Road to Hāna Itinerary: Why You Should Take Two Days
Just because you can drive the Road to Hāna in a day doesn’t mean you should. We took two days, camped along the way, and it completely changed the experience. When you stay overnight instead of rushing back, the road stops being a checklist and starts being the actual trip. This Road to Hāna itinerary covers every stop we made, where we camped, what surprised us, and what I’d add if we went back.
Before You Go: A Few Things Worth Knowing
The Road to Hāna is technically Highway 360, a 64-mile stretch of road on Maui’s northeastern coast with more than 600 curves and 59 bridges. Most people drive it in a day from the resort side of the island and turn around at Hāna. We’d argue that’s the wrong way to do it.
A few practical notes before you leave:
- Bring cash — roadside stands are everywhere and most are cash only
- Download offline maps before you go, cell service disappears for long stretches
- Start early no matter what — the road gets congested by mid-morning
- If you’re camping, print your reservation confirmations and bring them
- Gas up before you start — there are very few options once you’re on the road
Day 1: Into the Road to Hāna
We left after sunrise on the Haleakalā summit, which is exactly the right way to start any day, and picked up the road after leaving Upcountry Maui. The road begins almost immediately after that and it doesn’t let up.
Twin Falls — Mile Marker 2
Twin Falls is the first major stop and worth the time even though it gets busy. There are two falls — a lower one that’s easy to reach and an upper one that requires a bit more of a hike. Hudson swam straight out to the base of the lower falls without hesitation. The recent storms had everything roaring and the water was moving fast. It was impressive.
Waikamoi Ridge Trail
A short trail through forest so lush it barely looks real. Good for stretching your legs after the first stretch of driving and a nice contrast to the waterfall stops.
Ke’anae Arboretum
This is where you stop to see the rainbow eucalyptus up close. And I mean up close — you’re walking right next to them. The colors are not a filter. They actually look like that. A note: there is a roadside rainbow eucalyptus that looks tempting as you drive by, but it’s on private property. Keep going to the arboretum. It’s more impressive anyway.
Ke’anae Peninsula
Worth the detour off the main road. The peninsula ends at a point where waves hit lava rock with serious force and it’s one of those views that makes you stop talking mid-sentence. Aunt Sandy’s Banana Bread is here and legendary — we were there too late and missed it. Go early.
Halfway to Hāna
A roadside stop that’s more fun than it sounds. Some of the best shave ice that we had on the island! At Premium HI Coffee down the road, a man opened a fresh coconut for Lillian right there on the spot and handed it to her. We also ate dinner here later.
Upper Waikani Falls — Past Mile Marker 19
Three tiers of waterfalls visible from the road. Pull over and take it in.
Camp at Ke’anae Uka — Mile Marker 16
This campground is the reason Day 1 works as well as it does. Hot showers, ocean views, and far enough along the road that you’re perfectly positioned for an early start on Day 2. We had no wifi and no agenda. The kids played cards until it got dark. I’d go back just for that night.
Day 2: Hāna and Beyond
We were on the Pipiwai Trail by 7:30am. That’s the whole strategy.
Pipiwai Trail — Kīpahulu District, Haleakalā National Park
Four miles out and back through some of the most otherworldly terrain I’ve ever walked. A bamboo forest so dense and tall it blocks out the sky, a massive banyan tree the kids immediately climbed, and Waimoku Falls at the end as your reward.
We knew about the waterfall going in. We had no idea about the bamboo.
Walking into that forest stopped us cold. The stalks are enormous and they creak and sway overhead and the light filters through in a way that makes you feel like you’ve walked into a different world. Lillian was so taken with it she wrote her school paper on bamboo when we got home.
We had the trail almost entirely to ourselves for the first hour. With eight people including four kids we finished in about three hours, with a solid 45 minutes of unscheduled banyan tree climbing and water wading. A few things worth knowing: the boardwalk gets slippery, watch your step especially after rain. Wear layers because it’s cool in the bamboo even when it’s warm outside.
The secret to getting there that early is staying the night before on the road instead of driving from the resort side of the island. It makes all the difference.
Note: the Oheʻo Gulch pools are in this same area of the park but swimming is not permitted. You can still see the waterfalls from the trail and they are beautiful.
Red Sand Beach (Koki Beach) — Mile Marker 45
One of only a handful of red sand beaches in the world. Worth seeing once, so put it on the list. It’s a cool experience, but the sand is rough. The red comes from eroded cinder cone deposits — the color is unlike anything I expected.
Hamoa Beach — Mile Marker 50
Right after Red Sand Beach and completely different. This is where we actually played. The kids and the dads boogie boarded with surprising competence. Beautiful, swimmable, and far enough down the road that it’s less crowded than the beaches closer to the resort areas.
Hasegawa General Store — Hāna Town
A Hāna institution. General store, souvenirs, cold drinks, and across the street is the Hāna Farmers Market — which turned out to be one of the best stops of the entire trip.
Hāna Farmers Market
We almost missed Robert entirely.
