Picking an island to visit on your Hawaiian vacation is like picking a holiday shaped Reese’s… you kind of can’t go wrong, they’re all great. But if you’re planning your trip and you’ve decided you’ve got to hit up The Valley Isle, I’ve got a 4-day Maui itinerary that will allow you to experience so much of the variety of beauty Maui has to offer, and in just 4 days! Can you believe it? You should! So let me help you plan 4 magical days in Maui.
The Short Version of my 4-Day Maui Itinerary
- Day 1 – Haleakala National Park for hiking and sunrise/sunset
- Day 2 – Drive around northern/western Maui
- Day 3 – Road to Hana
- Day 4 – Snorkeling and whale watching
Check out my Amazon Beach Trip List for lots of cute beach gear needed for your sunrise trip to the Phi Phi Islands
The Long Version of My 4-Day Maui Itinerary
Day 1 – Haleakala National Park
No good 4 day Maui itinerary – or any number of days itinerary in fairness – is complete without spending a day at Haleakalā National Park. This park is well known for its unique and incredible sunrise, which requires a reservation. Don’t fret night owls; sunset is an absolute dream too if you can’t make sunrise. There are incredible views everywhere so if hiking isn’t your thing then no worries because you’ll have plenty of places to stop along the drives up and down. If you are a hiker though then get your gear and head down into the crater because it’s a hike you’ll never forget. I spent a full day in the park and it was one of my favorite days from the entire trip and a must for any Maui 4 day itinerary.
Day 2 – Northern and Western Maui Drive
On day two of our 4 days in Maui we decided we wanted to check out some other gorgeous parts of the island we weren’t going to be staying in or already traveling to. You’ll need a rental car for this, and honestly you should have one for this 4-day Maui itinerary anyway. We started in Kihei and made a loop stopping at the following scenic points:
- Banyan Tree Block in Lahaina to check out the city block sized Banyan Tree
- Makaluapuna Point aka Dragon’s Teeth to see the uniquely shaped rocks along the coastline
- Honoloa Bay to watch surfers catching waves
- Nakalele Blowhole to see water shoot up through the rocks like a geyser every few seconds
- Ohai Trail Loop for a gorgeous, green hike out to some beautiful coastal views
Day 3 – Road to Hana
The Road to Hana makes every “top things to do in Maui” list, whether it’s a 4 day Maui itinerary, a week, or a single day. The drive is beautiful with unique stops such as black and red sand beaches to the countless waterfalls. It’s typically pretty full of tourists, but if you leave early enough in the morning and get ahead of the traffic you’ll have a lot of the day to yourself. You can turn the Road to Hana into a single day event or a multi-day event. I definitely recommend planning this day rather than winging it because there are SO many amazing stops. To get you started, here are my five favorite Road to Hana stops and also 10 Road to Hana planning tips to make sure you’re not stressed the whole day. If you plan it right, this will end up being one of your favorite days of your 4 days in Maui, I can almost guarantee it.
Day 4 – Snorkeling and Whale Watching
Maui is known for having some of the best snorkeling of the Hawaiian islands so getting a day in the water is absolutely a top thing to do in Maui. And a huge bonus is that Maui is right along the whale migration route. We did a snorkeling and whale watching trip that I’d HIGHLY recommend. Within about five minutes we saw a whale pretty close but of course didn’t catch a photo because we’re pretty sure we woke it up from a little nap. Then, we continued on our way over to Lanai to snorkel around the reef, followed by a second spot that was a haven for sea turtles. Some of my favorite snorkeling ever, and a perfect day to add to your 4 day Maui itinerary.
So there you have it; a 4-day Maui itinerary with a little bit of all of the best things to do on Maui. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns! And if you want to follow along on my trip, check out my Maui Highlight reel. And if you want more Hawaii recommendations and tips, check out my other Hawaii blogs.
Pin the Perfect 4-Day Maui Itinerary For Later
Maui looks beautiful! And this sounds like a wonderful itinerary. I am visiting Hawaii for the first time this April (we are going to Oahu) but I will definitely save this if we ever make it to Maui!
