UPCOUNTRY MAUI
The journey to Haleakalā isn't just about the summit—it's about the 38 miles of upcountry Maui you pass through, where the air cools, the landscape shifts from tropical to pastoral, and the pace slows to something closer to old Hawaii. These are working ranch towns, artist communities, and agricultural heartlands where you can stretch your legs, fuel up, and discover why many visitors fall in love with upcountry more than the beaches below.
Whether you're stopping for breakfast before sunrise, exploring after your descent, or making a full day of the drive, here's what lies along the way.
JACARANDA SEASON: UPCOUNTRY'S PURPLE CANOPY
Peak bloom: Late April through June. Drive through Makawao, Kula, and Pukalani in late spring and you'll pass beneath tunnels of purple—jacaranda trees exploding in lavender-blue blooms that carpet the roads and create one of Maui's most photogenic seasonal displays. Originally from South America, these trees thrive in upcountry's cool elevation and transform entire streets into violet canopies. The bloom is usually 4-6 weeks long and timing varies slightly year to year based on rainfall, but if you're visiting May-June, the jacarandas alone justify lingering in upcountry.
PUKALANI: THE LAST STOP FOR ESSENTIALS
Elevation: 1,650 feet
This is your last chance for gas, groceries, and bathrooms before the long climb to the Haleakalā summit. Pukalani is practical rather than picturesque, but it serves a purpose.
Gas & Supplies
Chevron - Last fuel for 30+ miles. Fill up here.
Safeway - Open early, good for snacks, water, and coffee
Breakfast/Coffee
Pukalani Superette - Local plate lunches, quick breakfast
Starbucks - If you need the familiar (inside Safeway)
808 Grindz - Hearty breakfast plates, local vibe, opens 6 AM
MAKAWAO: THE ARTIST TOWN
Elevation: 1,750 feet
Once a rough-and-tumble paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) town, Makawao has evolved into an artist community with galleries, boutiques, and some of upcountry's best food. The wooden storefronts still feel Old West, but now they house jewelry makers, painters, and organic cafes.
Art Galleries
Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center - Historic estate converted to art center, rotating exhibitions, sculpture gardens, workshop classes. Worth a stop just for the grounds. Free admission.
Viewpoints Gallery - Cooperative featuring 30+ Maui artists, paintings, photography, sculpture, ceramics. High quality, locally made work.
Sherri Reeve Gallery & Gifts - Eclectic mix: paintings, jewelry, home goods, glasswork. Good for browsing.
Maui Hands - Multiple artists, reasonable prices, strong selection of local crafts and wearable art.
Shopping
The Mercantile - Curated home goods, vintage finds, locally designed items
Ola's Boutique - Women's clothing, jewelry, island-style fashion
(Facebook: Ola's Boutique Makawao)
Designing Wahine - Handmade clothing, accessories by local designer
Collections Maui - Antiques, art, vintage Hawaiian items
Restaurants & Cafes
Casanova Italian Restaurant - Makawao institution since 1988, Italian cuisine, live music venue, deli counter for sandwiches. Dinner reservations recommended.
Polli's Mexican Restaurant - Solid Tex-Mex, generous portions, local favorite for 30+ years. Expect a wait on weekends.
Komoda Store & Bakery - legendary bakery (since 1916) famous for cream puffs and malasadas. Arrive early—they sell out by 9 AM. Cash only.
Stopwatch Sports Bar & Grill - Burgers, wings, local beers, sports on TV. Casual, family-friendly.
The Market Fresh Bistro - Farm-to-table, healthy options, smoothies, salads, local ingredients. Good post-hike fuel.
Rodeo General Store - Coffee, breakfast burritos, sandwiches, grab-and-go. Opens 6 AM.
KULA: LAVENDER, PROTEA, AND SWEEPING VIEWS
Elevation: 3,000-4,000 feet
Kula is Maui's agricultural crown—cool climate farms growing lavender, protea, vegetables, coffee, and tropical flowers. The views stretch across central Maui to the ocean. This is where you stop for beauty, not just fuel.
Farms & Gardens
Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm - 13+ acres of lavender varieties, walking paths, farm store with lavender products (soaps, oils, honey, scones). Small admission fee, worth it for the views and photo opportunities. Opens 9 AM.
Kula Country Farms - Seasonal pumpkin patch (fall), strawberry picking (spring/summer), corn maze, farm animals. Family-friendly, kid-focused. Check website for seasonal availability.
O'o Farm - Working farm supplying restaurants, offers farm tours and lunch (reservations required). Highlights: coffee tasting, organic produce, chef-prepared meal using ingredients picked minutes before. Book weeks ahead.
