Perfect One Week Itinerary in Maui
As Hawaii’s second-largest island, Maui has so much to see, that you can easily spend a week or more exploring the island. With miles and miles of beaches, lush green mountains, roaring waterfalls, winding roads, and volcanoes, there is something for every traveler to enjoy.
In this one-week guide to Maui, I’ll cover everything you need to know to plan a perfect trip based on my experience. I’ll cover all the top sites including the Road to Hana, Haleakala National Park, Iao Valley State Park, and more!
Let’s get started!
Please note, this was written before the devastating Maui fires in 2023. Our hearts go out to those on the island and we hope for a speedy recovery.
Maui Basic Information
As there are now many non-stop flights to Maui, plan ahead as Maui is extremely popular. Plan to make your accommodation reservation, car rental, and restaurant reservations in advance to guarantee you’ll have access during your trip. Places such as Mama’s Fish House and Maui Wine book up far in advance, so plan accordingly.
The Perfect One Week Itinerary
Day One: Land in Maui
The main airport to fly to is Kahului Airport (OGG). If you’re flying into Hawaii from a different state or a different county, on the flight you’ll be asked to fill out a card ensuring you aren’t bringing in any fruits, animals, etc. without clearance. Upon landing, your carry-on bags will be scanned to make sure you have nothing in your bag that is forbidden to bring into Maui.
After getting through arrival security, head towards baggage claim to pick up any checked bags. From here, you’ll want to pick up your rental car.
Trekker Tip: Plan to get a rental car in Hawaii as most things can only be accessed by car as public transportation is limited on the island. Also, ride services like Uber or Lyft do not frequent many areas on the island. Unless you’re only planning to stay at your accommodation or are planning to take organized tours for all parts of your trip, a rental car is a must!
After getting your rental car, I’d recommend heading towards Costco if you have a membership as it’s only 5 minutes from the airport. Stock up on your food for the week here before heading to your accommodations. This is the only Costco on the island and can be a little ways from where you’re staying on the island, so it makes sense to go here first.
After stocking up on your food, drive towards your accommodations and get checked in. Depending on what time of day it is, unpack your suitcase and relax on the beach.
Day Two: Western Maui
If you’re staying in south or western Maui, spending your first full day on the island exploring western Maui makes for a good choice as you don’t have to travel far. Since you’re probably dealing with a time change, you can sleep in a bit and start your day off nice and easy.
Iao Valley State Park
The hike to the Iao Needle is an easy hike for all ages to start off your day. You’ll follow a 0.6-mile paved trail to reach a scenic viewpoint of the Iao Needle. Take in the lush green mountains as you walk along the short trail. On your way back down, you can take a short detour to walk by the river or through a botanical garden.
Entrance fees are $5/person for non-residents and are free for children 3 and under. Parking fees are $25. It’s a little pricey for such a short hike but well worth it for the amazing views.
Waihe’e Ridge Hike
Drive towards the trailhead for Waihe’e Ridge located just off of Kahekili Highway. Drive past the overflow lot to continue up the mountain about 1 mile to the main parking lot. If the main lot is full, you may consider waiting for someone to leave to take their spot, or you’ll have another 2 miles roundtrip added to your hike.
This hike is rated the number one hike on the island but can be fairly strenuous. It’s a 4-mile roundtrip hike with about 1,600 ft of elevation gain, making it a fairly steep trail. If you decide to tackle this trail you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the lush green mountains overlooking the ocean and rivers below. You’ll also be able to see several waterfalls off in the distance. This area can get fairly cloudy but can change fairly quickly. When we visited, it was cloudy part way up but had cleared off by the time we reached the top. If it’s very cloudy you can hike to the first viewpoint and turnaround, but the views were definitely worth it at the top.
From the hike, turnaround, and head back the way you came to your accommodations. We made the mistake of continuing on the loop heading north-west and the road gets very narrow and sketchy here. The road is not well-maintained past this point and has several sections that only fit one car wide where it’s hard to see if another car is coming around the corner.
We continued on to head towards Olivine Pools, but I do not recommend stopping here. While the tide pools can be beautiful, several people have died here as the waves can change quickly and sweep you away out in the ocean. Save yourself a dangerous journey to and at the pools and instead go relax on a safer beach.
Day Three: Snorkel and Luau
Now that you’ve had one day to sleep in, today will be a longer day than yesterday. This is the only day I’d recommend taking a guided tour, as on all other days you can venture out on your own at your own pace.
