September marks the start of Maui’s slow season. Visitor arrivals tend to drop in September and stay low into October, with kids back in school and the holiday season approaching.
For savvy visitors, early autumn can be a great time to score on flight and accommodation deals. For kamaaina (residents), this quiet season offers the chance to explore the island without the burden of crowds.
So, what’s on this autumn? Here are six things visitors and residents can do on Maui this shoulder season.
Take a Molokini snorkeling tour.
Whether you’re a visitor or kamaaina, slow season is an excellent time to visit Molokini. Fewer crowds means more space to enjoy the boat and marine life without the congestion of peak summer. When fewer people visit the crater, bigger creatures – like reef sharks and manta rays – tend to show up in Molokini. Some tour boats also offer discounted rates or special kamaaina deals during shoulder season.
Attend a local festival or concert.
Early autumn might be slow season, but there are a ton of fun events scheduled around the Valley Isle. Here are just a few events happening this season:
- 39th Annual St. John’s Kula Festival – Upcountry’s biggest annual community event with crafters, live entertainment, a silent auction, food booths, and much more. Sept. 21, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Keokea.
- Mālama Wao Akua at Hui No’eau – A juried art exhibition celebrating Maui’s native species and ecosystems, featuring stunning works by local artists and educational programs on conservation. Sept. 13 – Nov. 8, Hui Noe‘au, Makawao.
- Hawaii Food and Wine Festival – A premier culinary event featuring world-renowned chefs, local ingredients, and exclusive dining experiences. Oct. 25 – 27, Ka‘anapali.
- 17th Annual Maui Ukulele Festival – Live performances by talented musicians, local crafts, and family-friendly activities in a beautiful outdoor setting. Oct. 27, Maui Arts and Cultural Center.
Shop around Maui’s small towns.
While shoulder season means quiet beaches and less traffic, it can also be a challenging time for small businesses — so there’s no better time to show them your support! Spend a day shopping around a small town like Wailuku, Paia or Makawao. All three of these towns have distinct characteristics and charm, but they share a common thread: they’re great places to shop at local businesses!
In Paia, you can explore upscale boutiques, sequestered thrift stores, surf shops and artisan galleries. Meanwhile, Makawao and Wailuku have a bohemian-meet-old-school atmosphere, with legendary bakeries, art galleries, and niche businesses like music stores and lei shops.
Hike the Pipiwai Trail
With thinner crowds, less traffic and rainy season not quite upon us yet, autumn is a great time to holoholo (cruise) on the road to Hana. Cruise out past Hana town to Haleakala National Park in Kipahulu. This lush, coastal sector of the National Park is home to one of Maui’s most popular hiking trails: Pipiwai Trail. Take advantage of the break in crowds to trek this four-mile round trip trail, which takes hikers through bamboo forests, past enormous banyan trees and leads to the 400-foot-high Waimoku Falls.
Hit your favorite happy hour on the West Side.
It’s no secret that West Maui’s restaurant industry took a huge hit due to the Lahaina wildfires last year. Many restaurants in Lahaina were reduced to rubble, others remained closed for months, and others still struggled to keep their doors open while making concerted efforts to support the West Side community.
Fortunately, restaurants on the West Side are slowly rebounding. New and old favorites have even reopened on Front Street in Lahaina. Try out Chef Alvin Savella’s new oceanfront spot, Coco Deck, for $5 happy hour margaritas, or stop by the Sea House in Napili for mai tais and happy hour bites.
Watch the sunrise or sunset at Haleakala National Park.
When Mark Twain visited Haleakala Crater in 1866, he described the sunrise as the “sublimest spectacle” he had ever seen. The description was apt. Today, thousands of visitors flock to Haleakala Summit for sunrise and sunset.
Due to years of overwhelming crowds, reservations are now required to enter Haleakala National Park for sunrise. Tickets are a challenge to secure and often sell out within seconds. But the odds of getting a reservation are definitely better during slow season.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to deal with the reservation hassle, you can drive up for sunset and stick around for stargazing.
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