Nestled into the northeast coast of Maine, Acadia National Park is home to majestic forests, tranquil ponds, stunning mountains and scenic coastline. Acadia is also home to over 40 species of animals (including moose, black bears and coyotes) and is the only National Park in New England. We loved our time in Acadia National Park (and the surrounding area) and would rank Acadia in our top 5 favorite National Parks. After spending a week in the park, here are our Top 5 What to Do Acadia National Park recommendations.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!
Acadia National Park has so many unique and picturesque hiking trails. From easy flat wooded and coastline walks to more challenging cliff exposed summit climbs (that utilize metal rungs and ladders), there really is a hiking trail to suit everyone’s hiking abilities in Acadia.
Further, many of the hiking trails in Acadia National Park intersect and there are many different ways to hike to the same spot. We loved the ‘choose your own route’ hiking options in Acadia. These allow you to optimize your time in the park and see many more trails through hiking loop routes rather than exclusive out and back trails. These build your own options also allow you to opt in or out of more technically challenging paths (ladders, metal rungs, rock scrambling, etc) while still getting to the same summit.
We spent a week hiking in Acadia National Park and hiked as many of the trails as possible. See our Top 5 Best Hikes in Acadia National Park post for more information on all our favorite hikes in the park. Here is a quick rundown of some of the trails in the park.
Best Family Hikes
Jordan Pond
Ocean Path
Jessup Trail
Best Thrill Seeker Hikes
Jordan Cliffs Trail
Precipice Trail
Beehive Trail
Best Moderate Hikes
South Bubble Trail
Beech Cliffs Loop Trail
Gorham Mountain
#2 What to do Acadia National Park: Visit Jordan Pond
We loved the Jordan Pond area. Jordan Pond itself is stunning (first picture in post) and you can see some other stunning views from hikes that start here too. You can hike the flat trail around the lake or one of the more challenging hikes for some stunning elevated views of the pond (above). Further, you can stop in the Pond House, which has been around since the 1890s, for some tasty popovers (puffy bread) and tea after your hike.
We were told by many other travelers that parking is a bit of a mess here during busy season and to arrive as early as possible to get parking. We had no issues parking at the Jordan Pond House during our visit but we were visiting after peak season.
#3: Visit Echo Lake Area
The Echo Lake area is somewhat of a hidden gem in the park as it is on the less busy side of the park but has equally pretty views. When we visited, we only saw less than 5 other cars in the parking lot. The beach here was so serene and one of our favorite hikes up Beech cliff was here too.
#4 What to do Acadia National Park: Visit the Oceanarium
We had one rainy day when we were in Acadia, and we were actually glad we did because we probably would have not come here had we not had a rainy day. The Oceanarium was really cool! It is located about 10 minutes outside the park entrance along Highway 3 in Mount Desert on your way into the park. Here, we got to see several naturally uniquely colored lobsters including a very rare blue lobster, tangerine lobster and a half blue/half red lobster. Our daughter also got to touch starfish and sea cucumbers in a touch tank here which she thought was pretty neat. Further, there was a replica lobster boat our daughter enjoyed playing on. Definitely do this if you have littles. And even if you don’t have littles, Sam and I learned a lot about lobsters and enjoyed visiting here too.
#5 What to do Acadia National Park: Eat a Lobster Roll
These are so yummy! Lobster rolls consist of rich lobster dressed with a butter or mayonnaise based sauce inside a hot-dog style bun, served hot or cold. They are pricey but get at least one while you are here. We had a fun experience at Downeast Lobster (a bit North of the park) where we actually got to hold our Lobster before it was cooked. There are many places to try out different style rolls in the greater Acadia area. In our opinion, the Lobster rolls are much tastier than the plain lobster itself (and a lot less work to eat).
Honorable What to do Acadia National Park Mentions
Bike Carriage Roads–The carriage roads were built by John D. Rockfeller Jr. in the early 1900s as a way to travel the valleys and mountains of Acadia on motor-free byways via horse and carriage. The roads give different expansive and close-up views throughout the park. If we did not have two very little travelers in tow, we would have biked these roads.
Visit Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse–This is a very pretty and picturesque spot (picture above). We’d recommend coming here to watch the sunrise or sunset on the rocks (Note: not safe for young children though). Otherwise, there is not much to do here other than view the lighthouse.
Lobster Boat Tour–For a classic Maine activity, take the Lulu Lobster Boat. This is the only lobster boat tour in Bar Harbor.
Sunrise at Cadillac Mountain–Seeing sunrise at Cadillac Mountain is a classic Acadia activity. It is very popular as it is one of the first spots in the US to see the sunrise and you can drive here. This is a great option to get panoramic and high up coastline views without hiking. We honestly think you get better views hiking throughout the park though and would skip this one if you are able to hike. Important note, you typically need to make a reservation for this prior to visit (we did not need these as we were visiting after October 15th). Check recreation.gov for the most uptodate information on need for reservations.
Acadia National Park FAQs
Where to stay near Acadia National Park?
We LOVED our stay at the Getaway Cabin a bit outside of Acadia in Ellsworth. This cozy cabin nestled in the woods was the perfect escape and place to relax after days spent exploring the park. This cabin truly felt like home. For more on our stay, see our Where to Stay Near Acadia National Park post.
Best time to visit Acadia National Park?
If able, visit Acadia during fall colors as it’s stunning and less busy than the summer season. We visited about a week after ‘typical’ peak fall colors and loved how we had most of the trails to ourselves (other than around the very popular Beehive/Sand Beach). At this time, we did not need reservations for Cadillac Mountain sunrise either. Although fall timeframe would always be our first choice, you really cannot go wrong visiting Acadia during any season.
How does Acadia compare to other National Parks?
Acadia is the only National Park in New England. It is unique in that it has coastline, ponds, forests and mountains all within one park. This is also the only National Park where we have ever used metal rungs and ladders on our hikes. We loved our time in Acadia (and the surrounding area) and think it is a gem. We’d rank Acadia in our top 5 favorite National Parks.
We hope this guide helps you plan what to do in Acadia National Park. Anything you’d add to our guide? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions. Please leave us a comment!
Acadia National Park has so many unique and picturesque hiking trails. We are so glad we had the opportunity to hike so many of the trails here to determine our best hikes in Acadia National Park list. From easy flat wooded and coastline walks to more challenging cliff exposed summit climbs (that utilize metal rungs and ladders), there really is a hiking trail to suit everyone’s hiking abilities in Acadia.
Further, many of the hiking trails in Acadia National Park intersect and there are many different ways to hike to the same spot. We loved the ‘choose your own route’ hiking options in Acadia. These allow you to optimize your time in the park and see many more trails through hiking loop routes rather than exclusive out and back trails. These build your own options also allow you to opt in or out of more technically challenging paths (ladders, metal rungs, rock scrambling, etc) while still getting to the same summit.
We spent a week hiking in Acadia National Park and after hiking many of the trails, here is our Top 5 Best Hikes in Acadia National Park list.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!
#1 Best Hikes in Acadia National Park: Jordan Cliffs, South Bubble & Jordan Pond Loop
This was our favorite hike in the park and wins the spot as #1 for the Top 5 Best Hikes in Acadia National Park. The variety we saw on this loop trail made it stand out from the others. We started this hike midmorning at the Jordan Pond House with stunning lighting and stillness over Jordan Pond at the beginning of the trail at this time (see picture above).
We then headed clockwise to the Jordan Cliffs Trail (view shown in first picture in post) and hiked along the exposed cliffs overlooking the pond. The Jordan Cliffs Trail was unique in that it not only had cliff exposure but also had metal rungs and challenging rock scrambles. This route was a bit more challenging than we anticipated and we had to hike it very slowly but felt safe doing so.
You then will turn and hike on the Bubbles Divide Trail to hike up to the South Bubble. The views to the north (see picture below) and over Jordan Pond are really stunning, some of our favorites from the trip. Then you head back to the Jordan Pond House on the flat Jordan Pond Path.
Logistics: 4.8 Miles, 1200 feet of elevation gain, loop
Hike Spring Trail from Jordan Pond House → Jordan Cliffs Trail → Bubbles Divide Trail → South Bubble Trail → Jordan Pond Path to Jordan Pond House
Tip: Hike Jordan Cliffs, South Bubble and Jordan Pond Loop Clockwise
The Jordan Cliffs Trail has some particularly challenging rock scrambles and metal rungs to hike. These are much easier to conquer clockwise (up) than counterclockwise (down). We were advised by park rangers and other hikers to not attempt the route counterclockwise (down) and are glad we listened.
This trail was harder than we anticipated but we were able to safely hike it slowly. However, if you are new to hiking, hesitant with baby wearing or afraid of heights, we would not recommend the Jordan Cliffs Trail to you. Instead, you may prefer to hike the easier flat and not technically challenging Jordan Pond Trail to the Bubbles Divide Trail. You will not get the stunning cliff views of the Jordan Cliffs Trail but will still get some really nice elevated views of Jordan Pond from the South Bubble. This hike reminded us of hiking around Devil’s Lake with slightly more cliff exposure.
Tip: Eat Popovers at Jordan Pond House After Hiking
The perfect treat after your hike! Popovers are a large fluffy bread that are in the shape of a large muffin but very airy and not sweet. Our best comparison is a creme puff without the creme. They are served with butter and jam. Afternoon tea and popovers were the perfect treat after a long hike on a chilly fall day. The Jordan Pond Househas been serving popovers and tea since the 1890s.
#2 Best Hikes in Acadia: Beech Cliff Ladder, Beech Cliff Loop & Canada Cliff
This hike nearly ties with the first as our favorite hike in Acadia. It is a great bang for your buck hike as you get stunning lake and coastline views (that are especially colorful in fall) relatively quickly. This hike has a little bit of everything when it comes to reaching the summit–exposed cliff walks, ladders, metal rungs and rock scrambles. However, that being said, we did not find this hike technically challenging.
Tip: Hike Beech Cliff Trail and Canada Cliffs Loop Counterclockwise
We highly recommend hiking this trail counterclockwise so that you climb up the ladders rather than down them. Here you first hike up the Beech Cliff Trail to the Beech Cliff Summit. This is the only part of the hike that involves any metal rungs or ladders. Then, after reaching the top of the Beech Cliff Trail, be sure to turn to the right and continue onto the short Beech Cliff Loop offshoot (easy to miss). The views on the Beech Cliff Loop are truly the highlight of this trail. After walking on the stunning Beech Cliff Loop, you will head along the exposed cliffs before making your descent slowly back through the woods on the Canada Cliffs Trail.
Logistics: 2.2 Miles, 500 feet elevation gain, loop
Hike Beech Cliff Ladder Trail from Echo Lake Beach Entrance→ Beech Cliff Loop (be sure to add this as the views here are the highlight of the hike) → Canada Cliff Trail
Tip: If looking to escape crowds, hike Beech Cliff and visit Echo Lake
We saw less than 5 cars in the parking lot here (Echo Lake) on our weekday fall hike. We encountered less people here than on any of our other hikes. This area of the park was so peaceful and serene. Echo lake is so pretty too! However, it may be more busy during warm summer months with people swimming at the beach.
#3 Best Hikes in Acadia National Park: Beehive/Bowl/Gorham
The Beehive is probably the most well-known and popular trail in Acadia. It has many steep cliff exposures and ladders, making it a unique challenge. Also, it is only 1.5 miles round trip if hiked alone. It further offers impressive views of the coastline and foliage, especially in the fall, at the summit.
Note: Two Ways to Reach the Beehive Summit
You start this trail (as a loop like we did or as a stand alone hike) at the Sand Beach parking lot. There are two ways to hike to the Beehive Summit. One on a shorter more technically challenging path and one on a longer but less technically demanding path. Since we were both baby/toddler wearing, we opted for the longer, less technically challenging route. This route is nicknamed the ‘back door to Beehive’ which is very fitting. On this route, you pass by a pretty lake, the Bowl. You do retrace your steps coming back on the Bowl Trail before meeting up with Gorham Mountain Trail (or getting back to the parking lot if hiking as stand alone trail)
Gorham Mountain and Ocean Path to Finish Loop
Gorham Mountain (above view) also offers very pretty views over the coast as well as panoramic views further into the park at the summit. We only saw two other people at the summit of Gorham whereas we saw dozens at the summit of the Beehive, so this was a nice retreat from the people. After hiking to the Gorham Summit, you head back down to meet up with the Ocean Path. Once on the Ocean Path, you get pretty ocean views (parallel park loop road) before arriving back at the Sand Beach parking lot. Be sure to spend some time at Sand Beach as it is one of the few areas in the park where you can walk directly along the ocean. We visited two different times during our trip.
Note: The Beehive Part of this Hike is Busy and Slippery When Wet!