We made it to this market around 4pm — the kind of place where things are starting to pack up and the people still there are the ones who really love what they do.
Robert was there with his cacao. Haloa Farms, Maui. And he stopped everything to talk to our kids.
He walked them through every single step of how chocolate is made, from the raw pod to the finished bar, and had them taste each part along the way. Some of it was bitter — fermented cacao beans are not exactly kid candy — but those four children chewed and swallowed everything he handed them without complaint because they wanted his approval that badly. I watched it happen in real time.
He handed Hudson two whole cacao pods to take home. And then he told all four kids that they are the next generation, that they have to fix what we’ve broken, that the planet is counting on them. All four of them looked him in the eye and said yes sir.
I believe them.
When he offered us the aril — the white fruit surrounding the cacao seed — I wasn’t prepared for what happened. I did research in Panama in college and fell in love with cacao there, with the smell and taste of it fresh off the tree. The moment I tasted it, every memory from that time came flooding back. Robert had no idea he did that for me. He was just sharing something he loves.
We brought home several bars and will only be ordering from him going forward. Garrett went straight for the 100% cacao. Hudson loved the coconut milk. Lillian chose espresso. I can’t get enough of the ginger. Find him at haloafarms.com.
Dinner at Hāna Farms
We only found this place because Robert mentioned it. A restaurant hidden in a garden, gourmet pizza and salads full of local produce and edible flowers, eaten outside in one of the most beautiful settings I’ve ever had dinner in. We’re still talking about it.
Camp at Waiʻanapanapa State Park
This park had been closed after Kona Low storms hit Maui before our trip. We were anxiously watching for an announcement the day before we left, not knowing if we’d get in at all. We breathed a collective sigh of relief when it reopened the morning we landed.
Reservations required through the Hawaii State Parks system — campsites 6 and 7 put you close to the black sand beach. Cold showers, but nobody complained.
Day 3 Morning: Waiʻanapanapa at Sunrise
We were standing at the stairs at 7am, waiting for the park to open. For thirty minutes it was just us and the black sand and the sound of waves hitting lava rock and I thought, I could do this forever.
The black sand is made from lava that cooled so fast it shattered. What looks like ordinary beach sand is actually the ocean grinding ancient volcanic rock into something new. And we were the only ones standing there to see it. None of us wanted to leave.
When it was finally time to go, Lillian turned back toward the water and said, “I just need a wave to touch me one more time.”
Same, Lillian. Same.
Stops We Didn’t Make But Would Add Next Time
Hoʻokipa Beach
One of the most famous windsurfing beaches in the world and one of the best spots on Maui to see sea turtles. Best chance is early morning or late afternoon. We drove past it and didn’t stop because we thought we were too late. That won’t happen again.
Coconut Glen’s
An ice cream stand near Nahiku made entirely from coconut — coconut milk base, coconut toppings, run by a lady who clearly loves what she does. We stopped here on our way back out on Day 3 morning and it was the right call for breakfast. Yes, ice cream for breakfast. You’re on vacation.
Waiʻanapanapa Coastal Trail
It follows the lava cliffs along the coast from the black sand beach. Beautiful, dramatic, and easy enough for kids.
Nakalele Blowhole
On the way back toward the resort side of the island, this coastal blowhole shoots seawater high into the air. Worth a stop if you’re driving back the way you came.
Maluaka Beach — Turtle Town
If you have snorkel gear, this is supposedly the best snorkeling on Maui with reliable turtle sightings between 11am and 1pm. Located just south of Wailea at the end of Makena Road.
Where to Stay on the Road to Hāna
We camped the whole way and would do it again without hesitation. In order:
Night 1 at Hosmer’s Grove inside Haleakalā National Park — covered in our Haleakalā post if you’re combining both parks on your trip.
Night 2 at Ke’anae Uka campground — hot showers, ocean views, perfectly positioned for an early Pipiwai start.
Night 3 at Waiʻanapanapa State Park — black sand beach access, dramatic coastline, reserve well in advance through the Hawaii State Parks system.
If camping isn’t your thing, Hāna has a handful of small hotels and vacation rentals. The Hāna-Maui Resort, formerly Travassa Hāna, is the most well-known option and has been on the road for decades.
What to Pack for the Road to Hāna
- Cash for roadside stands — non-negotiable
- Swimsuit and water shoes for waterfall stops
- Rain jacket — the road goes through rainforest and it can shift fast
- Snacks and a cooler — you won’t always have easy access to food
- Offline maps downloaded before you leave
- Reef-safe sunscreen
- Bug spray for the lush trail sections
Our full family packing system is in its own post if you want the whole breakdown.
Bottom Line: Road to Hāna Itinerary
The Road to Hana is one of those trips where the drive is the destination. Every curve in the road leads somewhere worth stopping. Every stop leads to something you didn’t expect. Robert. Lillian and her wave. The bamboo closing over our heads. None of that was on our original itinerary and all of it was the best part.
With light and love, Amber 🌿
