Are there good outdoor craft markets to visit?

Doing an Internet search yielded results, but I can't tell what's thriving and fun

We will be housesitting/dogsitting outside Paia over the holidays. I'd like to do at least some of the Road to Hana, but we are limited in that we either 1) only have 8 hours that we can leave the dog or 2) we bring the dog with us. My initial research suggests that the Road to Hana isn't an ideal trip to do with a dog.

If you only had 8 hours door-to-door from/to Paia, what parts of the Road to Hana would you do? Leaving a cushion for holiday traffic of course. I don't want to be stressed out about getting back to let the dog out.

We are there for 2.5 weeks so could potentially split the trip into multiple days if there are more things we really want to see, but we cannot do an overnight on the road.

How would you suggest breaking up the trip into 2-3 separate days, and/or prioritizing stops?

My husband and I landed a 2.5 week housesit near Paia over the holidays, 12/20-1/6. We've never been to Maui and I know it's going to be VERY busy. What do we need to reserve now? We are usually not big planners but we also don't usually travel to very popular destinations at peak times, so we are used to having the luxury of flying by the seat of our pants. So far I am planning to reserve:

• Haleakala National Park sunrise at summit
• Iao Valley State Park

We are very outdoorsy and plan to hike, SUP, snorkel, (we're bringing our own boards and gear), and explore beaches.

We'll probably skip doing a luau as it doesn't really seem like our type of thing (expensive, super touristy).

Dining-wise we are usually all about happy hours and food trucks, with a couple of nicer dinners thrown in. Do I need to identify restaurants and reserve a couple in advance? Or can we wing it? Looks like Mama's Fish House is already completely sold out for our dates (I believe that's the closest nice restaurant to where we're staying).

What else might we consider making reservations for, activities or food-wise? Thanks!

Hey Ya'll!

Hoping for a quick overlook for a first time visitor (along with my senior parents) to Maui. Want to make sure I'm not doing either too much or missing out something:

Trip duration: 7 days

Arrive Nov 19th at 5 PM: Rest/Dinner

Nov 20: Sunrise at Haleaka (hopefully can get a reservation), if not, then will just proceed to doing Road to Hana (4-5 stops max).

Nov 21: More Road to Hana (4-5 stops)

Will be staying in Hana Nov 20-22, so will drive back to finish off whatever I've left for day 2

Leaving Hana on Nov 22nd and driving out towards Kihei where the AirBnB is.

Nov 22: Drive from Hana to Kihei. Maui Winery, Kula Botanical Garden.

Nov 23: Helicopter Tour in AM, Lunch, Lao Valley State Monument

Nov 24: Nanakele Blowhole/Ohai Trail/Horseback Riding +/- West Maui Circle drive back to Kihei.

Nov 25: *Haleaka Sunrise/Kula Botanical Garden/Makawao and Waihou Springs/Maui Tropical Plantation

Nov 26: Beach Day/Lahaina Pali Trail/Vodka Distillery

Nov 27: Beach day/ Maui Zipline, <Looking for suggestions>. Flight back to mainland at 11:45PM.

I understand the first few days are packed vs. the latter, but it seems doable? Am I missing something? None of us are strong swimmers and are heeding the warnings to stay away from water activities (though I've snorkeled in SE Asia).

TIA!

Edit: Rescheduled Haleaka Sunrise, will not drive west circle.

We are staying in the Kahana area and will have some leftover groceries when we check out on Monday morning. Things like eggs, jam, chocolate chips, pancake mix, cooking oil, etc. If you'd like to have these things on Monday please DM me to connect, I'd hate to throw them out. Or if there's a way to connect with a local resident in-need I'm happy to do that too. I just don't want the food to go to waste.

Family of 5, 3 kids ages (10, 7 & 7). Spending 13 days at the end of Nov. Staying in Kaanapali and will have a rental car.

What are your recommendations for top activities to do that the kids will enjoy??

Also wanting to book family photos, any suggestions for great photographers?

Instead of the standard Road to Hana and snorkeling what are some things visitors miss or overlook or miss out on by staying on "the beaten path"?

Hello! My husband and I will be honeymooning in Hawaii the first week of December. We have two days in Maui. Day one we want to do the road to hannah and day two we have sunrise reservations at Haleakalā. I’m beyond overwhelmed planning lol - we want to see as much as we can but also don’t want to be completely exhausted since we have the early morning following. We were considering changing up the traditional itinerary that most people follow and making our way to Waianapanapa first and then working our way backwards. Does this plan sound doable? We can’t leave the cruise ship until 8am and have a rental.

1. Twin Falls mm2 (45 mins)

2. Rainbow Trees mm6.7 (20 mins)

3. Aunt Sandy’s mm16 (20-30 mins)

4. Waianapanapa mm32 (2hrs)

5. Koki Beach -Huli Huli mm50 (30 mins)

Turn Around

6. Wailua Falls mm45 (30 mins)

7. Ohe’o Gulch mm41 (30 mins)

8. Hana Farms mm31 (15 mins)

9. Pua a kaa mm22.5 (30 mins)

I think I may be biting off more than we can chew LOL

I’ll be in Napoli this coming January and would love to do a charter, but I’d be the only one from my group.

