Maui

We will be renting a car in Lahaina and will be in port from 8am to 9:30pm. How far away would we be able to wonder and still be good with our time, and get the best bang for our sightseeing buck, so to speak.

What you can do during your time in Maui depends on what you like to do and not what I would like to do. ;)

We drove to Lahaina today to meet a friend arriving on the Grand Princess & she only wanted to go to lunch in West Maui & to see a few of the sights. While it doesn't happen daily, there can be lengthy delays if there is a traffic accident or brushfire along the 2-lane road between West Maui & other parts of the Valley Isle. It is the only viable access to the area & traveling independently there is a slight risk of being delayed & missing the ship. Everyone has a different comfort level & I'm not saying what you should do but it's something that I would consider.

We will be renting a car in Lahaina and will be in port from 8am to 9:30pm. How far away would we be able to wonder and still be good with our time, and get the best bang for our sightseeing buck, so to speak.

There are a lot of places to see in that time frame. You could go east to Iao Valley or Paia. You could head north to Kaanapali or even upcountry on Haleakalā. Taking the road to Hana is probably the only thing you would not want to attempt in that amount of time. But you would need to decide what you want to see as it would be difficult to see all of these sights.

If you are renting a car in Lahaina I assume you are going to be anchored in Lahaina. So that 8am - 9:30pm window shrinks.

You need to factor in the time for getting off the ship in the tender boats. Most pick-ups for rental cars in Lahaina is up at the Kapalua Airport so you will have to wait for the shuttle to take you there. Often the shuttle will only take drivers so your passengers will have to wait down in Lahaina and you will have to go back and pick them up. Last September that process for us was over two hours.

Also the rental offices at Kapalua Airport usually close at 5pm. You can drop the car later and leave the key in the drop box but there will not be a shuttle after working hours so you will need to get a taxi.

There are many places you can go, you just have to decide what are your priorities to visit. :)

There are a lot of places to see in that time frame. You could go east to Iao Valley or Paia. You could head north to Kaanapali or even upcountry on Haleakalā. Taking the road to Hana is probably the only thing you would not want to attempt in that amount of time. But you would need to decide what you want to see as it would be difficult to see all of these sights.

 

If you are renting a car in Lahaina I assume you are going to be anchored in Lahaina. So that 8am - 9:30pm window shrinks.

 

You need to factor in the time for getting off the ship in the tender boats. Most pick-ups for rental cars in Lahaina is up at the Kapalua Airport so you will have to wait for the shuttle to take you there. Often the shuttle will only take drivers so your passengers will have to wait down in Lahaina and you will have to go back and pick them up. Last September that process for us was over two hours.

 

Also the rental offices at Kapalua Airport usually close at 5pm. You can drop the car later and leave the key in the drop box but there will not be a shuttle after working hours so you will need to get a taxi.

 

There are many places you can go, you just have to decide what are your priorities to visit. :)

Thank you very much.

What you can do during your time in Maui depends on what you like to do and not what I would like to do. ;)

 

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Thank you, I was just wondering how far we could go. Thanks for the traffic info!

You could have a really nice day in W. Maui with a combination of great scenery, beaches, shopping and exploring the historic town of Lahaina. It can all be done within this route and there isn't a lot of driving involved. Return the way that you went, and don't drive beyond Nakalele Blowhole as the road deteriorates shortly beyond that point (but a good road up to that point.)

If you wanted to go further, Haleakala summit would be a good destination, as would Iao Valley. You could combine them via this route.

You could have a really nice day in W. Maui with a combination of great scenery, beaches, shopping and exploring the historic town of Lahaina. It can all be done within this route and there isn't a lot of driving involved. Return the way that you went, and don't drive beyond Nakalele Blowhole as the road deteriorates shortly beyond that point (but a good road up to that point.)

 

If you wanted to go further, Haleakala summit would be a good destination, as would Iao Valley. You could combine them via this route.

Thanks so much, this is kind of what I was thinking. Would all the backtracking be too much if we drove to Iao Valley as well?

You're welcome.

I wasn't sure what you were thinking of combining Iao Valley with ... the first route that I posted? If so, you can just add Iao Valley to it and it looks like this.

I put Iao Valley first as it's better to go there in the morning before it gets clouded in.

