Best Things To Do In Maui
No explanation needed, Maui is a dream destination for many! One island offers pretty much everything you could ever want in a vacation — from amazing hikes, famous beaches, great food and culture. I’ve visited Maui twice. The first time was in 2015 and more recently in 2021. On my second trip, we repeated a lot of the same activities from the first visit and discovered some new places. Being the second largest Hawaiian island, you can visit Maui and make your days as packed or as relaxed as you’d like.
This list includes some of the best things to do in Maui, all of which are perfect for first-time or returning visitors.
Wildfire Update: Locals and business owners are urging tourists to come visit Maui, as long as they remain respectful and stay away from West Maui, where the bulk of the August 2023 fire damage was done. Many people are wondering how they can help the island recover, and the best way to provide support is to travel to Maui and bring tourism back. Because tourism has been low, you’ll likely find discounted flight prices and have the opportunity to experience how beautiful Maui is without the crowds.
View from the Lahaina Pali Trail from the Ukumehame (West) Trailhead.
Sliding Sands (Keonehe‘ehe‘e) Hike
If you only decide to do one thing from this entire list, make it the Sliding Sands hikes, which was one of my favorite memories from Maui. Not only loved by me, but this hike is highly rated with 4.8 stars and over 1.2k reviews. This point-to-point hike takes you through portions of the Haleakala crater and you’ll experience a dichotomy of landscapes in just 11-miles. You’ll go from feeling as if you’re in the rainforest, to the moon, and to scenes from Jurassic park all on one hike. It is truly stunning and every turn feels different.
To do this hike, you’ll need to park at the Haleamau’u trailhead (I pinned the location below for you) and hitch a ride up to the Haleakala Visitor Center/Sliding Sands trailhead a few minutes away. There’s a designated hitchhiker pick-up point at the Haleamau’u trailhead. We only had to wait about 10-minutes until a worker driving up for his day shift at the Visitor’s Center picked us up.
The first part of the hike is downhill into the crater. From there you’ll intersect into a much greener, tropical landscape. You’ll finish the hike by climbing back up to the Halemau'u overlook, where your car is parked.
Skydive in Hana
Before getting in the skydiving plane at Maui Skydiving.
Skydiving isn’t for everyone, but if you’re even remotely considering skydiving, do it in Hawaii! I’ve skydived twice and by far my favorite time was in Hana, Maui. The views of the island and all of the colors from 10,000 feet up are absolutely incredible. When I did it, we ended up going down right next to a rainbow which was amazing! Our guides even let us steer the parachute for a bit.
Maui Skydiving is the company we used and they’re located right in Hana — so you get to do the Road to Hana to get there and then skydive which makes for an awesome day. The entire team at Maui Skydiving is great and just so professional. We actually couldn’t dive the day we originally intended to due to bad weather, and the team was quick to communicate with us and accommodated rescheduling us on another day. They made us feel extremely safe. If you’re planning to skydive while you’re visiting Hawaii, do it in Hana! You won’t regret it.
Beach Day at Big Beach
Swimming at Big Beach.
The picture I included above doesn’t even do it justice, but Big Beach was one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to, and when I go back to Maui, it’ll be one of the first stops for me. More commonly known as Makena Beach or Oneloa Beach, Big Beach has soft, white sand extending nearly 2/3 of a mile long and over 100 feet wide. It is one of the largest, undeveloped beaches in Maui, meaning finding a spot to spread out isn’t ever a problem as it hardly becomes overcrowded. It has pretty big waves with a large shore-break and is located only a few minutes from Wailea and Kihei. There’s a large parking lot that you can park in for a small fee.
Dinner at Mama’s Fish House
Located in Paia on the northern coast of the island, Mama’s Fish House is a local landmark and a world famous restaurant that books up a year in advanced (so make sure you make a reservation as soon as you know you’re going to Maui)! It is actually one of the hardest restaurants in Maui to get a reservation at, but very much worth the effort.
The whole story of how Mama’s came about is really interesting (found here if you want to read it), but it was opened in 1973 by Floyd and Doris Christenson. At the time, most of the restaurants in Maui were steak houses, but Floyd and Doris brought something unique to the island — fresh fish caught daily by local fishermen, which still stands true today. Every day their fishermen go out in small boats to catch a variety of fish including Mahi-mahi, Tropical Ono, Ahi and more, all of which are caught 30 miles offshore. They also have amazing cocktails, including a bomb mai-tai which is what I get when I go.
