Best Road to Hana Stops

The beautiful Road to Hana is a 64 mile stretch of road connecting Kahului to Hana with many sightseeing opportunities. The Road to Hana has over 600 curves, 59 bridges, and countless scenic views! With so many beautiful spots, it can feel overwhelming to choose where to stop. We’ve got you covered with the best Road to Hana stops including where to stay, where to eat, and what to see!

Responsible Recreation on the Road to Hana

Before driving the Road to Hana, please be a respectful traveller by following these rules

• respect signage
• don’t enter private property or park illegally
• wear reef-safe sunscreen
• wash your hiking boots after hiking
• respect wildlife from a distance
• don’t carve into bamboo
• wear hiking shoes or hiking sandals with good traction
• bring waterproof gear for hikes
• check beach safety conditions online before swimming or snorkeling
• research current trail conditions and stay on trail
• as always, leave no trace

There are a plethora of hiking and sightseeing stops on the Road to Hana, but below you’ll find our favorites. We highly recommend staying overnight in Hana if you like photography and/or hiking as you’ll be under a time crunch if you don’t stay overnight in Hana.

Throughout the entire drive, we used Gypsy Guide to tell us about the area and having a guide definitely added to our experience! Gypsy Guide will also tell you which areas are accessible and okay to park as there are many places on the Road to Hana that are private property or dangerous.

Best Road to Hana Stops

Stop 1 – Booch and Coco

The best coffee we had on our whole trip to Maui was at Booch and Coco! They also offer delicious smoothies, breakfast bowls, and acai bowls. 

Stop 2 – Twin Falls

Twin Falls is a must stop in our opinion! You can hike to 3 beautiful waterfalls and swim in each one too. There is a cost of $10/vehicle here. See our complete guide to Twin Falls here.

Stop 3 – Garden of Eden Arboretum

Open 8 am – 4 pm daily, the Garden of Eden Arboretum is a beautiful botanical garden. A bit expensive at $20/person, but it’s definitely worth the price! There are hiking trails and we would definitely recommend walking around the beautiful grounds. The on site cafe that is closed on Saturdays. We spent about an hour and a half here.

Stop 4 – Keʻanae Peninsula

See huge waves crash on the shore and pick up a slice of banana bread at the famous Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread.

Stop 5 – Ke’anae Arboretum

Located right next to the turnout for the Ke’anae Peninsula is the Ke’anae Arboretum. At the Ke’anae Arboretum, you can get up close and personal with the beautiful rainbow eucalyptus trees. There are short trails to see other native plants here as well. Expect to spend 30 minutes to 1 hour here.

Stop 6 – Pua’a Ka’a Falls

This is a great place to stop if you’re interested in swimming as there is a short trail to a waterfall and swimming hole, a large parking area, and public restrooms.

Stop 7 – Coconut Glen

Don’t miss Coconut Glen’s, amazing coconut milk ice cream!

Stop 8 – Hana Farms

Take a break at Hana Farms for lunch and to buy some local goods.

Stop 9 – Poke Bob’s

Poke Bob’s in Hana was delicious. Poke Bob’s is located in Hana in a food truck plaza with lots of different options for food!

Stop 10 – Wai’anapanapa State Park

A must-see, Wai’anapanapa State Park is home to a beautiful black sand beach, coastal trail, and even a cave you can explore. This is a popular park and timed entry reservations are required. The reservations open 1 month in advance.

Stop 11 – Wailua Falls

Our favorite waterfall we saw on the Road to Hana was Wailua Falls! If you take the short trail to the base of the waterfall, be very careful as it’s often muddy and very slick. I would not attempt to hike to the base with recent rain.

Stop 12 – Hana Ranch

End the night with dinner at Hana Ranch. We were impressed with the variety of dishes offered here.

Stop 13 – Hamoa Beach

Our second day started early with sunrise at Hamoa Beach. This is a popular beach and parking may be a struggle if you go during the day, but you might be the only person there for sunrise! The water lit up red and it ended up being our most beautiful sunrise of the trip. Be sure to wear reef safe sunscreen if you go swimming here and anywhere in Hawaii in general.

Stop 14 – Pipiwai Trail and Seven Sacred Pools at Hakeakala National Park

Located in the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park, the Pipiwai trail is a must do if you love hiking. You’ll hike through a huge bamboo forest to the beautiful roaring Waimoku Falls. The hike is 4 miles and takes 2-3 hours. Be cautious with rain as it can be muddy and slick. Hiking boots with good traction and waterproof gear are a must! We got poured on.

After the hike, you have the option to drive back to Kahului via the way you came or through the “Backside” of Road to Hana. The back road to Hana (Piilani Highway) goes from Kipahulu to Ulupalakua and has many blind corners, a stretch of dirt road, and is not allowed under some rental car insurances. Be sure to check with your rental car company!

That’s it for the best Road to Hana stops! There are so many more incredible stops, but you won’t go wrong with these. We had the best day and a half driving this road and will remember it forever.