• Road to Hana: The Road to Hana is a 52-mile scenic drive that is world renowned for its breathtaking views and various stopping points along the way, such as multiple waterfalls, and hiking trails. The stretch of highway has many narrow hair-pin turns, winding terrain, and narrow one-lane sections. Popular stops include Waiʻānapanapa State Park (black sand beach), Oheo Gulch/Pools of O'heo and bamboo forest, Pipiwai Trails, and sunrise at Haleakala.

• Waiʻānapanapa Black Sand Beach: The last stop on the Hana Highway on Maui’s eastern coast before reaching the town of Hana is Waiʻānapanapa State Park. This beach, one of Maui’s finest, offers spectacular, nearly 360-degree panoramic views of the rugged shoreline with sea arches, craggy cliffs, and dramatic black lava outcroppings. There are easy walks along the coastline, including stops at a nearby blowhole, freshwater pools, and ocean caves. One of these walks — a well-marked loop trail from the beach overlook — takes you to two anchialine pools. (Anchialine, in Greek, means “near the sea.”) These are typically small pools that form in limestone or volcanic rock and often have their own unique ecosystems populated by tiny species of crustaceans, fish, and eels.

• Haleakalā Crater at Haleakalā National Park: Haleakala Crater looms 10,023 feet above the Pacific Ocean, taking up three-quarters of Maui’s 727 square miles. Its ascent takes trekkers through 6 of the world’s 14 climate zones, while its depression was deemed the quietest place on the planet by acoustic experts, who found that its ambient sound levels were near the very threshold of human hearing. The entirety of the park, which comprises 33,265 acres, holds more endangered species than any other U.S. National Park. Also, not only is Haleakalā Crater the location where, according to Hawaiian mythology, the demigod Maui lassoed the sun, but it’s also one of the most beautiful places you could possibly watch it rise. You really have to be up early to see this magic unfold, as it can take up to two hours to reach the summit. Also, anyone entering the park for sunrise must make a reservation. Reservations open 60 days prior to the date. Book on recreation.gov.

• Kapalua Coastal Trail: Beautiful and relatively easy coastal trail. It is a scenic 3.5-mile out-and-back trail along Maui’s northwestern coast. You can pick up the trail by Maui Pineapple Chapel, Kapalua Bay, The Bay Villas beach access parking lot, Oneloa Bay, The Ritz-Carlton, or D.T. Fleming Beach Park. See this link for Kapalua hiking maps.

• Nakalele Blowhole: A forceful explosion of seawater that erupts on a regular basis—often as frequently as every few minutes when the surf and wind are both up. Set on the island’s northwestern coast, Nakalele Blowhole is a natural geyser where seawater trapped in an underwater lava tube is searching for a way to escape. Since it can’t go back the way it came in—there’s too much pressure from the waves—the only outlet is a tire-sized hole in the jagged, jet-black lava rock, where a column of water is powerfully jettisoned up to 100 feet in the air. Despite the geyser’s beauty, however, it’s important to remember the blowhole is dangerous and accidents frequently happen—please do not stand too close to the blowhole as it is known to have sucked people into the hole who were literally standing right over it.

• Makena State Park: Makena Beach State Park sprawls over 165 acres, with white sands extending nearly two-thirds of a mile. The park boasts two popular beaches, Big Beach (Oneloa) and Little Beach (Puu Olai), separated by a volcanic cinder cone and connected by a short foot trail over lava rock.

• Ho’okipa Beach Park: Modern-day surfing on Maui started here, at this beach just outside of the charming artsy town of Paia on Maui’s northern coastline. Hookipa, which means “hospitality” in Hawaiian, is known as one of the world's best windsurfing breaks.

Ka'anapali Beach is a 3-mile long beach lined with everything from resorts, shops to restaurants and beach bars to activity stands. Like all beaches in Maui, it is public. So, even if you're not staying at one of the resorts, you can still come and enjoy the strip!

Many spots on the beach have surf board or stand-up paddle rentals and lessons, parasailing, and other activities. Some other fun activities on the beach include:

• Whalers Village: A cute oceanfront retail center cute village with shopping and restaurant options. If you are staying in Kaanapali, there is a free trolley that stops here on its loop around the resorts.

