How To Spend Two Days on Maui
Here’s what you should do if you've only got 48 hours on the Valley Isle.
So you’re taking a vacation to Hawaiʻi—and you want to squeeze in a side trip to Maui?
We won’t talk you out of it!
If you’re going to spend at least a week in Hawaiʻi, you might want to consider visiting more than one island. Most flights from Honolulu take less than an hour—it’s only about a 35-minute flight to Kahului—so it’s feasible to spend part of your vacation exploring another island.
Maui is a great option, with a variety of accommodations, activities and restaurants to keep you occupied for 48 hours. In fact, two days will probably not be enough time, especially if you want to drive the 52 miles from Kahului to the remote town of Hāna. (That would take up an entire day.)
So if you’re planning to island-hop to the Valley Isle, here’s what you should do.
Read More: Our 10 Essential Experiences on Maui
Day 1
8 a.m. Breakfast at Tasty Crust
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Take an early flight and grab a seat at Tasty Crust in Wailuku. It’s an institution on Maui, and locals love this place. The family-run restaurant opened in 1975 and is known for its fluffy pancakes. But it serves omelets, French toast, waffles and a killer breakfast loco moco. It opens at 6 a.m. and serves lunch and dinner, too. Note: It’s closed on Mondays.
10 a.m. Visit ʻĪao Valley State Park
Photo: Rolland and Jessica
Less than a 10-minute drive away is ʻĪao Valley State Park, a beautiful, 4,000-acre, 10-mile long park that’s home to one of Maui’s most recognizable landmarks, the 1,200-foot Kuka‘emoku (aka ʻĪao Needle). Walk along the 1-mile path to view the rock outcropping and through a botanical garden. Non-residents need to make advanced reservations to enter the state park.
11:30 a.m. Drive to Kāʻanapali
Kāʻanapali Beach on Maui.
Photo: Getty Images/EvaBrowning
Kāʻanapali is one of Maui’s premier beach towns, home to great resorts, restaurants and one of the most gorgeous stretches of beach on the island. Grab a pie or sandwich along the way at Leoda’s Kitchen & Pie Shop in Olowalu. Spend a few hours enjoying the beach and its aquamarine waters. You can rent surfboards, snorkel gear and other beach items at Kāʻanapali Surf Club—or book a surfing lesson.
4 p.m. Hit Happy Hour at Monkeypod Kitchen
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Happy hour runs from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Monkeypod Kitchen in Kāʻanapali, a restaurant concept by beloved Maui chef Peter Merriman. Get discounts on draft beers, handcrafted cocktails—including the popular Monkeypod mai tai—appetizers and pizzas. Many of the dishes feature locally grown ingredients.
6 p.m. Walk around Pāiʻa
Hoʻokipa Beach, Maui
Photo: Getty Images/MNStudio
It takes about an hour to drive from Kāʻanapali to Pāʻia, a charming, artsy beach town on Maui’s north coast. Explore the colorful art galleries, boutiques and shops here, and stop by Hoʻokipa Beach, dubbed the windsurfing capital of the world. During winter months big north swells make this a hot spot for big-wave surfers and windsurfers.
8 p.m. Dine at Mama’s Fish House Restaurant
Nestled on a sheltered lagoon, the award-winning Mama’s Fish House Restaurant serves some of the best—and freshest—seafood on the island. (The menu lists who caught each fish and where.) Reservations are highly recommended.
Day 2
4 a.m. Catch Sunrise Atop Haleakalā
Sunrise at Haleakalā on Maui.
Photo: Getty Images/Will Seaborn
Get up extra early to witness a spectacular sunrise at Haleakalā National Park, which now requires advanced reservations. The trek to the summit of the 10,000-foot dormant volcano, especially at that hour, is dark and sometimes foggy. Once at the top, you’ll be met with a dark sky filled with stars. Slowly, the sun will rise and paint the otherworldly landscape in pinks and oranges. Dress warmly; it can be 40 degrees at the top in the morning. You may also spot nēnē (Hawaiian goose), Hawaiʻi’s state bird, and silverswords, which only grow here.
9 a.m. Explore Upcountry Maui
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox
As you head down Haleakalā, stop in the Upcountry towns of Kula and Makawao. (If you’re visiting on a Saturday, we recommend visiting the Upcountry Farmers Market, where you can pick up Maui-grown coffee, Venezuelan arepas or baklava, and listen to live music.) For breakfast, stop at the quaint Kula Bistro, which serves eggs Benedicts, fritatas, French toast and pancakes. Or grab stick donuts and cream puffs at T. Komoda Store & Bakery, a beloved bakery in the heart of Makawao.
11 a.m. Tour a Farm
Aliʻi Kula Lavender Farm on Maui.
Photo: David Croxford
Depending on the time of year you visit, you can pick strawberries or pumpkins at the family-run Kula Country Farms. (Don’t leave without trying its fresh strawberry lemonade.) Wander around the 13.5-acre Aliʻi Kula Lavender Farm or book a 30-minute tour of Surfing Goat Dairy, where you can learn about this working dairy farm and feed the farm’s goats.
12:30 p.m. Try Some Maui Specialities
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino
There are two dishes unique to Maui: dry mein and guri guri. Get dry mein at Sam Sato’s in Wailuku; this is a noodle dish tossed in a sauce that’ served on the side. (It’s similar to saimin but drier.) And Tasaka Guri Guri Shop serves something called guri guri, a frozen dessert that’s a cross between sherbet and ice cream. You can even bring some back with you—frozen and packed for the plane.
