Going to be in Maui for a few days in early December before going to the big island, what are some must do's/can't miss things?

We did a private/guided road to Hana tour, and it was fantastic (I'd be happy to share the company we used). But if you're not up for spending $500 for two people, I would still HIGHLY recommend getting a car and doing the hike to Waimoku Falls (in Haleakala Park), the Venus Pools, the eucalyptus forest, the bamboo forest, and the turtle resting area at Ho'okipa beach. We didn't do the bike ride, but I really wanted to and we just didn't have time.

Haleakala Sunrise - be sure to bring a blanket or jacket. It will be cold.

Eat at Da Kitchen. If you are arriving in Maui and have not eaten, it is right by the airport. I had the Notorious B.I.G. Moco and it was delicious. Everything there is good. http://dakitchen.com/food-menu/

We went on a few excursions and really liked Trilogy Excursions. The Lanai trip was a nice full day event, but you don't get as many fish. The Molokini trip will have more fish and a lot more tourist.

Lanai - https://www.sailtrilogy.com/tour/lanai
Molokini - https://www.sailtrilogy.com/tour/molokini

If you want to snorkel on your own, Honolua Bay and Kapalua Bay are great. Be sure to check with your snorkel rental to determine the place with the best conditions. Rent from Boss Frogs (and also rent the underwater camera from them).

Mama's Fish House is great. Be prepared to pay a bit more. Dress code is all over the place.

You can eat at Mama's after the Road to Hana. Be sure to pack food/drinks for the road. It is long and tons of turns/1 car bridges. We drove the road with a CD that gave us history and tour stops. BTW, don't forget gas. If you can get a hybrid car.....it will last quite a bit of time.

We really liked the view at Duke's Beach House. Try to get a table around sunset......and make a reservation!

If you just want a burger one day......go to Teddy's Bigger Burger. It is like 5 minutes from your hotel.

We did the Drums of the Pacific Lu'au. Our travel agent got us a buy one get one free ticket, which was nice. We upgraded to VIP (don't have to wait in the general admission line) and really enjoyed the show.

Agree on Trilogy, been on all of their boats (first time in fourth grade, most recent time was April 2015), absolute blast.

What tour company did you use?

Matsui said:

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What tour company did you use?

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Maui Easy Riders. They primarily do bike tours down Haleakala, but they do the private Road to Hana tour, too (either in your rental or their car). The owner's name is Billy. Super nice guy. But you will probably have to call him to book the Road to Hana tour. His website wasn't set up to book that when I made my reservation.

I recommended them to some friends who visited Hawaii in July (the mom/wife is originally from Hawaii), and they were super impressed, too.

If you can work out lodging accordingly, I would recommend staying a night in Hana. Give you more time to do some cool hikes. Check out the Seven Sacred Pools hike on the south side of Hana.

If you do that, then you should stop at Ulupalakua on the way back to town. Winery and general store with good burgers and awesome views.

You could even drive up to the Haleakala summit on your way back from here.

Get reservations for Fleetwoods rooftop for dinner one night.

Merriman's Sunday brunch is great to do and then you are right by Kapalua Bay or Napili Bay for a good beach.

Mama's is a long drive if you're staying on the westside.

One of our favorite westside restaurants is Honu.

If you need a quick bite near the airport checkout Tinroof (Sheldon from Top Chef). Delicious and super cheap. But only seats about 6 people, so I always get it to go.

I would recommend doing your own snorkeling at Honolulu Bay. Really unique beach. Parking is tough so get there early or get creative.

Between Honolua or Napili I think I've seen turtles almost every time. Both places is usually over by the rocks on the left side.

I'll also add that if you're thinking of doing whale watching, I would just do a snorkel charter instead. You'll still pass by lots of whales. They are pretty active on the westside because of the shallow water between Maui/lanai/Molokai

What things on the Road To Hana are must do's? And ideally, a stop wouldn't take 2-3 hours to complete. And must eat along the route as well. We will have 12 of us in 3 cars so stopping at a sit down restaurant is out of the question I'd think.

Matsui said:

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What things on the Road To Hana are must do's? And ideally, a stop wouldn't take 2-3 hours to complete. And must eat along the route as well. We will have 12 of us in 3 cars so stopping at a sit down restaurant is out of the question I'd think.

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You would be better off bringing food along on the Road to Hana. There are not many places to eat. If it were me, I would hit up Da Kitchen and start the trek.

Merriman's is my favorite restaurant on the planet.

Thought Mama's was good, but much of the view is obstructed by trees and it's very overpriced.

If you stay on the west side:

Black Rock for snorkeling
Kaanapali beach or Napili Bay for relaxing
Trilogy for water excursions
Duke's for breakfast
Ono Tacos for a cheap lunch
Waihee Ridge trail for hiking

yukmonkey said:

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Merriman's is my favorite restaurant on the planet.

Thought Mama's was good, but much of the view is obstructed by trees and it's very overpriced.

If you stay on the west side:

Black Rock for snorkeling
Kaanapali beach or Napili Bay for relaxing
Trilogy for water excursions
Duke's for breakfast
Ono Tacos for a cheap lunch
Waihee Ridge trail for hiking

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all of this plus

The Gazebo for breakfast
Located in: Napili Shores Maui by Outrigger

Plus go check out the blow hole. just don't fall in
Highway 30, Between Mile Marker 38 And 39

Before you get too far on the road to Hana stop at Hookipa beach and see the many large sea turtles resting on the beach. Might see some surfers too.

aggiedata said:

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The Gazebo for breakfast
Located in: Napili Shores Maui by Outrigger

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This. There will be a long line/wait, but it is worth it. They put out coffee for the line, so just have some coffee and enjoy the beautiful view while you wait. Get the fried rice for breakfast - one order is more than enough for two people. Also, the pancakes are great!

Ag_N_Houston said:

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aggiedata said:

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The Gazebo for breakfast
Located in: Napili Shores Maui by Outrigger

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This. There will be a long line/wait, but it is worth it. They put out coffee for the line, so just have some coffee and enjoy the beautiful view while you wait. Get the fried rice for breakfast - one order is more than enough for two people. Also, the pancakes are great!

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that coconut syrup was stellar! reasonably priced to. I can't believe we missed this place the first couple of times we were there.. not again!

Well since I started this thread I guess I should follow back up with some feedback from our trip. I thought overall Maui was the least exciting Island that we've visited so far, Oahu and the Big Island were much better. Outside of the road to Hana, our visit to Maui was pretty blah in comparison to the other islands.

Anyone have any recent restaurant discoveries (or any recent finds for that matter) that aren't in Maui Revealed?