Hana Hwy vs Big Sur?
 

Now that I've gone ahead and paid for lodging in Hana (3 nites) I'm starting to question the trip for a few reasons. I get horrible motion sickness, but I'll deal. My son, who never got carsick, has just recently been getting motion sickness on pretty tepid drives. Also, he has a phobia of porta potties and absolutely refuses to make like the animals and "bush it" unfortunately, so I'm a little concerned about his restroom needs en route.

Also wondering: everyone makes such a big deal about the twisty-turny aspect. How does the road to Hana compare to the drive up Hwy 1 to Big Sur? I presume it's much tougher on a carsick prone type. True?

Lastly, wondering if anyone here has driven the "back way" recently. Any road condition updates? Is it easier on the stomach?

Mahalo in advance!

Highway 1 is a lot wider. The Hana Hwy is narrow and there are places where you have to turn in to let the on coming traffic through. The roads are perfect however, at least up until Oheo Gulch and then there is a one lane dirt road with some pot holes. So you do not invalidate your rental agreement, you are supposed to turn around there. We have driven through in the summer and the road was fine. Just dusty. There is no cell service on that side of Haleakala, so make sure you have plenty of gas. We have done the trip 3 times, the last time all of the way around. There are people who love to go the back way but do consider that in the morning until early afternoon, you will be going against the traffic and have to turn out a lot. A plus however is that you will be on the ocean side of the road the views are wonderful. Not sure why you chose to spend three nights in Hana. Its not something I would do with a family. Maybe for a romantic get away with my husband.

I think three nights in Hana might be a little too much.Personally,I'd drive it only about 1/2 way the next trip.I'd take more time to explore the trails off the road.It's a very curvy road-make sure you don't drive it at night.

If your question is really whether you would choose a drive up Hwy 1 from, say San Simeon to SF vs. Hana Hwy in Maui, I would choose Hwy 1 in a second. We live in Santa Barbara and have done the Hwy 1 drive a lot... just did the Hana drive in December and, although beautiful... our children did not appreciate it at all. There are a lot more little places to stop, look, hike, eat along Hwy 1.

I was asking the Hana vs Big Sur drive question basically to find out how the two compare on the motion sickness quotient. I live in Laguna and have little trouble with Big Sur, though others have not fared as well in my car.

Regarding why we would spend three days there, we have been to Hawaii 15+ times. I thought it high time to do the Hana trip. My son, at 9, is very atypical for his age. He doesn't care for the beach or "activities" or any of that typical stuff. He is into sunsets and flowers and incredible views. He has always refused to go to Disneyland and other amusement parks. His highlight in France , he says, was doing a 3 hour class in perfume making. The last thing any of us care about is sitting by the pool at some resort with a mob of other tourists or shopping for t-shirts in Lahaina. We would return to Costa Rica, Fiji, W. Samoa or Tonga if we had the time, but right now the "wild" side of Maui has to do. We live in a resort town so we avoid the resort vacation as much as possible.

We only drove a tiny part of the Hana road when we were in Maui. I was in the back seat and I was starting to get a bit light-headed and I never get car sick. You might want to re-think if you have serious motion-sickness problems.

The Hana Road has so many twists and turns - and along came another waterfall trickling across the road. When I last drove it, there were many potholes as well. Forget the view, if you are the driver you have to focus ALL your attention on the road. I call the Hana Road the Road of Ten Thousand Potholes and Twenty Thousand Waterfalls - or it the other way around? :)

It's a fun drive if you like to wend your way amid lush tropical growth. The views aren't half as great as at Big Sur, IMHO.

What's IMHO?

IMHO...In my humble opinion!

I personally though that the road to Hana was a piece of cake. My husband and I decided to go the long way around the west Maui mountains first and it was terrifying. The maps to Hana do not include this route, and usually take you south past Maalea Harbor first.

Anyway, on the west Maui route, we encountered one lane roads with no guardrails on cliffs. When a car came in the other direction, one of you has to pull over (without falling off the cliff). Looking back, it was an adventure and a little funny, but I was terrified at the time.

That being said, after we made it to Paia and the real road to Hana began, we felt like we were on a luxurious well-paved highway. Motion sickness was not an issue for us on either leg of this drive, but I suppose if I was sitting in the back it would have been different.

Hi skateboardmom2

I have driven both and been a passenger on both. I agree with DawnCt Hana is narrower and slower. I think there are restrooms at the Arboretum and also at Wainapanapa State Park. My last time I was in Maui I spent 3 nights in Hana and had a great time. Nice hiking at Wainapanapa State Park and in the National Park at Oheo Gulch, go on up to the waterfall.

Have Fun
GP

We attempted that unpaved road when we were headed back to Ka'anapali from Kahului. There was a brush fire before the tunnel and the traffic was stopped at the Marina. The traffic cop advised that we go around that way towards Kapalua and down to Ka'anapali. It was sooo scary that even our boys were scared. They didn't even argue with each other. They were afraid to move! ;) The road was so close to cliff that if you got out of the car, I don't think that there would be a place to stand. We got half way down the road along with a lot of other cars that were trying to by pass the fire. Luckily an oncoming car warned us to turn around. There was a seven car accident further down with no way to go around and no way to turn around. We turned at the next turn out and were glad to go and wait in the traffic until 3 AM when the road was reopened. The valet at the hotel said that we were lucky to get off before it rained. The road often washes out and many tourists end up buying a car that rolls down the cliffs.

I would probably question the need to spend 3 days in Hana... as for the Hana Highway, we recently drove all the way around - in a Mustang!

I have to admit at being a bit comprehensive as the dirt road went on forever. It was twisty and turny, and very bumpy... my main concern was getting back onto tarmac before sunset. When we made it onto the normal road, I have never been so happy in my life, but we were wonderfully rewarded as we got to see the sunset between the volcano's on Hawaii and the backside of Haleakala.

If you have a 4x4, I would recommend the back road every day of the week - if you have a Mustang or something similar, I really depends on your tolerance for being thrown around for an hour. I would do it again, but would probably want a bigger vehicle to do it in.

I don't really think there is any comparison with Hwy 1 to Big Sur... nice roads, turning off points etc

I'm prone to car sick, and didn't have it on the Hana Hwy. I think we went so slow, and stopped alot that it didn't bother me. I have been along Hwy 1 maybe 5 or 6 times that I recall. I think I was queezy a couple of times, on that trip. I tend to take Dramamine when my hubby is driving me on windy roads, LOL.