How to Spend 5 Days in Maui Without a Car
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Why You Should Visit Maui, Hawaii
Maui is arguably one of the most beautiful of the Hawaiian Islands, with its gorgeous beaches and colorful reefs, volcanoes covered in lush vegetation, and stunning cliffside drives that will take your breath away. Whether you’re an avid hiker, basically a fish yourself, or simply want to relax on the beach, the island has something to offer every type of traveller.
That’s why you absolutely must spend 5 days in Maui! Though it’s definitely not long enough to experience all this island has to offer. However, there are many places we travel that I don’t necessarily feel like driving, whether that is because of the cost, my energy levels, or simply because of the traffic. Maui was a combination of cost and traffic. To rent a car for five days was over $2500 when we looked—and that wasn’t including the parking ($50 a day) at the resort. We heard while we were there that there are cheaper places to rent cars, but you have to book them far in advance and travel a little ways away from the airport to get them.
Which is why I’ve given you all the information about how to spend 5 days in Maui without a car so you can still have an amazing trip without breaking the bank.
And on this trip, I really wanted a break. I’ve been so busy with my book business, and the holiday season was brutal. We were shipping out 30-40 orders per day! So I wanted to chill on the beach, but Andrew cannot sit still. So Hawaii was the perfect compromise for us. Andrew could do all the boat things I don’t like to do, while I could rest and read or write. It worked perfectly for us! So keep reading to discover all my recommendations.
What You Need to Know Before You Go Maui
General
Maui is one of the eight major islands in Hawaii, which is one of the fifty US states. Which means US citizens don’t need a passport to travel to paradise! End to end, driving across the island takes approximately 3 hours. But if you drive the whole loop of the island, including the Road to Hana, it takes approximately 10 hours, including time to stop for pictures, of course. But on this 5 days in Maui without a car itinerary, you won’t have to worry about more than how long it will take your Uber to drive you to and from the airport.
Money
The currency in Hawaii is USD, and we paid for everything with our credit cards.
Language
As a US state, everyone speaks English, however, locals will greet you with Aloha! You’ll learn several other Hawaiian phrases while you’re there, especially if you go to a luau.
Safety
We felt very safe in the resorts and when we ventured out to other beaches and viewpoints.
Tips for Travelers with Anxiety in Hawaii
Make reservations for all your meals. No seriously. If we didn’t get to the breakfast place by 7 AM when they opened, there was a wait. And even when we rolled up at 6:55, there was already a line. For lunch by the pool, the service is super slow, so order before you are hungry. And dinner? You absolutely have to have a reservation or be prepared to wait up to an hour and a half for a table.
It’s busy. This is one of the reasons we’re glad we didn’t rent a car, on top of the cost. Everywhere we went, parking lots were packed. People were circling and trying to find a spot. The shops are the same, the restaurants are the same, the beaches are the same. Even the pool area, especially closer to the water, was almost impossible to find a place to sit after 9AM.
How to get to Hawaii
Hawaii has five major airports: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) on Oahu (Honolulu) as the primary, and Kahului (OGG) on Maui (where you’ll go for this 5 day Maui itinerary), Ellison Onizuka Kona (KOA) on the Big Island, Lihue (LIH) on Kauai, and Hilo (ITO) on the east side of the Big Island. Hawaii also has its own airline, Hawaiian Airlines, with many direct flights from major cities in the continental United States. And if you want to stay longer in paradise, you can take an interisland flight and explore Kauai, the Big Island, or Oahu!
When to Plan Your Maui Trip
Although it’s going to be busier and a bit rainier, you HAVE to go in February or March because it’s whale season. We went in mid February 2026, and I lost count of how many we saw just sitting on the balcony of our room! It was absolutely amazing one morning to see a mom and her calf close to the shore because of sharks further out. My husband also took a whale watching tour—more on that below.
The island of Maui also has several microclimates that can affect your trip. The west side of the island (where the wildfires were in 2023) is drier than the east side of the island. The difference in annual rainfall is striking! Take note that if you hike along the mountains and volcanoes, the altitude will make the air drier and colder. Apparently it even snows sometimes at the peaks!
But if you want to avoid the crowds, shoulder seasons for Maui are April/May and September/October.
Where to Stay in Maui
We stayed on the west side of Maui at the the Westin Maui Resort and Spa Ka’anapali. There are a string of resorts along the beach there, which is one reason why all the restaurants are so crowded. And really, you can’t go wrong with the views there! You have the option for either ocean views or mountain views. We opted for an ocean view for the best chances at spotting whales, so if you take your 5 day Maui trip during whale season, you definitely have to book an ocean view room.
The Resort
The Westin Maui Resort and Spa Ka’anapali is a 4.5 star resort on the west side of Maui in Ka’anapali. The grounds are beautiful and serene, with lush flora and waterfalls creating the sense of being immersed in a jungle rather than a resort. Rooms are spacious and updated, and we loved how soft the beds were. We even got extra pillows to make our sleep that much better. (For reference, we sleep on a Purple mattress at home). I also loved that they had pump shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower to promote eco friendliness.
