Our Favorite Places to Stop Along the Road to Hana in Maui

Heading to Maui? Our favorite day in Maui was when we spent out time exploring many of the beautiful sites along the Road to Hana. I’m sharing our tips on what to wear, what to bring, and where to stop along the Road to Hana.

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“If you only have one day to explore the Road to Hana, pick your favorite things to see and do the rest on another trip.”
— Lisa Andrews

Our Best Road to Hana Tips!

Download the Road to Hana Gypsy Guide. This is a phone app that becomes your personal guide as you explore the Road to Hana. It is GPS-based which is great since cell phone service is almost non-existent all day on the Road to Hana. This narrates your drive through the Road to Hana and tells you all about the great places to stop along the way. On the drive home, you get to hear narration about Hawaiian history!

What is the Road to Hana?

It’s a 64 mile stretch of road in Maui that includes 620 curves and 59 bridges (46 of these one one-lane.) It’s a slow scenic drive where you will want to pull over and check out cool sites all along the way.

What to Wear While Exploring the Road to Hana

  • Swimming suit. If you are like us, you will be spending time playing in the ocean and in waterfalls throughout the day. With your swimming suit on, you are ready for any water exploration.

  • Shorts + t-shirt. It’s nice to have something to throw on over your swimming suit!

  • Hat. I like keeping as much sun off of my face as possible so a hat helps with that.

  • Tevas or other water + hiking style of shoe.

What to Bring When You Explore the Road to Hana

  • Beach towel. Our Airbnb had beach towels and we brought them along when we drove the Road to Hana. We didn’t take them to the beach or to the waterfalls but used them to sit on in the car after getting wet.

  • Cash. Many of the food vendors along the road only accept cash.

  • Sunscreen and bug repellant.

  • Snacks. If you start early, most of the food places will be closed. They seemed to start opening around 11 am.

Where We Stopped Along the Road to Hana

Mile 7: Rainbow Eucalyptus Grove. This stop has a small pullout where about 3 or 4 cars will fit. The Rainbow Eucalyptus trees and right off the road so there is not a walk/hike to see them. You only need about 5 minutes for this stop. You could drive slowly and just check out the trees from the car, but we liked taking a quick stop here.

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Mile 17: Aunt Sandy’s Banana Bread. We stopped here and were disappointed because it was closed due to a Covid outbreak. We will definitely stop here if we ever get to drive the Road to Hana again.

Mile 27.5: Coconut Glen’s: Fun stop for some coconut milk ice cream. They have several flavors and some outdoor seating. There were a handful of flavors to chose from, they let us have samples, and the bowls were $8 each.

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Mile 32: Waianapanapa State Park. You currently need to get a permit prior to the day you want to come here. The permits are assigned a day and time so plan to arrive within your allotted time window. You have to leave by the end of your assigned time. Plan ahead and get the permit so you don’t miss this. It’s a gorgeous black sand beach with hiking trails through a lava field. There are also some caves but those were closed when we were there. It was so beautiful here. We loved swimming in the ocean, taking pictures, and hiking.

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Mile 35: Tony’s Place for lunch. We loved the fresh food and outdoor dining!

Mile 42: Kipahulu Visitor’s Center for the Haleakala National Park. This is the very last stop on the official Road to Hana. After visiting here, it’s time to turn around and retrace your drive to head back to your hotel. Here you have a couple of hiking options. There is a 0.5-mile loop to see the 7 Sacred Pools which looks like a beautiful outlook. Sometimes you are allowed to swim here but that wasn’t the case the day we visited. There is also the Pipwai Trail and this is what we did. We followed the trail for one mile (each way) to a super cool bamboo forest. We think this is not to be missed!

When you are in the bamboo forest, be sure to pause and enjoy the sounds. With the wind blowing through the bamboo, you are treated to a musical sound when the bamboo stalks hit against each other.

Mile 45: Wailua Falls. This is an 85” waterfall with a pool at the bottom where we swam. The water is very cool and refreshing. We spent about 30 minutes here enjoying the views and swimming. It’s a very short walk from the road to get down to the waterfall. It’s a little step and could be very slick if it’s been raining, so use caution.

Stops to Consider on a Return Visit

Since we only had one day to explore the Road to Hana, we had to choose some great stops and had to pass by other stops. That just means that we have a reason to return and do it again! Here’s a look at the stops we hope to hit next time:

Mile 10.5: The Garden of Eden. This is an arboretum located on 26 acres with trails and lots of tropical plants along with great ocean views. I plan to spend about an hour here. The hours are currently 8 am - 4 pm daily. The admission charge is $20 for adults but they offer a group discount of $15 per person with groups of 5 or more.

We did stop here on our drive but decided not to enter because it was late in the day and our group was tired. We did stop at their little cafe and enjoyed some banana bread.

Mile 17: Banana Bread Stand. Got to get the banana bread!

Mile 19: Upper Waikani Falls / 3 Bears. This is a stop that has three 70” waterfalls. You can swim under the falls if the water flow is not too heavy and it’s a great picture spot.

Mile 35: Red Sand Beach. The photos look really pretty. If you decide to stop, be aware that clothing is optional at this beach.

That’s my list! Have you been on the Road to Hana? Did I miss any of your favorite stops? Let me know so I can add them to my list!

Wherever you get to explore on the Road to Hana, it will be amazing. Remember to buckle up, drive slowly, and enjoy time with those you love.

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Hawaii, HikingLisa AndrewsComment