Three days may not seem like a lot, but if you plan your time well and have somewhat of an itinerary, three days can be the perfect amount of time for a short vacation to the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii.

In this article I am going to be breaking down all the best things to do and see on the island and how I was able to experience Maui in just 3 days while being on a tight budget. I’m talking less than $100 a day!

I traveled to Maui with a friend who I met while volunteering at a work exchange from Worldpackers on the Big Island. We had 3 days off work and decided to island hop over to Maui to see all the beauty it had to offer. We both were committed to seeing the island for as cheap as we could.

I hope this article can give you some inspiration on things to do in Maui, Hawaii even if you don’t have a whole lot of money to spend.

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Day 1- Beaches Haleakala National Park

We arrived to the island around 10 AM and proceeded to make a Walmart run to get groceries for the next few days. Then our trip began!

Kanaha Beach Park

We first spent a few hours soaking up the sun at Kanaha Beach Park. This beach is so gorgeous. You have the white sand, turquoise water, and the lush green mountains in the distance.

Plus, it’s just a short 5 minute drive from the airport so it was a great first stop on the island.

This would also be a great place to hangout if you have some time to kill before you fly out because it is pretty much right next to the airport.

Haleakala National Park

After spending time at the beach, we began heading up to Haleakala National Park. One of two National Parks in the state of Hawaii.

Haleakala is named after the now dormant volcano that formed the island of Maui!

The summit stands at just over 10,000 feet in elevation. Not only is it amazing to explore the volcano and hike the unique landscape, you get to experience a scenic drive going up the mountain. You can see the coastline and ocean on your way up.

Unfortunately for us, just after we arrived at the summit, heavy rain started to roll in and we weren’t able to hike around the crater or see the sunset. It was a bummer but it was still a cool experience.

The summit of Haleakala looks surreal, and because of the altitude, the sunrises and sunsets are breathtaking. You are literally above the clouds watching the sun go down. Similar to Mauna Kea on the Big Island.

I hope someday I can go back to see a sunset there! If you’re visiting Maui you do not want to miss Haleakala, even if the weather isn’t the best.

However, we were able to do some hiking after driving down further on the mountain where it wasn’t raining yet.

We hiked to the Leleiwi Overlook which was just a quick 0.3 mile out and back walk.

We also hiked on the Supply Trail which is a 5 mile out and back trail. We only got about half way until the rain started to come down. On the plus side we did see a beautiful double rainbow before it got too bad! 

This trail was rocky but you are sure to get some amazing views.

If you’re visiting in good weather and the sky is clear, I’d recommend hiking a few trails at the summit for the best views.

Here are some of the trails in the park that look awesome and that we would’ve done if the weather would’ve cooperated with our plans:

• Pa Ka’oao Trail – 0.5 miles
• Waimoku Falls via Pipiwai Trail – 3.5 miles
• Seven Sacred Pools Trail – 0.6 miles
• Halemau’u Haleakala Overlook Trail – 7.3 miles

We then got back to our car, made some dinner of premade rice and canned veggies, set up our “bed”, and fell asleep to the sound of the rain.

Day 2- Road to Hana

One of the best things to do in Maui, Hawaii is to take the Road to Hana. If you aren’t already familiar, it’s basically a scenic drive with all kinds of attractions on the way.

The destination is a town called Hana located on Maui’s eastern coast.

This drive is so famous because of how “dangerous” the road is known to be and all the various attractions you can stop at on the way.

With that being said, there really is no reason to be scared of this drive. Yes, some of the corners are tight and the road can get pretty narrow but as long as you drive carefully and are aware of the cars around you, everything will be fine.

The road is also completely paved.

We did the road to Hana on a clear and sunny day, but be mindful about weather conditions before setting out for the drive. In heavy rain and wind this road can definitely become dangerous. 

There are hikes, beaches, waterfalls, food trucks and so many other iconic places to stop at on the drive to Hana.

The road to Hana (Hana Highway) is quite a touristy spot because it is a very popular drive for visitors to do while on the island. This can make it hard to find parking at certain attractions and the road can get a bit backed up at times.

