How many days do you need in Maui?

5 to 8 days is the usual answer, and the low end works only if you skip one of the four stops. Five days is the minimum that survives one full Hana day and one Haleakalā morning. A week lets you put real beach days between the big drives, which is the whole reason to come.

What is the best time to visit Maui?

April to May and September to October have good weather and lower rates. Check first. Winter brings humpback whales from December through March, though it also brings bigger surf. West Maui is still rebuilding after the 2023 wildfire, so confirm what is open around Lahaina before you build a day around it.

Where should I stay in Maui?

Three areas cover most trips in Maui, since where you sleep decides how much of the day you spend in transit. Wailea / Kīhei: South shore, driest weather, and closest to the snorkel boats, with Wailea the resort end while Kīhei is the affordable one. Kā'anapali: West side resorts, with a beach walk connecting them once you are out of the room. Pā'ia / Upcountry: Closest to Hana and Haleakalā, small-town feel, and cooler evenings, which matters more than you expect after a week at sea level. If you want one answer without weighing it up, book Wailea / Kīhei and stop reading.

How do you get around Maui?

Rent a car and reserve it early, since the island runs short in peak weeks. Driving times are long relative to the map, and the Hana Highway takes about three hours one way.

What should I see first in Maui?

Go to Haleakalā summit early in the trip, before the days start filling up with things you booked later. Sunrise entry needs a reservation booked up to 60 days ahead, while sunset needs no permit at all and is nearly as good. The other three stops can go in whatever order the map makes easy, since none of them depends on the others.

Is there a free Maui itinerary I can copy?

There is one on Arriv for Maui, mapped stop by stop, with a suggested order for each day. Reading it costs nothing, though you will want your own copy once the dates are real. Copy it into a trip of your own to move things around, drop what you would skip, and send the result to whoever is coming.

Maui, HIBy ArrivLast checked August 2026

Plan a trip to Maui

A volcano summit, a coast road, and some of the easiest snorkeling in the islands. Distances are long. Pick one side of the island and stay there, because changing hotels mid-trip costs you a whole day of the good stuff.

Families
Couples
Beaches
Honeymoons

Trip length

Free to run, and you keep editing after. Add who's coming or a pace like “slow mornings” to shape the result.

Maui guides

12 places on a map

Maui with the kids
12 places

All Maui guides

Maui at a glance

How long do you need? 5 to 8 days is what most people give Maui, and what follows is the four stops worth building a plan around, Haleakalā summit first among them, plus the three neighborhoods worth comparing before you book a room. All of it turns into a map you can edit.

How long: 5–8 days
When to go: April to May and September to October have good weather and lower rates. Check first. Winter brings humpback whales from December through March, though it also brings bigger surf. West Maui is still rebuilding after the 2023 wildfire, so confirm what is open around Lahaina before you build a day around it.
Getting around: Rent a car and reserve it early, since the island runs short in peak weeks. Driving times are long relative to the map, and the Hana Highway takes about three hours one way.

What to build the plan around

1
Haleakalā summit
Sunrise entry needs a reservation booked up to 60 days ahead, while sunset needs no permit at all and is nearly as good.
2
Road to Hana
Sixty-four bridges and a full day, so start before 7am, and think hard about staying overnight in Hana so you are not driving it back tired.
3
Molokini Crater
Morning snorkel boats leave from Mā'alaea, and since visibility is best on the earliest departures, take the first one.
4
Wailea and Kā'anapali beaches
Calm, swimmable, and lined with resorts, though public access paths exist at both.

Where to stay in Maui

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Wailea / Kīhei: South shore, driest weather, and closest to the snorkel boats, with Wailea the resort end while Kīhei is the affordable one.
Kā'anapali: West side resorts, with a beach walk connecting them once you are out of the room.
Pā'ia / Upcountry: Closest to Hana and Haleakalā, small-town feel, and cooler evenings, which matters more than you expect after a week at sea level.

Browse stays in Maui

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More itineraries to copy

Each one opens as a map with every stop already placed.

Maui planning questions

How many days do you need in Maui?: 5 to 8 days is the usual answer, and the low end works only if you skip one of the four stops. Five days is the minimum that survives one full Hana day and one Haleakalā morning. A week lets you put real beach days between the big drives, which is the whole reason to come.
What is the best time to visit Maui?: April to May and September to October have good weather and lower rates. Check first. Winter brings humpback whales from December through March, though it also brings bigger surf. West Maui is still rebuilding after the 2023 wildfire, so confirm what is open around Lahaina before you build a day around it.
Where should I stay in Maui?: Three areas cover most trips in Maui, since where you sleep decides how much of the day you spend in transit. Wailea / Kīhei: South shore, driest weather, and closest to the snorkel boats, with Wailea the resort end while Kīhei is the affordable one. Kā'anapali: West side resorts, with a beach walk connecting them once you are out of the room. Pā'ia / Upcountry: Closest to Hana and Haleakalā, small-town feel, and cooler evenings, which matters more than you expect after a week at sea level. If you want one answer without weighing it up, book Wailea / Kīhei and stop reading.
How do you get around Maui?: Rent a car and reserve it early, since the island runs short in peak weeks. Driving times are long relative to the map, and the Hana Highway takes about three hours one way.
What should I see first in Maui?: Go to Haleakalā summit early in the trip, before the days start filling up with things you booked later. Sunrise entry needs a reservation booked up to 60 days ahead, while sunset needs no permit at all and is nearly as good. The other three stops can go in whatever order the map makes easy, since none of them depends on the others.
Is there a free Maui itinerary I can copy?: There is one on Arriv for Maui, mapped stop by stop, with a suggested order for each day. Reading it costs nothing, though you will want your own copy once the dates are real. Copy it into a trip of your own to move things around, drop what you would skip, and send the result to whoever is coming.

Tools for a Maui trip

Family Vacation PlannerOne big thing a day, food nearby before anyone melts down, and an easy backup five minutes away. Arriv maps all three, so nobody is making decisions in a parking lot at noon.Couples Trip PlannerThis is the version where one of you doesn't do all the planning. You both add places to the same map, so the dinner reservations sit where either of you can find them.Weekend Trip PlannerTwo and a half days is the real budget, whatever the calendar says. Arriv builds to it: one anchor a day, food near where you already are, and Sunday left loose enough to catch a flight.Honeymoon PlannerTwo of you, two weeks, one plan you both edit. Arriv maps the dinners and the one big day per stretch, and leaves the afternoons alone, since the empty ones are usually the part you remember.

Plan a trip to Maui

Maui guides

Maui at a glance

What to build the plan around

Haleakalā summit

Road to Hana

Molokini Crater

Wailea and Kā'anapali beaches