Kahekili Highway, Photo by Adam Sawyer
Recently I had the privilege of spending a week on the island of Maui, courtesy of my generous, sweet, and loving sister, Janaira (who does indeed read these articles). I had been to Hawaii twice before, visiting only the island of Oahu. Those trips, however, were long before family life, and I spent those vacations dealing primarily with the city trappings of Honolulu. This time my visit to the Aloha State would center on exploring the great outdoors and discovering activities that Northwest families would enjoy—and Maui has plenty of them.
Pipiwai Trail, Photo by Adam Sawyer
Maui is an extremely diverse area in terms of geology and rainfall. Subalpine, alpine, coastal, dryland forest, and rainforest are just a few of the vegetation zones found on the roughly 730-square-mile island. This variety makes for a wide range of outdoor activities to choose from, something Northwesterners should be accustomed to.
There are, of course, an endless number of activities that you and the family can engage in. Some stuff you have to pay for, but other things are free, and we did plenty of each while we were there. Some of the best things I found to do were along three separate scenic drives. Here are my personal recommendations for family adventures that are free or cheap, and every bit as good as the activities that’ll make your wallet lighter.
The Road to Hana is considered the classic and—without debate—most popular Maui drive. Traveling along the northern and eastern shores of Maui, the Road to Hana’s hairpin turns lead through some of the island’s most luscious rainforests. Numerous hikes, fruit stands, and botanical gardens can be found along the entire length of the highway. The best part of the trip, however, is about ten miles after Hana. The Kipahulu section of the Haleakala National Park features the bamboo forests and waterfalls of the Pipiwai Trail and the numerous swimmable pools of the Oheo Gulch. Keep your $10 admittance receipt because…
The next drive follows the Haleakala Highway to the summit area of the Haleakala National Park. Trails abound in this area, and at 10,000 feet of elevation, the best views on the island can be found here as well. The geologic features that you pass on the drive up are astounding, making the trip worthwhile even if you see nothing else.
Nakalele Blow, Photo By Adam Sawyer
The last drive is my personal favorite. The Kahekili Highway follows the coastline around Maui’s epic Northwest coast. Staggeringly beautiful ocean viewpoints, hikes, tide pools, ancient villages, and deep valleys are just the beginning. Be sure to stop and take the very charming hike down to the Nakalele Blowhole. You can easily spend most of the day in this little cove, and if your kids hear about it and you didn’t take them, I can’t help you. Let it be known that about five miles of this drive is one-lane, cliff-edge, white-knuckle driving. But you can avoid that section by driving the loop clockwise and turning around when you’ve reached your comfort level.
–Adam Sawyer
