Do you want to go to Hawaii for relaxation? Adventure? Why not both!? Here is your perfect combination of sandy beach day relaxation and adventuring in this 8-day Hawaii itinerary.
The Hawaiian Islands are a hot destination for many travelers around the world, but especially in the States. There is so much to see and do in Hawaii, which islands do you pick to visit??
We traveled to Hawaii for our babymoon in January 2019 and decided to pick the islands of Maui and Kauai to divide our time on. It was hard to choose and I have heard so many wonderful reviews of the big island and O’ahu; but ultimately we settled on Kauai and Maui for the activities to do.
Travel to Hawaii
To get to Hawaii from the United States, you will have a connecting flight somewhere on the west coast, likely leaving from San Francisco, Seattle, or Los Angeles. All major airlines fly into Hawaii and Southwest recently added routes to all of the major Hawaiian Islands!
Because Hawaii is 6-7 hours behind most of the US, you will likely be flying during the afternoon/night to land in the afternoon in Hawaii time.
The major airport on Maui is Kahului Airport and on Kauai is Lihue Airport.
Travel within Hawaii
In order to travel around Hawaii on your own I would recommend renting a car. Renting Jeeps in Hawaii is VERY popular, and if you want to go this route, make sure to rent your Jeep well ahead of your trip to ensure you have an available rental.
To get from island to island within Hawaii you will fly Hawaiian Airlines. The flight from Maui to Kauai is short and the flights between islands are relatively cheap
Where to stay on the islands
Maui
Kaanapali on the West side of the island is going to be a very popular area to stay. The beaches are beautiful and there are plenty of resorts to choose from to take advantage of the beaches. With a rental car it takes about an hour to get from the West side of the island to the East side where the Road to Hana is.
Wailea on the central, south side of the island is also a popular beach destination.
We stayed at the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel (https://www.kbhmaui.com/) dubbed “Hawaii’s most Hawaiian Hotel.” If you are visiting Hawaii with your kids this is a great hotel as kids stay free!
Kauai
There are plenty of resorts and AirBnBs just north of the Lihue airport along the Kuhio Highway. Another popular area is on the north side of the island in Princeville and near the famous Hanalei beach. South of the island is the town of Poipu which has a group of high-end hotels and two major shopping centers.
While in Kauai we stayed at the Kauai Shores Hotel (https://www.kauaishoreshotel.com/) a retro-looking themed hotel on the royal Coconut Coast. They have the Lava Lava Beach Club which is a bar and restaurant right next door. This was one of the reasons we chose the hotel- the ease of having drinks and right on the beach!
For those considering the islands of Maui and Kauai to visit for their holiday, below is an 8-day itinerary of what I think are the top things to see and do on the islands of Kauai and Maui.
Day 1: Travel to Maui
Depending on when you arrive in Maui, you may be very tired and not up for doing much. Check into your hotel or AirBnB and head to dinner or a late lunch.
We stayed at the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel (https://www.kbhmaui.com/) which recently completed a renovation on their rooms, making your stay even more comfortable. Their grounds are gorgeous and they have direct access to the Kaanapali Beach. You can also swim (or walk) to the famous Black Rock Beach for some cliff jumping off the lava rock.
The resort is sandwiched between the Sheraton and the Westin so this is a very heavily trafficked area with tons of shops and restaurants within walking distance to explore for the remainder of your day.
Dinner
Head to Lahaina area for some delicious restaurant options on the beach. Frida’s Beach House (http://fridasmaui.com/) and Star Noodle (http://www.starnoodle.com/) are great, intimate options.
Day 2: Beach Day!!
Morning-Early Afternoon
Enjoy your time on the beautiful Kaanapali Beach. There are plenty of activities to do at the beach! You can rent chairs/umbrellas, stand up paddle boards, kayaks and snorkel gear to explore the water around you.
Afternoon
For a change of scenery and lunch head to the Old Lahaina Center in Lahaia. This is a fun area to walk around and see the shops and walk along Front Street.
After lunch (I suggest the Waikiki Brewing Co- http://www.waikikibrewing.com/), cool yourself off with some Hawaiian shaved ice at Ululani’s (http://ululanisshaveice.com/).
