocolate infused doughnuts with cinnamon sugar dipped in chocolate)!
Day 6: Oneloa Bay, Fly to Kauai!
Wake up early and walk along the Kapalua Trail to Oneloa Bay (10 minute walk) for the sunrise. When you get back, grab a cup of coffee and breakfast before taking the ferry to either Molokai or Lanai. Both islands are relatively remote with small towns that make for a nice day trip. Read this article to figure out which one island is more your style! If this doesn’t sound appealing to you, you can always choose to stay at your resort and enjoy your last full day in Maui.
After Maui, add extra days to your itinerary and fly to Kauai, Hawaii. This untouched, beautiful, lush island is our favorite Hawaiian island. Check out all of our favorite adventures in Kauai here!
Where to stay in Maui...
Montage Kapalua Bay – one of our favorite hotels in the world – is a luxury escape into what dreams are made of! You will not be disappointed in the 5-Star (+) worthy accommodations, common areas, resort pools, landscape detail, and picturesque views of tbe Namalu Bay. The customer service is phenomenal – you will feel like royalty, but yet family during your entire stay. We cannot recommend this place enough!
The resort is located in the beautiful Kapalua Bay about an hour from the airport. Upon arrival, you will be greeted with lei’s, warm towels, and a full tour of the resort and its amenities. We had chocolate covered strawberries and champagne awaiting our arrival in our room. Resort days at the pool we were waited on hand and foot with hourly complimentary snacks and staff available constantly to order drinks poolside. The special touches that this resort offered were second to none & ones that we have not witnessed at any other 5 star resort in the world. Book the Montage & treat yourself!
Tips / Need to knows...
- Rental Cars: We say this is a must so that you can get around. There is so much to do in Maui, unless you plan to stay at your resort the entire time, I cannot imagine not having a rental car.
- Weather: Don’t stress on it. The weather can be all over the place on the Hawaiian Islands. It rarely rains all day, so if it looks questionable, check to see if there is a part of the island it is not raining and drive there. Hawaii rain/storms bring the most beautiful rainbows!
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