Oooh I also have a friend who has been to Oahu multiple times! If you shoot me a DM on Insta or a message via my contact form I can try and hook you two up!
wow! That looks gorgeous. Maui i on my bucket list…have never been!. I would definitely be interested in both the sunrise and sunset. Also the snorkeling. Actually, everything you list sounds spectacular. Pinned for my future trip! Thank you.
It’s incredible! You’ll seriously love it. I loved the variety of things that little island can provide. You can do amazing hiking and amazing snorkeling back to back. I loved it! Holler if you have any questions. 🙂
This is such a great itinerary! I was in Maui a few months ago and we hit most of these highlights so I totally agree these are the best places to see 🧡
Yesss! Did you love the trip or what?!
This is such a great itinerary! I was in Maui a few months ago and we hit most of the spots so I can attest to making sure you hit all these highlights! Ugh I want to go back!! (reposting comment as it doesn’t appear to have gone through)
Oh I feel you, I already want to go back as well!
Beautiful pictures and a great itinerary saved on Pinterest for future trips
Thank you so much!
Such a beautiful place! can’t wait to travel again. Thank you for the great itinerary. Have pinned it.
You’re so welcome, I hope it will come in handy some day!
Exactly what I was looking for! Hope we can travel soon and I can visit this place. Looks absolutely magical and sounds like you had a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Oh perfect I’m so glad! And yes I had an absolute blast. It’s an amazing little island. 🙂
This is absolutely perfect because I literally just planned a trip to Hawaii in March. We’re spending 5 days in Oahu and 5 days in Maui. I cannot wait to see all of these amazing spots. 🙂
Ahhhh yes! This will be perfect then for you! Let me know if you have any other questions as you’re planning more, I’m happy to help!
Maui is so beautiful! Anytime I can check out the ocean and sea life, I am happy
AMEN!
I haven’t been to Maui yet, but if it’s as beautiful as the other parts of Hawaii I’ve been to then I can’t wait to go one day. The sunsets are incredible, and love all your helpful tips.
Yes you’ll need to add it to the list! And totally agree, Hawaiian sunsets are an absolute dream.
Sounds wonderful! I like the mix of hiking and water activities. We love snorkeling but it’s nice to get out of the water sometimes! And I’m always a fan of visiting national parks! Thanks for the itinerary!
Yes that’s how I am! I love a little variety out of anywhere I’m traveling, so I like to mix up activities. 🙂
Your pictures are amazing! I have been slowly planning an adventure to Hawaii and this will be super helpful in planning my time in Maui!
Aw thank you so much! And holler at me if you need anything or have questions when you’re planning – happy to help. 🙂
Wow Maui looks so incredible!! It is on my bucket list for this year, so I really hope I’m able to go! Saving this post for when I plan my itinerary 🙂
Ooh yes you’ll love it! It will live up to your expectations. 🙂
This looks amazing! I love that you can hike one day, snorkel the next, and then go on a road trip. So much to do in such a compact area!
Yesss that’s my favorite too! I love the variety of activities. 🙂
One of our favorite places in the world! Lovely post. Beautiful photos! Can’t wait to visit again.
Thank you so much!
I haven’t been to Maui in a long time and really want to go back. I love how gorgeous Hawaii is. Haleakala National Park and the Road to Hana are the two big things I would like to do.
Oooh Haleakala was an incredible day, and about the coolest hike I’ve ever been on. I’ve got a blog dedicated to my day there if you want to check it out!
I would so, so love to go here again someday! There are so many gorgeous places to visit! <3 Your photos are beautiful! This sounds like the perfect itinerary (I feel like I'd have a hard time leaving after just 4 days though! :P)
Can’t wait to swim with the turtles! What camera did you use for the underwater stuff?
SO many sea turtles it’ll be amazing! This was actually with a GoPro Hero 5 but I’ve just upgraded to the 9. 🙂 The 5 clearly takes great shots though as well.
This 4-Day Maui Itinerary is incredibly helpful. You’ve really thought through everything you need to know before planning a trip. Thank you for this helpful resource. Saving this guide for later!