But in my opinion it was still very much worth it and you don’t want to leave Maui without doing this scenic drive!

Road to Hana North vs. South Route

There are two routes that can take you to Hana.

A road on the north coast of the island and a road on the south coast. It is not uncommon for people to do the entire loop starting on the north coast, driving through Hana, then driving back on the southern coast or vice versa.

If you chose to do this I would recommend that you really take your time with seeing everything on the north coast, staying the night in Hana, then exploring everything on the south coast the next day.

We didn’t have the time for that so we took north coast route (which is where most people begin the drive) and turned around once we got to Hana.

There are plenty of places to stop at and explore on the north coast for the Road to Hana to take up a full day on your itinerary. Below I have outlined some of the best places to stop on the north coast in order of when you’ll approach them.

Feel free to download or pin this checklist I created for you to use as a guide as you drive the Road to Hana!

1. Twin Falls Trail (Mile marker #2)

Twin Falls is a short hike right at the beginning of the Road to Hana.

It’s usually a pretty popular stop just because it’s one of the first attractions on the drive. It’s definitely worth visiting if you love waterfall hikes.

The hike is a quick 1.8 mile out and back trail with two waterfalls to see. There is one small waterfall right at the beginning and a bigger one that everyone wants to see at the end of the trail.

You are able to swim in the pools of both waterfalls so it’s such a nice refreshment for the rest of your day. The trail is also very shaded so this would be a good hike to do on a hot and sunny day.

I would recommend wearing some kind of water shoe to hike in because there are several places where you walk across or through a stream of water. You probably won’t get through this hike with dry shoes!

I also want to note that there is a $10 parking fee to park at the trailhead. We didn’t see any way of getting out of it.

There are no other parking options near the trail. The parking lot does tend to fill up quickly so I’d recommend getting there as early as possible to avoid crowds on the trail and to secure a parking spot.

2. Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees (Mile marker #7)

These rainbow trees are not a stop you want to miss! They are such a unique type of tree that you can’t find in many other places in the world.

These trees are completely natural.

They shed their bark at various times throughout the year which reveals a green layer underneath. As the tree ages and is exposed to air, the green gradually turns into different colors. That’s how you get the purple, orange, red, and blue streaks on the trees. Pretty cool, huh?

The stop for the rainbow eucalyptus trees is right off the Hana Highway.

There is no designated parking spot, we just had to find a spot on the side of the road. It was a little challenging because a lot of people were trying to park. I imagine this spot is crowded most of the time.

You will really have to be paying attention to the mile markers as you’re driving because there is no sign telling you “stop here to see the rainbow trees!”

Once you come across mile marker 6, keep an eye out for number 7 because the rainbow trees are near.

You will probably be able to see them from the road. The colorful streaks painted up and down the trees are hard to miss!

Once you park feel free to explore the area and walk through all the trees to get an up close look.

3. Maui’s Garden of Eden Arboretum & Botanical Garden (Mile marker #10)

Maui’s Garden of Eden is such a beautiful stop. There are so many different things to see here so I thought it was worth the $20 admission fee (charged per person).

Plus, this money goes to help maintain the park so everyone can experience the natural beauty of Maui. I also love how this is a family run organization that is committed to preserving the landscape without the use of pesticides.

I am someone who really enjoys going to botanical gardens and learning about plants, especially native Hawaiian plants so this was a great experience for me.

Fruit trees, rainbow eucalyptus trees, orchids, and bamboo can all be seen here along with several other colorful exotic flowers and plants.

There’s viewpoints overlooking gorgeous waterfalls, and open areas where you can sit and gaze out into the Pacific Ocean.

On the south side of the park there is a small duck pond and bird feeding area where you can hangout with some birds who reside there. They have bird food you can get for a few quarters and many of the birds will come right up to you and eat out of your hand! I really enjoyed feeding them, they were all so cute!