Snorkel Tour
Get up early and take a snorkel tour. The most popular tours go to Molokini Crater and Turtle Town and depart from Ma’alaea Harbor. There is paid parking right at the harbor, but there is free parking only a short walk away at the Maui Ocean Center.
We took a tour on the Calypso, which ended up being a great experience! They had breakfast and lunch served in individual boxes to be covid-friendly. They also had several juices and sodas included. The triple-decker boat allowed for numerous front-row views and also had an interior section if you want to escape the wind. On the boat, there is a glass-bottom viewing deck, a slide, and a jumping platform. Snorkel equipment, including fins, is included in the tour, along with flotation equipment. If you get cold easily, there are wetsuits available for rental, but even though I get cold super easily, I didn’t think it was needed since you’ll be moving around in the water. They also offer snuba as an add-in option, but I felt like you could see everything perfectly well with the snorkels that you really didn’t need the snuba.
On the tour to Molokini Crater, we saw tons of fish and coral right up close. And we even saw an octopus! At Turtle Town, as the name implies, we saw tons of turtles both swimming and sleeping. The tour was definitely a highlight of the trip and shouldn’t be missed!
Trekker Tip: Take a snorkel tour that departs early in the morning, as the weather is generally more favorable in the mornings. Also, plan your snorkel tour early in your trip. If there’s bad weather that causes the tour to be canceled, this will give you flexibility in your schedule to reschedule later in your trip, as this is something you definitely don’t want to miss!
After returning from the tour, you can walk around the shops along the harbor, or head back to your accommodations to relax before your evening luau.
Luau
There are multiple luaus to choose from on the island, but in my opinion, the best is the Old Lahaina Luau. This is an authentic luau, that focuses more on the culture and history of Maui, rather than being overly touristy. There are two choices for seating: front row seating on traditional cushions, or at a table with chairs. The luau is 3 hours long, so it was nice to have a chair back to rest on while enjoying the show. However, if you have small children, the traditional cushions would be nice as the kids can walk around.
The luau included 5 food courses with an open bar included. The 5 courses included:
Starter course of kalo and sweet potato chips and kalo hummus
Salad course of salad and bread
Traditional Hawaiian course of roasted pork. leaf wrapped pork, Ahi tuna, salmon, and Pai’i’ai
Main course of steak, fish, chicken, vegetables, and mashed potatoes
Dessert course of haupia, kulolo, pineapple upside-down cake, and ice cream
All of the food was amazing, well except for the Pai’i’ai, which wans’t my favorite. After eating as much as you want (you can request more of any dish), it’s time to sit back and enjoy the traditional luau show. The show taught the history of Maui’s culture with amazing dancers telling the story. As this is a cultural luau, you won’t get fire dancers and fire eaters as you would at a touristy luau, but this was definitely way better.
Day Four: Relax on the Beach
After a busy full day snorkeling and enjoying the luau the day before, this is a perfect day to take it easy and relax on the beach. Sleep in as you’ll have another early morning tomorrow. Hang out on the beach near your accommodations or check out any of the numerous beaches on the island. You can try boogie boarding, surfing, paddle boarding, wind sailing, or just read a book by the pool or beach. Whatever your preference, take the day to relax and recharge.
We used this day to visit Lahaina. There are a couple of free parking lots on the outskirts of Lahaina or paid lots in the town. As you enter Lahaina, you’ll see the beautiful huge Banyan Tree. While it looks like multiple trees, it is actually just one large tree with multiple branches. Take a stroll under the many branches or sit on one of the benches and enjoy the views.
Please note, parts of Lahaina are currently closed post the deadly 2023 fires.
After snapping some pics with the Banyan Tree, head into the town of Lahaina and take a walk by all of the shops. This is a great place to shop for souvenirs, but also has numerous galleries to explore. Stop in some of the galleries as you walk the street and see Maui through the eyes of a local.
As you stroll, make sure you stop and get some famous Hawaii Dole Whip. This sweet treat is a great way to cool off on a hot day.
Day Five: Road to Hana
You’ll want to wake up early today to pack in all the sites on the Road to Hana. By leaving early, you’ll also get a head start on some of the crowds that can pile up on the road.
The Road to Hana isn’t about the destination but is about the journey. You might be disappointed when you arrive in Hana and realize it’s just a small town, but it’s really all the stops along the way that make it an incredible experience. Since the Road to Hana has so many amazing stops, check out the blog post solely focused on the Road to Hana!