Any recommendations of a charter company or guide that does shared charters? Looking for the $400-$600 range for 4-6 hours.

I will be vacationing in Kapalua starting Monday for 10 days. Have been checking weather reports and they all say it’s quite windy. Would love to know what it’s really like and do you think snorkeling trips will be canceled and waters too rough. Thanks for any info

Hi!! I'm looking to book a guided bike tour both up and down Haleakala for my expert cyclist bf. Does anyone have any recommendations? I can't seem to find any that include uphill.

Lurked this sub for a while before my Maui trip in August and wanted to report back for anyone for whom this may be helpful. This trip was a romantic getaway for my spouse and I (late 20s/early 30s) to celebrate my birthday.

Flights: Flew AA premium economy on 160k AA points total for both of us from the East Coast. Glad we did PE for the length of flight.

Lodging: Stayed at the Fairmont Kea Lani in an oceanfront after deciding between there and the Andaz. Hands down an incredible property and would stay again in a heartbeat. Though the Fairmont was about $1k more for the time we were there and I really think we would have been happy at either. One of the draws of the Fairmont is the giant rooms which we didn’t really use fully since it was just the two of us.

Activities: Hiking Lahaina Pali, trail ride with Circle M Ranch, snorkeling with Trilogy, photos with Wailea photo, spa days at the Andaz and Fairmont. Highly recommend the Lahaina Pali hike (for intermediate/advanced hikers only), the trail ride, the photographer, and the Fairmont spa. Snorkeling was wonderful but I didn’t see the appeal of Trilogy over the other vendors that exist. The day before our booking, Trilogy actually cancelled our snorkel trip because of low signups and we had to reconfigure our other plans (and drive further) to reschedule with them. Andaz spa, the facial was not my favorite especially for how much it cost.

Food: We are big foodies so this was important to us. Favorites were Ko, Kihei food oasis and Monkeypod. Loved Birdcage at Hotel Wailea for drinks. Mala Ocean Tavern, Morimotos, and Nick’s Fish House were just alright. Picked Nick’s Fish House for my bday dinner in part because of this sub and was a little let down in the service and the food/drink. I wish we had picked Ko for the special occasion. I don’t see them get as much love as some of the other restaurants but it is really something special.

Overall was a really wonderful trip and lovely way to celebrate my birthday.

My mum and I will be staying in Kihei in about 2 weeks and I was looking for recommendations on a hiking trail nearby (one with a waterfall would be ideal) and also any beach recommendations! We will have a rental car so anything within a 30min drive would be great. TIA 😊

We will be vacationing in Maui next month.

One of our teens does not know how to swim, and they cannot float.

I have seen mixed comments regarding whether or not non-swimmers participate in water activities such as Snuba, surfing, etc.

Some comments here say yes, some say no, and there are google reviews from visitors who participated in these types of activities without being able to swim.

If a teen/adult cannot swim nor float, can they do the following in Maui, assuming they have a life jacket?

- Snuba
- Surf lessons
- Tubing
- Paddleboarding
- Snorkeling
- Any other water-based activities for Maui visitors

Thanks for the advice.

Edit: I appreciate all of the advice. I would like to understand why I am reading multiple reviews from different places in Maui where instructors allowed non-swimmers were allowed to participate.

Hi, we're visiting Maui for my partner's birthday in late Nov. Looking for recommendations for a great romantic Sunset cruise on the north or west side of the island. Thanks!

Dinner recommendations would be a bonus! I have a reservation for 'Gather on Maui' for now.

I have read the posts about places to go for a Niner game. But, they were all old posts. May I have an updated suggestion please?

We will be in condos on S Kihei Road. Uber or bus route preferred but not required.

Taking my two teenaged kids to Maui for the first time for spring break. Looking for a place to stay that is not super crowded (we get annoyed by people easily) but still has a bit of a town to walk around in at night and of course good beaches and snorkeling. Probably want a condo situation and not a big hotel where there are lots of kids running around. I'm struggling to pick a location that is not too crowded but not too remote. Any suggestions for a good middle ground?

Hi everyone! will be visiting Maui for the first time in January. Any good company for whale watching? really looking forward to this experience!

Hello! I am Looking for recommendations on a bar with DJ and dance floor for wife to have drinks, dance, and have fun on her birthday in or near Kaanapali? Trying to plan what to do after her birthday dinner. Also, what time do bars close in the area? Any recommendations would be super helpful. Thanks so much for any help and information.

Hi everyone, thanks for the support with my many questions...

Looking for a place to reserve for Christmas dinner with family of 5. Staying at Grand Wailea Dec 20 -26. I see Monkeypod nearby but looks booked or closed for dinner so maybe lunch could be nice. Monkeypod was great in Kanipali so would love to add this in.

Also wondering if any other restaurants suggestions can be thrown my way. Does Merrimans dinner on NYE sound like a good option? Back half of the trip we'll be at Honua Kai. We've eaten a Merrimans before and loved it.

I've also been to Maui twice and have yet to eat at Mama's fish house. Also felt too far away so maybe it's worth a trip this time?

