89 Best Sights in Maui, Hawaii

South of Makena State Park, the road fades away into a vast territory of black-lava flows, the result of Haleakala's last eruption and now a place for exploration. The road passes through the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve, an excellent place for morning snorkel adventures. All wildlife, vegetation, coral, lava rock formations, and archaeological sites are highly protected under state law, which means that removing or disturbing items is prohibited, as is fishing.

Two miles of coastline and the interior of the reserve are closed so that endangered species have an undisturbed area. You can visit one mile of the reserve's coastline for a ½-mile hike or snorkeling, from 5:30 am to 7:30 pm. To snorkel Ahihi Bay, park at the reserve's main lot and follow signage. There is a $5 user fee for non-residents which can be paid with credit or debit card. Be sure to wear mineral sunblocks instead of chemical sunscreens, which kill corals—other sunscreens are now banned on Maui. Adjacent to Ahihi-Kinau is the Keoneoio archaeological district, where the start of the Hoapili Trail can be found.  Limited cell phone service exists at the reserve.

Maui's largest landowner, A&B was one of the "Big Five" companies that spearheaded the planting, harvesting, and processing of sugarcane. At this museum, historic photos, artifacts, and documents explain the introduction of sugarcane to Hawaii. Exhibits reveal how plantations brought in laborers from other countries, forever changing the islands' ethnic mix. Although sugarcane is no longer being grown on Maui, the crop was for many years the mainstay of the local economy. You can find the museum in a small, restored plantation manager's house across the street from the post office and the still-operating sugar refinery, where smoke billows up when the cane is being processed. The museum gift shop sells plantation-themed memorabilia, coffee, and history books.

The view is spectacular from this lavender farm established by master horticulturist and visionary Alii Chang. You can explore the property on your own or reserve a spot for the 30–40 minute tour that winds through paths of therapeutic lavender varieties, protea, and succulents. The gift shop has many locally made lavender products, such as honey, moisturizing lotions, and scone mixes.

A local favorite, this approximately 1-mile stretch of golden sand is a good place to stretch out, jog, or swim, although the waves can sometimes be choppy and the undertow strong. Don't be alarmed by those big brown blobs floating beneath the surface; they're just pieces of seaweed awash in the surf. You can find shade along the beach beneath the ironwood trees. Though there is a pavilion, it’s not the safest place to hang out. Instead, take your picnics to the tree line and enjoy visits from friendly birds and dogs. Because this is a beach park there are picnic tables, grills, and a large playing field, as well.

The long, shallow pool at the Kahului end of the beach is known as Baby Beach. Separated from the surf by a flat reef wall, this is where ocean-loving families bring their kids (and sometimes puppies) to practice a few laps. Take a relaxing stroll along the water's edge from one end of Baldwin Beach to Baby Beach and enjoy the scenery. The view of the West Maui Mountains is hauntingly beautiful. Amenities: lifeguard; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

These real-estate experts have a full range of vacation rentals in 20 South Shore condominium complexes. They also have gorgeous houses for rent. Condos start at around $100 per night (most are $200 or less); houses will run you up to $1,700 a night.

This secluded 3-acre park sits off the main drag in a residential area. Lava rocks here shelter you from afternoon gusts of wind, the sand is soft and smooth, and the slope into the ocean is very gradual. The usually gentle waves make for good swimming, and you can find interesting snorkeling along the rocks on the north end. From South Kihei Road, turn onto Kaiau Street, just north of Kamaole I. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

Family-owned and -operated, this is the largest property management company in West Maui, with the largest selection of rentals, from studios to three bedrooms. Rentals are everywhere from Lahaina town to Kapalua. Rates run about $100–$1,500 per night. The company has been in business since 1980, and is good at what it does.

Come to the Cove if you want to learn to surf or stand-up paddle. All the surf schools are here in the morning, pushing longboard beginners onto the bunny-slope waves. For spectators there's a grassy area with some shade—and a tiny blink of a beach. If you aren't here to learn to surf, don't bother. The shallow water is sketchy at best and plenty of other beaches are better. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: stand-up paddling; surfing.

Because the current can be quite strong, this charming, mile-long sandy cove is better for sunbathing than for swimming or water sports. Still, it's one of the island's most popular beaches. It's a perfect spot to watch the spectacular Maui sunsets, and there are picnic tables and grills. Part of the beach runs along the front of the Ritz-Carlton—a good place to grab a cocktail and enjoy the view. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; walking.

If it's the South Shore luxury of Wailea and Makena you seek, look no further. This company has hundreds of condominiums and villas ranging in size from studios to five bedrooms, and in price from $189 per night for a studio at Wailea Grand Champions Villas, to more than $4,000 (yes, per night) for the splashy Wailea Beach Villas. The company offers excellent personalized service (including a $155 restaurant/spa credit and a Tesla shuttle service—all included in the price) and is known for particularly fine housekeeping services. Check-in for all properties is at the company's well-appointed office in Wailea Gateway.

From pineapples to papayas, the produce at this West Maui market is local and flavorful. Prices are good, too. The deli offers hot and cold food items, and colorful tropical flowers and handcrafted items are also available.

