Road to Hana Guide (2026): Best Stops by Mile Marker

Aloha! The Road to Hana is a famous scenic drive along the Hana Highway that showcases Maui's beauty. This route passes through green rainforests, past waterfalls such as Twin Falls and Upper Waikani (Three Bears), and along steep sea cliffs. You'll enjoy amazing coastal views, promising a memorable trip full of nature and culture!

Driving the Road to Hana usually takes about 2 to 4 hours. Many visitors spend a full day or more exploring the favorite stops and attractions along this road. This Maui guide covers the best stops by mile marker, a simple 1-day itinerary, reservation tips, and the top places to see beyond Hana.

Road to Hana Map: Navigating the Scenic Route

Before you begin on your journey, having a reliable Road to Hana Maui map is essential. A good map will show the many stops along the way. This helps you plan your Road to Hana itinerary and make the most of your time on the road. We recommend that you download an offline map, as cellular service can be spotty in some areas.

Several resources offer interactive Road to Hana maps for Maui, Hawaii. These maps include GPS navigation and detailed information for each stop. Some popular options include the Shaka Guide app and GuideAlong (GyPSy Guide).

Best Road to Hana Stops by Mile Marker

The Road to Hana has many stops along the way. Each one shows a unique view of the island's natural beauty and rich history. The whole drive is stunning, but some stops stand out!

Start in Paʻia: Breakfast, Fuel, & Last-Minute Supplies

Paʻia is the best place to start the Road to Hana because it lets you handle the basics before the day's scenic part begins. Grab breakfast, coffee, snacks, and a full tank of gas here, then get on the road early while the day still feels easy.

The town itself is fun, but for most people, this works better as a practical starting point than a long stop. If you want to walk around, keep it short. The goal here is to leave prepared, not to spend your best morning hours before the drive has really started.

Hwy 36 MM 9 - Hoʻokipa Beach Park

Hoʻokipa works best as a quick scenic stop, not a big chunk of your morning. Come here for the coastal views, strong surf, and a classic first look at East Maui before the road gets deeper into the rainforest.

This is a good stop if parking is easy and you want a quick viewpoint without slowing down the whole day. Later in the day, it can also be a good place to look for sea turtles resting on the sand. Think of Hoʻokipa as a lookout stop, not a swim stop.

Wildlife viewing: Keep at least 10 ft/3 m from sea turtles, 50 yards from spinner dolphins, and 100 yards from humpback whales (on water). NOAA guidelines.

Hwy 360 MM 2 - Twin Falls

Twin Falls is the classic first waterfall stop on the Road to Hana because it gives you an early rainforest payoff without a major time commitment. If you want one easy waterfall stop near the beginning of the drive, this is usually the one that makes the most sense.

The main reason to stop here is to stretch your legs, enjoy a short walk, and get that “we’re really on the Road to Hana now” feeling early in the day. Conditions can change quickly, though, so keep this stop flexible. If it's crowded, muddy, or parking feels stressful, skip it and move on. This is a good stop, but it should not hijack your whole morning.

Hwy 360 MM 10.5 - Garden of Eden Arboretum

The Garden of Eden is one of the best paid stops on the Road to Hana if you want an easy, polished scenic stop instead of another roadside pullout. It's a strong choice for first-timers who want big views, tropical plants, and a comfortable place to slow down without committing to a real hike.

This stop makes the most sense if you prefer viewpoints and landscaped grounds over a more casual waterfall stop like Twin Falls. If your day already feels packed, choose one or the other instead of trying to do every early stop. For a lot of visitors, the Garden of Eden earns its place because the scenery is easy to access and the stop feels more relaxed than some of the tighter roadside pullouts.

Did you know? The opening scene of the famous movie Jurassic Park was filmed here. The scene shows the garden's unique, prehistoric-like landscape, which adds to its charm!

Hwy 360 MM 16 - Keʻanae Peninsula, Keʻanae Arboretum & Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread

This is one of the best combo stops on the Road to Hāna because you get a scenic detour, an easy rainforest walk, and one of the route’s classic snack stops in the same stretch. Just after mile marker 16, turn left onto Keʻanae Road for the peninsula and Aunty Sandy’s. The Keʻanae Arboretum is about 0.7 miles past mile marker 16 and begins from a short paved access path off the highway.