Amenities
There are six pools overlooking the beach, with an adults only area (!!) with a hot tub, as well as a splash pad/play area for the kids. There are daily activities ranging from interacting with some of the birds on the resort to learning more about Hawaiian culture. You can also rent beach and swim equipment there, from snorkels and fins to floaties and everything in between. Simply show up and you’re ready for every adventure!
Restaurants
There are several onsite restaurants, and Whaler’s Village, a strip mall, is also right next door, offering more dining options as well as shopping. My favorites were Ulu Kitchen for breakfast, the Taco Zone food truck for lunch, and Hale Mo'olelo or Monkey Pod for dinner.
5 Days in Maui Without A Car Itinerary
Day 0: Arrival
We arrived around dinner time and ordered and Uber straight to our hotel because I was STARVING. Seriously, what is with airlines not serving meals on planes anymore even if the flight is 6 hours? Thankfully I brought some protein bars, but still. They rarely even have gluten free snacks anymore.
Anyway, we arrived just in time for the power to come back on in west Maui. Apparently, when the winds are really strong, they turn off the grid in case of a downed power line sparking against the dry earth and starting another wildfire. So we picked the right day to arrive!
Since it was already dark when we got to the resort, we had dinner and went straight to bed.
Day 1: Poolside Relaxation, Black Rock
Now the adventure begins! Coming from the mountain west, we were up early and thankfully didn’t have to wait to have breakfast since we were in line at 6:45. But as we ate our breakfast, everyone was going to stand on the boardwalk, pointing at the ocean. And there was a mom and calf humpback whale, visible from our breakfast table! What a way to begin our trip 5 days in Maui!
After that, we headed to the pool to kick off our relaxation. We ordered lunch from the pool bar and afterward, we returned to our room to cool down and change clothes.
The Westin is also near the famous Black Rock, so we took a late afternoon stroll down the beach to see it. Neither of us were brave enough to swim around and climb up to jump off, but there were plenty of other people there doing it, kids and adults alike.
Day 2: Snorkeling Tour, Dragon’s Teeth
While I hung out at the hotel, Andrew went on a snorkeling excursion to Molokini Crater and Turtle Town. Andrew LOVES turtles, so of course, he was very excited for this. I’ve tried for years to get past my boat anxiety, and this trip I decided I didn’t want to push myself. And that’s okay! I had him write up his experience for me, but I’ve edited it for readability for you.
The tour left from Maalabor, so keep this in mind for trip planning. It’s an early morning excursion, starting at 6:45AM, but he had no issues getting an Uber to and from our resort. First, they took a boat out to the Molokini Crater, which is a crescent-shaped, partially submerged volcanic crater which forms a small, uninhabited islet located in Alalākeiki Channel between the islands of Maui and Kahoʻolawe. This tour offers both snorkeling and snuba, and Andrew opted to snuba.
His review: “Snuba was a very good medium between snorkeling and scuba, as you can go down around 20 feet, attached to a raft with oxygen via a hose. This allows practice of using scuba breathing equipment as well as allowing full sustained submersion while not requiring equalization. I thought it was worth it to do once. You have a second chance at the secondary location for an additional $50, but I passed on this and opted to just snorkel.”
After snorkeling at Molokini, the boat went to Turtle Town. Between the two, they saw lots of whales and the captain stopped several times to observe the whales breaching. At Turtle Town, the green sea turtles wait patiently in the reef while fish clean off their shells. He said the snorkeling was great, and there were tons of turtles and some really cool coral and colorful fish.
The boat has coffee and breakfast pastries to start, then after snorkeling there is a small packed lunch and open bar. There was also a professional underwater photographer onboard who took pictures for purchase. The tour ended around 11:45AM just in time to go grab lunch.
Andrew’s final review: “I would recommend it because I always like snorkeling and turtle town was very cool. It is a bit expensive and with all the off beach turtle snorkeling options, it might be one you want to skip if cost is a big concern.”
We ate lunch after that, and then about and hour before sunset, we took an Uber to Dragon’s Teeth. My grandpa passed about a month before, so I had some of his ashes with me to spread because he LOVED Hawaii. I got to say a special goodbye to him there.
Dragon’s Teeth is such a cool spot to hike to, with the volcanic rock formed into teeth-like shapes from where the lava collided with the ocean. The waves are massive, and if you’re standing in just the right (or wrong) spot, you’ll definitely get soaked by the spray. It’s also absolutely stunning at sunset.
While we didn’t get to do the stargazing tour because of the weather, I’m still linking it here because you have an amazing opportunity for dark skies in Maui!
Day 3: Whale Watching Tour, Kapalua Beach, Luau
Andrew went off on another early morning adventure involving a boat: whale watching. He picked Maui Whale Adventures because they took off right at the beach in front of Whalers Village, which is right next to the Westin resort. From there, they take a dingy out to the main boat. The tour is small—Andrew only had 8 people on his tour which he thought might be the maximum for the size of the boat. Some companies use much larger boats and have 30+ on the tour.
