Wailea, HI Road Trips

Makena Beach, South Makena Rd (in Makena State Park 1 mi S of the Maui Prince Hotel, there are two parking lots on the W side of the road). A beautiful stretch of beach south of Wailea that is good for swimming. There are two beaches -- Big Beach, which is the main one, and Little Beach, which is over a hill at the north end of Big Beach. Facilities are limited with just pit toilets and a few picnic tables. It's a good idea to bring your own food if you want to eat as the concession trailer is very expensive for what you get.

Go swimming or snorkeling at one of the many beaches along the coast. Take a stroll along the Wailea Beach Walk. It stretches for a mile and a half and connects the town's beaches. In winter, it provides a good spot to watch whales. If you're a golf enthusiast, there are two golf clubs with five courses in the area. 1 Wailea Golf Club, 100 Wailea Golf Club Dr, ☏ +1 808 875-7450, toll-free: +1-888-328-MAUI (6284), fax: +1 808 875-5114, [email protected]. Three courses -- Blue, Emerald and Gold -- that offer views of the ocean and Haleakala. Emerald is considered the most forgiving and Gold the most challenging. The Gold course is hailed as one of the world’s best designed courses by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler in the magazine’s first golf resorts poll. $155-225 with twilight rates available on the Blue course. Makena Golf Courses, 5415 Makena Alanui Dr, ☏ +1 808 891-4000, fax: +1 808 879-2834, [email protected]. Two courses -- North and South -- that play out amongst the rolling hills of the area. The South course has a couple of holes by the ocean, while the North course tends to play higher on the mountain. $120-190, with cheaper rates after 1PM. Grand Luau at Honua'ula, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, ☏ +1 808-875-1234. At the Grand Wailea Hotel. Adult $225-275, child 2-12 $112.50-137.50. (updated Dec 2021) Feast at Mokapu, 3550 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea (Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort). Adult $280, child $140. (updated Dec 2021) Te Au Moana, Wailea Beach Resort, ☏ +1-877-827-2740. Adult $225, child 6 to 12 $155, 5 and under free.

Ferraro's Bar e Ristorante, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr (in the Four Seasons Resort), ☏ +1 808 874-8000. 11:30AM-9PM. Outdoor dining with Italian fare and seafood. $25-50. Humuhumunukunukuapuaa, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr (Grand Wailea Resort). 5:30PM-9PM. Located in a Polynesian-style hut in a lagoon off Wailea Beach. Rated highly for ambiance. $30-60 for mains; $12-20 for appetizers. Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe, 3750 Wailea Alanui Dr (in the Shops at Wailea), ☏ +1 808 875-9983. Open for lunch and dinner. Serves a mix of seafood and meat dishes. $30-40 for mains; $7-20 for appetizers. Nick's Fishmarket - See Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel below. See comments under Kea Lani Hotel below (updated Oct 2019) Aurum Maui, 3750 Wailea Alanui Dr, ☏ +1 808-793-0054. Daily from noon to close. New American cuisine with seasonal influences. $30-50 per person. (updated Feb 2026)

Accommodation in Wailea and Makena is on the upscale-side, with hotels in the four- and five-star range. If you want or need something cheaper, Kihei is a better bet. Fairmont Kea Lani, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr, ☏ +1 808 875-4100. All suites. Super-service restaurant in the hotel is Nick's Fishmarket. Nick's dinners are fantastic, especially the fresh-caught local seafood. A few open-air tables offer ocean views; come just before the beautiful sunset hours - also see the tiki-torch lighter as he circles the hotel grounds, lighting them along the way. Expensive but the food, service and view are all unforgettable. Four Seasons Resort, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr, ☏ +1 808 874-8000, fax: +1 808 874-2244. Quiet luxurious resort with pampering service. Grand Wailea Resort, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr, ☏ +1 808 875-1234, toll-free: +1-800-888-6100. Maui's largest and most spectacular hotel, with 787 rooms, numerous fantastic pools, art throughout the lobbies, children's play areas, beach, restaurants. Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, 3700 Wailea Alanui Dr, ☏ +1 808 879-1922. Formerly the Intercontinental. 546 rooms. On a rocky shore adjacent to two different beaches. Not to be confused with the Maui Marriott, which is a timeshare property on Kaanapali Beach. Hotel Wailea Maui, 555 Kaukahi St, ☏ +1 808 874-0500. A 15-acre all-suite resort nestled on the plush hillside overlooking world renowned Wailea. One-bedroom suites offer 900 ft² (84 m2)} of accommodations with a separate living area and private lanai.

From Maui's main airport in Kahului, follow the signs to Kihei and Wailea via Highway 311 (Mokulele Highway). Highway 311 becomes Highway 31 (Pi'ilani Highway) in Kihei and it ends in Wailea, where it becomes Wailea Ike Drive. Driving time from the airport to Wailea is about 30 minutes.

The main street through town is Wailea Alanui Drive and The Shops at Wailea (Wailea Alanui Drive and Wailea Ike Drive) serve as the center of town.