At the arboretum, expect an easy, relatively flat walk through a tropical forest setting along Piʻinaʻau Stream. The area sits on terraces that were built centuries ago for taro cultivation, and many of the trees are labeled, so it works well as a quick stretch-your-legs stop without turning the day into a real hike.

Then continue down to Keʻanae Peninsula for rugged coastal views and a quieter, more local-feeling stop than some of the busier pullouts on the drive. Aunty Sandy’s banana bread is baked fresh daily and can sell out, so this is a better late-morning stop than a late-afternoon gamble. Keʻanae Park has restrooms and water, but the shoreline is not conducive to swimming, so think of this as a scenic snack-and-photos stop rather than a beach stop.

A practical way to do this stop is to give yourself about 30 to 60 minutes if you want to walk the arboretum, grab banana bread, and drive out to the peninsula without feeling rushed.

Hwy 360 MM 17 - Halfway to Hana

Halfway to Hana is one of the classic food stops on the drive and works best as a short reset point rather than a long scenic stop. The stand sits at mile marker 17, just past Keʻanae Arboretum, and has been a Road to Hāna staple since 1982. It’s best known for fresh banana bread, but it also serves shave ice, ice cream, sandwiches, and other grab-and-go snacks.

This is a good place to stretch, grab a drink, and take a break from the curves before continuing east. There is a small parking lot, shaded seating, and basic traveler conveniences like trash and recycling, so it tends to work especially well as a quick late-morning or early-afternoon stop instead of a full sightseeing stop.

Hwy 360 MM 18 - Wailua Valley State Wayside

Wailua Valley State Wayside is a quick viewpoint stop, and that is exactly why it works. It gives you a wide-open look at the valley, taro fields, and mountain backdrop without adding much time to the day.

This is a great stop when you want a scenic payoff with very little effort. Pull in, walk up, take in the view, and keep moving. It's not a place you need to linger long, but it's one of the easiest ways to break up the drive with a strong East Maui landscape view.

Hwy 360 MM 19 - Upper Waikani Falls (Three Bears)

Upper Waikani Falls, often called Three Bears, is one of the classic roadside waterfall stops on the Road to Hāna and sits just beyond mile marker 19 on the mauka side of the highway. The nickname comes from the three parallel falls of different heights, and most visitors treat this as a quick photo stop from the bridge or roadside pullout rather than a long adventure stop.

Parking is tight here, and the road narrows near the falls, so only stop if you can pull fully out of traffic and walk carefully back toward the bridge. If you want one dramatic waterfall view without adding a major hike to your day, this is one of the easiest high-payoff stops to include.

Hwy 360 MM 22 - Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside

Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside is one of the most practical stops on the drive because it combines rainforest scenery with real traveler basics. This is a daylight-hours wayside with no entrance fee, and the park includes restrooms, picnic tables, trash cans, a walking path, and small scenic waterfalls and pools.

This is a good place to stretch, use the restroom, and reset without committing to a big detour. If you want one official state-park stop between the more famous viewpoints and waterfalls, Puaʻa Kaʻa is one of the easiest to justify.

Hwy 360 MM 27.5 - Coconut Glen’s

Coconut Glen’s is a fun late-route food stop at mile marker 27 1/2 on Hāna Highway and is best known for dairy-free ice cream made from coconut milk and organic ingredients. It works especially well as a quick cool-down stop because it feels memorable without adding much time to the day.

If you want something different from banana bread and coffee, this is an easy sweet stop to add before Nahiku and the final stretch into Hāna. For most people, it makes more sense as a quick treat stop than a full meal stop.

Hwy 360 MM 29 - Nahiku Marketplace

Nahiku Marketplace is a smart stop around mile marker 29, about six miles before Hāna Town, when many drivers are ready for a real break. It's known as a place to stretch, relax, grab coffee or lunch, and browse a few local vendors before continuing east.

Road to Hāna guides describe Nahiku as home to several casual food vendors and covered picnic tables, but hours can vary, so it works best as a welcome food-and-break stop rather than your only meal plan for the day. If you start to feel road fatigue on the last stretch in, this is one of the easiest places to pause.

Hwy 360 MM 31 - Hāna Farms

Hāna Farms is one of the strongest late-route stops because it sits just after mile marker 31 and gives you a clear, easy-to-find place to pause before Hāna. The stand describes itself as a local marketplace on the Road to Hāna, with produce, homemade baked goods, Hāna-made souvenirs, and other locally made food products.