Dinner
Looking for a nice dinner to attend? Check out Mama’s Fish House in Paia (http://www.mamasfishhouse.com/). Make a reservation as this is a very famous restaurant on Maui and is $$$$.
For a closer to home option, eat at a restaurant in Kaanapali or head to a Foodland in Lahaina to grab some of the best poke on Maui. Yes, the local supermarket has some of THE best poke you can get and cheap! Grab a bowl and have an intimate dinner on the beach.
Day 3: Food Tours
You can do any of the below to fit your schedule for the day:
If you are visiting Maui during the week, make a reservation for one of the tours from the incredible O’o Farms (http://oofarm.mybigcommerce.com/reservations/)- make your reservation in advance of your trip. The lunch tour runs Monday-Friday and starts at 10:30 AM and ends at 2:00 PM.
Morning
The coffee tour runs Monday and Tuesday, starting at 8:30 am and ending at 11:30 am. Participants connect with both the agricultural history of coffee and the “seed to cup” process by strolling through our orchard and experiencing sight, sounds and smells of a real roasting operation.
You will then sit down afterwards for a lovely breakfast focused on health and nutrition, along with a coffee tasting!
Afternoon
Since the coffee tour ends at 11:30am you can then head to the Maui Gold Pineapple Fields and Facility Tour (https://mauipineappletour.com/pineapple-farm-tour/). The last reservation time is at 1:45pm and lasts for 1.5 hours.
Learn about the growing cycle and cultivation techniques, tasting the stages as you learn them. Best of all, you get a FREE PINEAPPLE with every tour!
Day 4: Haleakala and Road to Hana
Morning- before the crack of dawn
Make a reservation to see the sunrise at Mount Haleakala (https://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/sunrise-and-sunset.htm). This is a very spiritual (but cold!) experience. You can drive all the way up to the top, no hiking necessary!
There are tours you can join that will take you up to Haleakala and provide you with a jacket. But if you rented a car, you can simply purchase your reservation through NPS.gov and head there yourself!
Do you really need to bring a coat and other winter items for 1 day in Hawaii?? Yes!! If you are going to be at the top of Haleakala for sunrise you NEED a coat, hat, gloves, scarf- any winter item you will personally need to stay warm. Temperatures are often windy, wet, and below freezing.
Looking to continue your spiritual high after watching sunrise at Haleakala? Check out Bike Maui (https://www.bikemaui.com/) to bike down Haleakala mountain.
Afternoon
Since you likely rented a car to get around Maui- take the time to drive the Road to Hana: https://roadtohana.com
There is an app you can download to figure out which stops you would like to hit along the road. There is plenty of opportunity to pull off to the side of the road at any time and hike to a waterfall, a scenic view, hidden beaches or even a lava tube!
The road takes about an hour and half to drive one-way, with no stops. So plan to spend a full afternoon driving and exploring the Eastern side of the island.
Some must see stops:
- Hana Lava Tube (205 Ulaino Rd, Hana, HI 96713, United States) – ticketed entry
- Black Sand Beach at Waiʻānapanapa State Park
- Kaihalulu Red Sand Beach (Hana, HI 96713, United States)
Dinner
Head to Pacific’O for dinner (505 Front St, Lahaina, HI 96761, United States http://pacificomaui.com/). The get their ingredients from O’o Farms! So if you visited the farm earlier in your trip, you are coming full circle by attending dinner at Pacific’O. Make sure to make a reservation!
Day 5: Travel to Kauai
Morning
Head to Kahului Airport to return your car and head to Lihue Airport on Kauai. This is a quick flight but with the best views as you fly over the Hawaiian islands! Catch an early flight out so you can maximize your time on Kauai this day.
Are you hungry after your early morning flight? Head to Hamura Saimin (2956 Kress St, Lihue, HI 96766, United States) for some DELICIOUS fast food ramen. This is a mom and pop shop with one long counter you sit at and order your food. Definitely a must try at some point during your time on Kauai!
Afternoon
If you have a good portion of your day left after traveling and checking into your hotel/AirBnB in Kauai, make the drive up to Princeville (about a 40 minute drive) to see the beautiful Hanalei Beach.
