Haleakala from POA questions

[idkanything]

I’ve been searching and reading about these questions for at least a week and I’m looking for some other minds to check me. 

 

My (adult) daughter and I will be on the Pride of America and in Maui 9/15 & 9/16. We already have our Hana trip booked for the 15th. For the 16th, my daughter really wants to go to the top of Haleakala. We don’t want to go for sunrise, just to spend some casual time walking around on the trails.

 

I have a rental car that I’m picking up from the Enterprise office outside the port in Kahului. It opens at 7am, so we will be there when it opens. I believe we have to be back on the ship no later than 5:30pm. The rental office closes at 5, so that’s my outside limit for time. 

 

Here’s what I’m planning:

1) Leave the rental place at 7:30 

2) Drive to Paia for breakfast some place

3) Drive the rest of the way to the summit of Haleakala, walk on a couple of the easy trails, visit the visitors center, take a bazillion pictures

4) Drive back to the port (via Costco for gas fill-up)

5) Return the car and back on the ship in time for sail away.

 

My questions are:

1) Time-wise, do I have time to do all this? It seems like I should, especially since we aren’t hardcore hikers, we just want to walk around a bit

2) I know there is no food in the park. I’m not going to buy a cooler to take food, and I want more than snacks during the day. What do other people do for lunch?

3) Since there is no gas in the park, is one tank of gas enough to get up there and back down? I believe it is, but figured I’d try and get confirmation.

 

Any one have any insight/suggestions/criticism? 

 

[Beachiekeen]

I think you can easily do that.  There are some nice places to eat lunch upcountry on the way back down the crater like Kula Bistro or Hali'imaile General Store.  You could also have breakfast at Kula Lodge on the way to Haleakala and then stop in Paia for lunch after.

[idkanything]

18 minutes ago, Beachiekeen said:

I think you can easily do that.  There are some nice places to eat lunch upcountry on the way back down the crater like Kula Bistro or Hali'imaile General Store.  You could also have breakfast at Kula Lodge on the way to Haleakala and then stop in Paia for lunch after.

 

With eating both breakfast and lunch in a restaurant and the drive up and back and time walking around, I was afraid I’d not have enough time. But perhaps the time actually at the park doesn’t have to be quite as long as I’m thinking and then we’d have time for both breakfast and lunch. Great idea! Thanks!

[Beachiekeen]

Well you can always start with breakfast and bring your snacks just in case, but I think you can make a leisurely day of it.  It will all depend on how much time you spend at the crater.  We plan to do something similar on day 2.  If you have extra time, you can have lunch somewhere.  Paia is a fun place for lunch and walking around, just make sure no valuables are visible in the car.  If you have time, you can drive as far as Ho'okipa lookout and you might see turtles out on the beach there.  

[Silver Sweethearts]

Just want to add that Paia is not on your way from the POA to Haleakala crater, so unless you really want to have breakfast there it wouldn't be the best use of time in the morning.  

[pink845]

Remember the drive  up there is long.  I mean 2 hours long with many many switchbacks.  By the time we got up there, the last thing we wanted to do was go on a hike!!!    We did take a gazillion pictures and it was truly breathtaking and very very bright. 

 

The air up there is thinner.  And depending on your age, hiking can be taking on one's system after driving two hours up in increasing altitude to 10,000 or so feet.  For the young ones, fine.  But anyone middle aged or older has to watch themselves.    Then it was another 2 hours down the hill, round and round and round we went.         Also, when Enterprise says they close at 5, they mean it.     So have your car back way before and for us, we just went with their little gas deal where you bring the car back to them and for a small fee they fill it up.  

[idkanything]

8 hours ago, pink845 said:

Remember the drive  up there is long.  I mean 2 hours long with many many switchbacks.  By the time we got up there, the last thing we wanted to do was go on a hike!!!    We did take a gazillion pictures and it was truly breathtaking and very very bright. 

 

The air up there is thinner.  And depending on your age, hiking can be taking on one's system after driving two hours up in increasing altitude to 10,000 or so feet.  For the young ones, fine.  But anyone middle aged or older has to watch themselves.    Then it was another 2 hours down the hill, round and round and round we went.         Also, when Enterprise says they close at 5, they mean it.     So have your car back way before and for us, we just went with their little gas deal where you bring the car back to them and for a small fee they fill it up.  

Thank you for the response. I'm firmly in the "middle aged" category with my 30 year old daughter, so the hiking part is just walking around the tiny walking areas up top. If it's a good 2 hours up, maybe an hour or so up top and then 2 hours back, I think we should have enough time to manage. She has her heart set on going to the top, so I think we'll try it and keep a good eye on the time. 

If you were to do it again, would you do the drive yourself or take a tour bus up? 

[pink845]

Years back, we did a cruise with Princess and were only in Maui for one day and we did take a tour up to Haleakala and it was by coach bus.   I actually felt pretty ill coming back down and my ears would not stop popping.  Driving ourselves this time in a large SUV was fabulous and we were able to stop and smell the roses up and down the drive!!!.   I truly do not like bus tours.   So, yes, when we do it again, hopefully, in a couple more years, we will drive once again.  

[cb at sea]

Remember that it's MUCH chiller up there than down below...bring a jacket...wear slacks!

[Firepath]

We didn't want to do any of the sunrise trips and get up at 2:30am or 3:30am and all the later ones would leave us worrying about getting back to the ship in time (2nd day - we are going to Hana the 1st day), so we opted to do the ship's excursion which is 8:15am-12:15pm and was cheaper because it doesn't include breakfast or lunch which we can get on the ship anyways. That leaves us pretty much all afternoon free. But if you really want to hike up there, driving yourself might be your best bet. I don't think the tours stay up there very long.   

Edited August 21, 2019 by Firepath

[MaggieNY]

How do you feel about driving to Hana yourselves? A few years’ back my husband and I were on the POA. We rented a Jeep the first day, drove the road to Hana, then kept going around - even though the rental company tells you not to. The road conditions were similar to what we have in Dutchess County, NY. We went to the Kipahulu Visitor Center – which is part of Haleakala National Park – and hiked to Waimoku Falls. Then we continued circling around and drove to the Haleakala summit and saw the sunset, which was so cool. It's a full day and this is not do-able on the 2^nd day, so you would have to skip the excursion to Hana that you’ve already booked for the 1^st day. Then you would have your rental car for the 2^nd day

[Silver Sweethearts]

7 hours ago, MaggieNY said:

How do you feel about driving to Hana yourselves? A few years’ back my husband and I were on the POA. We rented a Jeep the first day, drove the road to Hana, then kept going around - even though the rental company tells you not to. The road conditions were similar to what we have in Dutchess County, NY. We went to the Kipahulu Visitor Center – which is part of Haleakala National Park – and hiked to Waimoku Falls. Then we continued circling around and drove to the Haleakala summit and saw the sunset, which was so cool.

 

With all due respect (and of course our opinion only), this is not something we would choose for the woman and her daughter.  It is too long, too ambitious and too tiring to pleasantly accomplish in one day.  Also remember to add time to drive down Haleakala and back to the ship in the dark after watching sunset (and take layers of warm clothing up there with you).  If it sounds like a lot, it is only because it is. 

[idkanything]

Thanks for the replies! We are looking forward to our Hana excursion, so we only have day 2 free. We have decided to just rent the car day 2 and drive ourselves up to the top of Haleakala. From everything i’ve been able to gather, we should have enough time, and the tours to the top won’t allow us to just wander for a bit.