We rank this hike lower than most other hikers. The Beehive is very busy, maybe too busy, and we found it less peaceful than other trails. We also hiked this route after recent rain and even without hiking the more technically challenging Beehive route, we had to be very careful with our footing as it was still quite slippery. We would not recommend hiking Beehive itself after any sort of rain given how slippery the easier and safer option was after recent rain.
Note: This map shows hiking up the more technically challenging Beehive Trail to the Beehive Summit rather than up the Bowl as we did (and recommend if you are baby wearing).
Logistics:
Combination of Beehive, Gorham and part of Ocean Path—3.5 Miles, 750 feet of elevation gain hike, loop (hiking via the Bowl adds about a mile onto the route)
Beehive alone—1.5 Miles, 500 feet of elevation gain, loop
Gorham Mountain alone—1.8 miles, 500 feet of elevation gain, loop
From the parking lot at Sand Beach, hike the Bowl Trail to summit Beehive → then back on Bowl Trail→ Gorham Mountain Trail → Gorham Mountain Summit → get to Gorham parking lot/Ocean Path by taking the Cadillac Cliffs Trail (more exposed) or Gorham Mountain Trail → meet up with the Ocean path (parallels Park Loop Road, cross street from Gorham Mountain parking lot) to get back to the Sand Beach parking lot.
#4 Best Hikes in Acadia: Dorr Mountain via Ladder Trail & Cannon Brook Trail
Looking for a stair-master workout? Well this climb is for you! The hike to the top of Dorr Mountain is about a mile and very steep. However, we really liked this route as you got a lot of variety in scenery and it was so serene (we only saw one other person and one coyote).
You hike the steep ladder trail to the summit of Dorr Mountain first. This has 3 ladders to climb but we found them to be easy without any cliff exposure and with stable placement. The trail is mostly steep rock steps. Note, there is one narrow rock passage to walk through that may be an issue if you have a really wide backpack carrier (ours fit). Once at Dorr Mountain Summit, you take the Dorr Ridge South Trail down the mountain while enjoying stunning coastline views that are very pretty in fall. You will then meet up with the Canon Brook Trail that is mainly flat and easy. The fall colors on the Canon Brook Trail were very stunning. We saw a coyote from a distance on this trail too.
Logistics: 3.4 Miles, 1200 feet of elevation gain, loop
Hike Ladder Trail→ summit of Dorr Mountain→ take Dorr Ridge South Trail to enjoy coastline views → then Canon Brook Trail (it is flat, easy and beautiful in the fall) → brings you back to beginning of Ladder Trail
#5 Best Hikes in Acadia National Park: Ocean Path
The Ocean Path is an easy and beautiful coastline hike, landing it a spot in our Top 5 Best Hikes in Acadia National Park list. We found the second half of this hike (after the Gorham Mountain parking lot on Park Loop Road) to be really serene and beautiful. It was also more of a trail and is tucked a bit away from the road in comparison to the first half. The first half of the hike has very pretty views too but is also directly next to Park Loop Road and very busy with hikers as it is easily accessible for large tour buses. This is a great hike for anyone not looking for a steep or technical climb but stunning views nonetheless.
Logistics: 4 Miles, 375 feet of elevation gain, Out & Back
We actually hiked the Ocean Path as two seperate hikes as we combined the first half of the trail with hiking to Beehive/Gorham Mountain (outlined above as #3) and then hiked the second half of the hike another day as a separate hike (parked at Gorham Mountain parking lot).
Note: You can see the highlights of this trail driving/stopping on Park Loop Road but we found it to be nicer/more serene to hike it. You are taking a slower pace walking and can truly take in the scenery.
We hope this 5 best hikes in Acadia National Park guide helps you plan your hiking in Acadia. Anything you’d add to our guide? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions. Please leave us a comment!
Spending a week in Puerto Rico will leave you wanting more time there. From rainforest hikes to hidden beaches to historic Old San Juan to a hopping food scene, Puerto Rico has a little bit of it all. Our 1 week itinerary for visiting Puerto Rico will guide you on how to not only experience it all but also have plenty of time to relax. Here is our 1 week in Puerto Rico Itinerary.
Note: This itinerary covers visiting mainly the East side of the island and Old San Juan. If you want to visit both sides of the island, you really need more than a week. We hope to go back one day to explore the West side of the island.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!
1 Week in Puerto Rico ItineraryDay 1: Arrive in Puerto Rico
On day 1, fly into Puerto Rico. There are several airports on the island but you are going to find the best deals in/out of San Juan as it is the biggest airport. For tips on saving on flights see 5 Ways to Save on Flights. For emails to be sent to your inbox on cheap flights departing from your home airport, sign up for Scott’s Cheap Flights. Use this link for a FREE 2 week trial of Premium Scott’s Cheap Flights.
After arriving in San Juan, we recommend pick up groceries before heading to your accommodations. You are going to have the most options of places to shop and the best prices on groceries in/around San Juan. We recommend stopping at the Costco (not sponsored but should be) not far from the airport. We stayed at an Airbnb with a full kitchen and found Costco to be a great spot to stock up on some essentials for the week.
Stay East of Old San Juan
Next, drive to your accommodations and settle in. You can either go out for dinner or cook depending on your preference/timing of flights.
We recommend staying at the Airbnb we stayed at in Ceiba (East of the Island) just south of Fjarado, The East Point P.R. Airbnb. We loved this Airbnb for many reasons. For one, the patios at this Airbnb are amazing. The front patio has hammocks under a gorgeous tree and the back patio has stunning mountain views. The hosts at this Airbnb were so kind and helpful as well. Our daughter also loved the swimming pool which is shared, but we always had it completely to ourselves. When we visited, there was a reservation system in place to only have one family at the pool at a time. This Airbnb is not a resort and allows for a more local experience as the other people at the complex reside there.
Luquillo and Fjarado are also good areas to stay in while visiting the East side of the island. They are far enough away from the city yet close enough for a day trip to Old San Juan and with convenient access to El Yunque and some of the best beaches/beach hiking. You may also consider staying in Old San Juan if looking for a nightlife scene and if you plan to spend more than one day in Old San Juan.
1-Week in Puerto Rico Itinerary Day 2: El Yunque National Rainforest
El Yunque National Rainforest
The next morning, wake up early and head to the El Yunque National Rainforest, which is the only tropical rainforest in the US National Parks system. It is one of the smallest National forests yet one of the most biodiverse. We loved visiting El Yunque (several times) and our favorite parts of the trip happened here!
IMPORTANT: You Need Reservations to Enter El Yunque National Rainforest.
Currently in 2022, you cannot enter El Yunque National Rainforest without a reservation. You can book these reservations 30 days in advance at recreation.gov. We recommend you set an alarm to get these tickets as soon as they become available. These tickets are not as competitive to get as some tickets for entering other National Parks like Zion National Park, Arches National Park or Rocky Mountain National Park but we still recommend getting them as soon as possible otherwise you may be SOL. We encountered numerous people who did not have tickets and could not get in (and had no idea prior to visiting they needed these tickets). You also cannot give or sell your ticket to someone else, even if you are not going, because the park rangers were checking IDs to make sure ticket names matched your ID.
Tip: If possible, get morning entrance tickets because there will be less people in the park. In the morning, you will only encounter other people with morning entrance tickets whereas in the afternoon, twice the number of people can be in the park at that time. The mornings are a bit cooler and better for hiking as well.
Stop at La Coca Falls
This location is a brief stop to see a waterfall off the main road (Hwy. 191) as you enter the park from the east. Our daughter loved looking at this waterfall. She was memorized by the waterflow!
Stop at Yokahu Tower
You can climb up the Yokahu Tower to look out over the park from even higher up or you can simply look out from the spot right next to the parking lot. Regardless of what you decide to do, it is certainly a pretty spot. A short stop again and right off the main road.
Hike La Coca Trail (3.2 Miles, 947 feet of elevation gain, out & back)
This hike is very serene, peaceful and pretty. We hiked this trail on a Saturday at 9am and were the only people on the trail. For more information on this hike, see our El Yunque National Rainforest Guide.
Mount Britton Tower Trail (1.6 Miles, 649 feet of elevation gain, out & back)
This trail takes you up to Mount Britton Tower that affords you panoramic views across the park. To access it, drive further up road 191 from the Vereda La Coca Trailhead (same road you use to access La Coca Falls)
The Mount Britton hike is along a well maintained trail, mostly paved with rocks. We advise wearing hiking boots for this trail though as it was a bit slick. The slickness was nothing our hiking boots could not handle but we saw people in regular shoes struggling.
Tip: Hike Mount Britton on a Clear Day and in the Morning
Try to go on a more clear day for better views from the top as cloud cover can completely obscure your views. The cloud cover can change in a matter of minutes and go from clear skies for miles to complete cloud cover (it did this when we were there). Also, try hiking the trail earlier in the day for the best views/weather as it typically rains in the afternoon in the rainforest (per park ranger). There are also less people on this trail in the morning. We saw at least a dozen other people while hiking this trail on a Saturday late morning/early afternoon.
After a morning hiking in the National forest, you will be ready for some delicious food so head to the Pork Highway. This drive consists of lechonera after lechonera on highway 184 that leads you up into the mountains. Lechoneras are restaurants/food joints specializing in roast pork. These lechoneras each serve pork that is slow roasted over hot coals making it crispy on the outside, yet tender on the inside. Yum!
Our favorite places we stopped along the Pork Highway included:
Lechonera Los Amigos: This cafetería style lechonera had the most flavorful pork we tried on the Pork highway. We also had some very good tostones (crisp flattened plantains) here. The staff was very kind and accommodating to our daughter (7 months old at the time) as well.
La Placita Guavate: This restaurant was further up highway 184 past the main lechoneras. This location was certainly a local spot. Our waitress only spoke Spanish. The views from the dining area here were stunning over the mountains. Here, we enjoyed some really delicious sides, including Mofongo and Amarillitos. The house dessert (Churro Balls filled with nutella covered with vanilla ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce and whip cream) did not disappoint either. Our daughter got to try all the foods here, and we gave her a lime for the first time. What a funny reaction to see!
Tip: Locate the beginning of the Pork Highway by searching for Lechonera Los Amigos.
This Lechonera is at the start of the Pork Highway. From here, drive southeast on highway 184 towards Guvate (will be labeled with yellow signs as pictured). The Pork Highway is a build your own experience so drive on highway 184 as far as you would like and stop at as many or as few lechoneras as you please.
Tip: Visit between traditional mealtimes
We drove the Pork Highway late on a Saturday afternoon (started around 4 o’clock). At that time, it was not crowded. Most information we read on the Pork Highway advised arriving by noon. Otherwise, it would be very crowded and difficult to drive but we found driving it late afternoon to be very easy-going.
Foods to Try while in Puerto Rico:
Amarillitos (Sweet fried plantains)
Tostones (Crisp flattened plantains, savory)
Mofongo (Mashed up plantains and yuca, National Dish, Natalie’s favorite, has a garlic bread like taste)
Arroz con Gandules or Vegetables (Rice with pigeon peas or other vegetables, has a sweeter taste)
Cuajito (stewed pig stomach)
Morcilla (blood sausage)
Longaniza (spicy sausage)
Yuca al mojo (cassava with onions, olive oil and vinegar)
1-Week in Puerto Rico Itinerary Day 3: Visit Old San Juan
Visit Old San Juan
Next up, Old San Juan! Old San Juan reminded us of a charming European city with its cobblestone roads and colorful buildings. The Spanish influence, from Puerto Rico’s time as a Spanish colony, is very evident. The vibrantly colored buildings paired with the lively music, food and people we encountered made for a very fun day exploring Old San Juan. Old San Juan is also dripping with history, with the Castle and Fortress (on the shoreline) are a delight for any history buff. See our 1 Day in Old San Juan Puerto Rico guide for all our recommendations on visiting this city.
We recommend walking around the entirety (a couple miles of walking) of Old San Juan to experience the culture and see all it has to offer. Simply park at one spot (see below where to park for FREE) and make a big loop. Be sure to also pop down random streets and not always walk on the main roads. We found some of the cutest spots when we were off the beaten path. If you love photography like Natalie, you will love finding these quaint and colorful spots. We also found some fun murals tucked away on less trafficked streets.
Explore El Moro Fortress & Castillo San Cristobal
Beyond the cobblestone streets and colorful buildings, be sure to visit El Morro Fortress and Castillo San Cristobal on the coastline. El Moro was constructed in the 1400s to protect San Juan from pirates. The architecture here is quite magnificent and provides for some awesome photo ops. Castillo San Cristobal is located just south of the fortress on the shoreline and has similarly cool old architecture. See our 1 Day in Old San Juan Puerto Rico guide for how to save on admission to these spots.