Tropical flowers, tempting produce, massive avocados, and locally made preserves, banana bread, and crafts are among the bargains at this South Shore market in the west end of Kihei, next to the ABC Store.

Many people travel the mile past Oheo Gulch to pay their respects to Charles Lindbergh, who was buried beside Palapala Hoomau Congregational Church in 1974. The world-renowned aviator chose this as his final resting place because he and his wife, writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh, spent a lot of time in a home they built in the area. The simple one-room church sits on a bluff over the sea, with the small graveyard on the ocean side. The views from here are gorgeous. Since this is a churchyard, be considerate and leave everything exactly as you found it. Next door is a small county park that's a good place for a peaceful picnic.

When most people think about Haleakala, it's the volcano in the park's western (Upcountry) Summit District that comes to mind. However, the so-called backside of the park runs down from the mountain's volcanic crater east to the sea, encompassing the Kipahulu District, an area that's rich with greenery, waterfalls, ocean vistas, and archaeological sites.

The Kipahulu Visitor Center, about 12 miles southwest of Hana (mile marker 42 on the Hana Highway) is a good first stop, not only to get your bearings, but also find out about scheduled cultural demonstrations and other activities. The center is open daily year-round, though hours can vary by season.

The 4-mile round-trip Pipiwai Trail truly showcases this district's natural beauty. It's a moderately strenuous trek, with an 800-foot gain in elevation, but it's well worth the effort, taking you to Makahiku Overlook—with views of its namesake falls—and through a remarkable bamboo forest before ending at Waimoku Falls.

If time is short, consider the easier, 1-mile round-trip Kuloa Point Trail, which offers views of Oheo Gulch and its famous pools. (Some tour guides incorrectly call this area Seven Sacred Pools, but in truth there are more than seven when the water is high, and they've never been considered sacred.) Note that many people who drive the Hana Highway make Oheo Gulch their last stop, so visit earlier in the day to avoid crowds.  Although you may be tempted to take a dip, know that the pools are generally closed for safety reasons. Take closure notices seriously, as people have died here.

You'll need to make reservations ( recreation.gov) to camp at the 20-site Kipahulu Campground just south of the visitor center; be sure to stock up on provisions before arriving. Note, too, that entrance tickets are valid for three days and are honored both here and in the Summit District, so hold onto your receipt if you're also planning a visit to the crater.

The visitor center is at the crater summit, about a 30-minute drive south of the park headquarters and the Summit District entrance. Inside, you'll find exhibits, and there's also a trail leading to Pa Kaoao (White Hill), which offers excellent views of the valley and is a short, easy walk. The center is generally open daily year-round, although the hours may vary depending on the season.

Go behind the scenes to see how vodka, rum, whiskey, and gin are produced—from distillation to bottling—on this tour, which pairs nicely with a tour of the nearby Maui Pineapple Farm. Indeed, the distillery’s flagship brand, Pau Vodka, is made with Maui Gold pineapples, creating a unique liquor that’s clean and easy to drink. At the end of the tour, you can taste it and other spirits. Afterward, stop by the gift shop for all things pineapple. If you're feeling peckish, Haliimaile General Store, open for lunch and dinner, is just across the road.

This park situated around an old pier offers the area's calmest swimming opportunities. The black-sand beach is a favorite among canoe clubs and families; indeed, residents prefer that weekends be left for locals. There are picnic tables, and you can occasionally find craft vendors in the parking lot. Amenities: parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

At mile marker 24, just as you approach the bridge, look toward the mountains to catch a glimpse of Hanawi Falls. This lush spring-fed stream travels 9 miles to the ocean, and the waterfalls are real crowd-pleasers, even when rains have been light. The best views are from the bridge.  It is not safe to hike to the falls, and you must cross private property to get there. We strongly advise against this.

The grande dame of Maui's visual arts scene, "the Hui," hosts exhibits that are always satisfying. Located just outside Makawao, the center's main building is an elegant two-story Mediterranean-style villa designed in 1917 by Hawaii's architect of the era, C. W. Dickey. Explore the grounds, see locally made products, and experience community enrichment through art. Crafts, drawing, photography, and glass blowing are some of the classes offered.

Stocked with grills and picnic pavilions, this 36-acre beach park is great for families. With its extensive lawns and sports fields, it attracts volleyball, basketball, baseball, and tennis players, and it also has a playground, skateboard park, and roller hockey rink. The beach itself is all but nonexistent, but swimming is fair—though you must brave the rocky steps down to the water. If you aren't completely comfortable with this entrance, stick to the burgers and bocce ball. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: partiers.

This tiny beach was the site of Kalepolepo Village, the prized property of King Kamehameha III in the 1850s. Here the makaainana (commoners) farmed, fished, and raised taro. Today, community stewards are working to restore the ancient fish pond. The park has shade trees, as well as picnic tables and grills, but it stays pretty quiet. There's only a sprinkling of sand, and swimming in the often-murky waters isn't recommended. Kaleopolepo is just south of Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude.