Right next to Hanalei Beach is the Queen’s Bath, an oceanside tide pool naturally carved into the rock & containing small fish & other sea life. The Queen’s Bath trailhead is in a residential neighborhood.
There are signs that say “due to dangerous conditions,” don’t go. However, there were tons of people on the trail so we bypassed the sign and went anyway. You can still get a good view of the waves crashing on the rocks without having to go all the way down to some of the more “dangerous” areas.
Day 6: Na’pali Coast
You have a couple options depending on how you prefer to see this famous coast and your budget:
Option 1
View the Na’pali Coast by boat. Boat- Captain Andy’s Boat tours https://www.napali.com/ has a bunch of different options for you. Depending on the time of year you go will depend on how enjoyable the boat tour is (whether you will rough seas or not).
Option 2
Take the ultimate adventure tour to the Na’pali Coast by helicopter- https://www.islandhelicopters.com/. Feeling adventurous and nostalgic? Checkout their Jurassic Park tour. You land at Manawaiopuna Falls and feel the awesome power of the waterfall made famous in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster movie, Jurassic Park.
This elite tour is 75-80 minutes and includes a landing deep within the interior of Kauai, inaccessible to the public.
Option 3
Put on your hiking boots and walk to the Na’pali Coast via Waimea Canyon State Park. You do not need any reservations or permits to hike. To get a view of Na’pali Coast head to the Awaawapuhi Trail which is 3.2 miles each way- so total of about 6.5 miles.
You are hiking down the canyon and then hiking back up to get out. The trail is not too strenuous, but can get very muddy with all the rain Hawaii has. So be prepared with waterproof shoes and rain gear! I would also recommend having a change of clothes back at the car for after.
There are tons of other trails off of 550 highway that take you through the canyon. Depending upon when you get going in the morning for the hike will determine what other hikes you can do in the area.
If you want to see the sunset at the end of the day after visiting Waimea Canyon, head to Polihale State Park (https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/parks/kauai/polihale-state-park/), a remote wild beach on the western side of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. It is the most western publicly accessible area in Hawaii.
This beach has beautiful soft sand and high surf on the Napali Coast. You are on a dirt/sand road for a while to get to the park so think about that when renting a car or trying to get there- Jeeps are your friend!
Day 7: Kayak Tour and Beach
Full Day Tour
Wailua river is the only navigable river by boats (bigger than kayaks) in the islands. There are tons of places offering kayak tours to the Secret Falls. We used https://kayakwailua.com/activities/kayak-tours/.
The tour is 4.5-5 hours long and they provide pretty much everything you need, even river shoes if you don’t have any! You cross several streams and a river so your shoes will get wet, and the trail is VERY muddy.
The falls are awesome and you get to do a little swimming! You bring your own snack/lunch to have once you make it to the falls. You also can see one of the filming locations from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Before we went on the tour we went to the Kauai Community Farmers market, which is every Saturday from 9:30am-1pm (http://www.kauaicommunitymarket.org/ ). Sample the local fare and grab some fruit for your kayak tour. If you head here during a Saturday morning be sure to try the sugarloaf pineapple soft serve!
Dinner
The Local Kauai (http://www.thelocalkauai.com/) 4-1380 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaʻa, HI 96746- depending on the day they have live music playing and the food was excellent with a great atmosphere.
There are also a ton of cute souvenir shops walking distance from this area. For dessert head above The Local Kauai to The Spot Kauai which serves frozen yogurt.
Day 8: Beach Day and then fly home
Morning
Get up and grab breakfast at the food truck, Nom Kauai (https://www.nomkauai.com/) and then head to Makauwahi Cave Reserve. This is a massive cave with fossils & archeological ruins in a wilderness setting with native flora & fauna(http://www.cavereserve.org/) 1571-4 Poipu Rd, Koloa, HI 96756, United States.
From there, it’s a short drive and walk to Kawailoa Bay Beach/Mahaulepu Beach. Right above the beach you can see an old looking warehouse, this was the movie set for Hobbes and Shaw (the Rock’s spinoff from the Fast & Furious movies). Kauai is a popular filming location for many movies!
Depending on when your flight home is, you can check out of your hotel and head to Hukilau Lanai for an early dinner.