La Fortaleza/Calle Fortaleza
Another spot you may want to make sure you visit is La Fortaleza/Calle Fortaleza, the Governor’s Mansion and the street in front of it. Typically Calle Fortaleza is very picturesque and has umbrellas hanging above it but when we visited, this was not the case. A local told us the objects hanging above the street rotate throughout the year so do not expect to necessarily see this decor.
Tip: Park near El Morro for FREE.
Across the street a couple blocks east, we were able to park on a Sunday morning for free. Here is the location we parked at for free. Be sure to read all signs, as this could have changed. Signs are in Spanish so either ask a local or use Google translate if you do not speak Spanish to be sure it is free to park (and you won’t get a ticket).
Tip: Arrive early as it gets busier throughout the day.
We were able to drive into Old San Juan quickly without any traffic but when we were leaving in the afternoon, the traffic to get into Old San Juan was bumper to bumper. The National Park Sites were also quite crowded at that time. We like people, not crowds!
Parent advice: You can navigate Old San Juan with a stroller but ideally would baby wear
It is a bit tricky but doable to use your stroller in Old San Juan Puerto Rico. In Old San Juan, the roads are mainly cobblestone but you can roll your stroller on the sidewalks. The sidewalks are not always continuous and sometimes we had to lift our stroller up or carry it briefly. However, it worked and was worth the extra effort for us. We prefer to have our stroller, when we can, as it serves as a portable napping spot for our baby. Having our stroller allows the baby to sleep quite well almost anywhere. A well rested baby is a happy baby! For all our baby travel tips see our Top 10 Baby Travel Tips, How to Hike with a Baby and Flying with a Baby posts.
Check Out Barrichina, Home to the Original Pina Colada
Be sure to get some traditional Puerto Rican food or check out one of the many other types of restaurants in Old San Juan. We recommend eating at Barrachina (specializes in traditional Caribbean food), has a beautiful enclosed outdoor dining area and is, allegedly, home to the “Original” Pina Colada.
See our 1 Day in Old San Juan guide for more tips on visiting Old San Juan.
1-Week in Puerto Rico Itinerary Day 4: El Yunque Rainforest
After a day in the city, we were ready to get back out in nature again and hike in El Yunque National Rainforest. We entered again through the east entrance. If you want to revisit a stop, you can stop at any of the pull offs along the road again. There are several other small waterfalls and rest areas you can stop at along the road (see map in our complete El Yunque National Rainforest Guide) but we hit most on the first day we visited.
El Yunque Trail to Los Picachos vía El Camilito Trailhead (about 5 Miles Roundtrip, 1,748 feet of elevation gain, out & back)
This hike takes you through the serene rainforest and into the clouds. It ends at a cement landing that you climb up to get panoramic views of the park. It is a steep climb to the top but 100% worth it. This was our favorite hike and overall activity we did in Puerto Rico. It was so peaceful and our 7 month old daughter at the time adorably babbled the entire hike.
Tip: Try to go on a more clear day or in the morning (less likely rain) to have more clear views without cloud coverage (sometimes cannot see any views with full cloud coverage)
Along the trail, there are several small waterfalls and plenty of very pretty rainforest flora to keep this hike interesting. Also, despite having quite decent elevation gain, the elevation gain was well spread out and the hike did not feel overly strenuous. See our El Yunque National Rainforest Guide for more details on this hike.
Stop at La Murella for Lunch
This roadside stand is located just prior to La Coca Falls. The food here is delicious and freshly prepared. It is quite overpriced but you are paying for the convenience of a hot Puerto Rican Food in the middle of a rainforest. This is the best food we have ever had at a National Park site. Typically the food at the National Parks does not match up to the views but this time it did! Be sure to bring cash to pay for it.
Hike the Angelito Trail (0.7 miles, 127 feet of elevation gain, out & back)
The Angelito trail takes you through the rainforest to a river where you can go swimming. The highlight, for Natalie, at this spot was the rope swing that she had fun mastering swinging on into the river. On the trail, you’ll pass through some bamboo too.
Tip: Go right after it rains or on a weekday to beat the crowds.
We had this normally very busy spot almost completely to ourselves after a short downpour because everyone else cleared out. Also, try to go here on a weekday as it gets packed on weekends.
1-Week in Puerto Rico Itinerary Day 5: Beach Hiking & Food Kiosks
Seven Seas to Playa Colorá and Playa Escondida Hike (2.2 mile out & back, 147 feet elevation)
This easy, mainly shaded, hike takes you through Mangroves to two secluded beaches. We hiked this trail around 7:30 AM and had both beaches completely to ourselves. On this hike, we saw lots of large fist sized crabs going into their holes as we approached the mangroves (don’t worry, they were off the path). When we walked slowly and looked out closely, we could see 30 + out at a time!
Tip: Park for free along the road just south of where the trail starts (north of Costa Mia restaurant). You can park at Seven Seas for a fee as well but if you arrive before 8 AM, you should have no trouble parking here for free.
Eat at the Luquillo Food Kiosks
There are about 50 food kiosks at the Luquillo Food Kiosks. Several are sit down restaurants with outdoor seating overlooking the beach. Other spots are more grab and go, specializing in different Fried Puerto Rican Street Food and drinks (mojitos and pina coladas mainly). The Kiosks are definitely a fun atmosphere!
Eat at La Parilla
We ate at the seafood seat-down restaurant La Parilla (Kiosk #2). We liked the food and atmosphere here so much, we actually ate here twice. Our main dishes were on-point (grouper with a lemon butter cream sauce and chicken yuca mofongo) and we loved the tostones filled with crab appetizer. You can also get the tostones filled with lobster but we liked the ones filled with crab-filled better so we would recommend a full order of those.
1-Week in Puerto Rico Itinerary Day 6: Luquillo Beach Hike & Beach or Pool Afternoon
Luquillo Beach Hike (Up to 6 miles round trip, out & back, little to no elevation)
This hike starts at Monserrate Beach (near and behind Luquillo Food Kiosks) and heads south along the shoreline. You can hike up to 6 miles round trip if you hike as far as you can along the shoreline. We hiked 4 miles along (north to south) Monserrate Beach, Luquillo Beach, Fortuna Beach and Playa Azul. On this hike, you access very pretty and secluded beaches south of Luquillo Beach. These beaches also have calmer waters that our 7 month old greatly appreciated being able to stand in more easily. These beaches are more “classic” in that they are lined with coconut trees and there are no mangroves unlike the previous day’s hike to Playa Escondida. Be sure to have sun protection with you as most of this trail is in the direct sun if done anytime after early morning.
Tip: Park for free at the Luquillo Food Kiosks and walk to the shoreline to get to the trail. Otherwise, you have to pay for parking at Luquillo Beach (small fee but same distance of walking to the coastline so we suggest the free option).
Eat at the Luquillo Food Kiosks again
Since you are already parked at the food Kiosks, time your hike to finish around when you want to eat lunch and eat here again. Try somewhere new or eat at La Parilla again if you liked it as much as we did.
1 Week in Puerto Rico Itinerary Day 7: Hike La Zanja Trail, Fly Home
La Zanja Trail (3. Miles round Trip, out & back, 351 feet elevation)
The La Zanja Hike is along the beach and mangroves outside of Reserva Natural de Las Cabezas. This hike was very pretty, serene and felt secluded. We saw no one else on this trail during our morning hike around 7:30 AM. And if you hike before 9 AM, most of the hike will be in the shade. Depending on the tide, you may have to wade some water/slippery rocks at high tide. We completed the hike during a low tide time so we had no issues and simply walked on the beach the whole time.
Tip: Park for free along the road just north of where the trail starts (before Costa Mia restaurant). This is the same spot you park for the Seven Seas to Playa Colorá and Playa Escondida Hike but instead of heading north to Seven Seas Beach, you head south towards the nature reserve.
Fly Home
We did not want to leave Puerto Rico and hope you feel the same after traveling with this itinerary.
Other Puerto Rico Travel Tips/Observations
Foods to try in Puerto Rico:
Mallorca: Sweet Puerto Rican Bread
Mofongo: Mashed up Plantains and Yuca, Natalie’s favorite
Arroz con Gandules: Rice with Pigeon Peas
Empanadillo: Puerto Rican Empanada
Tostones: Fried flattened plantains, our favorite were filled with crab at La Parilla
Flan: Egg custard dessert, Sam really liked it, Natalie did not care for this
Bad Drivers and Roads
Drivers in Puerto Rico, in general, are VERY aggressive (worse than, sorry IL friends, Chicago drivers) so be cautious. There are also speed bumps everywhere, probably to slow down those aggressive drivers. Similarly, the roads are also in poor condition at baseline so if a road has signs it is in poor condition, expect it to be really rough (especially Road 186 in El Yunque). We found this very ironic because you pay extra taxes with your rental car for the poorly maintained roads.
Many Stray Dogs and Cats
We encountered several aggressive stray dogs in numerous areas of Puerto Rico. This caught us off guard as we have not previously encountered aggressive strays despite all of our travels. We love dogs but an aggressive stray dog biting you would completely alter your trip. Prophylactic Rabies vaccinations are now something we are considering to potentially get for further travels.
Other Potential Puerto Rico Activities
Below is a list of some things we hope to do in the future but did not have time for or were unable to do with baby.
Bioluminescent Bay at night (best to see during new moon phase, check prior to trip)
The glowing bioluminescent bays are a phenomenon you can only see in a few parts of the world, including Puerto Rico. They are best viewed during the new moon phase so try to time a visit to one of them around that. There are 3 places you can view these in Puerto Rico–near Fajardo at Mostiquo Bay, on Vieques Island or in La Parguera (southwest corner of the main island). Kayak tours (not an option with a baby) are plentiful and there are many different companies you can use. Some different options for viewing these bays we came across during our research included:
Boardwalk Tour with Reserva Natural Las Cabezas de San Juan (Para la Naturaleza, was not occurring when we visited)
Big Island Boat Tours (Electric Boat to the Islands, BioIslandPR, 1 (787) 422-7857, Minimum age 3 so that was a no go with a 7 month old)
Eat at La Estacion
This is a laid back gas station turned restaurant in Fajardo with locally sourced meat and produce with Puerto Rican Street Food. Be sure to check when it is open and plan accordingly. This restaurant was closed all the times we thought about going.
Visit an Island
Other than the Puerto Rico main island, Culebra and Vieques are the most popular islands. You can take a ferry from Ceiba (East Side of the Island) to access them. If you go to Vieques, it is quite large and our friends who have been there advise renting a Jeep to get around the island.
Cerro Mime Hike (3.4 Miles out & back, 354 feet of elevation gain)
Central Region Island hike with mountainous Views. We did not hike because it is very far from most other activities/sites we visited.
Hike El Toro Trail (4.9 Miles, 1325 feet of elevation gain, out & back)
This hike is located in El Yunque National Forest. Based on reviews we read, it is very muddy. Some people said they would not do it again and it took most people 5 hours to hike. We did not hike this trail because at the trailhead, located near the edge of the park, there was a pack of large aggressive stray dogs. Based on the reviews we read, we did not think the hike was worth doing to potentially get bit and maybe even contract rabies. El Toro Trail AllTrails
We hope this guide helps you plan your trip to Puerto Rico. Anything you’d add to our guide? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions. Please leave us a comment!
Being avid travelers to the US National Park sites in addition to being loving dog owners, we were excited when we found out that unlike most US National Park System designations, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is actually rather dog friendly. Everything’s better with your dog, including vacation. Being able to bring your dog on vacation with you is vital to helping you unwind and relax while visiting a new place. We spent an extended weekend in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore with our pup Gordie and were so happy to find so many dog friendly activities to do with him while there. Here is our guide on Dog Friendly Activities in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore area.
FYI This post is written based on a trip taken in Mid-August.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!
Hike the Meyers Beach Sea Caves Trail with your Dog
Our top dog friendly recommendation for Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is to hike the Meyers Beach Sea Cave Trail. We loved hiking this trail with our pup! Unlike most trails at other National Lakeshores, such as Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, you can hike here with your dog. Our dog loves a good hike so he was in heaven.
The Meyers Beach Sea Cave Trail leads you to Lake Superior’s waterfront cliffs where you can see some of the Apostle Islands sea caves and Lake Superior from above. This trail goes through the woods and is mainly shaded (we love a shaded trail) until you reach the sea caves at 1.8 miles.
At 1.8 miles, you reach the Crevasse, an impressive 100-yard-long fracture in the rocks. We actually got to Kayak into this sea cave on our kayak tour of the lakeshore (see all the detailed about sea kayaking Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in our What to do Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Unfortunately, sea kayaking is not dog friendly, hence why it did not make it into this guide).
You can continue on the trail for more sea cave views until the 2.2 mile point but after that, the trail only leads to some remote campsite through the woods and there are no further views of the sea caves.