There is also a gift shop/ art gallery that you can check out on your way into the park or on your way out. It was such a cute little place to spend some time viewing all the artwork made on the island. Photography prints, jewelry, ceramics, and hand-made soaps are just a few of the many items available for purchase.

There are walking trails throughout the park and in-between all the exhibits making it easily accessible to view all the different plant life in the park. The trails aren’t completely paved but the dirt is very packed down so there aren’t any loose rocks or gravel. It is easy to walk on.

Fun fact: a helicopter scene in the Jurassic Park movie was shot here! The photo below shows the rock named “Keōpuka Rock” now also known as “Jurassic Rock”, which was featured in the arrival scene of the movie.

4. Kaumahina State Wayside Park (Mile marker #12)

The Kaumahina State Wayside Park is a quick little stop where you can take in some beautiful views of the northern coast. You can walk right up to the overlook and gaze out at Maui’s beautiful coastline.

There are bathrooms on site which is nice because there aren’t very many places to use the restroom on the drive.

There are a few picnic tables scattered around as well. This is the perfect place to stop to stretch your legs and eat some lunch.

I also remember there being several stray cats that hangout around this area that were really friendly so getting to spend some time with cats was a plus for me at this stop.

5. Honomanu Bay (Mile marker #14)

Honomanu Bay is a beautiful bay surrounded by lush green rain forests. This is such a unique spot to visit, and there aren’t many places like this on the island.

The beach is made up of black sand and it is very rocky. The waves can be strong at times so this isn’t somewhere you will want to swim unless you are confident in your swimming abilities.

You will need a 4×4 vehicle to get to the beach or you can get there by foot. We just parked on the side of Hana Highway and walked down the road to the bay.

The road is very steep, has pot holes, and can get muddy after rain. We saw a few Jeeps driving down the road with no issues but there were also a lot of people walking down just like us.

The road is only a half mile one way so it’s doable to walk but obviously takes more time if you don’t have a 4×4.

6. Ke’anae Peninsula (Mile marker #16)

The Ke’anae Peninsula refers to the half mile long stretch of land that sticks out on Maui’s north coast. This is such an amazing area to explore. There’s beautiful lookouts, a gorgeous church which was built 150 years ago, and a small food stand.

When you arrive to the peninsula, there will be several spots to park overlooking the strong ocean waves crashing up onto the lava rocks. We parked at the first overlook where you will be in awe of the views you get of the coastline.

From this lookout point, you will be able to see a small food stand down the road.

Since the parking area can get a little crowded we decided to take a few minutes and walk down to the food stand which is named Aunty Sandys Banana Bread. As you can probably guess, this place is known for their banana bread. Along with the bread they also sell sandwiches, chili, smoothies, and much more. 

If you travel even further down the peninsula, you will stumble upon an old church building which was built in the 1850s.

A bit of history about the church: in 1946 a tsunami struck the island and the church was the only building left standing on the peninsula. The building was used as a school and tragically 4 teachers and 20 children lost their lives in the church by not evacuating for the tsunami. This church leaves you with a somber feeling and it makes you think about what life used to be like here.

6. Ke’anae Arboretum (Mile marker #16)

Also located on the peninsula, you’ll find the Ke’anae Arboretum. This arboretum is 6 acres full of tropical plants and is completely free! About a half mile after mile marker 16, you’ll see a sign for the entrance of the arboretum.

Along with a paved parking lot by the entrance there are paved walking trails throughout the park making a visit here easily accessible to everyone.

Here you’ll find a forest full of all different kinds of trees and plants such as: the rainbow eucalyptus trees, blue marble trees, taro, and banana plants.

If you are interested in botany and learning about different kinds of tropical plants, I recommend stopping by this arboretum.

7. Halfway to Hana Stand (Mile marker #17)

Not far from the arboretum you’ll come across the Halfway to Hana Stand. Incase you didn’t get enough banana bread at Aunty Sandy’s, then this stand has you covered! Open since 1982, you won’t want to miss this iconic rest stop on your drive.

They are mostly known for their famous banana bread but they do have several other food options for sale such as cheeseburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, ice cream, shaved ice, and more.