• Food at Whalers Village: Monkeypod Kitchen, Hula Grill, and Leilani's on the Beach.

• Penguins at the Hyatt: Seven quirky characters reside at Hyatt Regency Maui, and each morning they put on an energetic display during their feeding sessions.

• Water Activities: Many spots on the beach have surf board or stand-up paddle rentals and lessons, parasailing, and other activities. If you're interested in some free snorkeling, check out Black Rock in front of the Sheraton. However, don't snorkel too close to the point as Black Rock juts out into the ocean and is prone to rip currents.

• Cliff-Diving Ceremony at Black Rock: Since the opening of the Sheraton Maui in 1963, this nightly ritual has taken place each sunset. The time honored tradition of Maui's Chief Kahekili's leap of spiritual strength begins. Legend tells us that the last Chief of Maui proved his spiritual stength by leaping off of the sacred Pu'u Keka'a (Black Rock) into the waters below. The ceremony begins with a native Hawaiian Chant and the blowing of the conch announces the diver's arrival. He will slowly make his way to the top of the cliff, lighting torches along the way. Watch the diver offer his torch and a flower lei to the ocean, before taking his plunge into the waters below.

Whalers Village

• Monkeypod Kitchen: This lunch and dinner restaurant is known for their Mai Tai. The restaurant also offers a wide selection of craft beers, as well as a diverse wine list featuring some rare and obscure vintages. Happy hour is from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM and has nightly live music.

• Hula Grill: Thatched roof umbrellas offer Island-style ambiance. The eat-local menu items are made from the fresh ingredients of more than 40 local farmers — the restaurant is a three-time winner as Maui’s best supporter of local agriculture — and delicious seafood. Don’t miss the live entertainment around sunset.

• Leilani's on the Beach: Dine under the colorful market umbrellas. The all-day menu complements the tropical-paradise setting. Sandwiches, burgers, fresh fish tacos, island favorites and desserts (especially the signature Hula Pie) on Leilani’s beachside menu work easily into any beach day.

Olowalu

• Leoda's Kitchen and Pie Shop: Counter serve cafe with baked goods. On the way to and from Lahaina, slow down in the tunnel of trees or you’ll miss Leoda’s, one of Maui’s hidden gems. They use as many local regional ingredients as possible, plus bake their own breads and, of course, pies, so you get them super fresh — especially since the treats in the pastry case sell out fast and are refilled often.

• Olowalu Farmer's Market: Right next to Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop. The market has fresh fruits, spreads, treats, souvenirs, coffee, snacks, and so much more. Open daily 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

North Shore

• Mamas Fish House: World famous restaurant on Maui's North Shore, featuring Hawaiian fish brought in daily by their fishermen. Its fresh fish, impeccable service, eclectic tropical ambiance and waterfront views have made Mama’s Fish House one of the top-rated fine dining restaurants in the country, but it’s also one of the best places on Maui to order a Mai Tai, served with the requisite paper umbrella in a classic “happy/sad” glass tiki mug. Reservations are recommended well in advance.

• Paia Fish Market: A favorite among hungry windsurfers, visitors, and locals on Maui’s north shore since 1989, this casual eatery on the corner of Baldwin Avenue and Hana Highway, about 15 minutes from Kahului airport, serves up generous portions of ahi, mahimahi, ono, salmon and other fresh seafood. Family-style, picnic table seating make Maui Fish Market a friendly place to eat, while the eclectic décor of surf photography and gyotaku (fish prints) is a conversation starter.

• Maui Kombucha: One of the first kombucha bars in the United States, Maui Kombucha offers three mouth-puckering flavors on tap daily. Brewers infuse their non-alcoholic “booch” with local ingredients to create tasty concoctions like lilikoi, ginger-lime, and blueberry fusion.

• Komoda Bakery: When you drive back down Haleakala after watching the sunrise, your first stop should be Komoda Bakery in Makawao. They’re known for their rich cream puffs and guava-filled malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts), but all of their pastries are outstanding. The bakery has been run by Tazeko Komoda’s family since he started it in 1916.

