For spring break last year, MP and I went to Hawaii (my first time ever!) and it was an AMAZING time. If you’re planning on going to Maui anytime soon, here are our top must-do Maui activities! Trust me, these are all A1 life memories that you’ll want to create. Don’t leave Maui without doing all of these things!

Pīpīwai Trail

The Road to Hana¹ is a given — the most famous thing to do in Hawaii — and it is absolutely breathtaking from beginning to end. There are SO many things to do on this one road, it’s impossible to get them all done in one trip, but make sure you allot enough time to go all the way to the end of the Road to Hana because that’s where Pipiwai Trail (and all of the cool things on it) awaits you! In the less than 2 miles (each way) trail, you’ll see several waterfalls (including the famous 400 foot tall Waimoku Falls), go through a gorgeous bamboo forest, and walk under a majestic giant Banyan tree. They’ve made really clear walkways so the hike is NOT hard at all, you just need some endurance/stamina since there are some uphill parts.

Wailua Falls

The quintessential Hawaiian experience of swimming under a waterfall is a bucketlist item you need to check off at Wailua Falls. It’s a magical waterfall with a deep pool so it’s perfect for swimming. In fact, it’s so popular that it even has a parking lot next to it (super convenient to pullover at!). But if you’re lucky (like MP and I were!), you might get the waterfall all to yourself and unlock a truly special memory. There were so many spots on the Road to Hana that we drove by that I wanted to pull over at but couldn’t (will return one day!), but make sure you make a stop at Wailua Falls.

Turtle Town

Who doesn’t want to swim with the sea turtles?! And while you can see turtles off of pretty much any beach in Maui, I do highly recommend Makena Landing Park, aka “Turtle Town” because the waters are super calm and it’s extra safe with all of the professionals that are often nearby doing tour snorkel groups. Right after sticking my head in the water, I think I was barely 4 feet into the water, there was immediately a turtle at my feet. This beach is also right next to Wailea if that’s where you happen to be staying.

Īao Valley

This is a lesser known Maui spot and my personal favorite. It’s a super easy trail (barely a 15 minute walk) and the valley is like something from my dreams — the mountains are unreal and make you feel like you’re transported to the islands of Moana. The best part was the calm stream beds that you could jump into (carefully!) and relax in. Being in that refreshing stream water with the warm Hawaiian sun shining on you, all while being surrounded by dreamy, awe-inspiring mountains…what a blessing.

HaleaKāLA

At an astounding 30,000 feet high from the seafloor (which is actually taller than Mount Everest if you count the ocean base), Haleakala is a spectacle in itself. But if you go all the way up this bigger than life dormant volcano (up to the crater that you can even walk the rim of!), the view at the top is even more spectacular. Not only does it feel otherwordly (literally, like you’re on a completely different planet), it’s like you’re in heaven. A sea of clouds for as far as the eyes can see. And when the sun starts to set, the sky is dancing and changing all sorts of colors as the day’s last rays beam through the clouds. Truly, a sight to behold.

We had such a blessed time in Maui and I hope you all will have a great Maui experience too! If you liked this post or if you have any Maui questions, let me know in the comments below~

Xo,
Em