Trekker Tip: Download the Guide Along app for Maui and use it on the Road to Hana. It uses your phone’s GPS to tell you all about the history of Maui and also lets you know where all of the major stops are. The app also works for other areas around Maui, but it was the best along the Road to Hana.
Day Six: Relax on the Beach
After a long day exploring all there is to see on the Road to Hana, take another day to relax on the beach or by the pool. If you haven’t had a chance to visit Lahaina yet, this is a great day to do so. You can also use this as another day to take an organized tour if you’re interested.
Day Seven: Haleakala National Park
Haleakala National Park
If you’re used to the time change and are ok with getting up early, you can view the sunrise at the summit of Haleakala National Park. If you’re interested in viewing the sunrise, you will need advanced reservations as spots are limited. Plan to book early as they sell out quickly. You can also join an organized tour if you don’t want to drive to the summit for the sunrise and want someone else to drive instead. We did not do the sunrise and instead stayed for sunset which we found beautiful.
When arriving at Haleakala National Park, you’ll pass a ticket station and will have to pay $30 per vehicle which is good for 3 days. Or if you’re visiting multiple national parks in a year, you can buy an annual pass for $80.
Trekker Tip: If you continued past Hana while driving the Road to Hana, and continued towards the Pipiwai trail or Ohe’o Gulch, you had to pay an entrance fee to visit the Kīpahulu section of the national park. So plan to visit both the Kīpahulu section and the Haleakala Summit section within 3 days of each other, or you’ll have to pay the fee twice unless you have an annual national park pass.
Once entering the summit district of the national park, it’ll look like you’re in a whole other world compared to the landscapes you’ve gotten used to the past few days in Maui. To me, it felt like we were traveling to Mars as it was unlike something I’d ever seen.
As we only planned to spend about half a day in the park, we decided to take the Sliding Sands trail. While the whole trail is 11 miles, we hiked down about 2 miles into the crater before turning around. The trailhead is right next to the Haleakala Visitor Center where you’ll start your descent down into the crater. Along the way, you’ll have sweeping views of the crater. Clouds tend to come and go in the area, so be patient as the views can change if it’s currently obstructed by clouds. If you want to travel all the way to the crater floor, plan to hike ~4 miles down. The crater is at a higher elevation than most parts of Maui, plan ahead as the temperatures can be much colder than by the ocean.
Trekker Tip: For all hikes, you’ll start by descending into the crater. So keep in mind how much energy you’ll need for when you turn around as it’ll all be uphill.
For shorter hikes, you can take a short hike to an overlook from the Visitor Center. However, I think it’s definitely worth it to descend down into the crater, even if only for a short way to get the best views. Also, be on the lookout for the Nene birds which are exclusively found in Hawaii.
Maui Wine
Descend down the mountain and take in the views, as even though you’ll head up the mountain one more time today, the next time you come back down, you’ll be heading down in the dark. After a strenuous hike, you’ll definitely want to reward yourself with a trip to a winery.
Maui Wine specializes in pineapple wines made from locally grown Maui pineapples. Relax on the patio while you try their wine flights and snack on some of the guava jellies. As Maui Wine is extremely popular, plan on making a reservation ahead of time. Since you’ll be exploring Haleakala in the morning, I’d suggest getting to Maui Wine around 2 or 3. This will also give you enough time to get back to Haleakala for sunset.
Sunset at Haleakala
Take the now familiar road back up to the summit of Haleakala. Give yourself some time to get to the summit before sunset so you can find a parking spot. The summit parking lot fills up early, but there’s typically room at the Visitor Center just a little way down the road. Bring some chairs and blankets with you as the summit is at ~10,000’ elevation and can be substantially cooler than other parts of the island. Sit back and relax, set up a camera, and take in the views of the sunset. After the sun goes down, plan to stay a few minutes after to capture the deep red colors that fill the sky.
Day Eight: Fly Home
It’s time to say goodbye to Maui after a wonderful trip. Depending on the time of your flight, you may have time to explore a little more of Maui before heading to the airport. Our flight wasn’t until 8 pm, which gave us another day to explore the sites. As we had to check out of our room, we chose not to go to the beach today so we wouldn’t have wet hair for our flight.