This destination also marks that you’re officially halfway to Hana! Congratulations you’ve completed half of the drive.

8. Pua’a Ka’a State Park (Mile marker #22 & #23)

The Pua’a Ka’a State Park is the perfect little stop to stretch your legs, use the bathroom, and even take a quick dip in a waterfall pool. There are shaded picnic tables scattered throughout the park if you need a place to sit, eat, and take in the scenic rainforest views.

The main attraction at this park is the large, picturesque waterfall right on the side of the road. There are a couple easy access points to get into the pool and swim but it does require walking on some slick rocks. I would recommend wearing shoes that you can get wet, or even going barefoot if you want to get in the pool.

Parking and entrance to the waterfall is completely free. When we went, this stop was pretty crowded so we didn’t stay long.

There were probably 10+ people swimming in the water. It’s a pretty big pool to swim in but to me it felt overcrowded. Nonetheless it’s a gorgeous spot but perhaps we just got there at a bad time/day.

9. Coconut Glen’s Ice Cream Truck (Mile marker #27)

Stopping at Coconut Glen’s Ice Cream Truck gave us just the fuel we needed to finish our drive to Hana. On a hot and sunny day like it was, this ice cream was perfect and definitely hit the spot.

This little ice cream truck was so cute but I especially loved it because their ice cream is made with coconut milk making all the flavors 100% vegan and dairy-free! I had the vanilla flavor and it was delicious but they had several other flavors to choose from.

Something to keep in mind is that they only take cash (as of March 2023) so make sure to have at least $10 on you to ensure you can get a few scoops of the ice cream. There is not an ATM on site.

10. Hana Lava Tube (Mile marker #31)

The Hana Lava Tube is a famous attraction on the drive and for good reason. This is the largest lava tube on the island of Maui. It is said to have formed nearly 1,000 years ago! They have self-guided tours which typically take about 40 minutes.

Lava tubes are formed when the top of a flowing lava river cools due to exposure to the cooler air temperatures above. As the top cools, it solidifies into black rock while the lava continues to flow underneath. The top eventually becomes the ceiling of the lava cave. As the eruption comes to an end and the lava flow ceases, the once flowing lava hardens to rock forming the shape of a tube.

The Hana Lava Tube is surely a unique attraction on the drive and they make it easy for all visitors to experience it. The walk through the tube is a 0.5 mile out and back trail. Besides the initial staircase descent into the cave, the trail is a flat and easy walk. There is even a hand rail for you to hold on to as you make your way through.

There is a fee for admission priced at $15 per person, but kids 5 and under are free. Included in that price is a flashlight so you can easily view all the lava rock formations.

This is one stop on this list that we didn’t actually go to. We drove by to check it out but turned back around after hearing the price. We didn’t think it was worth it to pay $15 for each of us to see a lava tube when we’ve both already seen quite a few after living on the Big Island for a few months prior to visiting Maui.

If you’ve never seen a lava tube before, I would definitely recommend you check this one out.

11. Wai’anapanapa State Park (Mile marker #32)

If you’re looking for rainforest jungle vibes with a gorgeous black sand beach while avoiding huge crowds, then a visit to Wai’anapanapa State Park is the stop for you. Since it’s a more popular stop, they only allow entry by reservation only.

Your reservation needs to be booked online in advance before you arrive to the park. They charge the following admission fees:

• $5 per person (for non-Hawaii residents)
• $10 per car to park

That means if you’re visiting the island, you will have to pay $15 total to enter the beach and to park.

It is on the pricier side, but this is truly a gorgeous, one of a kind place on the island.

You can click here to book your reservation.

This black sand beach is perfect to hangout at for a few hours while taking in the views of the teal ocean against the rocky coastline. There’s a few hiking trails to explore that all vary in mileage. Here’s some of my favorites:

Sea Caves & Black Sand Beach Trail– this short 0.6 mile hike will take you along the southern coast of Keawaiki Bay where you can explore some sea caves.

