We will be going on a family vacation to Maui next summer. We will be staying 4 days at the Hyatt Regency and 4 days at the Grand Wailea.

Besides shuttling to/from the airport, one or 2 runs to the store and the drive to Wailea from the Hyatt, I really cannot see much use for the car. We do plan on some sightseeing but this vacation is intended to be more of a "relax at the resort".

Because there will be 5 of us, we will be renting a mini van. Cost of this is about $350 for the week. Also, I am sure each hotel charges to park. Will the cost of the van and parking grossly outweigh the cost of shuttles, taxis, etc?

Your thoughts are appreciated.

No point on going and not seeing the island.....you need a car!!! What are the 2 runs to the store for? You plan on some sightseeing.........you need a car!!!!!!

I agree its a must to rent a car!!

We didn't think we needed a car either when we went to Maui since we've never rented one at any other destination we've been to. We were so glad we had one. We stayed at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel on a package and a rental car was included at no extra cost. We used it alot for shopping, sightseeing, going to resturants and getting to and from tours. It we had to pay an additional cost for use of a car for the week, it still would have been worth it.

Don't cheat yourself, rent a car. The island is to beautiful to pass up.

If you don't expect to spend too much time in the car, why don't you just rent a 4-door compact or midsize?

They run about $150 per week. It may not be as spacious as a minivan, but it will seat 5 plus have trunk space.

Get to your hotel and use their shuttle.
Make arrangements ahead of time for a pick up from the hotel amnd hotel info regarding their local busses for neighborhood trips. If you are staying at the Grand Wailea, most of the area is walkable or shuttle available. Do your homework ahead of time to see what a rental car costs vs tour arrangements for local tours. We always get a rental car as we are "Kaamaaina", frequent visitors who do not do touristic tours but cruise on our own time. You don't state the ages of your group, which makes a difference. Maybe a day or 2 car rental or a van for your size family would cover for island tours. Do more homework.

We always get a rental car as we are "Kaamaaina", frequent visitors who do not do touristic tours but cruise on our own time.

Ok... this is NOT the meaning of "kama'aina"! Sheeeeez, you can't even spell it right, yet you have the nerve to call yourself kama'aina! Kama'aina means NATIVE BORN. Just cause you may be one 'frequent visitor' don't mean you are KAMA'AINA! Get over yourself.
Oh...and for SSM...rent a car. You'll regret it if you don't.

For SSM...the Hyatt does not (nor do any of the resorts)have a shuttle that will pick you up from the airport. Neither do they have a 'free shuttle' that will transport you around the Ka'anapali area at your beck and call, as Deloris would have you believe. There is a transportation system in place here on Maui but it is extremely lacking. You don't want to depend on it to do your sightseeing. Deloris says "if you are staying at the Grand Wailea, most of the area is walkable...". Yeah, if you don't want to see anything other than the Grand Wailea and the Shops at Wailea!
Have a great time but get a car.

I am not a Kama'aina......! But I do play one on TV.

I would rent a car also so that you have control over when and where you want to go. There are many places to visit and setting your own tour schedule is worth the extra dollars. Have fun!

I would DEFINITELY rent a car. Maui is a pretty big island and you would miss a lot if you didn't explore. We stayed in Wailea and found ourselves driving quite a bit to get to what we wanted to see - not much in walking distance or a quick shuttle ride away. Maybe just rent for a couple of days and designate those your "exploring days" and then spend the rest of the trip relaxing at the resort.

What happened, kolohegirl, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Yo write: "Sheeeeez, you can't even spell it right, yet you have the nerve to call yourself kama'aina!......Get over yourself."

I wouldn't exactly call that aloha spirit. A few more posts like this one and all the mainlanders will start going to Mexico instead.

Sorry Deloris, you are not kama`aina, and it is not very akamai to claim you are.

Kama `aina is literally a child of the land. Frequent visits do not qualify you as kama`aina. You can't even qualify for kama`aina discount without a HI license. You will have to settle for being po`e maka`ika`i or malihini maka`ika`i

There are shuttles in Wailea from the hotels to the Shops at Wailea, but if you plan on actually seeing the island outside of the man-made resort world in Wailea, you'll need to either rent a car or book a tour. I think the cost of tours for 5, plus transfers would well exceed to cost of the rental car for the week. I don't know about the Hyatt, but I go to the Grand Wailea and self park in the lot for free.

What happened, kolohegirl, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Yo write: "Sheeeeez, you can't even spell it right, yet you have the nerve to call yourself kama'aina!......Get over yourself."

I wouldn't exactly call that aloha spirit. A few more posts like this one and all the mainlanders will start going to Mexico instead.

Sup, Bob? Nah, I always get up on the right side of the bed. I just don't like people claiming they are something that they're NOT. They stick out like a sore thumb and will get taken down every time here. My aloha spirit is still there but not for tourists that come over here and think they own the place and we owe them something. I'm willing to share and open up my home to tourists but when they come with this kine attitude..........well, maybe they'd be better off in Mexico!
Think you know what I'm talking about. Malama pono.

Thanks for the input all. I appreciated it all, especially the comments about the shuttle services (or lack thereof). I'm getting the car. It's obviously worth the expense.

Let me add my two cents. I've always been the cheap "econo car" renter. Last year I splurged for the convertible. Wow! If there' ever been a place to rent a convertible, it's Maui. We stayed in Huelo and the drive in to Paia early in the morning with the top down was worth the cost alone!!!

Ok Folks,
Here today gone 2 Maui "kao" must be very young, but my family has been Hawaii uhane since 1926. So to be helpful and save money for all, and not to make you slaves to car pools for family members, check with the hotel for shuttle times and places. THEN shop for car rentals.
Christmas vacation rates can go to over $900+ which are normally about $250 for a week. Local tour rates might be better served to get family members where they want to go, if they need to be driven.
Wailea was a ranch when I was "ke'iki" and I apologise for my oversight in forgetting my apostrophe in kama'aina, I was tired. Kama'aina is also a "familiar" and almost 80 years of Hawaiian family experience makes it so.
Maha'lo ( Means respect, also thanks)

kolohegirl...may i ask where you were born?

Well, i know better to get into a "who's more local than who" fight...
But as a point of language...there is no apostrophe in kama`aina and no okina in either keiki or mahalo.

Adios!

I think I was just told that my goat must be very young, but Deloris' family has been Hawaii ghosts since 1926

I guess this malihini must have had too much Guiness.