Haleakala, the volcano that forms most of Maui, means house of the sun.

If Maui is one of my favorite places on Earth, Haleakala is my favorite place on Maui. I have been to Maui twice and both times included stops at Haleakala. I think I could spend even more time there just watching the clouds roll in, out and over.

If you asked me what is one thing I have to do in Maui? I will tell you to visit Haleakala. I would recommend getting up super early and catching the sunrise but any time of day would be sufficient to take in the beauty of a shield volcano.

For a few dollars, you can purchase an app to listen to on your up and down the volcano. It also includes the Road to Hana (which would be my second recommendation of a must see). The app tells the story of the God Maui and facts about the volcano. We actually used the app both times we went to Maui. The narration hadn’t changed but it was still enjoyable to listen to the second time.

It may be colder than you think when you reach the summit, at least in January and February. The first time we went was afternoon. I had to put my sweatshirt on and I was still cold. When we went for sunrise I thought I’d be ok in sweatpants and sweatshirt. I wish I had brought gloves and a jacket! Dress in layers or throw an extra jacket in your rental car, just to be safe!

Haleakala is also home to the NeNe and Silverswords. I never saw a NeNe at the volcano but really hoped to! I did see them somewhere else eventually. The silverswords are beautiful, delicate plants. The park asks that you stay on trails so as not to disturb the plants.