Not too hard of a hike for your or your pup
We did this hike with Natalie’s parents and our dog. It was a really nice hike as it was not overly strenuous and had some great views of the sea caves without kayaking. Natalie’s parents, who do not do much hiking at all, felt it to be very manageable for beginners. They also were not disappointed with the views. On the hike back from the sea caves, Natalie’s Dad was sure to tell each hiker we passed about the cool views. It was adorable.
Caution: Be careful as the edges along the trail may be undercut/slippery. You don’t want you or your pup to fall into the water from the trail. It’s not a short fall!
4.6 miles round trip, 269 feet of elevation gain, out & back
Cost: $5 fee to park (cannot use America the Beautiful Pass)
Hike Lost Creek Falls with your Dog
Our next top dog friendly activity for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore area is to hike Lost Creek Falls. Our pup loved, and we mean LOVED, hiking this trail. This trail brings you through a peaceful wooded setting to a more impressive than we expected waterfall and small pool area. Our dog LOVED running through the pools of water around the waterfall at the ‘summit’ of this hike. He was really living his best life zooming back and forth.
The trail is well-maintained with some boardwalks. We did this hike in the morning and had the waterfall/pool area all to ourselves. It was so pretty and serene!
2.2 Miles, 216 feet of elevation gain, out & back
Cost: Free to park
Tip: Bring good bug spray and tick wipes for your dog.
The bugs were actually not bad at all during our trip (we all got less than 3 mosquito bites on our 5 day trip) and found no ticks on our dog while there. However, this very wooded trail with water at the end is typically notorious for both. We think our bug spray and tick wipes helped prevent us having an issue here. These are the tick wipes we use with our dog. This is the non-chemical bug spray we use with our daughter. This is the deet bug spray we use on ourselves.
Take the Madeline Island Ferry with your Dog
Our third dog friendly activity recommendation for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore area is visiting Madeline Island/taking the ferry to Madeline Island. Again, our dog was living his best life on the ferry to the island and on the island itself. The pictures speak for themselves.
Fun Fact: Madeline Island is the largest and most developed of the 22 Apostle Islands. It is well known for its beaches and hiking trails/biking trails. It also has some eclectic shops and restaurants.
Dog Friendly Madeline Island Ferry
The journey to Madeline Island with your dog is half the fun. To access this island, you take the Madeline Island Ferry from Downtown Bayfield. This ferry ride offers scenic views of Lake Superior, Bayfield, Madeline Island and some other of the Apostle Islands in the distance. And you can soak in all these views with your pup as the ferry is dog friendly.
Cost: $17 per person round-trip, $30 per car round-tip. Dogs ride for free. The ferry is a bit pricey but again, part of the experience. See the Madeline Island Ferry Rates for the most up-to-date prices. If you are interested in more ferry ride experiences, see our, coming soon ***, Two-Week Fjords of Norway Road Trip.
Also, unless it is an extraordinarily busy weekend, you typically do not need to book this ferry in advance. Just arrive about 15-20 before the time you would like to depart and you should have no problem getting on the ferry you want. See the Madeline Island Ferry Schedule for the most up-to-date times.
Dog Friendly Madeline Island
On Madeline Island, explore the downtown area with your pup. A particularly good spot to visit is the Pub Restaurant & Wine Bar at the Inn on Madeline Island as they will serve dog treats while you dine on the patio. You also can go hiking on some of the trails in the area. However, note that, unfortunately, not all the trails in the parks on Madeline Island are dog friendly. The casper trail (1.2 miles one-way) near downtown is dog friendly though so be sure to check that one out! See the map below for all the Madeline Island trails.
Explore Cornucopia with your Pup
Our next dog friendly Apostle Islands area recommendation is visiting the small artsy and eclectic town of Cornucopia. Cornucopia is located not far from Meyers Beach and the sea caves hike. There are several small boutique and resale shops in this town as well as a few restaurants on the main street, many being dog friendly. The harbor area is very picturesque here too.
For a dog friendly dining experience in Cornucopia, try eating at the Fat Radish Restaurant. This restaurant is known for its tasty farm-to-table dishes and is of course dog friendly. Note: this restaurant has limited evening hours (Wed-Sun) and brunch hours (Sun only).
We actually visited Cornucopia during Cornucopia days (mid August) and there was also a flea market and fundraiser food sale going on. Our pup was welcome here too.
Explore Downtown Bayfield with your Dog
Bayfield is a charming small-town on the largest Great Lake. This town is very walkable with many cute small shops and restaurants, many that are also dog friendly. Bayfield reminded us of the shops and restaurants in the small towns in Door County. Plan to spend a morning or an afternoon here. Here is a list of dog friendly spots to eat and shop in Bayfield:
Big Water Coffee Roasters
Big Water’s Bakery (get ther Rhubarb Ginger Scone!)
Greunke’s First Street Inn & Dining
Portside Bar & Restaurant
Pier Plaza Restaurant & Lounge
Where to Stay near Apostle Islands National Lakeshore with your Dog
We highly recommend staying at Mission Springs Resort while visiting the Apostle Islands area with your dog. We stayed here and had a great extended weekend with our pup and family. This resort, located right on Lake Superior, offers you superb lake views while also offering plenty of outdoor areas for your pup to explore. We loved walking down to the lake in the morning with our pup at our side and a hot beverage in our hands. Mission Springs Resort truly offers you a serene place to unwind and have a great time with your family, including your dog, around the campfire. For more details on staying here, see our Where to Stay Near Apostle Islands National Lakeshore post.
Call or text Katie at 715-209-8321 for availability or visit the Mission Springs Resort website for the best price and most up to date availability. Katie is a great resource while visiting the area and during your stay as well. She is a fantastic host, allowing you your space yet is available for any questions!
If Mission Springs Resort is fully booked, some other places to stay with your dog in Apostles Islands include the Inn on Madeline Island and this Bayfield Condo. There are also campsites on the mainland/islands that allow dogs.
We hope this guide helps you plan your dog friendly trip to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Anything you’d add to our guide? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions. Please leave us a comment!
With stunning sea caves, dramatic sandstone cliffs and pristine beaches, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is truly a northern Wisconsin gem. Centuries of freezing, thawing and wave activity has sculpted a very unique shoreline here, making the scenery at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore unforgettable. In addition to beautiful shoreline views (visible through hiking and sea kayaking), there are also several cute small towns to explore and inland hikes to take in the area. After planning a trip to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore for several years, we are excited to share our ‘What to Do in Apostle Islands’ guide with you so can start planning a trip to the area of your own.
FYI: This post is written based on a trip taken in mid-August.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!
Go Sea Kayaking along Apostles Islands National Lakeshore
Our top recommendation on what to do on Apostles Islands National Lakeshore is to go sea kayaking. We have been dreaming of kayaking these sea caves for years and the experience really lived up to our expectations. Pictures really do not do these picturesque sea caves justice. Seeing the sea caves up-close and on the water is breathtaking. Further, sea kayaking allows you to not only see these sea caves but to actually go in them! We had so much fun kayaking into sea caves of all different sizes. We really got a kick out of ducking down to get into some of the smaller sea caves. These tight caves stand in sharp contrast to the expansive nature of some of the bigger sea caves.
Tip: Go Sea Kayaking from Meyers Beach
There are several options on where you can start your sea kayaking tour. Despite the options, we highly recommend picking a tour that leaves from Meyers Beach. Logistically, this is the easiest trip to coordinate, as you do not have to take a ferry, and per the park ranger we spoke with, the prettiest sea caves of different tours offered. You can also take sea caves tours from Sand Island and Madeline Island.
Book a Sea Kayaking Tour with Lost Creek Adventures
Although you could kayak from Meyers Beach without a guide, we highly recommend using one. The outfitters can ensure the water conditions are safe, guide you through the stable sea caves (some are not stable and are at risk of collapse) and supply you with the right gear (sea kayak, wet suit (we needed even with air temps in the low 60s) and wet bag).
Here is a list of the certified Sea Kayaking Outfitters on Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. We took a half day tour with Lost Creek Adventures Kayaking and would highly recommend using this company. Our guides (shout out to Nat and Otis) were great and the group we went kayaking with was small (4 other double kayaks), making the outing more intimate and customized. We got to explore so many sea caves on this half day trip and were able to go further on the shoreline than most groups due to having a group of relatively strong kayakers. Our guides were also kind enough to snap and share some pictures of us kayaking from their phones too. This half-day trip cost $83 per person and was worth every penny.
Tip: Go as early in the morning as possible for calmer waters
Per our research and the Apostle Island National Lakeshore park ranger we spoke with, the water at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is usually much more calm early in the morning. Therefore, kayaking as early as possible in the morning will make your trip more enjoyable and less likely to be canceled.
Caution: Use a sea kayak while kayaking Apostles Island National Lakeshore
Due to the unpredictable and powerful nature of Lake Superior, use a sea kayak rather than a smaller kayak when kayaking here. People have drowned kayaking the Apostle Islands so be sure to use the proper equipment to keep yourself safe. Also, as recommended above, go kayaking with a guide so they can ensure the water conditions are safe for your trip. They monitor the waters and will reschedule your trip if it is not safe to go. The outfitter will also advise you when a wetsuit is needed for your trip (often needed due to cold Lake Superior temps). Our use of wet suits was included in our rental price at Lost Creek. Most of the outfitters include wetsuit in their base rental costs but be sure to check with the outfitter you use.
Hike from Meyers Beach above the Sea Caves
Our next recommendation on what to do while visiting Apostle Islands is to hike from Meyers Beach above the sea caves. We loved hiking this trail! It takes you to a spot where you can see some of the Apostle Islands Sea Caves and Lake Superior from above for about 0.5 miles. This trail goes through the woods and is mainly shaded (we love a shaded trail) until you reach the sea caves at 1.8 miles. At 1.8 miles, you reach the Crevasse, an impressive 100-yard-long fracture in the rocks. We actually got to kayak into this sea cave on our kayak tour (see above). You can continue on the trail until the 2.2 mile point for more sea cave views. However, after that, the trail only leads to some remote campsite through the woods and there are no further views of the sea caves.
4.6 miles round trip, 269 feet of elevation gain, out & back
Cost: $5 fee to park (cannot use America the Beautiful Pass)
Note: You can bring your dog hiking at Meyers Beach!
We did this hike with Natalie’s parents and our dog. It was a nice hike, not overly strenuous and had some great views of the sea caves without kayaking. Natalie’s parents, who do not do much hiking, felt it to be very manageable for beginners. They also were not disappointed with the views. On the hike back from the sea caves, Natalie’s Dad was sure to tell each hiker we passed about the cool views. It was adorable.
Caution: Be careful as the edges along the trail may be undercut/slippery. You don’t want to fall into the water from the trail. It’s not a short fall!
Hike Lost Creek Falls in Apostle Islands
Our third top recommendation on what to do in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is to hike Lost Creek Falls. This trail brings you through a peaceful wooded setting to a, more impressive than we expected, waterfall and small pool area. The trail is well-maintained with some boardwalks. We did this hike in the morning and had the waterfall/pool area all to ourselves. It was so pretty and serene!
2.2 Miles, 216 feet of elevation gain, out & back
Cost: Free to park
Note: Dogs are allowed to hike here too!
Our dog LOVED running through the pools of water around the waterfall at the ‘summit’ of this hike. He was really living his best life zooming back and forth. See our Dog Friendly Apostle Islands Guide for further dog friendly activities in the area.
Tip: Bring good bug spray.
The bugs were actually not bad at all during our trip (we all got less than 3 bites on our 5 day trip) but most other people we know who have been here recommended good bug spray for this very wooded trail. This is the non-chemical bug spray we use with our daughter. This is the deet bug spray we use on ourselves.
Visit Madeline Island in Apostle Islands
Our next what to do in Apostle Islands recommendation is to visit Madeline Island. Madeline Island is the largest and most developed of the 22 Apostle Islands. It is well known for its beaches and hiking trails/biking trails. It also has some eclectic shops and restaurants.
Fun fact: Although Madeline Island is one of the 22 Apostle Islands, it is the only one not part of the National Lakeshore.
Madeline Island Ferry
The journey to Madeline Island itself is half the fun. To access this island, you take the Madeline Island Ferry from Downtown Bayfield. This ferry ride offers scenic views of Lake Superior, Bayfield, Madeline Island and some of the other Apostle Islands in the distance. You can soak in all these views with your pup as the ferry is dog friendly.
Cost: $17 per person round-trip, $30 per car round-tip. Dogs ride for free. The ferry is a bit pricey but again, part of the experience. See the Madeline Island Ferry Rates for the most up-to-date prices. If you are interested in more ferry ride experiences, see our, coming soon, Two-Week Fjords of Norway Road Trip.
