Thank you very much for the thoughtful and detailed response.
I have read so many posts about the difficulties of being the driver on The Road to Hana that I have some concerns with pitching it as an idea to the member of my group who would be stuck driving - any insight into whether it is as difficult as some say, particularly on the driver, and if a Sunday in early October (albeit a day when the Pride of America cruise ship and potentially other cruise lines will be in town) may be a better or worse day than others?
Part of the reason I'd prefer to avoid doing the drive roundtrip in one day is that we will have just flown into Hawaii with a very long travel day with a significant period of time sitting on Friday on planes, and then setting sail on the cruise ship on Saturday, making the Sunday in Maui our first chance at The Road to Hana and also our first full day on the cruise - I suspect my group may be tired and not wanting to sit for a long day in the car, for that reason - giving rise to my idea to make it into a more leisurely two day trip.
Our only other option would be to do the entire drive in one day on Monday, October, 9, but as that is the day we have to be back on the cruise ship by around 5pm, the risk of a delay is too great to attempt the roundtrip drive that day, in my view.
While I would very much like to get off the grid and use the days in Maui for a leisurely exploration of The Road to Hana and back with an overnight in/near Hana, allowing for time to stop and take in the sights, your point is well taken as to there being other things to do and places to explore. It is a good problem to have - too many choices all involving being away from a work computer!
Thanks again for your insight.