The stop also has a great local backstory: it began with roadside banana bread and grew into a marketplace that now hosts products from more than 15 local suppliers. For most first-timers, Hāna Farms works best as a late snack, gift, or coffee stop rather than a full sightseeing stop.

Hwy 360 MM 32 - Waiʻānapanapa State Park

Waiʻānapanapa State Park is one of the signature stops on the Road to Hāna and one of the best places to experience Maui’s dramatic black sand coastline. The main draw is Paʻiloa Beach, but the park also includes sea stacks, blowholes, a natural stone arch, native hala forest, and part of the ancient Ke Ala Loa O Maui/Piʻilani Trail. 

Give yourself time to do more than just walk down to the sand. This is a great place to slow down, check out the volcanic shoreline, enjoy the coastal views, and, if you have time, explore a short stretch of trail. If you only choose one major scenic stop near Hāna, Waiʻānapanapa is one of the easiest to justify.

Reservation required: Non-resident visitors need advance reservations for entry and parking at Waiʻānapanapa State Park. Reservations can’t be purchased same-day; they must be made at least 1 day in advance and open 30 days ahead at midnight Hawaiʻi Standard Time. Reserve here.

Hāna Town Logistics

Lunch, Gas, & Overnight Decision Point

By the time you reach Hāna, it helps to think of the town as a practical stop more than a major scenic attraction. This is a smart place to pause for lunch, top off fuel if needed, and decide whether to turn around after Waiʻānapanapa or continue south toward Kīpahulu and the Pīpīwai Trail. The Hasegawa General Store and Hāna Ranch Store are in town, and the Hana Ranch Restaurant, located in the village center, is open daily for lunch. Fuel is also available at Hāna Pit Stop in town.

Hāna is also the cleanest decision point for travelers who started late or want to slow down the day. If you don't want to rush the drive back, this is where a day trip can turn into an overnight stay. Hana-Maui Resort is in the village, and Hana Kai Maui Resort is in the heart of historic Hāna town. Even if you are not staying overnight, Hāna is a good place to regroup, eat, and reset before whatever comes next.

Hāna Area Cultural Stop - Kahanu Garden & Piʻilanihale Heiau

If you want one stop near Hāna that adds real cultural depth to the drive, make it Kahanu Garden. The National Tropical Botanical Garden describes it as the home of Piʻilanihale Heiau on the rugged Hāna coast, and the experience is centered on plants, place, and Hawaiian cultural heritage rather than just scenery. That makes it one of the strongest non-generic additions you can make to a Road to Hāna guide.

Piʻilanihale Heiau is the main reason to stop. It's the largest single heiau in all of Polynesia, and its history page places the site within Honomāʻele, an ahupuaʻa that was once an important agricultural area and thriving community. This is not a quick roadside photo stop. It's a place to slow down, walk respectfully, and connect the drive to a much older layer of East Maui history.

Beyond Hāna: Best Stops Worth the Extra Drive

MM 50 area - Hamoa Beach

Hamoa Beach is a beautiful beyond-Hāna stop, but we would treat it as a scenic beach stop first and a water stop only if conditions are genuinely calm. It's a great place for a walk, a photo break, and a quick look at one of the prettiest stretches of coastline on this side of the island.

If the ocean looks rough, skip the water and enjoy the beach from shore. This is not a stop we would oversell for snorkeling, and it's not the kind of place to force a swim just because it looks inviting. In a one-day Road to Hana plan, Hamoa works best as a short optional add-on beyond town, not a must-do anchor stop.

Note: There’s no county lifeguard here; check hazards and skip the water if surf or currents are up.

MM 45 - Wailua Falls

Wailua Falls is one of the easiest iconic waterfall stops on the beyond-Hāna side because the payoff is high and the effort is low. If you are continuing past Hāna, this is one of the simplest dramatic waterfall views to add to the day.

Treat it as a short photo stop, not a long stop. The goal here is to enjoy the view from a legal pullout, get the photo, and move on without creating traffic or turning the stop into a parking gamble. This is one of those places that is absolutely worth seeing, but only if you can stop cleanly and safely.

MM 42 area - ʻOheʻo Gulch/Kūloa Point Trail

Kīpahulu is one of the best beyond-Hāna add-ons because it gives you a short, scenic stop with a lot more substance than a simple roadside pullout. The Kūloa Point Trail starts near the Kīpahulu Visitor Center, passes a Hawaiian cultural demonstration area, and leads to ocean views and archaeological sites. It's an easy 0.5-mile walk with roughly 80 feet of elevation change, so it is a realistic stop even for travelers who don't want a full hike.