• Haliimaile General Store: It’s an unlikely locale for one of Hawaii’s most popular restaurants — beside pineapple fields, 24 miles from the nearest resort. The focus on fresh local ingredients caught the attention of gourmets worldwide and put Hawaii on the culinary map. The building also dates back to 1925, when pineapple was a booming industry in the Islands.

Kahului

• Stillwell's Bakery & Cafe: The cafe is about five minutes from the Kahului airport and easy to find. Although they have the usual breakfast standards of pancakes, eggs, and breakfast sandwiches, make sure you order a couple of cream horns. The full-sized ones are good, but the half-sized cream horns are even better because their ends are dipped in chocolate.

• Tasaka Guri Guri: A uniquely Maui dessert, guri guri is a plantation era snack — a cross between sherbet and ice cream —that the Tasaka family has been selling for more than 90 years. The little shop only serves two flavors —strawberry and pineapple — in small cups, though you can get take-out containers in two-quart sizes, packed and ready to take to the airport.

• Maui Coffee Roasters: This Kahului cafe is a favorite among Maui’s coffee devotees. Coffees are roasted daily on site and the menu includes brew-to-order cups of estate-grown beans. Those stocking up on coffee to take home will find a wide selection of 100-percent Kona, Ka’u, Maui, and Kauai beans, as well as organic and decaffeinated options.

Various Locations

• Maui Brewing Company: Hawaii's largest craft brewery, Maui Brewing Company, is known for its award-winning beers. The brewery, full-service restaurant, and tasting room are located in Kihei, with additional restaurants around the island.

• Ululani's Shave Ice: Classic Hawaiian shave ice is — well — shaved, not crushed, creating the distinctive powdery treat that’s miles apart from its crunchy mainland cousin, the snowcone. Syrups are house made using cane syrup and fresh, local ingredients like lilikoi and lychee.

• Old Lahaina Luau: This luau is highly rated. We were not able to secure a reservation during our 2023 trip. If you're planning on going, be sure to look into reservations beforehand at this link!

• Hawaiian Cultural Lessons: Many hotels offer Hawaiian cultural lessons for those wishing to embrace and learn more about the Hawaiian culture and programs. Lessons usually include lei-making, chanting, tapa design, talk story sessions, Hawaiian language classes, and more.

• Alii Kula Lavender: Take your island relaxation to the next level when you visit Alii Kula Lavender, a sloping 13.5-acre farm located at 4,000 feet up. In addition to 45 varieties of lavender, you’ll find olive trees, protea, citrus and other plants and flowers.

• Maui Pineapple Tours: A tour of the 1,500-acre plantation, on the slopes of Haleakala volcano, covers the history of pineapple, cultivation techniques and what’s done to prepare the fruit for shipping. For many visitors, the highlight of the tour is sampling fruit that the guide picks and slices right there. And everyone receives a luscious Maui Gold pineapple to enjoy later.

• Skyline Eco-Adventures Maui: Cross a swinging bridge, 90-foot-deep canyons, and fly up to 45 miles per hour through an area that has been transformed from pastureland and invasive trees to a six-acre native forest with canopies rising 40 feet tall.

• Piiholo Zipline: Soaring over gulches and rolling green hills on an 800-acre cattle ranch in Piiholo, this adventure course offers both a thrilling ride and spectacular Upcountry vistas. The attraction include Maui’s longest side-by-side zipline, a half-mile-long stretch that has you zooming 600 feet above the ranch.

• Surfing Goat Dairy: Some 100 dairy goats frolic on this bucolic, 42-acre farm in lower Kula. A hands-on grand tour lasts around two hours and includes a chance to herd goats through a pasture, feed and milk the animals, play with the baby goats, observe and learn about the cheese-making process, and sample some of the dairy’s delicious cheeses.

• Leilani Farm Sanctuary: Located on eight acres in lush Haiku, Leilani Farm Sanctuary has provided a safe haven for rescued and orphaned farm animals for more than 15 years. Visitors can see and pet the sanctuary’s donkeys, goats, pigs, deer, ducks, chickens, bunnies, and other critters.