Three steps from South Kihei Road are three golden stretches of sand that are locally, and quite disrespectfully, according to Native Hawaiians, known as "Kam" I, II, and III. Although they're separated by outcroppings of dark, jagged lava rocks, you can walk the entire collective length of them if you're willing to get your feet wet. In the morning, the water can be as still as a lap pool, so the swimming is great. All three stretches also have lifeguards and wheelchair ramps.

The northernmost of the trio, Kamaole I (across from the ABC Store—important to know if you forget your reef-safe sunscreen) has a small parking area, a volleyball court, and a lawn; it's also the only beach on Maui with a beach-access chair for people with mobility issues. Kamaole II is nearly identical except that it has no parking lot or lawn. The last stretch, the one with all the people on it, is 10-acre Kamaole III, a great family beach, with a playground and barbecue grills. The kite-flying here is good, and the terrific breaks attract beginning bodysurfers. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunsets; surfing; swimming; walking.

Windsurfers, kiteboarders, joggers, and picnicking families like this long, golden strip of sand bordered by a wide grassy area with lots of shade that is within walking distance of Kahului Airport. The winds pick up in the early afternoon, making for the best kiteboarding and windsurfing conditions—if you know what you're doing, that is. The best spot for watching kiteboarders is at the far left end of the beach. A picnic paired with surf-watching makes a great option for a farewell activity before getting on a departing flight. Amenities: lifeguard; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: walking; windsurfing.

Natural wetlands have become rare in the Islands, so the 700 acres of this reserve attract migratory birds, such as Hawaiian coots and long-legged Hawaiian stilts that casually dip their beaks into the shallow waters as traffic shuttles by; it's also home to other wildlife. The visitor center provides a good introduction, and interpretive signs on the ½-mile elevated boardwalk, which stretches along the coast by North Kihei Road, explain the journey of the endangered hawksbill turtles and how they return to the sandy dunes year after year. The boardwalk includes ramps that lead to the adjacent beach so you can explore tidal pools. Note that there's no restroom at the boardwalk.

At this arboretum you can enjoy tropical trees in their natural setting or enjoy a challenging hike into the forest. Signs help you learn the names of the many plants and trees now considered native to Hawaii; the rainbow eucalyptus trees are a big draw here (do not write on them). The meandering Piinaau Stream adds a graceful touch to the arboretum and provides a swimming pond when there is enough water. You can take a fairly rigorous hike from the arboretum if you can find the trail at one side of the large taro patch. Be careful not to lose the trail once you're on it. A lovely forest waits at the end of the 25-minute hike.

In one direction from this observation point near mile marker 17, you can take in the patchwork effect the taro patches create against the dramatic backdrop of the ocean. In the other direction, there are awesome views of Haleakala through the foliage. This is a great spot for photos, but it is not recommended that you fly your drones over the inhabited areas.

More of a friendly gesture than a town, this tiny outpost is the last bit of civilization before Kula Highway becomes a winding back road. A coffee tree pushes through the sunny deck at Grandma's Coffee House, the morning watering hole for Maui's paniolo (cowboys) who work at Ulupalakua or Kaupo Ranch. Keokea Gallery next door sells cool, quirky artwork. And two tiny stores—Fong's and Ching's—are testament to the Chinese immigrants who settled the area in the late 19th century.  The only restroom for miles is in the public park, and the view makes stretching your legs worth it.

Picnic facilities dot the landscape of this county park, a memorial to Maui's cultural roots. Among the interesting displays are an early-Hawaiian hale (house), a New England-style saltbox, a Portuguese-style villa with gardens, and dwellings from other cultures, such as China and the Philippines.

The peacefulness here belies the history of the area. In 1790, King Kamehameha the Great from the Island of Hawaii waged a successful bloody battle against Kahekili, the son of Maui's chief. An earlier battle at the site had pitted Kahekili against an older Hawaii Island chief, Kalaniopuu. Kahekili prevailed, but the carnage was so great that the nearby stream became known as Wailuku (Water of Destruction), and the place where fallen warriors choked the stream's flow was called Kepaniwai (Damming of the Waters).

You can tell from the vehicles parked alongside the road that this small, red-sand beach is a favorite local surf spot. Swimming is not recommended here, as there are no lifeguards, and the rip currents are powerful. When the tide allows, though, you can walk along the shore, and a grassy area and picnic tables are great places to watch surfers navigate the waves or spot the iwa (white-throated frigatebirds) that dart like pterodactyls over the offshore Alau Islet. Koki Beach is also well-known for its huli huli chicken stand, which serves heaping plates of food to eat while enjoying views of the rugged coastline and the sea arch. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: surfing.

This picturesque garden has assimilated itself naturally into its precipitous 8-acre habitat. More than 2,500 plants and trees fill the enchanted garden, including native koa (prized by woodworkers) and kukui (the state tree, a symbol of enlightenment). A flowing stream feeds into a koi pond, where nene and ducks meander, and a paved, stroller- and wheelchair-friendly pathway winds through the grounds. The carved tiki exhibit, aviary, and Jackson chameleon exhibit entertain the keiki (children).