Also, unless it is an extraordinarily busy weekend, you typically do not need to book this ferry in advance. Just arrive about 15-20 minutes before the time you would like to depart and you should have no problem getting on the ferry you want. See the Madeline Island Ferry Schedule for the most up-to-date times.
Tip: Get ice cream in La Pointe on Madeline Island before heading back to Bayfield to enjoy on the ferry ride back
Visit Town Park and Big Bay State Park on Madeline Island
While on Madeline Island, be sure to visit the parks here–Town Park and Big Bay State Park. Town Park and Big Bay State Park both offer some nice trails to explore the beaches and woods on Madeline Island. The boardwalk between Town Park and Big Bay State Park was our favorite trail here. The trail is about 2 miles long. It is mostly shaded, the breeze from the lake is perfect and the boardwalks are very well-maintained. You can also hike around the lake here. See map below from this trail as well as others on the island.
Visit La Pointe, Downtown, Madeline Island
The downtown area here is eclectic and artsy with some cute shops, galleries and restaurants. Note, hours are very limited and variable at the shops here. If you are looking for a dog-friendly spot, visit the Inn on Madeline Island (stay overnight with your pup or eat at the Pub Restaurant on the patio).
Explore Cornucopia in Apostle Islands
Cornucopia is another artsy and eclectic small town located near Meyers Beach/Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. There are several small boutique and resale shops here as well as a few restaurants on the main street. The harbor area is very picturesque along Lake Superior.
For a more high-end meal in a casual environment, try eating at the Fat Radish Restaurant in Cornucopia. This restaurant is known for its tasty farm-to-table dishes. Note that this restaurant has limited evening hours (Wed-Sun) and brunch hours (Sun only).
We actually visited during Cornucopia days (mid-August) so there was also a flea market and fundraiser food sale going on at the time. We felt like a local exploring this town celebration.
Apostle Islands Cruise
If you want to see the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore beyond Madeline Island and without kayaking, taking an island cruise is the best way to do it. The National Park Service offers narrated scenic cruises and shuttles to different islands. In addition to the cruises offered by the National Park Service, you can also take a private water taxi or boat.
While we were in the Bayfield area, blueberries were in season for picking and we went to Blue Vista Farms. We picked the most delicious blueberries we have ever tasted here. The price was reasonable and the little farm store on site was adorable too (if you are looking for some prepared local products). Be sure to check the farm website for hours prior to visiting though as they are limited.
There are tons of farms in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Bayfield area. Many of them are located close to each other. Each has unique offerings and different hours to help fit your schedule/interests. Some other options include:
Bayfield is a charming small-town on the largest Great Lake. This town is very walkable with many cute small shops and restaurants. It reminded us of the shops and restaurants in the small towns in Door County. Plan to spend a morning or an afternoon here. Be sure to get a rhubarb scone at Big Water’s Bakery!
Visit Friendly Valley Beach
This beach located South of Bayfield is a little hidden gem that our accommodations host told us about. If you are looking to spend some time at the beach but do not want to spend the money it costs to go to Madeline Island, this is the way to do it! You can walk along the beach and out onto some sand bars that go into the lake. Parking here is free.
This restaurant is more than just a meal, it’s an experience. Delta Diner is a throwback to 1940’s east coast diners and looks like something straight out of the 1940s. Although we did not get to try this place during our visit due to limited Thu-Sun hours (see website), we hope you get a chance to get a meal here during your visit.
This restaurant is another activity our accommodations host told us about! Katie at Mission Springs Resort is really a great resource for activities and any questions you may have about your visit to the area.
Where to Stay Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
We highly recommend staying at Mission Springs Resort in Ashland, about 20 minutes south of Bayfield and 30 minutes southeast of Meyers Beach. This resort is close enough to all of the activities in the area yet tucked away from the hustle and bustle. It is truly the perfect place to unwind after a day of exploring. This resort has been family owned and operated for over 75 years. It is family friendly and all the accommodations are dog friendly. And with charming cottages and a large modern lake house, there is something to fit everyone’s accommodations needs. Located right along the Lake Superior shoreline, you’ll be hard pressed to find another spot with better views to drink your morning coffee. For more on staying at this place, please see our Where to Stay Near Apostle Islands National Lakeshore post.
Call or text Katie at 715-209-8321 for availability or visit the Mission Springs Resort website for the best price and most up to date availability. Katie is a great resource while visiting the area and during your stay as well. She is a fantastic host, allowing you your space yet is available for any questions!
FAQs about Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
When to Visit Apostles Islands?
Visit in the summer, ideally June-early September. Outside of that window, sea kayaking outings are limited/not offered due to the unpredictable and cooler weather. You can also visit the sea caves in winter by walking on the ice (when it is safe) but you will not be able to go sea kayaking and will likely have limited hiking options due to ice/snow as well.
Where to Stay near Apostle Islands National Lakeshore?
We hope this guide helps you plan your trip to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Anything you’d add to our guide? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions. Please leave us a comment!
Hiking is a great way to spend time outdoors with your baby. Exposing our daughter to nature and adventure at an early age through hiking was very important to us. However, the logistics of hiking with a baby can feel overwhelming. With the unpredictability of an infant, in regards to pretty much everything (feeding, sleeping, changing, fussiness, etc.), and the logistics of hiking with a baby (supporting their head, carrying all your/their gear, protecting them from the sun, etc.), going on a hike with a baby can seem impossible.
However, with the right mindset, gear, practice and dedication, it can be done successfully. We spent a week hiking with our 5-week-old in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (even doing a 10+ mile hike one day), completed many hikes in Hawaii when our baby was 3-months-old, hiked in El Yunque National Rainforest in Puerto Rico when she was 7-months-old, hiked along the southern coast of Mexico when she was 8-months-old and hiked to more waterfalls than we can count in Iceland when she was 10 months old. Additionally, we have completed many hikes around our home with our infant. After all these hikes, friends and family asked us to share our tips on how to hike with a baby. Below are our top 5 tips for hiking with your baby.
Update: Since initially writing this, we’ve had another baby who we have been hiking with as well from a young age. All of our top baby hiking tips are even more helpful now with 2 littles.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!
#1 Top Hiking with a Baby Tip: Flexible Attitude
When it comes to most aspects of life, including hiking with your infant, attitude really is everything. Be patient and flexible with your adventure. Know that your baby will be in charge and you are going to just have to go with the flow. When our daughter is sleeping (she loves sleeping in her carrier), we hike as far as we can. When she needs to eat or is fussy, we stop and take our breaks. We stop as much as she needs.
For example, on a 10 + mile hike with her at 5-weeks-old, the first 6 miles of our hike, we only had to stop twice because she was mainly sleeping but the last 4 miles, we had to 5 times as she was cluster feeding. If we would have had a rigid attitude about when we were stopping, this would have certainly frustrated us. However, knowing we needed to be flexible and that we were going to roll with the punches set us up for success.
#2 Top Hiking with a Baby Tip: Set Realistic Expectations
Not only is having a flexible attitude important but also setting realistic expectations. Everything takes longer with an infant, including hiking (and even writing this post) so set realistic expectations in regards to how long a hike will take you. For example, when we set out on a long hike with our 5 week old, we knew that between stopping to feed, changing her diaper, doing tummy time with her, etc, it may take us twice as long to complete the hike as it normally would without her. In reality, it didn’t take quite that long, but it was better to mentally prepare for a longer day than a shorter one. Having these realistic expectations prior to starting this hike really helped us have a good experience.
#3 Top Hiking with a Baby Tip: Do a Trial Hike
Before going on a long hike, try out a shorter hike. We started with a 2 mile hike with our carrier at a nearby park. This helped us navigate using our carrier with our baby and bringing all of our supplies with us. It also helped us figure out when we were ready to do some longer hikes.
We were ready to do some longer hikes and travel with our baby when she was 5, almost 6 weeks old. However, a lot of people will not be ready at this point and that is okay. Giving birth is a major event and it takes most mothers 6 weeks, if not longer, to recover. Also, some babies will not be ready this young. If you have a baby who hates the carrier or is colicky, a hike at this age may not be right for you. Give yourself grace.
#4 Top Hiking with a Baby Tip: Have the Right Gear
Having high quality gear for hiking with your baby will make a big difference in both your comfort and your baby’s comfort. Here are the items we use and recommend:
Having a comfortable and high-quality carrier is, in our opinion, the most important item to invest in for hiking with a baby. This Ergobaby Omni 360 Cool Mesh Baby Carrier is great because it can be used from 7lbs-45lbs and you do not need a separate infant insert to use it with a newborn. It offers great head support–on our hikes when our daughter was younger, it kept her head still and supported (while carrying her facing in). Now that she is older, since about 3.5 months, she really only wants to be carried facing out in this carrier. She does not want to miss seeing anything while hiking!
This carrier was recommended to us by our pediatrician for hiking as well as by family and friends for everyday use. It is very comfortable for whoever is carrying the baby. Natalie has hiked over 12 miles with it at one time, while also wearing a backpack, comfortably. With the way it is designed, it puts most of the weight of the baby on your hips. Further, this specific Ergobaby Carrier has a cool mesh design that helps keep the baby better ventilated. It also has an included head sun/rain cover that comes in handy often.
Great for Hiking & Beyond
Beyond hiking, this carrier is great for everyday use. Natalie often has worn it around the house when our daughter is fighting sleep as she really likes sleeping in it. Natalie tried on a lot of different brands of carriers prior to purchasing this one and it is hands down the most comfortable (for both parent and baby) and easiest to use. Some of the other carriers she tried on, especially the Infantino ones, had so many straps and felt very awkward. Make the investment in this carrier.
Since our daughter turned a year old, we have been using a structured backpack carrier. She loves hiking in the backpack carrier and it works better for us with her being bigger now. The structured backpack carrier make/model (a Sherpani we are borrowing from friends) we use is no longer available but this one is very similar to the one we have and would be the one we would buy if we did not have ours.
We love this diaper bag. It has a very innovative design with shelves that helps keep everything organized which is great while hiking, especially with two little kids. We have hiked hundreds of miles with it and it is very comfortable to wear too. Read more about why we love this diaper bag here.
This changing pad is easy to lay on the ground and change your baby along the trail. The Skip Hop Portable Changing Pad wipes off easily and has a place to store diapers, wipes and diaper cream as well. It also fits compactly in your hiking backpack. We use it when we are out and about during our day to day life too.
These breastfeeding tops make breastfeeding anywhere discrete and easy, including the trail. Natalie has been living in them since our daughter was born, while traveling and at home, and owns 6 of them. These particular tops are more economical than most breastfeeding tops which is a plus as well. You may have to try out a couple types of breastfeeding tops before you find one that works for you.
A compact UV protective umbrella will allow you to create shade wherever you need it while hiking. When we hiked in Hawaii, this was particularly helpful as the sun was plentiful while shade was minimal on many of our hikes. We use it to create shade for our baby while hiking (especially important early on since babies cannot wear sunscreen until 6 months) and to create shady spots for our baby while changing her or doing anytime out of the carrier. Also, when we unexpectedly got rained on while hiking in Hawaii, it kept our baby nice and dry. This particular umbrella is great because it is compact and UV protective.
You will need to pack out all your diapers and these contain them well in addition to keeping the smell down.
#5 Be Dedicated and Don’t be Paralyzed by Fear
That being said, do not let your anxieties about hiking with your baby paralyze you. To be honest, we were a bit nervous to take our baby on her first hiking trip. We were mainly fearful of the unknown and what kind of days she would be having on days we planned to do different things. However, we are so glad we did not let those anxieties stop us and ripped the bandaid off. We made our days flexible, nothing was set in stone and everything was on our own time. With the right gear and expectations, we had a great first hiking trip with our baby girl and many other successful hikes since then.
You CAN Hike with your Baby
Many people told us hiking and travel would not be possible with a baby. However, that is not true. Adventure is still completely possible with a baby. People who say you can’t adventure with your baby are either too scared and/or not dedicated enough to make it happen. Everything takes longer and requires a lot more planning with a baby, but once you accept that fact and work with it, you’ll realize it can be done. The reward and accomplishment of trying and completing traveling adventures with your little one is worth it.
To read more about our hiking adventures with baby, please see
We hope this guide helps you plan a hike with your baby. Anything you’d add to our guide? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions. Please leave us a comment!
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes (Kilauea and Muaona Loa). If you are fortunate enough to see a volcano actively erupting, you will never forget it. Kilauea was actively erupting in the Halemaumau crater while we were visiting.
Further, there are a lot of other interesting sites at this park. You can hike through lava tubes, across volcano craters and along sulfur banks. You can also visit the impressive coastline made up of unique volcanic rock structures. Driving the Chain of Craters road out to the coastline affords you some really great views of the black lava rocks too.
We recommend spending a half a day to a full day at this park. Here is our quick guide on visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!
What to Do in Hawaii Volcanos National Park
If there is a volcano actively erupting , go see it!
