My husband and I will be going to Hawaii in August; we will be spending 5 nights on Maui and will have 4 full days on the island. We are staying at the Wailea Beach Marriott. We have a luau booked one night.

We are active and love beautiful scenery and hiking.

Can we do both the Road to Hana and Haleakala? If not, which one is the better choice? Last summer, we drove from San Diego to San Francisco on the PCH.

Not in the same day. Hana takes a full day, Haleakala can be full, 1/2 day, or a little less) trip. I always tell people to go up in the afternoon, check out the crater (colors are great as the sun angle is less overhead), and then watch the sunset with a picnic from one of the many west-facing pullouts on the way down. If you wait for the stars, that's a huge treat.

You'll have time to do both but if you have to choose, I'd vote for Haleakala - you won't find anything like it in the States. If you've driven the PCH, you won't find the road to Hana nearly as scenic IMO.

Thanks for your info. We would not be planning to go to both on one day; I am just trying to figure out if they are both worth a trip.

Thanks for the tip about visiting in the afternoon. I think my husband would love to see the stars at night but I think he is concerned about driving back to our hotel in the dark. How are the roads leading to Haleakala?

The road to Haleakala is turny in places, but fine; I think it is easier to go up in daylight and return after sunset (having driven the road) than go up in the dark for the (overhyped, IMO, and frigid) sunrise. You will pass through different climate zones; the eucalyptus forest is esp. beautiful, as are the views toward the top, where everything is open.

ttt

I think I would rather go down Haleakala during the daylight. Going up in the dark (3-4am) you just need to follow other cars.

Road to Hana is one of the most scenic drives in the world. But, in August I think I would choose Haleakala because it has been very dry & not much for waterfalls on Road to Hana right now.