I'm spending 9 days in Maui with wife and 2 teenagers. Is a drive to Hana worth it? Will the teenagers be bored? How long does it take (from Kapalua)? What time should we leave? Should we go all the way around? or out and back? Any tips, tricks or not to miss spots? Thanks for your wisdom!

Take the drive, it's one of the best in the country.

Go at least as far as Seven Pools.

It will take all day. Leave your hotel by 7:30am. Get back around 8-9pm.

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~volcano/te...Haleakala.html

http://www.hawaiianstylemedia.com/Gu...ana-Deluxe.htm

http://www.alohafriendshawaii.com/roadtohana.html

www.alternative-hawaii.com Good narrative driving tours including Road to Hana

We are one of the few who did not like the Road to Hana. I got very carsick, and threw up twice The views were pretty, but the roads were very windy and crowded, and we felt like we had seen scenery just as beautiful on the rest of Maui, Oahu, and the BI. We are going to Maui and Kauai next week, and we won't be repeating that drive!

But, many people love it and rave about it, so I think we were in the minority.

YOU HAVE TO GO TO HANA, that was one of my favorite drives. We decided once we got to Hana, to just continue the rest of the way around the island. It says no vehicles past that aren't a truck or 4 wheel drive or something like that. We took the rental convertible Mustang anyways. It is one of those drives like PCH in California. It is twisty past Hana, but you get to see the drastically differant weather that Maui has, doing this drive...

I am glad that I did the road to Hana once and that is enough!
When you look at a map you are thinking it might take 3-4 hours max..Wrong.. it is a good 8-9 hours of driving and IMO there is really so much to see outside of the area and once you finally get to Hana you think that there will be this fantastic place and all I found was a General Store and alot of grumpy tourist who felt the same thing I did..Is this it?
The road is extremely winding and the locals will pass you on hairpen turns..and it is usually bumper to bumper..
I like the road past Kapalua that takes you on the North Side of the island better and drops you into Kahalui..
If you take dusty's advice and go at least to the 7 pools you are almost 3/4 of the way there and I would finish it off and not go back..
I prefer the road past 7 pools with the old churches on the water and the graveyards with the views of the Big Island..The road to Hana is very pretty but you really don't have the time to leisurely stop and smell the flowers because you are already looking at a 8-9 hour drive time..
My husband and I are glad we did it so we will never do it again and that goes with the getting up at 2:00am to watch a sunrise at Haleakala to only be clouded in and couldn't see anything and it was in the 30's at the top and took another 5-6 hours of precious time..
Our friend in the backseat got car sick.. on the road to Hana..
Your teenagers will like to do the bicycle down Haleakala and stop at Kula Lodge for Breakfast or Lunch and snorkeling in Molikini..
I hope you have a wonderful time and it is one persons opinion but I hope this helps..
I have been to Maui for the last 25 years and even though I like the island in the last couple of times we have been, it is like the rest of the world has found it and the traffic jams are like being in LA and that is why we look to go to the islands to get away from that..
Best to you..

There is a book to get called Maui Revealed, that we used to take us to secret spots. You will see other people with the book stopping at these secret spots. We did a bunch of the stops out to Hana, then the rest of the way around, stopping at the vineyard and I think we were back at the hotel by 6 or 7 that night. It is a full day, but a great drive...

My family never even considered it, as 3 out of 4 of us get very carsick very easily!

I was going to suggest not stopping in Hana at all (pack a cooler with drinks and picnic lunch, save it for the Owyhee (?) gulch, aka 7 pools). HOwever, swimming in the Seven Pools is a must (gorgeous), and the teens can jump off the cliff (if I can, anyone can). The state park with the lava tube swimming and the black sand beach (before Hana) is also gorgeous. If there's any water that time of year, the waterfalls along the road are fabulous. AND once you pass the seven pools the climate changes and the views of the back of the volcano and the ocean are unbelievable. Then, once you pass through that zone, you are almost instantaneously back into rain forest. We do the full trip every visit, wouldn't miss it! (Give the teens Maui Revealed and a map, and have them plot out their "must-sees"; that's how we ended up on a lovely walk through the talking bamboo forest once! Tell them they can swim under water into a hidden cave at the lava tubes; they'll never forget it.)
p.s. the roads are "improved" regularly, so you're not violating any rental contracts (which are mostly outdated anyway).
re not

I think you should go. The key is to start early... like before 7 am, and stop often. There are tons of waterfalls along the way, the black sand beach...etc. Take a break at the seven pools and do the hike (more like a walk) to the 400 foot waterfall (the name escapes me at this point)... just going through the bamboo forest to the waterfall is an experience. Have fun.