This was hands-down the coolest experience we had at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and on the Big Island. It really made for an unforgettable adventure. Make sure to get to the park early in the morning, at least two hours before sunrise, so you have ample time to hike out to the volcano and view it in the dark. Viewing it in the dark creates a surreal experience witnessing the red/orange glow before the sunrises.
Kilauea Actively Erupting, pictures do not do it justice
To find out the best viewing spot for the current eruption, call the park between 9 AM and 5 PM Hawaii time and speak with a staff member. Had we not called the park the day before to find out where to go to see the eruption, we would’ve had no idea where to park our car or where to hike in the park. Also, a volcano can stop or start to erupt at any time so if the volcano is actively eruptIng, try to go as soon as possible to see it. The Kilauea volcano was actively erupting in the Halemaumau crater during our visit.
Note: Double Check Your Location
Since we arrived at the park so early in the morning, and were a bit sleep deprived, we weren’t the most oriented. We accidentally went down the wrong trail for over a mile before realizing that we were not on the right path to view the eruption. We could see the smoke and glow from where we were on the wrong path but realized we couldn’t see it up close from the trail we were on. Thankfully, we hiked quite quickly and were still able to get back to the best viewing spot about an hour before sunrise. Just be mindful that navigating the park at night is difficult.
As you will be arriving at the park very early in the morning, in the pitch darkness, be sure to bring your headlamp. These are theheadlamps we use and recommend.
These lava tubes are super neat to see. There is a lot of cool flora growing around where you enter them. We visited several lava tubes while in Hawaii (one on the road to Hana and another one in Hilo) and this one was the most accessible. It was the easiest/largest to walk through and required no crouching/crawling. The hike into and through these tubes is quite short. You will need less than 30 minutes to complete it.
Thurston Lava Tubes
To access, park at the Thurston Lava Tubes Parking Lot. If the Thurston Lot is full, park in the Kilauea Iki Overlook Parking Lot (0.5 miles away, can walk on Kilauea Iki Rim Trail to access), On Crater Rim Drive
Hike Part of the Kilauea Iki Trail
This trail goes through the rainforest, around part of the rim Kilauea Iki Crater, before descending down into the crater floor itself. This trail is 4 miles round trip and you can hike as much or as little of it as you please. We hiked part of the trail along the rim of the crater. The rainforest and crater views were pretty from here. After hiking 4 miles to see the erupting volcano that morning and waking up so early, we weren’t feeling overly ambitious to hike down into a crater to see a dormant volcano. Had the volcano not been erupting, we would have hiked this whole trail as it is rated as one of the best.
Kilauea Iki Trail
To access, park at the Kilauea Iki Overlook Parking Lot, On Crater Rim Drive
Drive Chain of Craters Road and Visit the Holei Arch
This road takes you from the higher elevations of the park down to the coastline. The temperature varied by 15°F between the two locations when we visited. The coastline here is very pretty. It is very impressive to see the large waves crashing against the lava rocks that descend into the ocean. When you see the rocky coast, it is even more impressive to imagine the orignal polynesian explorers landing in the area with their canoes. The Holei Arch is an interesting formation of the lava rocks to see at the coastline as well. Eventually, this rock formation will erode and be washed away.
Holei Arch
Driving the Chain of Craters road will take you about 35 minutes one-way and it is definitely worth your time. There are several other craters you can stop and look at but none are as impressive as the Kilauea Iki Crater. Also, not much could compare after seeing an actively erupting volcano so keep that in mind if you are lucky enough to see that.
Chain of Craters Road
Hike the Sulfur Banks
0.7 Miles loop trail, minimal elevation
Here you hike on a paved path through the rainforest before coming to a boardwalk that takes you through a volcanic thermal area and mineral deposits. You can literally feel the heat and smell the sulfur from these thermal areas.
Sulfur Banks Trail
To access, park at the main visitors center
Tip: Bring Food to the Park
There is really nowhere to eat in the park so it is very important that you bring food. We packed picnic lunches.
Where to Stay to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
If you plan to spend more than a day or go to the park multiple days, stay in Volcano Village or in Hilo. We chose to stay in Kona, which is about a 2 hour drive from the park. This made most sense for us as it was more centrally located by other things we wanted to do on the Big Island. See our Big Island, Hawaii Quick Guide for all our Big Island tips. If you are looking for an Airbnb in Kona, we highly recommend the one we stayed at.
Our Kailua-Kona Airbnb was perfect for us. We had sunset views every night from the kitchen window and it had everything we needed (including lots of baby items which was a HUGE plus with a three month old). It was very spacious, updated and clean. Also, the host was super kind and helpful! If you looking to stay in Kona, definitely stay here!
We hope this guide helps you plan your trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Anything you’d add to our guide on visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions. Please leave us a comment!
Driving the Road to Hana was our favorite and most memorable activity we did on Maui. With over 620 turns and 59 bridges, driving the windy Road to Hana is really an experience and not just a drive. Along the way, you will see many picturesque waterfalls, lots of cute roadside fruit stands, gorgeous coastline views and lots of pretty unique rainforest flora.
Road to Hana Sunrise Views
Build Your Own Experience on the Road to Hana
The Road to Hana is really a ‘build your own experience’ activity as the stops you choose to take along the way will really create a different experience for each person who drives it. You can’t possibly stop at everything along the way, especially if you are driving the road back and forth in one day. Given this conundrum , we narrowed the stops down to our 5 most recommended to help you plan your day.
Unlike most blogs, we recommend stopping at places along the Road to Hana backwards. By this we mean drive to the furthest away location first and then make your stops on the way back. This allows you to get an early start on this drive and drive a lot of the Road before most attractions are open. It also sets you up to get to our first stop, the Pipiwai Trail, early in the morning before the crowds arrive.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!
Note: The mile markers on the Road to Hana are confusing
The mile markers start earlier on the Hana Highway than when the actual Road to Hana starts and then after you reach Hana, the mile markers start going down again. Be sure to download offline maps so you can navigate the Road to Hana with your GPS. We typically unplug (see Why you Should Unplug While Traveling) while on vacation but always use offline maps. Even if you were not unplugged, it is likely your data will not work on this side of the island so download the offline maps regardless.
FYI: This post is based on a trip taken in late October
#1 Top Stop on the Road to Hana: Pipiwai Trail and Oheo Gulch/Seven Sacred Pools in Haleakala National Park
Pipiwai Trail, East Side of Haleakala National Park, 4.0 Miles Round Trip, 650 Feet of Elevation Gain
Mile Marker 42
Pipiwai Trail
This hike on the Pipiwai Trail was our furthest away stop on the Road to Hana and well worth the drive. It is actually located after Hana so make sure to not stop there and continue on to this trail in the Eastern part of Haleakala National Park.
Unique Rainforest and Bamboo Forest Flora
Hike through a Bamboo Forest
This hike is super neat because you first hike through the rainforest and then through a bamboo forest before coming to the impressive Waimoku waterfall. On this hike, you will also see a huge Banyan Tree. The contrasting views on this hike are well worth the effort. We would rate this hike as relatively easy as the elevation gain is well spread out.
Pipiwai Trail
Hike Oheo Gulch/Seven Sacred Pools
Oheo Gulch Trail, East side of Haleakala National Park, 0.6 Miles Round Trip, 100 Feet of Elevation Gain
You can also hike the shorter Oheo Gulch/Seven Sacred Pools trail here that is 0.6 miles roundtrip with minimal elevation change. This hike takes you through the rainforest, along the coast line and to a waterfall. We completed this hike after the Pipiwai trail and found it to be very easy and scenic. The trailhead is at the same spot as the Pipiwai trailhead.
Oheo Gulch
Arrive Early
We recommend arriving at this hike early. When we arrived around 8am, we were one of three cars, but by the time we left after completing the hike, the parking lot was full and cars were parking in an overflow lot. Crowds can often take away from the experience so we are glad we got to the trail earlier than most.
This cute farm stand is located right off the Road to Hana and easy to find. The chocolate chip banana bread here is absolutely delicious. There’s also a restaurant where you can sit down and eat a meal here. The restaurant was not open when we visited but the outdoor seating area was a really pretty spot to enjoy some fresh banana bread.
Hana Farms
#3 Top Stop on the Road to Hana: Ka’eleku Cave
Mile Marker 23
This is a really neat lava tube right off the side of the road. Lava tubes form when the outside of lava hardens but the lava flowing inside continues to stay warm and fluid. The cave is short, approximately 1/3 mile, and leads to a large banyan tree. This cave felt like a real hidden gem!
Ka’eleku Cave
The floor inside the cave is quite slippery so wear footwear with a good grip. Both of us were wearing sandals and would not recommend that. Ideally, wear hiking boots (we recommend Men’s Keen Waterproof Hiking Boots & Women’s Keen Waterproof Hiking Boots). We also both went through the cave separately too as you have to crouch down quite a bit to get in there and with the floor being quite slippery, it was not safe for us to go through carrying our three-month-old daughter. However, it is very short so both of us were able to do it separately relatively quickly.
Ka’eleku Cave
Note: This is VERY easy to miss. It is not marked and you need to know just to look for it. Use our picture above so you know what you are looking for. Drive very slow around mile marker 23. Had one other car not been parked across from where the entrance to this lava tube was, we would have likely missed it. There is a pull off where you can park (on the side of the road closer to the coast line) that has two or three spots
Shout out to Heidi from Ordinary Sherpa for telling us about this free hidden roadside adventure! Check out her podcast, Ordinary Sherpa, for more family adventure inspiration. We also are guests on Episode 026 of this podcast that you can listen to here.
#4 Top Stop on the Road to Hana: Upper Waikani Falls
Mile Marker 19
These waterfalls are located right off the side of the road across from a one-way bridge and are truly stunning. In our opinion, these are the prettiest set of waterfalls we saw while driving the Road to Hana (Waimoku Falls in Haleakala at the end is more impressive but these are the best waterfalls on the journey there). To access these falls, you need to park up the road a bit and walk back to them as it is not safe to park directly by the one-way bridge.
Upper Waikani Falls
#5 Top Stop on the Road to Hana: Twin Falls Hike and Fruit Stand
Mile Marker 2
1.8 Mile Round Trip(without offshoots to each waterfall), 347 feet of Elevation Gain
Twin Falls hike is fun as it takes you to three different waterfalls through the rainforest. The first two waterfalls you encounter on this hike look very similar and are a very short hike, about 0.2 miles from the parking lot. The third waterfall is a bit further from the first two but, in our opinion, the most scenic one so be sure not to stop hiking after the first two waterfalls. You can also go swimming at this third waterfall.
Last waterfall on the Twin Falls Hike
We took our time with this hike, hiking down to each waterfall and exploring around them, and it took us about 1.5 hours total. The hike was relaxing, as it was relatively easy, and you saw a lot in a short period. The trail, especially down by the waterfalls, was pretty slippery, as it had just rained so make sure to wear good hiking shoes.
We actually hiked this trail a different day than when we drove the Road to Hana as it was only about 10 minutes from our Airbnb. We are glad we did it this way as we did not feel rushed hiking it at all. The Road to Hana is already a very full day experience.
Arrive Around 7 AM
Prior to completing this hike, we read a lot of reviews online and the reviews were quite mixed. A lot of people said they did not like the hike because it was too crowded. To our delight, we enjoyed this hike a lot more than we expected as we nearly had it to ourselves. When we hiked this trail at about 7 AM, right around when it opened, we saw only about 10 other people total. We found it to be really peaceful and pretty so arrive early if you don’t want any crowds to dampen your experience.
First waterfall on the Twin Falls Hike
Bonus: Fruit Stand in the parking lot
The fruit stand in the parking lot at Twin Falls has some delicious banana bread. Our loaf we got was still warm from coming out of the oven that morning.
Cost: This trail and these waterfalls are on private property so it costs $10/car to park here. This is very reasonable as the trail is very well maintained.
We liked all these stops on the Road to Hana but if we had to choose two favorites, they were the Twin Falls Hike in Haiku and the Pipiwai Trail Hike in Haleakala National Park.
Other stops on the Road to Hana
Some other stops you may want to consider making on the Road to Hana:
–Wailua Falls, Mile Marker 45 (after Hana), waterfall where you can swim, right off the road
–Waianapanapa State Park, Mile Marker 32 (before Hana), Black Sand Beach and lava tubes
We opted not to stop at this state park because we were visiting 3 other black sand beaches (on the Big Island) and 3 other lava tubes (on Maui and the Big Island combined) on this trip .
If you do decide to stop at the state park, make sure you check ahead and reserve tickets online if necessary. When we were visiting in November 2021, they were requiring timed entry reservations that had to be made prior to arriving at the park. We did not have any cell phone service in this area so even if you wanted to go to the park, you wouldn’t be able to if you had not made previous reservations (even if they were reservations available which seems, in our opinion, a bit irrationally restrictive).
