April through May and September through November are the best times to visit Maui. Spring and fall are the shoulder seasons in Hawaii. They have the nice weather that tourists want without the high prices and crowds of summer and winter.
Map of driving directions in Maui for tourists.
But if you like to surf, the best time to go is in the winter; just book as early as you can to save money. If you're going on a trip with kids, you might want to splurge on a summer trip when the water is calmest.
What to eat at the Maui
This is the kind of place where you should really try as much of the local food as you can, even if there are other options. Maui is part of the local food movement, just like the rest of America. Here, plates are piled high with freshly caught fish and food from the area. To eat these ingredients the way the islanders do, you'll need to leave the resort areas and go to places like Lahaina, Kihei, and Paia. There, restaurants like Paia Fish Market, Mama's Fish House, Merriman's, Star Noodle, Lahaina Grill, and Nalu's can be found. As you move away from Maui's resorts, you'll find more mom-and-pop shops and restaurants. Local specialties like pork cooked in banana leaves, poi (ground taro root), and haupia, a creamy coconut custard, are served at these places. If you don't know where to start your food tour, you can ask some locals for suggestions or sign up for one of the best Maui tours.
One popular and cheap way to fill up on Hawaiian food is to eat a big meal around noon. There were a lot of restaurants in the area that served what is called a "plate lunch." This is a big serving of meat (usually beef, pork, or fish), rice, and macaroni salad. This became a tradition on fruit and sugar plantations, where workers would get together for lunch with bento-style boxes full of rice and meat from the night before. Today, it's common for both locals and tourists to eat at plate lunch restaurants and stands, which serve huge portions of food.
If you're staying in a place with a kitchen, you should plan a trip to a farmer's market. You'll find the freshest fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh fish and some ready-made foods, like banana bread and passion fruit butter. On its website, Go Hawaii has a list of all of Maui's farmer's markets. Map of google maps directions in Maui's farmer's markets. On the Road to Hana, you'll also see a lot of fruit stands that sell smoothies and juices.