7 Day Maui Itinerary for Families - The Minivan Bucket List

Maui, Hawaii is one of the most exquisite places on earth. However, it can also be very expensive! So, we are here to help you have the experience of a lifetime, but on a dime. Whether it is for family-friendly fun or a romantic getaway, you can have an exceptional vacation with affordable adventures. Here is your 7 day Maui itinerary for the best beaches, the best places to eat, the best places to stay and the best things to do on Maui.

2023 UPDATE:

Our hearts go out to the people in Lahaina who lost their homes and loved ones in the 2023 fire. Such a devastating tragedy! We love Maui and the Hawaiian people and feel that people continuing to visit will support them and help them rebuild. There are thousands of businesses that rely on tourism and they can’t help their fellow Maui residents if they also lose their livelihoods.

When you do visit, just be sensitive to their pain and suffering. Consider bringing items to donate, volunteering your time, and be sure to stay away from Lahaina. That side of the island will reopen to tourists someday soon. The rest of Maui is still open and as you’ll see has some amazing adventures in store.

When to go to Maui

The cheapest time to go to save money on flights and hotel is the first week of November. But you can find deals Mar-May and Sept-Nov.

Best Places to Stay on Maui

West Maui is the more developed and sunnier/drier side of the island, so we recommend staying on that side. Wailea and Kihei are less crowded and quiet while Kaanapali is more upbeat and urbanized.

Best Options for Luxury and Location

(disclaimer: these hotels are fairly expensive normally but you can use and earn Marriott points or go during the low season Feb-May or Sept-Nov. see post below). Travel Hack your Hawaii trip to Save Thousands

Marriott Wailea Beach Resort
(From $499 per night or use points for Free night stays).
Marriott Residence Inn at Wailea (from $379 per night or use points for free nights)
Sheraton Maui Resort and spa at Kaanapali (from $436 per night or use points for free nights)

Apply here for a Marriott Bonvoy card for 3 Free Nights worth up to 35,000 points per night

Book a stay at Marriott Wailea Beach Resort

Most Affordable Options

Courtyard Marriott Kahului (from $275 per night or use points for free nights)
Condos in Kihei on Maui Condo Homes (from $119 per night).

Best food on Maui

Best Breakfast on Maui

Kihei cafe $
Maui Bread Bakery $
Ka’ana Kitchen $$$
Honolulu Coffee Wailea $

Best Lunch and Dinner on Maui

Paia Fish Market $$
Maui Food Trucks Kihei $
Monkey Pod Kitchen $$
Mama’s Fish House $$$
Honu Seafood and Pizza$$
Milagro’s $
Dirty Monkey $$

Best Desserts on Maui

Leoda’s Pies $
Ululani’s Shave Ice $
Island Cream Co. $
WOW WOW Hawaii Lemonade $
Maui Bread Bakery $
T. Kamowda Bakery $
Monkey Pod Kitchen $$
Sugar Beach Bake Shop $

7 day Maui Itinerary

Stay in Wailea or Kihei

Day 1 of 7 Day Maui Itinerary: Arrival and Sunset at Kihei Beach

The first day is usually busy as most flights arrive in the afternoon. It’s a good time to stock up on groceries, unpack, check into the resort etc. Head to Kihei beach to unwind from a long day of travel with an amazing sunset. Get some delicious food truck dinner or dessert like shave ice or pies from Maui Pies to enjoy on the beach. Food trucks usually line up on Kihei Rd.

Day 2 of 7 Day Maui Itinerary: Kihei Beach, Resort and Iao Valley

Start the morning with coconut macadamia nut french toast from Kihei Cafe. Then, head to the ocean. Kihei is a wonderful beach for families or couples. There is plenty of parking and the sand is soft with perfect waves and amenities nearby like grassy area and showers. You’re walking distance from food trucks, the ABC store, places to rent paddle-boards or surf boards. We recommend hanging out in the morning at the beach as afternoons generally get gusty. We hung out at the resort in the afternoon.

Iao Valley

In the late afternoon for an affordable adventure, we rented scooters for $70 per scooter compared to scooter tours which cost $300 per person). We then drove the scooters to Iao Valley for hiking and exploring. Iao Valley looks a lot like the Na Pali coast in Kauai and reminded us of the lush topography of the movie, Jurassic Park. The many waterfalls are alone worth the drive. We loved the view points and the giant coconuts we found randomly along the trail.