–Garden of Eden Arboretum, Mile Marker 10.5, Botanical Gardens
Other Road to Hana Tips
All-Day Event
The Road to Hana takes, at minimum, 2.5 hours to drive one-way. With all the stops you will likely make to take pictures and with time spent waiting at one way bridges, budget for at least 3, if not more, hours each way. In addition, you will likely make some longer stops to hike, explore state parks or eat at the roadside stands. Budget at least a full day to drive this road both ways. You may want to consider staying overnight in Hana if you really want to take your time driving on the road and be able to stop at all the stops you’d please along the way.
Windy Road Cautions
Note, as mentioned above, this road is VERY windy. Anyone prone to motion sickness, like Natalie, beware. For tips on preventing this, see our post, How to Prevent Motion Sickness While Traveling and Flying. In addition, with the windy nature of this road, drive very cautiously. Do not pass people and even though you will see some locals drive this road very aggressively, just don’t. Your safety and life is more important than saving a couple minutes. Enjoy the journey!
Windy Narrow Road to Hana Drive
Where to Stay on the Road to Hana
We recommend staying on the North side of the Island, in/around Paia or Haiku, near the start of the Road to Hana. Most people stay in West Maui but if you are looking to explore more than the beach, this central location is great. It allows you an early start for the Road to Hana, a good starting point for seeing sunrise at the Summit in Haleakala National Park and an easy drive to make a day trip to the West side or the South shore of the island. You alternatively could stay overnight in Hana itself if you want to spend more time on the Road to Hana.
The Haiku Airbnb we stayed at was in a really nice quiet location. It had all the amenities we needed and the host was very responsive and helpful. The landscape at the property was very pretty too.
We hope this guide helps you plan your trip to drive the Road to Hana. Anything you’d add to our Top 5 Stops on the Road to Hana guide? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions. Please leave us a comment!
Although Hawaii may have a reputation for being an expensive place to visit, you really can visit Big Island, Hawaii on a Budget. Most of our favorite activities–the coastline valley hikes, the black sand beaches, the lava tubes, the secluded shorelines and the rainforest hikes–on the Big Island are free or cost you very little. Your most expensive costs will be your flights, accommodations and rental car (you need a rental car to visit the Big Island) here. See our posts How to Book Accommodations on a Budget, 5 Ways to Save on Flights and How to Save on a Rental Car for more tips on how to save money on these. For our best budget Big Island activities and tips, see our ‘Big Island Hawaii on a Budget’ guide below.
FYI: This post is based on a trip taken in early November
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!
Note: We recommend spending about a week, if not longer, on the Big Island. Everything is quite spread apart and to see the whole island, even a week, may be quite challenging. However, if you are short on time, see this well-planned adventurous 3 Day Big Island Adventure Itinerary.
What to Do on the Big Island on a Budget
Pololu Valley Lookout and Hike Pololu/Awini Trail
This trail was our favorite hike that we did on the Big Island. Also, it’s one of our favorite Big Island on a budget activities as it is completely free. This hike figuratively and literally gives you the most bang for your buck. On this trail, you see a lot of beautiful scenery without an excessive amount of hiking.
This hike starts at the Pololu Valley Lookout point. You are afforded stunning views even just from the lookout point you can drive up to easily. It is worth seeing the lookout point from the beginning of the trail even if you are not able to complete the hike itself.
Pololu/Awini Trail Hike
From the lookout point, you descend down on the Pololu trail about a half mile on a rocky path into a rainforest valley before coming to the black sand beach. From here, you can continue on up the other side of the valley into the mountainous rainforest on the Awini trail. You really can hike as far as you want on this trail or as little as you want on this trail. In our opinion, the best views are from the valley floor after the initial descent before the beach or from the lookout point at the beginning of the trail.
Arrive Here Early
When we got here at approximately 9 AM, there were only a couple cars in the parking lot but when we left, there were cars parked up the entire street. It was nice to have the valley almost completely to ourselves in the morning.
Cost: Free
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Although this is the most ‘expensive’ activity on this Big Island on a budget guide, visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is well worth the still rather minimal cost. This park is home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes. While we were visiting this park, we were lucky enough to see one of those volcanoes actively eruptIng and it was a once in a lifetime experience! There are also a lot of different hiking to do at this park. Y ou can hike through lava tubes, across a volcano crater and along Sulfur Banks (or sulphur if you are British). For all the details on visiting this park, see our Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Quick Guide.
Cost: $35/car or no charge with America the Beautiful Pass
Budget Tip: If you plan to visit more than 2 National Parks in one year, the America the Beautiful Pass pays for itself and will save you money
Kaunaoa Beach
This white sand beach located on the Northwest side of the island was our favorite beach on the island and makes our top Big Island, Hawaii budget activities as it is completely free.
We loved Kaunaoa Beach for many reasons. One, it has a good amount natural of shade, something very important to us especially with our three month old daughter on the trip. Although we have a stellar sun tent (which we highly recommend), the additional natural shade helps keep all of us cooler and more comfortable. This beach also had extremely soft sand and clear water. Further, due to the limited public parking to access this beach and the fact that it is located behind a private residence/ resort, it did not feel overcrowded. Moreover, there are also very clean bathrooms and a shower area not far from the beach. We liked this beach so much, we visited it twice (something we do not often do).
Parking at Kaunaoa Beach
The parking situation at Kaunaoa Beach is a bit tricky. If you want to almost guarantee you are going to get parking, arrive before 9 AM or after 4 PM. There are only 40 spots in the parking lot. You have to get a ticket from the front gate attendant at the Mauna Kea private residence/resort. The public parking is gated so the attendant at the front always knows if there is a spot available. The first day we visited this beach, we had no problem getting parking right away but the second time we had to circle around for about 10 minutes before a spot became available and we could drive back to the parking area. Try going around lunchtime (if not going early morning or late afternoon) to get a spot when a lot of people tend to leave.
Our next Big Island, Hawaii budget tip is to visit Punaluu Black Sand Beach. We visited three black sand beaches on the Big Island (also at Waipio Valley and Pololu Valley) and this was our favorite of the three. The sand is much darker than any other black sand beach we have seen (including the one in Santorini, Greece). The sand here is also much more fine and soft than the others we visited. We enjoyed a picnic lunch at this park. Be sure to bring food with you as there is none available here and nothing in the close surrounding areas.
Tip: If you are visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, this beach is only about 20 minutes Southwest from the main park entrance. We recommend visiting both on the same day to decrease driving (unless you are staying on the East side of the island).
Cost: Free
Waipio Valley Lookout and Hike
Our next Big Island budget activity recommendation is the Waipio Valley lookout and hike. This stop is a cool lookout point over a mountainous valley that leads out to a black sand beach on the coastline. Here, you can also hike down into the valley and onto the black sand beach. This hike involves a very steep descent on a paved road (about 1,000 feet of elevation) and then a hike through the rainforest on a flat dirt (more like mud) road before coming out to the black sand beach. This hike was extra special because we saw some wild horses on the beach and crossing through the river in the valley. Definitely not something you see every day! The hike in total is about 3 miles or so roundtrip, depending on how far you go out onto/across the black sand beach.
You can alternatively hire someone to drive you down into the valley but we found the hike to be rewarding and not overly strenuous as it was mainly in the shade. We recommend completing this hike before noon though to avoid full sun as that would have made this hike feel a lot more difficult.
We completed this hike with our infant daughter so Natalie had approximately 15 extra pounds strapped to her. If she can do this hike with the extra weight, have confidence you can do it too if you are physically active. For all of our tips on hiking with your baby, see our How to Hike with a Baby post.
Cost: Free
Note: Check to make sure the hike down to Waipio Valley is open to visitors during your visit. Last we heard in March 2022 after our visit, the hike was closed to only locals. However, this may change so just be sure to check before deciding to hike. Regardless of the hike being closed, you can still view Waipio Valley from the elevated viewpoint and this is still very pretty (and little physical exertion required).
Hike to the Secluded Makalawena Beach
Another one of our favorite Big Island, Hawaii on a budget outings is visiting the secluded Makalawena Beach. This beach is really neat because it can only be accessed by hiking out to it. Consequently, this seclusion keeps the crowds down as people in general like easier beach access. It is about 1 mile to 1.5 miles one-way hike out to the beach and with little to no elevation change.
For hiking to the beach, you have to drive on a very bumpy and rough road to get to the trailhead. This road is so rough that we ended up parking on it about a half a mile further away from the trailhead because we thought it would be much easier to walk on it then drive on it in our sedan rental car (and we were right). There are several spots along this road that you can park on before getting to the actual trailhead and we would recommend doing that even if you have a 4WD vehicle. You have to drive so slowly that it is quite frustrating and you can almost move faster walking.
This beach is pristine and well worth the effort to get to it. It is rated as one of the best on the Big Island. It has classic white sandy beaches and clear blue water. We enjoyed setting up our sun tent and playing in the sand with our daughter. We love our sun tent, especially for beaches like this where shade is super limited as it allows us to create our own.
Cost: Free
Sunset in Kona
Another great budget activity on the Big Island is to watch the sunset in downtown Kona by the waterfront. There are several restaurants you can eat at and watch the sunset but if you plan to get a sunset spot, you will need to get their hours in advance. There are plenty of areas where you can watch the sunset for free though on the waterfront. Just walk around and you’ll find them.
We could see the sunset from our Airbnb (which was awesome too) but seeing it from the waterfront really is magical. We have seen a lot of sunsets in cool locations and this definitely is in the top five.
Cost: Free
Rainforest Hike on the Makaula Ooma Trails
Our next Big Island Hawaii budget activity recommendation is hiking on the Makaula Ooma Trails. If you are looking for a hike that mainly only locals do and where you will not see many other people, this is the hike for you. This rain forest hike was really pretty. It took us through a lot of different rainforest flora and the best part, we only saw three other people the entire hike. This also is located very close to the Airbnb we recommend in Kona. This hike does not take you to a specific lookout point but really makes for a peaceful hike through the rainforest.
This hike can vary in length. It can be as short as a mile with minimal elevation gain or as long as 4 miles with approximately 700 feet of elevation gain if you hike the whole path.
Shout out to our Airbnb host for recommending this to us!
Spending a day exploring Hilo is our next Big Island, Hawaii on a budget recommendation. Hilo is the biggest city on the east side of the island yet it feels very local and not touristy. It felt like ‘Old Hawaii’ to us and much different than the more glamorous and built up Kona side of the island. There are a lot of different things you can see in this city. We just spent a brief afternoon here and recommend seeing the below, particularly the Kaumana Caves.
Given the untourist nature of this area, don’t expect a lot catering to non-locals. We arrived in Hilo around 2 PM and found most restaurants were actually closed for lunch. If you are looking for a lunch spot, we would recommend arriving sooner than that.
Also, since there is so much driving and so much to see on the Big Island, you could consider flying into Hilo and out of Kona or vice versa to break up your time on the island as there is an airport (less popular so less flights to it) in Hilo as well. This logistically did not work for us but definitely something to consider.
Kaumana Caves
These lava tubes are located a short drive outside the city center. They are super cool and definitely our favorite thing we saw in Hilo. These caves felt much more untouched than the Thurston Lava Tubes at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Given this, there is a lot more skill and care that is required to explore them. Make sure you are wearing proper hard-soled shoes and that you have a headlamp with you otherwise you won’t make it very far in these caves.
These caves also do get quite narrow eventually and require quite a bit of crouching down and crawling. We were limited in how far we could go as we had our three month old daughter with us in the Ergobaby. Regardless, even going a short distance in these caves is worth seeing.
Cost: Free
Rainbow Falls
This waterfall gets its name from the rainbow that tends to form within the waterfall midday. When we visited, we did not see a rainbow at this waterfall but think it is worth checking out if you are in Hilo. For your best chance of seeing the rainbow, try to go around noon when the sun is most full. This waterfall is very accessible too. We were able to roll our stroller up to it which is always a huge plus. Sometimes you just need a break from baby carrying! Likewise, it is wheelchair accessible.
It also feels a bit strange because you literally are right in the city center and all of a sudden bam, there’s a big waterfall. Don’t expect to be by yourself at this waterfall though. Since it is so accessible and near the city center, a lot of people are usually there. This is a brief stop.
Tip: If you are in Hilo, go see Rainbow Falls. However, we would not recommend driving across the entire island just to see this. We recommend doing a big loop to see/hike Waipio Valley, visit Akaka Falls State Park and then visit the stops in Hilo. This itinerary will save you some driving and allow you to see more sites.
