101 Best Sights in Maui, Hawaii

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For a leg-stretching break, visitors will find a respite and real bathrooms at this small roadside park. This is one of the few places on the highway with plenty of parking, so take some time to linger and enjoy the short hike to a small waterfall and pool across the highway from the bathrooms. There are also picnic tables and friendly cats to welcome you.

This is both a friendly beach park and a surf spot for mellow longboard rides. With a narrow sandy beach and a grassy area with plenty of shade, it offers mostly calm swimming conditions and a good view of neighboring Lanai. Smaller than Launiupoko, this beach park tends to attract locals looking to surf and barbecue; it has picnic tables and grills. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; surfing; picnics.

The highest point on Maui is this 10,023-foot summit, where a glass-enclosed lookout provides a 360-degree view. The building is open 24 hours a day, and this is where many visitors gather to view the sunrise. Bring jackets, warm layers, hats, and blankets to stay warm on the cold and windy summit. On a clear day, you can see the islands of Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Hawaii Island; on a crystal clear day, you can even spot Oahu glimmering in the distance.

It takes goats to make goat cheese, and they've got plenty of both at this 42-acre farm. The owners make more than two dozen kinds of goat cheese, from the plain, creamy "Udderly Delicious" to more exotic varieties that include tropical ingredients; all are available in the dairy store, along with gift baskets and even goat-milk soaps. Book your reservation online for the 30-minute walking tour of the dairy and farm, which run throughout the day. The Evening Chores and Milking Tour is educational and fun if you have the time; reservations are recommended.

Keep an eye out for the Twin Falls Farm Stand just after mile marker 2 on the Hana Highway. Stop here and treat yourself to some fresh sugarcane juice. If you're feeling adventurous, follow the path beyond the stand to the paradisiacal waterfalls known as Twin Falls. Although it's still private property, the "no trespassing" signs have been replaced by colorfully painted arrows pointing toward the easily accessible falls. Several deep, emerald pools sparkle beneath waterfalls and offer excellent (and a little cold) swimming and photo opportunities. In recent years, this natural attraction has become a tourist hot spot. Although the attention is well deserved, those who wish to avoid crowds may want to keep driving. The family who owns the property recently implemented a paid parking system to help manage the overcrowding; parking costs $10 per car and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Slightly after the town of Huelo, the Hana Highway enters the Koolau Forest Reserve. Vines wrap around street signs, and waterfalls are so abundant that you don't know which direction to look. A good start is between mile markers 9 and 10, where the Waikamoi Nature Trail sign beckons you to stretch your car-weary limbs. A short (if muddy) trail leads through tall eucalyptus trees to a coastal vantage point with a picnic table. Signage reminds visitors: "Quiet, Trees at Work" and "Bamboo Picking Permit Required." Awapuhi, or Hawaiian shampoo ginger, sends up fragrant shoots along the trail. The area has picnic tables and a restroom.

A road near the Grand Wailea Resort takes you to Wailea Beach, a wide, sandy stretch with snorkeling and swimming. If you're not a guest at the Grand Wailea or Four Seasons, the cluster of private umbrellas and chaise lounges can be a little annoying, but the calm unclouded waters and soft white sand more than make up for this. From the parking lot, walk to the right to get to the main beach; to the left is another, smaller section that fronts the Four Seasons Resort. There are picnic tables and grills away from the beach. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

A 1.5-mile-long paved beach walk allows you to stroll among Wailea's prettiest properties, restaurants, and rocky coves. The trail, teeming with joggers in the morning and late afternoon, is landscaped with rare native plants like the silvery hinahina, named after the Hawaiian moon goddess. In winter, keep an eye out for whales. The trail is accessible from Polo Beach as well as from the many Wailea beachfront resorts.

From the parking lot on the side of the Hana Highway near mile marker 20, you can see Wailua Canyon in one direction and Wailua Village in the other. Photos are spectacular in the morning light of the verdant expanse below. Also from your perch, you can see Wailua Village's landmark 1860 church, which was allegedly constructed of coral that washed up onto the shore during a storm. You'll want to take photos, but flying a drone over the populated area is strongly discouraged.

Fronting the Maui Sunset Resort, Waipuilani Park is a spectacular place to sunbathe, relax, or picnic on golf course–grade grass. You can swim here, but the water can be murky. A small beach hides behind the dunes, although it's usually speckled with seaweed and shells. This park often hosts local activities, such as volleyball and croquet, and it attracts many dog lovers. There are tennis courts, too. Although the park can be crowded, it's still a perfect place to watch the sunset. Amenities: parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: partiers; sunset.