When to Go to Maui

Good news…there’s never a bad time to go to Maui! The weather is pretty much consistent within a few degrees (air and water temperature) all year round. 

The seasons follow the seasons in the northern hemisphere (mainland US) and “winter” means more rain and slightly cooler temperatures. Summer means less rain and slightly warmer temperatures. August/September is when it’s the muggiest/most humid but this is Hawaii and humidity is pretty much nonexistent compared to places like Florida. 

Locals are very attuned to subtle shifts in weather/temperatures but whether it’s winter or summer, most resort areas are built on parts of the island that are sunny and dry 90% of the time. 

Whale season is December through April with peak season being February. 

Any time kids are out of school is high season. The winter holidays (mid December through New Years) are obscenely expensive and book out FAR in advance. Summer is the high season. 

January through mid March is technically less crowded and not “high high” season, but it’s still the optimal time to leave cold weather on the mainland to head for warmer weather so it’s not inexpensive. 

Generally speaking, I’ve found April/May and September/October to be the best months to find deals.

September/October is my personal favorite time to visit because it’s when I find the best deals on resorts and there are fewer kids/people in general on island since the kids have just gone back to school. They call it “couples season” for a reason. 

August through October is also technically hurricane season, but they’re pretty rare. Again, it’s not like Florida. 

This year, I was on Maui the first two weeks of December and it may be my new favorite time to visit. Crowds are LOW (in between Thanksgiving and Christmas) but you still feel like you're getting a winter getaway. Plus the whales are starting to show up.