His review: “We saw plenty of whales, including groups, solitary, and mother/calf pairs. We had one swim right under out boat and give it a little smack with its fin. This was amazing but is also not common so don’t bank on it. It is a two hour tour with multiple start time options (7,9, and 11am). I really enjoyed the small group, it made it very easy to get good viewpoints vs larger crowds. Definitely recommend, very cool to see the whales from a small boat vs from the shore.”
Trust me, friends, his enthusiasm shone more when he told me about it after the tour was over and I was in the middle of a very exciting part of my book 😂. He’s not the writer out of the two of us LOL.
We heard from some locals that Kapalua Beach was a great place to spot sea turtles, so we packed up our gear and ordered an Uber. One thing to note before you go: if you are still wet from the beach, they will NOT let you get into their cars. So either plan to air dry or bring a change of clothes.
While it was a bit busy, it definitely had more of a local vibe that we loved. Plus, we saw four different turtles, all fairly close! After snorkeling in the Caribbean, Mexico, the Galapagos, and Hawaii, I can tell you Hawaii is up there with the Galapagos for my favorite spots. The ocean gets deep enough not far off the beach to do a bit of free diving, and I swam down to get a closer look at some chilling green sea turtles and bigger fish. Highly, highly recommend visiting this beach!
After, we returned to the resort and showered off, grabbing a quick bite to eat since we were going to a luau that night.
The one put on by the Westin is incredible. It’s all inclusive both food and drink, and the allergens were clearly marked on the placards for the food which I appreciated. There are two ticket tiers, and we opted for the lower priced one, but I wish we’d gone for the VIP ones! It was a bit difficult to see the performance and the sound was distorted being under the overhang versus closer to the stage. It’s definitely worth it for the extra money.
Day 4: Beach Cabana, Hiking Tour
On our last full day of our 5 days in Maui without a car itinerary, I wanted to be by the beach since I hadn’t gotten to hang out there as much as I’d liked.
The Westin offers multiple cabana type options for rent, and I needed some shade if I was going to be by the water all day because I am pale af. The one I picked was $250, and I would say it was NOT worth it. What I didn’t realize was that other people could simply rent umbrellas and beach chairs and the staff would dig them in between me and the ocean. So after about 30 minutes of sitting there, my view was mostly blocked. Add in that they jut right up against the path along the beach, and it was incredibly distracting. Plus in the afternoons, the sun shines inside them unless you move the canopy to be directly in front of you, blocking the view entirely and defeating the whole shade purpose of booking them. You’re supposed to have a waiter/attendant to bring you food and drinks, and I got so fed up waiting for my lunch I ended up packing up and going to the hostess stand at the food place to get it to go.
Meanwhile, Andrew went on another tour to hike through Maui’s forests. He got picked up (extra charge from the tour company for hotel pickup) and went to the eastern side of Maui for some hiking. The drive from the resort to the trailhead was about an hour and was very scenic. There, they met up with the rest of the group and prepared to enter the forest. Around the entrance, feral chickens roamed and there were also bathrooms and a place to change clothes. The hike made stops at 3 waterfalls, 2 of which have options for cliff jumping ranging from 10 to 20 feet. He said the trails were easy, though there were a lot of water crossings and mud so it’s best to bring water shoes like Chacos. The tour company provides lunch and rain ponchos as well.
His review: “It was a really cool hike. It is a great option if you don't have a car. They take you on some private trails. You can however reach all the waterfalls through public trails. So if you want to save some money and go at your own pace and also have a car, you can drive out there and hike on your own.”
Once we were reunited, we went out for a Valentine’s Day dinner at Monkey Pod. There was live music and the food was delicious, especially the fish tacos!
Day 5: Checkout, Poolside Relaxation, Kahului
If your flight is late at night, no need to worry! The resort will let you hang out at the pool and beach until you’re ready to leave. After breakfast and checkout, we stayed there for a few hours before catching an Uber back to Kahului for a late lunch/early dinner. We explored the Queen Ka'ahumanu Center (not the best when dragging luggage but oh well) until it was time to head to the airport. Thankfully the airport is fairly small which made getting through security a breeze, especially because we have Global Entry/PreCheck.
Don’t forget to grab a bar of Hawaiian chocolate before you get on your plane so you have a little treat as you leave paradise.
Final Thoughts on 5 Days in Maui Without a Car
Have I convinced you to spend 5 days in Maui yet? As you can see, you don’t need a car to get around and have an amazing and relaxing time! Also, we totaled up what we spent on Ubers and it was SIGNIFICANTLY less than what we would have paid to rent a car, so it’s absolutely worth doing your itinerary this way. Hawaii is the perfect burnout recovery destination since you can move at your own pace while enjoying all the wonderful nature Hawaii has to offer.