You are also able to view a sea arch formed by lava rock out in the ocean from this trail. It’s a nice, easy, and paved pathway perfect for everyone. You can even continue on along the coast heading east but prepare for the trail to be rocky.

Wai’anapanapa Coast Trail North– This hike is 2.3 miles round trip and it takes you along the northern coast of the bay. Less than a quarter mile from the trailhead you will stumble upon a blowhole.

A blowhole is compressed ocean water that shoots up from the pressure of the waves and into the air through a shaft made from lava rock. It’s an amazing phenomenon to witness. As you keep heading up along the coast after the blowhole, you’ll hike through lush forests and on top of lava rock. You’ll get such beautiful views of the beach and coastline.

12. Kaihalulu Beach a.k.a the Red Sand Beach (Mile marker #42)

This was probably my favorite attraction that we stopped at on the Road to Hana. It was the perfect way to end our day. Kaihalulu is the only red sand beach you’ll find in the state and one of the only few in the whole world! You will not want to miss this stop.

Technically this beach is on private property but there is no one enforcing this and no one hassled us about going. Thousands of tourists have visited this beach with no issues.

There is a little bit of a hike to access this beach but in my opinion it is 100% worth it. It is only a half mile round trip.

You will get the most amazing views of this little cove on the way to the beach. The red sand is so unique, this place really does not feel real! We truly saved the best for last on our drive to Hana.

I’ve actually written a whole guide to finding Kaihalulu Beach which has all the information on where to park, how to find the trail, and everything else you need to know about the beach. You can find that article here.

The Road to Hana is a must do when you’re visiting Maui. If you’re short on time, just pick out a few attractions that you want to do the most and go to where you can. The most important things to remember as you’re driving to Hana are:

• Respect the land & pack in what you pack out
• Park in designated spots only to avoid getting penalized for parking on private property
• It’s all about the journey, not the destination so enjoy each moment and really take in every moment on the way

Day 3- West Side of Island 

On our third and final day in Maui, we decided to head over to the western half of the island because we hadn’t had the chance to explore it yet.

Our destination we had in mind was the Nakalele Blowhole located up on Maui’s northern coast.

Nakalele Blowhole

Similar to the blowhole you can find at Wai’anapanapa State Park, the Nakalele Blowhole is created when compressed ocean water shoots up into the sky through a sea cave, which has grown vertically towards the land to form a shaft out of the rock. When a significant amount of pressure from the waves pushes up into the shaft it causes water to shoot out of the top forming the blowhole that we see above the rock.

The Nakalele Blowhole can shoot water up 100 feet into the air making this the largest blowhole in the world!

We were standing around the blowhole for about 20 minutes and witnessed some very strong water spouts but also a lot of smaller ones so you really just have to wait around for the big ones.

The hike to the blowhole is only 0.2 miles (one way) from the parking area so it’s a an easy stop to view this natural phenomenon.

The scenery in this part of the island is so gorgeous though, we ended up going off trail for awhile just exploring on the lava rock and taking in the views.

Getting to the blowhole takes a little over an hour drive from the airport.

This drive practically mirrors the Road to Hana because they both go right along the northern coastline.

In my opinion, the drive going to the blowhole was much more scenic (and dangerous) than driving to Hana. There were so many amazing views of the ocean and mountains, it was beautiful and I honestly enjoyed the scenery more than on the Road to Hana.

However, there were more sketchier spots; tighter corners and even narrower roads. Highway 340 is less traveled so we didn’t run into too many other people, but when a car was coming by in the opposite direction it was a little stressful. 

This shouldn’t discourage you from visiting the famous blowhole and the various attractions off this highway because it is very doable, but you will have to be cautious.

You can also get to the blowhole from the highway on the southern coast and drive through Lahaina but I never went this way so I can say what it’s like. 

Waterfall Hike: Makamakaole Stream: 13 Crossings

After spending a few hours at the blowhole, we started heading back down to central Maui to catch our 6 PM flight. We had some more time to kill so we ended up stopping spontaneously and doing this amazing hike to a few waterfalls.