The most important thing here is that this is NOT a swimming stop. The Pools of ʻOheʻo are not accessible due to safety concerns; they should be viewed from the Kūloa Point Trail instead. That makes this stop best for views, photos, and a short walk rather than getting in the water.

Note: Kīpahulu is remote; food and gas are not available in the park, sturdy shoes are recommended, and emergency medical assistance is at least an hour away. Park entrance fees also apply here because Kīpahulu is part of Haleakalā National Park.

MM 42 area - Pīpīwai Trail & Waimoku Falls

If you only do one real hike beyond Hāna, make it the Pīpīwai Trail. It's a moderately strenuous trail in the Kīpahulu District that runs 4 miles round trip with about 800 feet of elevation gain, ending at the Waimoku Falls viewing area. It's a much bigger commitment than a quick scenic stop, but it's also one of the most memorable experiences on this side of the island.

The trail has three clear milestones that make it easy to describe for readers: Makahiku Falls at about 0.5 miles, the bamboo forest at about 1 mile, and the Waimoku Falls viewing area at 2 miles one way. Visitors can expect boardwalks and footbridges along parts of the hike, while the trail itself is uneven and can be slippery after rain, so proper footwear is essential.

Because this hike takes real time and energy, it works best for travelers who start early, skip some smaller stops earlier in the day, or plan to overnight in Hāna. Check posted trail closures and current park conditions before heading out, especially in rainy weather.

What To Bring & Safety Tips

What to Bring

• Water & snacks: Bring more water and snacks than you think you’ll need. The Road to Hana is a full-day drive, and food options can be spaced out depending on your stops.
• Sun & rain protection: Pack sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and a light rain jacket or poncho. East Maui can switch from sunny to wet fast.
• Good shoes: Wear sturdy shoes with grip if you plan to walk trails, explore lookout areas, or continue beyond Hāna to Kīpahulu or Pīpīwai.
• Bug spray: Bring mosquito repellent for rainforest stops and wetter parts of the drive.
• Charged phone & car charger: Start with a full battery and bring a charger. Service can be spotty in parts of East Maui.
• Full tank of gas: Fill up before you start the drive so you are not stressing about fuel later in the day.

Safety Tips

• Start early: The best Road to Hana days start early and stay relaxed. Give yourself a full day so you are not rushing the drive back.
• Keep your stop list short: Pick a handful of stops you really care about instead of trying to do everything. That makes the day safer and a lot more enjoyable.
• Park only in legal, marked areas: Don't squeeze into unsafe roadside spots or block traffic for a quick photo.
• Be careful around waterfalls and streams: Conditions can change quickly, especially after rain, so avoid taking risks near moving water or slippery rocks.
• Treat ʻOheʻo as a viewpoint, not a swim stop: If you continue beyond Hāna, enjoy the views and trails, but do not build your day around getting in the water there.
• Respect local neighborhoods and private property: Stick to places that are set up for visitors and skip unofficial pullouts or trespassing shortcuts.
• Drive with patience: This is a narrow, winding road. Let faster cars pass when it is safe, slow down through one-lane bridges, and do not drive distracted.

Should You Drive Yourself or Book a Tour?

Drive yourself if you:

• Want total freedom to stop or skip stops based on mood and weather
• Prefer a slower pace with snack breaks and photo stops
• Don’t mind planning reservations and parking ahead of time
• Are comfortable driving winding, narrow roads and sharing one-lane bridges

Book a guided tour if you:

• Want less planning and fewer “where do we park?” moments
• Would rather enjoy the views than focus on driving the entire day
• Are traveling with a group that prefers structure and a set schedule
• Want local context (history, culture, and safety tips) built into the day

Final Thoughts

The best Road to Hana days are the ones that stay simple. Start early, choose a short list of stops you actually care about, build the day around Waiʻānapanapa, and treat Hāna as your lunch or turnaround point instead of trying to do everything in one drive.

For most first-timers, this is not a day to chase every waterfall or squeeze in every mile marker. It's a day to enjoy East Maui at a slower pace, make a few great stops, and leave room for the road itself to be part of the experience.

If you have more time on Maui, save some of the bigger beyond-Hāna add-ons for another day or an overnight stay. And if snorkeling is on your Maui list too, make that a separate day so you can enjoy both without rushing either. Mahalo for reading!