Ocean Vodka Organic Farm & Distillery - Tours of vodka distillery and organic sugar cane fields, tastings, cocktails. Educational and surprisingly scenic. Reservations recommended.
Surfing Goat Dairy - Goat cheese farm, tours ($20-28), tastings, "Evening Chores & Milking" experience. Kids love feeding the goats. Cheese shop open daily, tours by reservation. Highly recommended!
Shopping
Kula Marketplace - Small shopping center with local vendors, crafts, coffee, produce stands
Protea Farms - Multiple farms sell fresh-cut protea flowers (they travel well, popular souvenirs). Look for roadside stands.
Restaurants & Cafes
Kula Bistro - Upscale farm-to-table, locally sourced ingredients, romantic setting, dinner reservations essential. Expensive but excellent.
Kula Lodge & Restaurant - Perched at 3,200 feet with sweeping views, solid breakfast (famous for macadamia nut pancakes), lunch, dinner. Tourist favorite for good reason. Can be busy at times.
La Provence - French bakery and cafe, croissants, quiche, pastries, sandwiches. Authentic, charming, worth the stop. Opens 7 AM.
Grandma's Coffee House - Family-run since 1918, Maui-grown coffee, homemade baked goods, breakfast. Casual, local, unpretentious. Opens 7 AM.
HISTORICAL MONUMENTS & CULTURAL SITES
Holy Ghost Church (Kula)
Built in 1894 by Portuguese immigrants, this octagonal church features ornate altar imported from Austria, hand-painted murals, and unique architecture. Small but historically significant—representative of Maui's plantation-era immigrant communities. Free to visit (respectful behavior expected).
Sun Yat-sen Park (Keokea)
Memorial to Sun Yat-sen, founding father of the Republic of China, who lived in Keokea as a child. Small park with statue, plaques explaining his connection to Maui. Quick stop, historically interesting, nice views.
Tedeschi Vineyards (Ulupalakua Ranch)
Not exactly "on the way" but the Tedeschi Vineyards is worth mentioning: Maui's only commercial winery, housed in historic King's Cottage built in 1874. Free tastings, tours, beautiful grounds. Produces pineapple wine and grape varietals. Open daily 10 AM - 5 PM.
Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (Kula)
Small cultural center honoring Sun Yat-sen's time in Hawaii, rotating exhibits on Chinese-Hawaiian history. Open limited hours, call ahead.
LOCAL TIPS
Don't rush - upcountry rewards slow peaceful exploration! The views, the air, the pace—it's all different from the resort side of Maui.
Komoda Bakery sells out by 9 AM. If you want cream puffs, arrive early or accept disappointment.
Reservations matter. O'o Farm, Surfing Goat Dairy, Kula Bistro—book ahead or you may not get in.
Lavender blooms year-round but peaks in summer. Even off-peak, Ali'i Kula Lavender is worth visiting for views alone.
Support local! These aren't chain stores or corporate farms—you're buying directly from artists, farmers, and multi-generation family businesses.
NOTE
Hours of operation may vary for local businesses, and can be seasonal. Check their website, search for their Facebook page, call ahead, or ask a local for recommendations. Many of the best shops are word-of-mouth.
THE BACKSIDE: KAUPO GAP TO ULUPALAKUA
The drive along Maui's remote southeastern coast—locals call it "the backside"—is one of Hawaii's most dramatic and least-traveled roads. Highway 31 (Pi'ilani Highway) winds through the Kaupo Gap, a massive erosional valley carved into the volcano, then hugs seaside cliffs past ancient Hawaiian fishing villages, lava flows that tumbled to the ocean centuries ago, and ranch land so isolated you'll drive miles without seeing another car.
View from the backside of Haleakalā where the views are spectacular! Warning - the drive is not for the faint of heart and don't try if there's been a lot of rain. Check with rental car contract before you take this route.
The pavement narrows to single-lane in sections, guardrails disappear, and the landscape shifts from lush upcountry green to stark volcanic desert as you descend toward sea level. This route eventually connects to Ulupalakua Ranch and Tedeschi Vineyards at 1,800 feet—Maui's only winery, housed in the historic King's Cottage (1874), where you can taste pineapple wine and estate varietals while looking back across the slopes you just navigated.
It's a rough, slow drive (allow 2-3 hours from Hana to Ulupalakua) that some rental car contracts prohibit, but if your vehicle and nerves can handle it, you'll experience Maui as it existed before tourism—wild, empty, and stunningly beautiful.
Note to visitors: Check your rental car agreement before attempting this route. Many companies prohibit driving Highway 31 due to road conditions. If you go, do it in daylight, with a full tank of gas, and don't attempt it in heavy rain.