The restaurant is still family-owned and is nestled on the back of a beautiful white-sand beach surrounded by a coconut grove. You’ll often times see sea turtles out here as well! The family also operates an Inn right next door if you’re looking for accommodations on the northern side of the island.
Mama’s Fish House Beach.
Snorkel at Black Rock
Black Rock at Ka’anapali Beach.
The Black Rock is an outcropping of lava rock and is located at the far north end of Ka’anapali Beach. It is mainly used for cliff jumping into the ocean, but it is also an amazing place for snorkeling, and completely free! I’ve paid big bucks for snorkeling tours in the past and this was by far the best snorkeling I’ve ever done. We saw so many sea turtles and a massive school of fish swimming right underneath us — and I mean massive, like a few thousand fish.
I wouldn’t bother wasting your time or money doing a big snorkel tour, just go here! Simply grab your snorkel gear and go right off the beach. Snorkeling at Black Rock is not a part of any sort of tour or guided experience, so be sure to bring your own gear since there isn’t anywhere to rent. I pinned the Black Rock location below, but it is right in front of the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa Hotel. Parking is difficult in this area, but there is a paid lot next to the Sheraton which is what we used.
After you snorkel, you could enjoy the beach or head up to the pool at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa Hotel for lunch, which is what we did.
Ho’okipa Beach
Ho’okipa Beach.
Ho'okipa Beach is known for windsurfing, and is actually such a popular windsurfing spot that professional competitions are held here! It is also a great beach for swimming with a sandy-bottom and small tide pools in the middle of the beach. Even if you don’t windsurf or swim, it is a great beach to spot wildlife including sea turtles. When we were here, a bunch of sea turtles were on the beach and actually several swam by me when I was in the water (I was only up to my knees, too, so not even that far out!). There’s also lifeguards situated on either end.
Ho'okipa Beach is located at Mile #9 on the Hana Highway. If you’re planning to do the road to Hana or even just a little bit of it, you could stop at Ho'okipa Beach on your way or easily spend an afternoon here.
Waihe'e Ridge Trail
Waihe’e Ridge Trail is a 4-mile out-and-back hike that has a little over 1,400 feet of elevation gain. It was my second favorite hike next to Sliding Sands and a must-do. Even if you aren’t a big hiker, it is totally doable and a great workout. It is located in the West Maui Forest Reserve and takes you through super lush greenery ending with a ridge-climb to the summit. The views are absolutely incredible and overlook the Waihe’e Valley. The trail is well-groomed and you’ll likely see a lot of other hikers and trail-runners.
Since there is a decent amount of elevation gain over a short distance, you’ll definitely want to bring a lot of water, sunscreen, and a hat. Depending on the time of year, it is possible the trail will be muddy so it might be worth it to bring hiking poles for extra support. I’d also recommend wearing hiking sneakers with a good grip. Try and do the hike first thing in the morning to avoid the heat since there isn’t much sun coverage on the trail.
Food Trucks Near Costco
The food trucks near Costco are the best kept secret of Maui and something that I discovered on my second trip to the island. We actually ate here 4X during our week-long vacation because it was so good — you absolutely have to go at least once! I’ll pin both locations below, but there are actually two food truck spots near the Maui Costco and both are equally amazing. Plus, Maui can be expensive so this is a great option for those looking for a meal on the more affordable side.
Plate Lunch Market Place
Plate Lunch Market Place is the original food truck park, and is located right across from the Costco Gas Station (pinned below). It won runner-up as the Best Food Truck Pod on Maui in 2023! You’ll find several award-winning food trucks here including a poke truck, a taco truck, an acai bowl truck, a Thai truck, and more. Pretty much every kind of cuisine you could want is here. My favorite was Like Poke? which was the winner of the Best Food Truck Lunch in 2023 by Maui Time’s Readers. They also have live music every Thursday from 6-8PM and picnic tables.
Corner of Dairy Road
The second food truck park in the area opened in February 2020 and is located right next to the the Marriott Courtyard. You’ll find another poke truck here, a grilled cheese truck, sushi, coffee, and burgers. There’s a bunch of covered picnic tables and free parking.
Leave a comment below and let me know if you end up using any of these recommendations for your next Maui trip! I’d love to hear your thoughts and what was your favorite!