There wouldn't be any more backtracking doing both W. Maui and Iao Valley ... you'd just be doing two routes that are in opposite directions, and both require coming back the way you went. Both are scenic drives, but the drive towards Iao Valley and back will have a lot more traffic on it than the one going up to Kapalua and Nakalele.

Thanks Susan!

I forgot about these driving guides that are online. They were create a while ago so the pictures are no longer there on most of the links. But all the sights are still there and it breaks the driving down by mile markers and odometer distance.

http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/byotgdxm.htm

Another great stop is the Maui Tropical Plantation. It would be on Hwy 30 on your way to Iao Valley or on the way back.

Parking was free, and a large portion of the Plantation can be viewed for free (lots of plant life). They do have a paid shuttle through the actual plantation, a zip line and a catamaran on a small lagoon. There is also a nice sized gift shop.

If you do a google search, their website will come up and show you how nice the facility is.

Oh great! Thx so much!

Hi croosie--I have been starring at your avatar and finally think I figured it out.Isn't htat the "famous" vacs from HAL ships?

Hi croosie--I have been starring at your avatar and finally think I figured it out.Isn't htat the "famous" vacs from HAL ships?

LOL, yes, it's actually Henry from RCI ships. I'm sure HAL must have them as well.

LOL, yes, it's actually Henry from RCI ships. I'm sure HAL must have them as well.

I have never been on RCI so it must be HAL. People on the HAL board in 2010 and 2011 were going crazy over them. Many were getting them as Xmas presents!

The rental probability is nil...just too much trouble.

We only want to go from the ship at Lahaina over to the Westin on Kaanapali. Taxis seem way too exorbitant at $70 one way....any ideas on this scenerio?

The rental probability is nil...just too much trouble.

 

We only want to go from the ship at Lahaina over to the Westin on Kaanapali. Taxis seem way too exorbitant at $70 one way....any ideas on this scenerio?

That is the price for a taxi from Kahului to Ka'anapali and from Lahaina it's only $12.

http://westmauitaxi.com/services_and_rates

From the Lahaina harbor you can walk about 5 minutes to The Wharf Cinema shopping center (on Front Street across from the large Banyan tree adjacent to the harbor). Walk to the back of the center & they have shuttle buses to Ka'anapali which I last heard were $2 one-way. I'd confirm their availability & when a ship is in Lahaina it may be busy & you'd have a delay getting to Ka'anapali.

http://thewharfcinemacenter.com/bus-schedule/

Here's the Maui County site & on the left is an option to view schedules. It only goes hourly & takes 30 minutes to get to Ka'anapali's Whalers Village.

http://www.mauicounty.gov/index.aspx?NID=605

That is the price for a taxi from Kahului to Ka'anapali and from Lahaina it's only $12.

 

http://westmauitaxi.com/services_and_rates

 

From the Lahaina harbor you can walk about 5 minutes to The Wharf Cinema shopping center (on Front Street across from the large Banyan tree adjacent to the harbor). Walk to the back of the center & they have shuttle buses to Ka'anapali which I last heard were $2 one-way. I'd confirm their availability & when a ship is in Lahaina it may be busy & you'd have a delay getting to Ka'anapali.

 

http://thewharfcinemacenter.com/bus-schedule/

 

Here's the Maui County site & on the left is an option to view schedules. It only goes hourly & takes 30 minutes to get to Ka'anapali's Whalers Village.

 

http://www.mauicounty.gov/index.aspx?NID=605

Definitely was less than $20 for us a couple of years ago, Lahaina to Ka'anapali. The time before we took the bus to go as far as the Cannery Mall, and it took us a while to find the back entrance (look for an opening on the west side of the Center) and then the bus was very packed, maybe because of the cruise ship crowd. So when we decided to go to Whalers Village, we took a taxi.

Definitely was less than $20 for us a couple of years ago' date=' Lahaina to Ka'anapali. The time before we took the bus to go as far as the Cannery Mall, and it took us a while to find the back entrance (look for an opening on the west side of the Center) and then the bus was very packed, maybe because of the cruise ship crowd. So when we decided to go to Whalers Village, we took a taxi.[/quote']

 

I agree that a taxi is the best option particularly with thousands of cruise ship passengers in Lahaina. To me time is too short to wait an hour if missing the shuttle bus which takes 30 minutes to Ka'anapali.