pps: Drive up the volcano late afternoon for sunset; see the crater, then park after everyone has left (west-facing pullouts are great; chose one where you can peep into crater behind you for changing light show as sun sets)for the colors, hope for clouds to reflect the beautiful pastels. Might even want to stay for the star show! Easy drive up in daytime, drive down with no hordes of scared bicyclists, no freezing butts off at 4 a.m. (or earlier!)waiting in a crowd for...fog. (WE have 4 friends who trashed their bodies on rocks doing the bike down--avoid it unless you REALLY want to do it.)Plus, this is a late p.m. to sunset jaunt, unlike the horrible get up at 3 a.m. to join the throngs heading up the mountain, then back down and yawning at 8 a.m. or later!
BTW: Hana etc. The drive ALL the way around is usually a day trip for us, including many stops; on the road at 7 a.m., back by 4 p.m., unless we stop at Costco or K-mart in Kahului for supplies. So, get up early, have faboo day, back in time for a little beach or pool, then dinner and sunset.

oops--got to add that returning the same way from Hana is not something you want to do.

I was very hesitant (thinking it would be similar to Irelands narrow roads) So we did the western side of Maui drive. When I spoke with another couple at the Warren and Annabelle show they said the Hana drive would be tame compared to the west side drive. We last minute decided to drive to Hana on a Thursday back in June. We overslept and got on the road later than when everyone suggests.We were heading thru Paia close to 10am. We made short stops and continued past Hana and drove along the coast(5 miles of gravel road are very bumpy but the views are worth it) and made it to the winery at 4:30 and we were back to Lahaina for a sunset dinner.
My only frustration with either of the drives was trying to follow the mile markers to find the special sites that are mentioned in Maui Revealed...keep your eyes peeled!

Dean, I'm with Beachgirl86 and TahitiTams on this one: once was enough. I don't know what month you'll be theree but when i was there in August yrs ago, the "tranquil" 7 pools had more people in them per square foot than a crowded afternoon on Waikiki Beach. It was PACKED!!
If you go, don't attempt a return trip on the same day (i.e. Paia to Hana and then back).
If you want to do a half day drive in the car, I'd recommend the route TahitiTam mentioned: head north from Kapalua, take the road around NW corner of Maui--goes through wonderful little village of Kahakuloa with some roadside stands (one was run by the wife of local singer Richard Ho'opi'i--hope she's stil there!)and then drive to Wailuku (which is every bit as interesting as Hana town, IMHO) and then to nearby Iao Valley, before circling around toward Lahaina and back to Kapalua. This drive may not have the stunning roadside scenery of the Hana Rd, but it is beautful, and a more relaxing, more peaceful, trip. You won't be sharing the road with loads of other cars.

It would not be top on my list for things to do. I think your teenagers will be bored out of their minds.

Hi CaliNurse..
I didn't know that Richard was a famous singer in Maui..I have been going to his wonderful roadside for years and it is a must and we always have a beer and buy some goodies while we are there and watch some TV with him and the other locals..he and his whole family are soooo nice!
Your right on the 7 pools being packed.. it was such a turn off when we went to find it crammed with tourists and if you can find a parking spot along with the tour buses was just too much for me..hung out at the first pool and it was like the first day of summer at the local pool..
Also, I was thinking about 2 teenagers in the back of a car for 8-9 hours..
They will be bored to death..
I do think the road to Hana has 2 distinct camps "to" or "not to"..

The magic of Hana will frequently not be "Revealed" to those who do this as a day trip.

-Bill

Count me as another person who does NOT enjoy the trip to Hana. (I've been way too many times) Your question, "will the teenagers be bored?" ...if your teenagers are "typical", you probably will want to kill yourself (or them) after the ride from the whining. Remember how children always say in the car, "Are we THERE yet???" Just remember that "THERE" is a tiny town with not much to do. Scenic drive? Absolutely! Waterfalls? You bet! A 57 mile long mostly 2 lane road with hundreds of twists and turns and trucks? Unfortunately yes. If you do decide to go, remember to take Dramamine (non drowsy!) BEFORE you go or you'll regret it, bring lots of water, and definitely start out with a full tank of gas.

We had a wonderful trip! We left by 7am in Kaanapali. Stopped at the Safeway for sandwiches. Got the CD at the Shell Station on the corner of 380/36. We took it slow and listened to the CD tour. No one got sick. Hilites: picking wild mountain apples and guavas on the roadside, stopping at honor system roadside stands, eating incredible bannana bread from Tropical, swimming at O'heo pools. The drive on the backside was pretty tough...but not too long. We all had a memorable time.

If you have to, do it, but start real early. If you have any choice, stay in the area at least overnight. Last trip we got a B & B in Hana and explored (with three teens) and had lots of fun.

My wife and I did the drive to Hana in a rented Mustang convert in July about five years ago. It was wonderful; views were spectacular. I would not miss it. Agree you should leave early in the day. We also went all the way around in the rental car [which contract and guide books said not to do] and I felt relieved when we got to pavement. If I did it again, I'd stay over, because while the drive was spectacular, Hana itself didn't seem very special for only 15 minutes.