Cost: Free
Boiling Pots
This destination is another natural phenomenon that you drive up to right from the city center. Like Rainbow Falls, this is a brief stop. It is also stroller and wheelchair accessible. If you are in Hilo, definitely make the stop here. However, like Rainbow Falls, do not drive across the whole island just to see this.
Cost: Free
Liliuokalani Park and Gardens
These Japanese gardens located along the oceanfront have a lot of different pretty and unique flora. Our favorite site here was the huge Banyan tree. There are additionally some nice paths to walk on around the gardens and most are stroller/wheelchair accessible. We also enjoyed eating some takeout in the park overlooking the waterfront. Like Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots, stop here if you are in the area but do not drive across the island to see it. This is not a must do but a good spot to relax.
Cost: Free
Akaka Falls State Park
Our last Big Island budget activity recommendation is visiting Akaka Falls State Park. This state park is located on the Northeast side of the island, in between Waipio Valley and Hilo. It is home to one of the biggest waterfalls in Hawaii. It really is quite impressive! There is about a half mile loop path that you can walk on. It is a paved path but does have some stairs. This is another brief stop. Combine this with visiting Waipio Valley.
Cost $5/person, $10 to park (if you park in the lot but the lot was full so we parked on the road for free)
Where to Eat on Big Island, Hawaii on a Budget
On the Big Island, things are really spread apart. Many of the places you will visit here will not have a lot or any restaurants around them. Given this, we packed lunches most days or ate at our Airbnb (which had a full kitchen), both which are very budget friendly. Definitely be sure to pack a lunch for the beaches and the National Park as you will not really have any other food options.
As far as eating out, the restaurants with the best views and the most variety on their menus are in Kona. However, they come at a price. There are really some hidden gems where you can get a traditional Hawaiian plate lunch while traveling around the island in some of the small towns that are also more budget friendly. We would recommend just stopping at any of those that are convenient for you.
Also, the roadside fruit stands are really tasty and affordable! Our favorite one was south of Kona, South Kona Fruitstand. Natalie had a pineapple passionfruit smoothie here that was out of this world. We also got some unique pineapple carrot cake here. Can we fly back to the Big Island just to get these? That’s how good it was!
Visiting Big Island, Hawaii Budget Tip: Go grocery shopping at Costco
In Hawaii, food is significantly more expensive than the continental US, particularly in the Midwest where we live. It makes sense given that almost everything needs to be shipped to islands. However, at Costco, some products are still the same price as they are in the midwest. We were surprised that we could get large bags of spinach, rotisserie chicken and some other produce for the same price we could at home. Other things are still more expensive than they would be at home but significantly less expensive than they are at other grocery stores in Hawaii.
Definitely buy pineapple when you are at Costco as you will not find it for less anywhere else! And with anyone familiar with Costco, the produce is always great quality. If you have a Costco membership and are going to be staying more than a couple days, it makes complete sense to go shopping here. We did most of our grocery shopping at Costco and then some things that we just really did not need large quantities of, we bought at the local Safeway.
Costco on the Big Island is located about 10 minutes south of the airport. It was quite close to our accommodations but depending on where you’re staying, it will probably make most sense to stop there after you land if you fly into Kona.
Where to Stay on Big Island Hawaii on a Budget
The Big Island of Hawaii is very BIG. Unlike the other Hawaiian islands, if you want to see the whole island, you have to do a lot more driving. In our opinion, there is no perfect central homebase spot to stay because everything is pretty spread apart. Ideally, you would see this island by hopping around from different accommodations every night or so. However, packing up and moving every day or so can be stressful and may not actually save you as much time as you think.
We wanted a consistent homebase for our whole time on the Big Island and we chose to stay just outside of Kona. If we were to visit again, we would stay here or on the more Northern end of the island. The activities we enjoyed most, other than visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, were located in these areas (Pololu Valley, Waipio Valley, Makalawena Beach and Kaunaoa Beach). If you want to spend more time exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you will probably prefer to stay in Hilo or Volcano Village.
Our Kailua-Kona Airbnb was perfect for us. We had sunset views every night from the kitchen window and it had everything we needed (including lots of baby items which was a HUGE plus with a three month old). It was very spacious, updated and clean. Also, the host was super kind and helpful! And as always, this accommodation was budget friendly. If you are looking to stay in Kona, definitely stay here!
We hope this guide helps you plan your trip to the Big Island on a budget. Anything you’d add to our guide on visiting Big Island, Hawaii on a Budget? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions. Please leave us a comment!
Haleakala National Park is a very unique park. It offers a lot of contrasting scenery and this guide on visiting Haleakala National Park will help you see all the highlights. There are actually two sides to the park, the West and the East side. On the West side, you can watch the sunrise over the Haleakala summit, the world’s largest dormant volcano, and hike through a volcanic crater. Whereas on the East side of the park, lush greenery awaits! Here, you can hike through the rainforest and a bamboo forest to several waterfalls. We recommend visiting both sides of the park for the full experience.
East side of Haleakala National Park
Note: The East and West side of Haleakala National Park cannot be accessed from the same road. They have to be accessed completely separately and you would not be able to visit them both feasibly in one day. To be centrally located to visit both sides of the park, we recommend staying on the north side of the island, somewhere near Haiku or Paia.
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What to Do at Haleakala National Park
West Side ofHaleakala National Park
The West side of the park is where you can partake in the ritual of watching the sunrise at the Haleakala (means “house of the sun” in Hawaiian) Summit. This is also where you can hike into the crater of the largest dormant volcano in the world.
Sunrise at the Haleakala Summit
The sunrise at the summit at Haleakala National Park is a surreal experience. The sun rising over the dormant volcano among the clouds is really a sight everyone should see in-person in their lifetime. The colors that illuminate the sky are out of this world. You feel like you are in the clouds at 10,000 feet. Pictures and videos of this sunrise simply do not do it justice.
Get Tickets in Advance
To attend sunrise at the Haleakala Summit, you must reserve advance tickets at recreation.gov. The tickets are available to buy 30 days in advance. These tickets sell out fast so set an alarm for the day and time for when the tickets you want go on sale. Keep in mind, they go on sale at 7 AM Hawaii time so figure out what time that will be in your time zone so you are not SOL.
These tickets are $1 and you need to either also buy entrance to the park (do not have to buy in advance) or an America the Beautiful pass (must buy in advance). We buy an America the Beautiful pass every year because it pays for itself when you visit more than 2 parks in one year and allows you unlimited access to all the parks for one price. One year, we visited 12 National Parks with this one pass so we definitely got our money’s worth.
Sunrise at Haleakala National Park
Arrive at least an hour before Sunrise
Once you have a ticket, you can enter the park between 3 AM and 7 AM on the day of your ticket. You will want to arrive about an hour prior to sunrise to see the whole sunrise. Make sure to check what time the sunrises when you are visiting as it changes throughout the year.
If you want to have the best view at the summit, plan to arrive earlier than an hour in advance. We arrived about an hour in advance and were able to get our own spot but we did not have the most prime spot on the summit to watch the sunrise. It was a fine spot for us to watch the sunrise but with how the viewing platform was set up, it was hard not to get other people in some of our pictures. However, it is not all about the picture as pictures really do not do the IRL experience justice anyways.
Dress Warm
The summit at Haleakala is approximately 30° cooler than at the lower elevations where most people are staying. We were well prepared for the 40° weather we encountered that morning but most people we saw there were not. Some people were wearing flip-flops and we can only imagine their feet felt frozen.
Windy Road Leading to Summit
The road you drive on to get to the Haleakala Summit is quite windy (as in curvy). Nothing in comparison to the Road to Hana but anyone prone to motion sickness, beware. Like the Road to Hana, you must drive this road quite slowly at points. Be sure to budget enough time to drive up this windy road before sunrise.
Hike the Sliding Sands Trail
Sliding Sands Trail
This hike contrasts other trails you may hike on Maui as it takes you into the dormant volcano landscape. Variable colors of this landscape are quite neat to behold. The best views, in our opinion, are actually near the beginning of the trail.
Choose your own length
Sliding Sands Trail
You can hike all 11 miles of this trail or you can hike just part of it. We hiked 3 miles of this trail round-trip. We had planned to hike to the bottom of the crater, which is 2.5 miles one-way, but with how we were feeling with the elevation, we opted to only hike 1.5 miles one-way. Like we said, the best views of this crator are from the beginning of the trail anyways. The view at approximately 1 mile into the crater is worth walking at least this far.. For someone who just wants to get a short taste of the trail, we would recommend just hiking the 1st mile in. The extra half mile we completed did not add much from a view standpoint.
Tip: Hike the Sliding Sands Trail during Sunrise
If you plan to hike this trail on a day other than the day you watch the sunrise at the summit, try to start this hike before sunrise. That way, you can watch the sunrise while hiking on the trail. You will still be at the high elevation (nearly 10,000 feet still) so you will be able to watch the sunrise over the clouds and will likely have the trail completely to yourself, unlike the Summit. Just be sure to bring your headlamp so you can watch where you are hiking! The trail is well maintained and fairly smooth but trip hazards are always present. These are the headlampswe use and recommend.
Sliding Sands Trail
Also, remember, if you plan to enter the park between 3 AM- 7 AM, you need a sunrise reservation so be sure to get another ticket for sunrise entrance. These tickets only cost $1 so make an extra reservation even if you are not 100% committed to doing this hike on a different day.
Beware of the Elevation
Sliding Sands Trail
At nearly 10,000 feet of elevation, this trail feels a lot harder than it would at a lower elevation. We are both in good shape and really felt the elevation doing this trail. We were certainly not acclimated at all to the elevation. Remember, the climb up will be much more difficult than the descent down. Be mindful of how you are feeling. We ended up hiking 2 miles less than we initially planned because of how we were feeling.
Along the road that leads to the summit of Haleakala, there are a lot of different spots that you can pull off onto and soak in the views with minimal effort. Make sure to check these out. The view from the Haleakala Visitors Center is worth checking out as well.
There is also one other trail on the West side of this park, the Halemauu Trail, you can hike. However, based on everything we have read and pictures we have seen, the Sliding Sands Trail views are more impressive than this trail’s views. Also, if you are looking for a full day hike, you can hike from the Sliding Sands Trailhead to the Halemauu Trailhead (parking lot at MM 14) which is an 11.2 mile hike. To do this, you would need either 2 cars or to hitchhike a ride back to the Sliding Sands Trailhead (Haleakela visitors center parking lot) or be overly ambitious and hike 22.4 miles.
East Side of the Haleakala National Park
Waimoku Waterfall on the East side of Haleakala National Park
The East side of Haleakala National Park is located south of the town of Hana and, presumably, would be your last stop while driving the Road to Hana. At this part of the park, there are two different trails that you can hike–the Pipiwai trail and Oheo Gulch trail. We recommend hiking both.
Pipiwai Trail
4.0 Miles Round Trip, 650 Feet of Elevation Gain
Banyan Tree on the Pipiwai Trail
Unique Rainforest and Bamboo Forest Flora
This hike is super neat because first, you hike through the rainforest and then, you hike through a bamboo forest before coming to the impressively tall Waimoku waterfall. On the hike, you will also see a huge Banyan Tree. The contrasting views are well worth the 4 mile round-trip hike. We would rate this hike as relatively easy as the elevation gain is well spread out.
Bamboo Forest on the East Side of Haleakala National Park
Oheo Gulch/Seven Sacred Pools
0.6 Miles RoundTrip, 100 Feet of Elevation Change
Oheo Gulch
You can also hike the shorter Oheo Gulch/Seven Sacred Pools trail here that is 0.6 miles roundtrip with minimal elevation change. This trail takes you along the coastline, through the rainforest and past a waterfall. We completed this hike after the Pipiwai trail and found it to be very easy and scenic. The trailhead is at the same spot as the Pipiwai Trailhead.
Arrive Early
We recommend arriving to hike on the East side of the park early. When we arrived around 8 AM, we were one of three cars in the parking lot, but by the time we left after completing the hike, the parking lot was full and cars were parking in an overflow lot.
Bring Food
There is nowhere to eat at either part of the park so make sure to bring some snacks. On the East side of the park, take advantage of some of the roadside fruit stands on the way to/from the park. We highly recommend Hana Farms at MM 31.
Where to Stay when visiting Haleakala National Park
As noted above, the East and West side of Haleakala National Park cannot be accessed from the same road. They have to be accessed from completely separate routes and you cannot feasibly visit both sides in one day. To be centrally located to visit both sides of the park, we recommend staying on the North side of the island, somewhere near Haiku or Paia
The Haiku Airbnb we stayed at was in a nice quiet location. It had all the amenities we needed and the host was very responsive and helpful. The landscape at the property was very pretty too and the price was much more budget friendly than other accommodations in the area.
We hope this guide helps you plan your trip to Haleakala National Park. Anything you’d add to our guide to visiting Haleakala National Park? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions. Please leave us a comment!
