We eloped in Maui!
- jennylynncotton
- Jun 28, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 29, 2024
Date of Trip: August 2022
Number of Days: 9
Who went: Jenn & Terry
Best trip ever! We loved saying "I do!" in this magical place.
Top takeaways if you are planning a similar trip:
We were in Maui exactly one year before the devastating fire in Lahaina. Keep in mind that much has changed in light of current events!
If you're looking to elope in Maui, we highly recommend Stephanie Betsill (local wedding photographer/coordinator).
If I was doing it over... I would spend one less night in Ka'anapali so that we could spend one more night in Hana.
We never made it to the top of Haleakala for sunrise or sunset. This is probably the one thing I wished we would have done and didn't.
Our dream wedding/honeymoon unfolded like this:
Day 1 - to Maui We started in LA, so the flight to Maui was direct and only 5.5 hours. We arrived in Maui just before noon and picked up our rental car.
We stopped for lunch at the Food Truck park near Costco (which we had read was a thing) before stopping at the local Safeway for groceries and a rental spot for beach chairs and snorkel gear.
We checked into the beautiful Westin Maui Resort & Spa Ka'anapali and quickly found our way to the pool for a cocktail. We opted for dinner at the hotel on our first night.
The resort was lovely. The views were amazing and the pool area was stunning. We especially enjoyed the adult-only sand-bottom pool. A whole new take on "toes in the sand!"
Day 2 - Wedding Day!
We had an appointment to get our wedding license in Lahaina at 11A, so we headed that way for a delicious breakfast at the Sunrise Cafe. Once we had our license, we headed back to the hotel for the big day.
Stephanie Betsill beautifully planned every aspect of our wedding (hair, makeup, flowers, transportation, officiant, photos, beach picnic). All we had to do was show up. Terry spent the day at the pool while I got my hair and makeup done. The day was magical from beginning to end.
The ceremony was simple and beautiful on Keawakapu Beach.
We celebrated after with a beach picnic at the Wailea Beach Resort.
Days 3 - 8
We spent the next six days doing a lot of lounging at the hotel... but we did find a few opportunities to get out. These were our favorite things:
Blackrock Cliff Diving Ceremony - just down the walking path from our hotel we were able to grab dinner at a beach cafe while watching this nightly ceremony. Very special.
Blue Hawaiian Helicopters - We enjoyed an aerial tour of the island, which was amazing.
Snorkeling at Honolua Bay - The water was crystal clear, but the beach was very rocky.
Waihee Ridge Trail - Beautiful 4 mile out-and-back hike. If you enjoy hiking, don't miss this!
Feast at LeLe Luau - I had done a lot of research on which Luau to attend (there are several options), and decided this show + dinner + cocktails on the beach was our best choice. It was truly spectacular. Unfortunately, this is one of the businesses that was destroyed in the fire... hopefully they will be able to welcome guests again in the future.
Must do Food & Drink
Mama's Fish House - This is the most famous restaurant on Maui and it lived up to the hype. The food was amazing and the views were spectacular. Make sure you plan ahead (they take reservations 6 months out).
MonkeyPod - This local restaurant has a few locations, including one in Whalers Village, which was right next to our hotel. We both declared the Mai Tai's the best cocktail we'd ever had (and that hasn't changed 2 years later). We also loved the fish & chips here... but we kept coming back for the Mai Tai's!
The Gazebo - anyone who has been to Maui knows this tiny restaurant is THE place for breakfast on Maui. Be warned - you will wait in line. We got there an hour before it opened and still had to wait for the 2nd seating (about 90 minutes total). The banana macadamia nut pancakes were out-of-this-world.
Leoda's Kitchen and Pie Shop - We stopped here multiple times, both for the individual pies (so delicious) and for lunch (equally as good). It's worth the wait in line... my advice is to order extra pie and take it back to the hotel. You won't regret it!
Road to Hana Day 1
After a week in Ka'anapali we packed up for the Road to Hana - a 30 mile stretch of road that starts in Kahului and ends in Hana (you can continue and take a full loop... after much research we decided just to do the out-and-back. I don't regret that decision). There are a ton of R2H itineraries online. We downloaded this guide, which was super helpful along the way.
There are a ton of opinions on how to do the R2H. Here is my advice... find a way to do it where you are not rushed or tired and can truly enjoy it. If you are going to Hana and back in one day, be selective about what you stop to do. We spent the night in Hana (which I recommend), which enabled us to genuinely enjoy the trip and not be rushed.
We stopped at just about every interesting point along the way.
For lunch, we packed a picnic lunch from Hana Headquarters, which we ate at Nahiku Viewpoint.
We had made advance reservations at Wai'napanapa and enjoyed visiting the black sand beach, sea cave and sea arch.
Make sure you stop at Aunt Sandy's (amazing banana bread!) and Hana Farms (a great food stand and deli).
We stayed at the Hana Maui Resort in a room with hot tub overlooking the ocean and an amazing outdoor shower. There isn't much to do in Hana, but we enjoyed the resort pool and relaxing in our room.
Road to Hana Day 2
We ventured past Hana to Haleakala National Park and hiked the 4 mile out-and-back Pipiwai Trail. This is a beautiful hike through a bamboo forest.
At the end of the hike you'll find the 400' foot tall Waimoku Falls.
We stopped in Hana for lunch at one of the several food trucks (I don't remember which one) before heading back to Paia. I know we stopped at a a few waterfall/swimming holes along the way back, but I don't recall which ones. There are several options, you can't go wrong!
We ended our R2H adventure at Ho'okipa Beach Park where we were able to change our clothes and soak in our last bit of beach vibes.
We had surprisingly good pizza at The Flatbread Company before returning our rental gear (beach chairs, snorkel) and heading to the airport.
Aloha, Maui. Until next time!
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