Best Road to Hāna Stops

Before You Start

Eat early, download your maps and assume phone service will disappear.

Pāʻia is the natural starting point. Pāʻia Corner Café opens at 6:00 a.m. for coffee, matcha and açaí bowls. Pāʻia Bay Coffee & Bar is a better choice for a heartier breakfast, while Mana Foods is useful for grab-and-go snacks and breakfast burritos. If you are already into Haʻikū, Jaws Country Store is one of our favorite early roadside food stops.

Phone service starts getting unreliable around Twin Falls. You may pick up service around Keʻanae, Hāna Farms typically offers complimentary Wi-Fi, and Hāna town is the next place where you can reasonably expect service. Download your route before you leave.

Hoʻokipa Lookout

A quick early stop if the surfers are out — but do not let it eat the morning.

Watch from the overlook, and if you want turtles, drive down to the beach park and look toward the north end. This is still North Shore, so think of it as the opening scene rather than the first Hāna attraction.

Deciding whether to drive or go with a guide? See Road to Hāna: Drive Yourself vs. Guided Tour.

Twin Falls

Worth it when you want an easy waterfall stop early; easy to skip on a full Kīpahulu day (Pools of ʻOheʻo).

Twin Falls currently opens at 7:10 a.m., with last entry at 4:30 p.m. The first Saturday of each month is reserved for Hawaiʻi residents, so out-of-state visitors cannot enter that day. Parking is managed on site and there is no roadside parking.

Rainbow Eucalyptus Grove / Commando Hike Area

Enjoy the trees from the road unless close-up photos are important; the hike is a separate adventure.

Between mile markers 6 and 7, the rainbow eucalyptus are obvious on the makai (ocean) side. Many parked cars are there for the strenuous trail commonly called the Commando Hike. We would not add that hike to a normal Road to Hāna day; it deserves its own half-day and is better with a guide.

Maui’s Garden of Eden Arboretum

The better stop if you want to slow down and actually walk among the tropical plants.

At mile marker 10.5, Garden of Eden is one of the few paid roadside attractions we think can justify the time for plant lovers. It is currently open daily 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. and gives you maintained trails, rainbow eucalyptus and a much better look at East Maui flora than a roadside shoulder.

Keʻanae Peninsula

One of our must-stops: shoreline, taro country, restrooms and a true East Maui feel.

Turn off between mile markers 16 and 17 and drive all the way down. The coastline is dramatic, the setting feels exactly like the Road to Hāna you imagined, and it is a good place to stretch your legs and use the restroom.

Aunty Sandy’s is famous for banana bread, but we would not burn an hour in a long line. There are plenty of good banana-bread and snack options farther down the road.

Wailua Valley State Wayside

A quick view if the tiny lot is open; keep moving if it is stacked up.

Just past mile marker 18, this is a fast look into the valley. About a mile farther is another makai-side pullout with a broader ocean view and often less congestion.

Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside

Our favorite easy waterfall stop on the road, especially with kids.

This is one of the few places where stopping for a waterfall actually makes sense: legal parking, facilities and easy access. Along with Twin Falls, it is your best chance for an accessible waterfall-and-pool experience. After heavy rain, treat the water cautiously. Get there early because it can get crowded.

Where to Eat Along the Road

The food stops are part of the day — and some are better reasons to stop than another waterfall.

Coconut Glen’s

One of our favorite stops on the entire drive.

Around mile marker 27.5, the dairy-free coconut-milk ice cream is genuinely refreshing and worth a short line. Banana bread and fresh coconuts are also usually available.

Nāhiku Marketplace

A useful coffee, lunch or refreshment stop when you hit it at the right time.

Around mile marker 29, the mix can include Hawaiian BBQ, pizza, coffee and chilled coconuts. Prices have climbed, so we think of it as a convenience stop more than a destination.

Hāna Farms Roadside Stand

Good food, local products, restrooms and one of the most useful connectivity stops before town.

Just after mile marker 31, Hāna Farms sells local produce, baked goods and Hāna-made products. The stand is currently open daily; the Bamboo Hale serves farm-to-table food, and pizza is currently a Friday offering. Complimentary Wi-Fi is another useful reason to stop after long stretches of unreliable service.

Waiʻānapanapa State Park

Beautiful and worth seeing if you already have the reservation — but not a reason to wreck the day if you do not.

Nonresidents need advance entry and parking reservations. Current state information lists 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. hours, $5 per nonresident visitor and $10 per nonresident vehicle. Reservations open 30 days ahead. If you do not get one, move on; East Maui has plenty left.

Hāna Town and Beyond

Do not turn around the moment you reach Hāna. Some of the best parts of the day start here.

Hāna Coast Gallery / Hāna Hotel

Fine art, a restroom reset and a chance to slow the day down.

This is an easy town stop before heading toward the bay or food trucks. Park legally in the area and take a few minutes to browse rather than treating Hāna like a turnaround sign.

Hāna Bay

One of our favorite places on Maui to feel the local character of Hāna.

Drive down to the pier even if you do not get out. You will see local families, paddlers, fishermen and visitors sharing the bay in a way that feels more like Hāna than almost any roadside attraction. The county park currently lists daily hours of 7:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m., restrooms, showers, picnic areas and water.

