Overview
Wailuku, on Maui, is the seat of Maui County. Unlike the commercial center of Kahului, Wailuku has a small-town plantation feel centered around its Main Street. Several buildings in Wailuku are registered as historic places. It is also the gateway to nearby Iao Valley and Iao Needle.
3 sights · 1 places to eat · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Wailuku
Iao Valley State Park
Known for the natural rock formation known as Iao Needle, the state park is also the site of several historic battles and the burial place of important chiefs. No hiking allowed in the park except on paved paths. Free.
Bailey House Museum
Built in 1833 on the royal compound of high chief Kahekili, and the site of a female seminary and the home of artist Edward Bailey until 1888, the Bailey House now serves as a museum showcasing Hawaiian artifacts, period…
Iao Theater
Live community theater in a historic building.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jan–Dec. Summer highs reach about 89°F; winter lows dip to about 67°F. Wettest: Mar and Nov. (climate data from nearby Honolulu)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- OGG Kahului International Airport, Kahului — 5 mi away (major hub). Directions
- JHM Kapalua Airport, Lahaina — 12 mi away. Directions
From Kahului, follow Kaahumanu Avenue (Hwy 32) west. Kaahumanu Avenue turns into Main Street after passing an overpass and viaduct. To get to Iao Valley, continue past High Street (Hwy 30) for about 0.5 mile, then take the fork in the road onto Iao Valley Road.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Iao Valley State Park, Bailey House Museum
- Lunch Tasty Crust
- Afternoon Iao Theater
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Alas, Ooka Super Market, once the main supermarket in Wailuku, is no more. At one point, the only full-service supermarket in Wailuku was Sack N Save, at 790 Eha Street (corner of Eha St and Waiehu Beach Road), but branches of Safeway (58 Maui Lani Parkway, across Baldwin High School) and Foodland (370 Kehalani Village Drive) have since opened. You can find a smaller selection at Takamiya Market on Market Street; they also serve a wide selection of ready-to-eat food. Whole Foods Market is about 10 minutes away in Kahului.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By plane
- Kahului Airport is a major airport about 10 minutes away, in nearby Kahului. This airport has flights to many Hawaiian Islands, mainland, Alaska, and Vancouver, Canada.
- Honolulu International Airport, while not on Maui, is the most common way to get to Wailuku. Flights from around the world fly to here, and then take a short flight to Kahului Airport.
By car
From Kahului, follow Kaahumanu Avenue (Hwy 32) west. Kaahumanu Avenue turns into Main Street after passing an overpass and viaduct. To get to Iao Valley, continue past High Street (Hwy 30) for about 0.5 mile, then take the fork in the road onto Iao Valley Road.
By bus
Maui Bus 20 runs from Lahaina to Kahului through Wailuku.
Get around
The four main streets in Wailuku are:
- Main Street (highway 32), which runs east to west from Kaahumanu Avenue into Iao Valley.
- Market Street (highway 330), which runs roughly north-south and intersects Main Street in the center of Wailuku town. The north part passes through the neighborhood of Happy Valley.
- Lower Main Street, which begins at the Main Street overpass and runs roughly southwest to northeast to Waiehu Beach Road and then connects to Kahului Beach Road to Kaahumanu Avenue. This is often a good alternate route if Kaahumanu Avenue is congested.
- High Street (highway 30), which begins at the state office building on Main Street and runs south toward Lahaina, turning into Honoapiilani Highway.
See
See Iao Valley State Park
Known for the natural rock formation known as Iao Needle, the state park is also the site of several historic battles and the burial place of important chiefs. No hiking allowed in the park except on paved paths. Free.
See Bailey House Museum (Maui Historical Society)
Built in 1833 on the royal compound of high chief Kahekili, and the site of a female seminary and the home of artist Edward Bailey until 1888, the Bailey House now serves as a museum showcasing Hawaiian artifacts, period furnishings, and the paintings of Edward Bailey.
Buy
Eat
Alas, Ooka Super Market, once the main supermarket in Wailuku, is no more. At one point, the only full-service supermarket in Wailuku was Sack N Save, at 790 Eha Street (corner of Eha St and Waiehu Beach Road), but branches of Safeway (58 Maui Lani Parkway, across Baldwin High School) and Foodland (370 Kehalani Village Drive) have since opened. You can find a smaller selection at Takamiya Market on Market Street; they also serve a wide selection of ready-to-eat food. Whole Foods Market is about 10 minutes away in Kahului.
Eat Tasty Crust
Don't let the surroundings or the decor deter you (it's in the middle of an old-style industrial park, and the decor is old-style Americana). This restaurant is very popular among local Mauians. The big draw at this restaurant is breakfast; their tagline is "World Famous Pancakes."
Sleep
Stay Banana Bungalow
Not the cleanest, but a fun party hostel in Wailuku. Good place to meet people. Not the best area at night. $45-120.
Nearby
Kahului
City / town · 22 listings · 2 mi away
Waikapu
City / town · 3 listings · 3 mi away
Ma'alaea
City / town · 5 listings · 6 mi away
Paia
City / town · 7 listings · 9 mi away
Kihei
City / town · 49 listings · 10 mi away
Lahaina
City / town · 48 listings · 12 mi away
Kaanapali
City / town · 20 listings · 12 mi away
Haiku
City / town · 2 listings · 12 mi away
My experience
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