Maui Travel Guide

ALOHA! 🌺 Last week my family vacationed in Maui and I thought I’d create a Maui travel guide(you can find what to pack here). The trip was nothing short of spectacular with the delicious food and breathtaking views of the beautiful island. I felt like it was easy gaining those 5 hours, but I’m not going to lie, jet lag really hit me coming back.😩

We had a short flight from Chicago to Dallas and completely lucked out on our flight from Dallas to Maui. With an almost full flight there was a whole row of seats to our left that no one claimed, so my sister and I snagged those and had so much room! So between the four of us we had seven seats haha!

Where we stayed – Honua Kai Resort and Spa

This was actually a last minute decision and a great suggestion from my manager, which turned out for the best! The resort includes many pools and a great beach bar(Duke’s) and coffee shop(Aina Gourmet Market). Not to mention, the landscaping is gorgeous with fragrant plumeria trees and hibiscus’ everywhere you turn! Honua Kai is located on the northwest side of the island with just a few steps away from Kaanapali Beach. The location is great with a quick 5 minute drive to Whaler’s Village, which has great food options and shops to stop in and out of. Also, Front Street is at most 15 minutes from the resort that has a strip of shops and restaurants along the water and has CRAZY sunset views!

Rent a car

Renting a car is obviously not required, but if you want to do a decent amount of exploring on the island it is definitely much easier with a car. There are bus tours and some resorts offer shuttles to some of the attractions because it is a LOT of driving. If you want to be on your own schedule and make stops then I highly recommend renting a car. You can stop wherever you want and take your time because it is such a BEAUTIFUL island!

Sightseeing

Haleakala: Probably one of the COOLEST things I’ve experienced! This is a first day excursion because jet lag works in your favor. At an elevation over 10,000 feet you drive up a winding road and watch the sun come up standing way above the clouds. The views are absolutely breathtaking it almost looks fake! If you aren’t that scared of heights/get car sickness this is for you! Packing a pair of pants and a sweatshirt/windbreaker is a MUST(the wind is no joke). Also, book in advance because they only let a certain amount of cars up each day.

Road to Hana: Prettiest road I’ve been on! The road to Hana is on the east side of Maui and known for all the little road side stands and hidden water falls. We didn’t make it to the town of Hana, but we made it to the Waianapanapa State Park(black sand beach) at mile marker 32. Many people say the Road to Hana is “not about the destination its about the journey,” which is so true! The vegetation surrounding the road makes it feel like a whole different world!

Halfway to Hana has the best banana bread!

Paia Town: On the way to Hana and close to the airport. It is such a cute little town with little local shops and lots of color!

Iao Valley: Sadly we never made it to Iao Valley, but from what I’ve seen in pictures its beautiful. When I picture Maui in my head this is what I picture with lush greens and exotic plants.
Nakalele Blowhole: This was another place we didn’t get to all the way north on the island. You will also find the cutout of a heart in the rocks. Wear good shoes!

Places to Eat – some of the best restaurants on Maui

Mama’s Fish House: Definitely on the pricier side, but worth every penny! Book in advance so you are guaranteed a table, especially if you want to dine during sunset, which is what we did. We went for my parent’s anniversary and they sat us at a table with the best view in the restaurant. The menu is not large, but everything on it is prepared to perfection! When it comes to dessert, DO NOT SKIP IT! The crème brûlée is out of this world and the black pearl tasted just as good as it looked!

Most beautiful sunset steps away from the restaurant!

Paia Fish Market: I’ve never been a huge fish fan ever since I started getting an allergic reaction to shellfish, but this trip and Paia Fish Market sparked my new love for fish haha! To tell you how good it was, we went twice on our trip!
Leilani’s: On the beach in Whaler’s Village, they have good beach bar food. Their drinks are also super good!
Duke’s: Another beach bar that was part of Honua Kai. Good finger foods and known for their hula pie, which we didn’t save room for, but looked super good!
Monkeypod: Everything on the menu is hand-crafted, down to their sweet bread. The food was delicious and so fresh!
Tommy Bahama: Still waiting on a Chicago location, but we usually make it a point to visit if we come across one. Just as good as the previous ones we’ve been to, but a different menu! I always crave their bungalow salad!
Aloha Mixed Plate: This place had mixed reviews, but we loved it! It is Hawaiian/ Polynesian inspired, which was something I can’t really get back at home. The loco moco was super delicious!

Something Sweet

Ululani’s Shave Ice: Not so much food, but a light and fresh dessert. This was a frequent after dinner stop for us haha. The shave ice is so fluffy and the fresh flavored juices are unlike anything I’ve tasted before!

Baya Bowls: I made sure I at least tried the acaí bowls once in Maui and Baya Bowls made it on the list. It’s a little food truck that we found near front street and it was so good! Not to mention their truck was adorable!