Hāna Food Trucks – Central

Our favorite coffee stop in Hāna and one of the easiest places to feed a group.

Thai Food by Pranee

One of our favorite Thai meals on Maui.

If the line is long, the nearby food-truck areas give you backup options without losing the afternoon.

Hāna Food Trucks – South of town

Another useful cluster, with surprisingly good Mexican among the options.

Hāna Ranch Restaurant

Not our food-first pick, but a comfortable sit-down reset if you want a table or a game on TV.

Koki Beach

A required scenic detour in our version of Hāna — but not where we send beginners to swim.

Turn onto Haneoʻo Road a couple of miles beyond town. You can enjoy the setting without leaving the car, and the next food stop is one of the best on the island.

Huli Huli Chicken at Koki

Our favorite huli huli chicken on Maui, in one of the best settings.

If it is open, stop. This is the kind of food-and-place combination MauiBookIt exists to point people toward.

Hamoa Beach

Our favorite beach on Maui — and the stop most likely to change the rest of your day.

Park along the road and take the stairs down. There are showers but no full public restroom facilities. Hamoa can be wonderful for swimming when conditions are calm, and its natural afternoon shade is unusual for Maui. If the shorebreak looks strong, enjoy it from the sand.

Wailua Falls

One of the few bridge-side waterfalls where we are comfortable telling you to stop for a quick photo.

Most waterfalls seen directly from the highway are not worth unsafe parking or crowding a bridge. Wailua Falls is the exception in our book when there is a legal space. Be respectful; locals often spend time here.

Kīpahulu / Pools of ʻOheʻo / Pīpīwai Trail

A real destination, not one more stop.

Kīpahulu is where you commit to the national park. The Pīpīwai Trail is 4 miles round trip with about 800 feet of elevation change. The Pools of ʻOheʻo are not open for swimming; view them from the Kūloa Point Trail. A $30 private-vehicle pass is valid for three days and also covers the Haleakalā summit district.

If You Continue Around the Back Side

We like the full loop when conditions, your rental agreement and your driving experience all line up.

Charles Lindbergh’s Grave

Interesting, quiet and easy to skip if the day is already long.

Laulima Farm & Fruit Stand

A good coffee, fruit and refreshment stop before the landscape opens up.

Kaupō General Store Site

A useful mile-marker reference even though the store is no longer open.

Around mile marker 32, a few miles beyond the old store, Kaupō opens into some of the most dramatic scenery on Maui. Pull off only where it is clearly safe. Side roads here can wash out and quickly become 4WD territory; this is not where you want a flat tire without service.

The back side should never be treated as automatic. Check current road conditions and your rental agreement before committing, and if you are uncomfortable with narrow, rough or exposed stretches, return the way you came.

Practical Tips

Leave early. Crowds, parking and weather all get harder as the day goes on.

Skip roadside waterfalls that require stopping on bridges, blind corners or obvious no-parking areas.

Download maps before Twin Falls and keep a paper or screenshot backup.

Let local traffic pass. This is a neighborhood and a working road, not a theme park.

If a parking area is full, move on. The next good stop is never far away.

One Last Tip

Save something for Hāna. The day gets better when you stop treating Hāna town as the finish line and start treating it as the beginning of East Maui.

Plan it day by day: One-Day Road to Hāna Itinerary, Two-Day Road to Hāna and East Maui Itinerary and Three-Plus-Day Hāna and East Maui Itinerary.

How many stops should I plan on the Road to Hāna?

Plan five to seven meaningful stops on the Road to Hāna rather than fifteen. The best day is not the one with the most pins — leave room for food, Hāna Bay and Hamoa instead of spending the whole day getting in and out of the car.

Where should I eat before I start?

Pāʻia is the natural starting point. Pāʻia Corner Café opens at 6:00 a.m. for coffee, matcha and açaí bowls, Pāʻia Bay Coffee & Bar is the better choice for a heartier breakfast, and Mana Foods is useful for grab-and-go. If you are already into Haʻikū, Jaws Country Store is one of our favorite early roadside stops.

Where does phone service stop working?

Service starts getting unreliable around Twin Falls. You may pick some up around Keʻanae, Hāna Farms typically offers complimentary Wi-Fi, and Hāna town is the next place you can reasonably expect service. Download your route before you leave.

Is Twin Falls open every day?

It currently opens at 7:10 a.m. with last entry at 4:30 p.m., but the first Saturday of each month is reserved for Hawaiʻi residents, so out-of-state visitors cannot enter that day. Parking is managed on site and there is no roadside parking.

Do I need a reservation for Waiʻānapanapa?

Nonresidents need advance entry and parking reservations. Current state information lists 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. hours, $5 per nonresident visitor and $10 per nonresident vehicle, with reservations opening 30 days ahead. If you do not get one, move on — East Maui has plenty left.

Should I continue around the back side through Kaupō?

Continue around the back side through Kaupō only when conditions, your rental agreement and your driving experience all line up. There are rough, narrow and exposed stretches and side roads that can wash out, so check current road conditions first and return the way you came if you are uncomfortable.