The beautiful island of Maui can be experienced at little to no cost if you pick and choose the right activities during your Hawaii vacation. Here are a variety of free and very inexpensive things to do on the majestic Valley Isle.
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Arts & Crafts
Lahaina Art Night takes place every Friday night in Lahaina town. Many artists are available to talk with as you stroll through the galleries, some of which offer free refreshments as well as live music.
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If you like arts and crafts then also visit Auntie Aloha’s Hawaiian Hut at Kihei’s Maui Lu Resort. About fifty Hawaiian craftspersons and artists show their work and many arts and crafts making takes place right before your eyes. The Hawaiian Hut is open from Mon-Fri from 9am-2pm.
Nature Activities
Driving to Heavenly Hana is one of Maui’s must-do activities. This long and winding road to Hana goes around around the east side of the island where the sights vary between rainforest waterfalls and panoramic coastal views.
Just before the town of Hana are the lava arches and rugged coastline of Waianapanapa State Park. Beyond Hana is Oheo Gulch which features Seven Sacred Pools and the Bamboo Forest in the lower portion of Haleakala National Park.
Haleakala National Park at the summit of the 10,000-foot volcano is a stunning place to visit. The cost is just $10 per car to get into the park which features hiking trails, star gazing programs, stunning crater views and panoramas over the island of Maui as well as neighboring islands.
Visit Iao Valley: An easy hike leads you through the historic and culturally important Iao Valley. You will get a great view of the landmark Iao Needle and can even take a swim in the stream.
Tedeschi Vineyard is a great place to visit for a tour of the vineyard and also wine tasting. If you really like the wine you can purchase some to take home with you. The tasting room is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Call 808-878-6058 for more information.
Historical Locations
For a historical perspective stop by the Bailey House Museum (808-244-3326). This old missionary home is surrounded by gardens and includes various cultural artifacts. Admission is $5 and kids ages 7-12 are $1 and younger kids are free.
Hale Paahao, the Lahaina Prison in the 1800s during the whaling era, is a must-stop in Lahaina. The historic coral structure still exhibits the ball and chain restraints and shackles that were used on the unruly whalers, and there were many of them who stayed here over the years. Hale Paahao is open from Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm.
Hale Pai, the Printing House, is another interesting historical location in Lahaina town. The site was used by the Lahainaluna Seminary beginning in 1831. The restored building features a replica of the original printing press. Hale Pai is open from Mon-Fri from 10am-4pm.
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Marine Sanctuary’s
Check out the Maui Ocean Center (808-270-7000) if you enjoy seeing Hawaii’s marine life in huge ocean aquariums. The Center also features talks by naturalists and a nice restaurant and gift shop. Admission is $18.00 for adults and $12.00 for children.
Snorkeling on Maui is one of the island’s most popular activities. While snorkeling is free, if you don’t have your own snorkeling gear it will cost you a relatively small amount of money to rent it. Then the ocean is your playground. Maui has lots of great snorkeling sites including Honolua Bay and the world-class Molokini Crater off Maui’s south shore.
Visit the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Center to see whale artifacts as well as educational exhibits about humpback whales. Lectures are offered periodically, and there are also some great marine murals. The Humpback Whale Sanctuary is open Mon.-Fri., 10am-3pm.
The Whaling Center of the Pacific has the biggest whaling artifact collection in the state and highlights the whaling era which was centered in Lahaina town.Also interesting is a large scrimshaw collection. Tours can be arranged, and there is also a nice gift shop. The Whaling Center is open from 9:30am-10pm daily. Call 808-661-5113 for more information.
Humpback Whale watching is great from Maui’s scenic lookout points as well as on whale watching boat tours. The whales visit Hawaiian waters during the winter months and their 40-ton bodies can be seen breaching up from the water and landing with a splash, and also sending up misty spouts of water when they breathe.
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Maui is the best Hawaiian Island for whale watching due to the shallow and relatively well-protected offshore waters. Some great spots for whale watching from land include the bluffs above Honolua Bay and the lookout on the side of the Honoapilani Hwy.
If you plan your itinerary carefully you can experience the very best of Maui while spending very little money. Aloha!