The hike is right off Highway 340 and easy to miss if you aren’t looking for it. We just saw a bunch of cars parked on the side of the road and decided to stop to see what it was all about.

Come to find out it’s a hike called “Makamakaole Stream: 13 Crossings” and it’s a 2 mile round trip.

As its name suggests you cross a small stream about 13 times. There will be strategically placed rocks that will help you get across. Sometimes the rocks are a little slippery so you’ll have to be careful. Other than that this was a super fun hike!

I would recommend having water shoes with you because walking through the water in the stream might be easier than hopping from rock to rock in boots like we did.

There are two waterfalls on this hike that you have the option to see (or you can hike to both) we went to the furthest one and it was perfect for swimming. It was a beautiful waterfall cascading into a deep pool of water. 

Kanaha Pond State Wildlife Sanctuary

After our final hike, it was time to get closer to Kahului to catch our flight.

We made one last final stop at the Kanaha Pond State Wildlife Sanctuary. If you’re into bird watching or wildlife viewing like me, this is a great place to stop.

I saw so many different kinds of birds floating around on the ponds. Plus, it’s right next to the airport so it was nice to make one more quick stop before we had to depart. 

Budget Accommodations in Maui

Since my friend and I were both on tight budgets, we ended up really roughing this trip. I’m not going to lie, it was not very comfortable but we did save a lot of money.

In total I spent around $300 for the 3 days including my round trip flight, gas, food, our car, and any attractions we paid for.

The ways we managed to stay on the island is the definition of budget travel. We didn’t book a hotel or anywhere with a comfy bed to sleep in. We chose to sleep in our rental car.

We went grocery shopping right when we arrived and lived off of canned goods, prepackaged foods, and any food we could get from fruit stands around the island.

We had no where to cook so we made it work with only eating nonperishables and foods that didn’t have to be refrigerated.

Rental Car

We rented our car from a seller on Craigslist. We got a recommendation from a friend of ours who visited the island herself just a few weeks back. After reaching out to that same seller and asking him if he had any vehicles suitable for car camping, he offered us a 2009 Honda CR-V for a total of $150 for the 3 days.

My friend and I split the cost, so each of us only paid $75 for the rental car for the entire 3 days.

Since we rented the car through text and paid via Zelle, there were no extra fees applied to the car. We definitely got a deal!

I know this might not work for everyone, but if you’re looking for a cheap rental car on the island, maybe this will encourage you to think outside of the box a little more and look into other means of finding a rental other than the typical companies at the airport.

How We Slept in the Car

Unfortunately, the hostels on Maui were all booked out the dates we were visiting and we didn’t want to pay for a hotel room, thus resulting in us deciding to sleep in the car. Luckily, we were able to get an SUV that we could sleep in.

One person slept in the passenger seat with the seat reclined all the way down, and the other person slept in the backseat. We also brought a blanket and pillows with us in a checked bag on the flight.

It sounds just as comfortable as it was. We managed to get at least 5 hours or so of sleep each night so it was good enough.

If you have a set up like this all you need is a little melatonin and you’re good to go!

Where We Camped

I want to note that car camping in Walmart parking lots or anywhere that isn’t a designated campground is NOT LEGAL on the island of Maui. So don’t think you can just sleep anywhere in your car because you most likely will get busted by the police and told to leave.

So, we managed to snag a campsite at the National Park for only $5 when using my America the Beautiful Pass. We made our reservation online days before we got to the park. The campground we stayed at was called Hosmer Grove Campground in the summit district. You can check their availability here. The campgrounds in the park all have pit toilets available.

We were only able to reserve the site for one night so our second night we ended up booking a spot on Airbnb where we could park the car and sleep overnight.

This spot on Airbnb was basically just land on someone’s property that we could park for the night and legally sleep in the car. This place was $50 for a night and had no amenities except for a few port-a-potties. It did have a pretty nice view though, and it worked for us.

That will conclude my Maui 3 day itinerary! I hope you were able to get some inspiration from this article and ideas on things to do on this beautiful island. Thank you for reading!