So sad to see that Paia fish market in Lahaina is gone.

Thanks for the advice 🙏

How are conditions at Marriott Maui Ocean Club given the Maui fires?

First night in Kanapali, and yeah. Its amazing.

We will be in Kaanapali for my wife’s birthday next week. Looking for a restaurant within a 15-20 minute drive to celebrate her 40th birthday with a nice dinner. She loves scallops, shrimp, and lobster. What would be your recommendation for a really nice birthday meal?

It will be my first time in Maui for 4 days in January. Where should I stay? Should I stay in 1, 2, or 3 different areas of the island? Recommendations please! I fly in on a Tuesday and fly out early Saturday. Thank you in advance! I want to visit the National Park for sure and Hana, but haven't decided about anything else.

I can’t seem to find any reviews for the luau at the Four Seasons Wailea. Has anyone experienced either the “family” or the “premium” luaus at this hotel? How does it compare to the more popular ones?

I am in the process of creating the itinerary for my 5 day trip to Maui in December which I hope to share with you all for some very welcomed feedback soon. In the meantime I am trying to book some tours such as snorkeling, hiking and possibly RTH, but there are SO many tour companies on the island how do you choose??!! With the help of this fantastic group I have found some good options for snorkeling, but again how do you choose? Sail Trilogy Teralani Captain Steve’s Alii Nui Kai Kanani

For hiking tours it seems like Hike Maui is the best choice and when I called them they were fantastic.

More things that might help to know…I’m more the “off the beaten path” kind of person and hate those “cookie cutter” like tours so smaller and more unique the better. Budget is a consideration as it seems most tours will be at least $150 and up. I’m a solo traveler and share this because it seems some places have a minimum requirement to book.

The other struggle is planning each day ensuring I get to most or all parts of the island. I don’t want to zig zag all over preferring to have a somewhat organized plan similar to some other great itineraries people on here have shared. For example so far one day I’ll be doing the RTH areas another Pa’ia, some of one day exploring Iao Valley, etc. Hopefully it’s ok and can post again soon with the itinerary.

In the meantime thank you for any tips, guidance and suggestions you have to share.

We are going to Maui in January for our ten year anniversary! Our focus is relaxing on the beach and good food. Definitely not an adventure trip, as we're taking advantage of not having kids with us. I'm wondering if I should make time to go to Paia? We are not going on the RTH or boats, as we get seasick, but we do plan on snorkeling when we're not laying by the beach. I'd love any suggestions on where to eat! Thanks for looking!

Day one

• Arrive late afternoon
• Dinner: Thai me up (food truck)
• Check in hotel

Day two

• Breakfast: breakfast in hotel
• Morning: Kaanapali Beach and snorkeling Black Rock.
• Lunch: Leilani’s on the beach or miss arepa 
• Afternoon: more beach time/whalers village
• Dinner: Monkeypod?

Day three

• Breakfast: Kihei caffe
• Activities: Wailea Beach or Makena beach? 
• Lunch: ???
• Afternoon: The Shops at Wailea
• Dinner: ???

Day four

• Breakfast: bad ass coffee or the gazebo
• Activities: Beach and snorkeling at Napili Bay.
• Lunch: miso phat sushi
• Afternoon: More beach time
• Dinner: try to get merrimans rezzies

Day five

• Breakfast: ???
• Morning: explore/shop makawao 
• Lunch: Freshie’s
• Afternoon: lavender farm on way to H
• Evening: Sunset at Haleakalā/stargaze
• Dinner: bring food to H

Day six

• Breakfast: slappy cakes (open to suggestions)
• Activities: Beach
• Lunch: Leilani’s or miss arepa
• Afternoon: Beach
• Dinner: old Lahaina Luau

Day seven - I don't really have anything planned on our last day so we can revisit our favs or take suggestions!

• Breakfast: ???
• Morning: Beach
• Lunch: ???
• Afternoon: Spa
• Dinner: ???

I've been to Maui 2 times before but it's been several years. I can use some help filling in a few activities. I want to relax some as well so I'm not looking to run around with planned schedule everyday. I find sometimes the best days are unplanned, take a drive and stop and hike or beach.

Traveling in Dec 20. Staying at Grand Wailea Dec 20- 26th. Dec 26 - Jan 2 at Honua Kai.

This is my 1st time Staying south. Last trip with kids we didn't do Road to Hana. We have a minivan because it's 5 of us with luggage. Should I avoid this with a minivan?

Was considering road to Hana on Dec 26 when we switch locations since it's basically an entire day. Thoughts?

Went to Haleakala twice on previous trips and might do it again? II'd assume it's easier from Grand Wailea but didn't map it out. Could also skip it aas well. My mom hasn't been before so we may try to add it.

Any other suggestions? I'm sure we'll do typical snorkeling, hiking, etc so any suggestions on good locations? Maybe upcountry day?

Lastly, I'm considering a deep sea fishing trip with just me and my son. Any recommend charters?

Any other suggestions or restaurants are welcome!

Thanks for the help.

Where can I find a nice bathing suit. A store with lots of style options and good quality but nothing that’s $200 per suit.

Currently staying in Kihei but will to drive