Maui Ocean Center
The Maui Ocean Center is great for visitors of all ages. Enjoy the aquarium and learn about the natural aquatic species of Maui. Tickets are:
~$40 for adults 13 - 64 years old
~$30 for children 4-12 years old
~$35 for seniors 65 years old +
Your ticket includes access to the aquariums including an aquarium tunnel you can walk through and see wildlife all around you, as well as access to the Humpbacks of Hawaii exhibit and 3-D sphere experience.
Kahului Swap Meet
Open each Saturday from 7 am - 1 pm near the Kahului airport, this is a great place to find souvenirs from local vendors. Entry is only $0.50/person, making it a great way to explore for a little bit before heading to the airport.
Shaved Ice
You cannot leave Maui without trying some of the famous Hawaii shaved ice. There are multiple locations near the airport to get shaved ice, with the most popular being Ululani's Hawaiian Shaved Ice. Here, they hand crush their ice into a super smooth consistency before layering up to 3 flavors on top. As this is a popular spot, expect a line to get shaved ice, but it’s definitely well worth it!
Head Home
Finally, it’s time to head to the airport to begin your flight back home. At the airport, you will have your checked and carry-on luggage scanned to ensure you are not bringing any fruit, animals, or rocks back home with you. After your initial luggage scan, check your bags and head towards security and on towards your gate. Wave goodbye to Maui as you head home.
Where to Stay
Lodging in Ka’anapali:
The most popular place for tourists to stay is near Ka’anapali Beach. This gives you great access to fantastic beaches right from your front door. This also gives you fast access to the sites on the western side of Maui including Iao Valley State Park and Lahaina. We chose to stay in Kannapali for the beach access and numerous nearby restaurants.
Popular places to stay in Ka’anapali are:
Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa
Hyatt Residence Club Maui, Ka’anapali Beach
The Westin Maui Resort & Spa Ka’anapali
Honua Kai Resort & Spa
This is where we stayed and rented a condo through VRBO. This was a great choice as we got access to all the resort’s features, including their multiple pools, while also having a full kitchen so we could cook meals instead of eating out every day.
Lodging in Wailea:
Another popular place to stay is in Wailea. While it has less direct access to beaches and fewer restaurant choices than Ka’anapali, it is more centrally located on the island, giving easier access to all destinations across the island.
Popular places to stay in Wailea are:
Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
Wailea Beach Resort - Marriott, Maui
Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort - a concept by Hyatt
AC Hotel by Marriott Maui Wailea
Fairmont Kea Lani
Days Inn by Wyndham Maui Oceanfront
Residence Inn by Marriott Maui Wailea
Where to Eat
Dining near Ka’anapali:
Kitchen 5315 is a casual restaurant offering American classics and international dishes at a cheaper price than most Maui restaurants.
Taverna Maui is set on a golf course and offers Italian dishes and pizza.
Plantation House Restaurant is set on the Plantation golf course and offers Hawaiian food.
Royal Ocean Terrace offers open-air views of the ocean with gentle live entertainment.
Duke’s Beach House offers a variety of bar food and island specialties.
Plan to book reservations ahead of time as restaurants can book up quickly if there are specific places you’d like to visit.
What to Pack
You can’t visit Hawaii and not go swimming, so plan to pack multiple swimsuits.
As you’ll be out in the sun a lot, give your skin a break and cover up to avoid sunburn.
Bring your own snorkel mask so you can snorkel anywhere on the island. I find this full-face snorkel mask to work much better than your traditional snorkel.
Good hiking socks to keep your feet comfortable when hiking Waihe’e Ridge or Haleakala Crater.
As Hawaii can experience rain at any moment, it’s a good idea to pack a spare in case your socks get wet.
Bring waterproof hiking boots that are comfortable and you have a chance to break in before you set out on long hikes.
Keep your hands free while having space for your sunscreen, water, extra layers for Haleakala, quick dry towel, and more.
Is a must as you’ll want to spend as much time as possible out in the sun.
Stay hydrated while you’re hanging out in the sun.
A roll-up hat you can pack in your day bag to keep cool as Maui can get hot, hot, hot!
Be prepared for colder weather when visiting Haleakala Crater, as the temperature can be much cooler than down by the ocean, especially at sunrise or sunset.
A collapsable cooler is easy to pack in your suitcase and great to bring on some of the longer drives in Maui.
The Road to Hana isn’t about the destination and is instead all about the journey. Find out more about the must-see sights and a suggested itinerary in this guide!