Day 3 of 7 Day Maui Itinerary: Makena Beach, Oneuli black sand beach

Grab some Guava or coconut pineapple bread for breakfast at Maui Bread company. and take it to the beach. Makena Beach is also another beautiful spot to try in Wailea. The surf can get really crazy so it’s a great place to boogie board or surf. There is a lot of natural shade and amazing banyan trees. Once again, it is best to visit in the morning for a more calm experience.

Oneuli Beach

If you don’t want to drive the Road to Hana for a black sand beach, there is a hidden gem nestled just north of Makena called Oneuli beach. It is at the end of a long and bumpy road, sort of off the beaten path. I would recommend using a GPS to get there. The beach was quiet in a cove, clean and had sea turtles and other sea life galore. We used scooters to get there and it felt like a grand adventure. Grabbing lunch at Paia Fish or dinner Monkey Pod is never a bad idea.

Day 4 of 7 Day Maui Itinerary: Snorkel Cruise Molokini and Resort

We love affordable excursions, but this one is more of a splurge. We went through Maui Classic Charters and it’s about $105 per person if you book online and $75 for kids. Groupon also has deals from time to time. However, because we rarely pay for our hotel and flights due to travel hacking, we have room in the budget for bucket list adventures. Snorkeling Molokini on a cruise is a must on Maui. Between the boat ride out there, the sea turtles, the clear water at the crater or meals on the cruise, it is worth every penny. We even got a glass bottom boat for our kids who were pretty young to snorkel on their own.

Day 5 of 7 Day Maui Itinerary: Kaanapali Side of the Island

2023 Update: Due to the fire that destroyed Lahaina, this side of the island is not currently open to tourists. We are keeping this on our blog as a cherished family memory of a place we’ll never be able to visit again. Lahaina and its people will always hold a special place in our hearts.

If you fly all the way to Maui and choose not to stay in Kaanapali, then you at least need to visit it for a day. Whether it’s snorkeling Black Rock, chilling at Kaanapali beach, shopping at Whaler’s Village or seeing the famous banyan tree, you won’t be disappointed. Plus, grab a coconut cream pie at Leoda’s Pies before you head back to your resort.

Baby Beach in Lahaina

Another hidden gem in Lahaina is Baby Beach. This place had the calmest waves and was perfect for our littles to play in the sand and sea without worry of a dangerous riptide. The water was clear and shallow. Our kids enjoyed walking out really far into the ocean because they could reach. Not to mention, Baby Beach is a great place to spot rainbows fairly often.

Day 6 of 7 Day Maui Itinerary: Road to Hana and Halfway to Hana Banana Bread

Begin the day by downloading the Shaka Guide App for $15. It gives you a GPS enabled self-guided tour from the beginning of the drive to Hana. The app also provides helpful information on when to stop as well as fun historical facts and native music as you drive.
Our favorite stops:

Ho’Okipa Beach: Dozens of beached sea turtles
Twin Falls: Giant waterfalls when it rains
The lava tube: Underground lava tube
Aunty Sandy’s: banana bread at Halfway to Hana
The black sand beach at Wai’anapanapa State Park.

If you keep going past Hana, you can swim at Seven Sacred Pools and hike through a bamboo forest to a massive waterfall on the Pipiwa’i Trail. We didn’t make it that far with our small kids, so we’ll have to cross it off the bucket list some other time. On the way back, we stopped at some roadside food stands and ate grilled chicken, drank fresh coconut water, and admired the pigs wandering around freely.

Day 7 of 7 Day Maui Itinerary: Bike Haleakala, surf or Paddleboard at Kihei, Luau in Wailea

Bike Haleakala

If you have time or money left, do a sunrise bike ride down Haleakala. You can find self-guided tours for $190 if you book online.

Surf in Kihei and Te Au Moana Luau at Marriott Beach Resort in Wailea

Our kids loved learning how to surf in Kihei. We used to live in California so we knew how to surf and teach them. We rented a surf board for $30 a day from Surf Shack.

Te Au Moana is the best Luau on Maui. The pig is cooked in the ground to perfection, the poi taro rolls are to die for and the dancing and ambience is as Hawaiian as it gets. This Luau is $173.00 per person. but if you want to get a discount on other luaus, keep your eyes peeled at Costco or Groupon

Thanks for reading. We hope you found this 7 day Maui itinerary helpful for all the best tips for Maui! Wishing you safe travels. Please share or subscribe!

Our family is on a mission to experience the best affordable, kid-friendly adventures in the US help other families create lasting memories in the process. You can follow us on Instagram @theminivanbucketlist or check out our Hawaii Bucket List for a list of the top kid-friendly adventures in the Aloha State across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island.