Maui in November? Here’s Everything You Need to Know
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I’m completely sold on Maui in November. November is the best Hawaii low-season month to visit. If you can steal yourself away from work or school or both, get out to Maui.
Upon visiting Maui in November, one will find the lowest vacation rental rates, no crowds, the 4th cheapest month for hotels, and temperatures in the high 70s. Maui is worth visiting in November before the December holiday rush starts.
Last November saw my whole family come out to Maui for Thanksgiving. We all got our Christmas card pictures for the year. If getting Christmas card photos done doesn’t tempt you to visit Maui in November, I don’t know what will.
Below are all the better reasons for you to visit Maui in November.
Is November a Good Time to Go to Maui?
You bet November is a good time to visit Maui. I just analyzed visiting Maui in December. December is an okay month to visit. November is a great month to visit.
Where December goes wrong, November does it right.
November is at the end of the fall shoulder season. Visiting Hawaii during the low-season means you can get some great deals on hotels, flights, and rental cars. By reducing the price of the three biggest Hawaii vacation expenses, you can save some real money on your Maui vacation. Without having to sacrifice bad weather or crowds or fewer things to do.
We share visitor and weather data from 2019 to predict Maui in 2021 and beyond.
Reasons to Go to Maui in November
✅ Still hot, but not summer hot
✅ Vacation rental rates are the lowest of the year
✅ The ocean is a perfect 78 degrees for swimming
✅ Thanksgiving on a tropical island
✅ No crowds: November is the 3rd slowest month on Maui
✅ You can get into luaus with a 2-week notice
✅ It’s easier to snag a Haleakala sunrise reservation
✅ Activities can be booked a couple of days in advance (check out our curated list of tours and activities to find our favorites on Maui).
Reasons Not to Go to Maui in November
❌ Hotels and vacation rental rates spike during Thanksgiving
❌ November is the 3rd wettest month of the year
❌ No whales yet, the official start of the whale season is mid-December
If you can get away from work in November, head to Maui. Be a hero at work by working Christmas but take a long vacation to Maui in early November. Your family or significant other will thank you.
Heck, Maui in November is even a great time to plan that honeymoon or anniversary trip you’ve been putting off.
Get The Maui Itinerary
The step-by-step itinerary takes you to all the best beaches, snorkeling spots, restaurants, and sights. You’ll get six carefully planned excursion days to help you see the can’t miss stops no matter how limited your time is.
Get all the details on our itinerary and download it for a memorable and easily planned trip to Maui.
Maui for Thanksgiving
A vacation to Maui for Thanksgiving may mean your entire family of aunts and uncles won’t be with you but that may be okay. Maui is a unique place to spend Thanksgiving. You won’t have the fall colors and football starts in the early morning, but everything else is the same.
Rent a vacation rental to cook up a Thanksgiving feast. You might even be able to grab one of these great vacation rentals for large groups. The Hawaiian Sweet Rolls are fresh and the canned cranberries are canned. Costco dishes out $6 pumpkin pies. Or you can have Wholefoods or Foodland make your Thanksgiving dinner for you. Or go to the feast at your hotel. There are so many options on Maui for Thanksgiving.
Hawaii celebrates Thanksgiving like the mainland, but the weather is just far better.
My family came out in 2019 and we had a great time. They stayed in a condo near our place, we got Thanksgiving dinner from Foodland, the local grocer, and did the activities below for their 10-day stay.
The best part was we gifted my mom professional family photos. My mom loved having us all together (my brother lives in Virginia and my parents are in California). Plus, she got her Christmas card picture for the year. Two birds, one trip to Maui.
One thing to consider for Thanksgiving in Maui is the island gets busier. Rental car and accommodation rates spike for the Thanksgiving weekend as people visit for the holiday. If you are looking to save money on your November vacation, then visit Maui in early or mid-November. And if you do stay for Thanksgiving, shop for the best rental car prices by using Discount Hawaii Car Rental.
Is Maui Nice in November? Weather in November
Maui is nice in November. The weather has cooled off from the summer months making for relaxing, tropical weather. One doesn’t have to run for the shade like in July and August.
The average high is 82°F and the average low will be around 70°F.
Of all the islands, Maui is the island with the least rainfall. It still rains here, but not as much as, say, Kauai.
November is the start of the wet season on Maui. The weather starts to get wetter, cloudier, and colder in November but remember to stay grounded. You will still be in the tropics. The weather will be far better than anywhere on the mainland.
What’s Maui weather like in November? Here are all the stats you need to know
The place to stay on Maui in November is the leeward side of the island. The leeward side is the dry and sunny side. For Maui that is West Maui (Lahaina to Ka’anapali) and South Maui (Kihei to Wailea).
Once you start getting north of Ka’anapali like Kahana and Napili, the weather will be less predictable (read: wetter and cloudier).
Check out our where to stay on Maui Guide for the complete rundown on where to stay, including our favorite picks for hotels and vacation rentals.
Traveling with kids? We have a list of 10 great resorts that are definitely kid and parent approved.
Get The Maui Itinerary
The step-by-step itinerary takes you to all the best beaches, snorkeling spots, restaurants, and sights. You’ll get six carefully planned excursion days to help you see the can’t miss stops no matter how limited your time is.
Get all the details on our itinerary and download it for a memorable and easily planned trip to Maui.
The rains do start to come to Maui in November. November is in the top 4 of the wettest months on Maui and at the end of the Hawaii hurricane season (June 1 – November 30). But, you can avoid most of the rain by staying in Ka’anapali or Kihei/Wailea. These areas are still dry so the most you can expect if you are unlucky is a shower in the morning or late afternoon. But it is rare to rain all day.
The ocean temperature is coming down from its summer highs of 80 to 82 to an average of 78 degrees Fahrenheit around Maui.
Source: NOAA Mean Ocean Temperature
All this means November is looking good on the weather front. You can expect mostly sunny days, warm temperatures, and an ocean begging to be jumped into.
Where to Stay in Maui in November?
Stay in South Maui if you plan to visit Maui in November. That means finding a place to stay in Kihei or Wailea for your November Hawaii getaway.
South Maui in November has the warmest weather, the least amount of rain compared to Ka’anapali (West Maui) and Hana, and you can find the best deals on vacation rentals. Look for vacation rentals around Kihei as Wailea is mostly resorts.
The Ka’anapali and Lahaina area would be my second choice for where to stay in November. You will still get good weather and you’ll find better hotel deals in West Maui also. Plus, West Maui is home to the best snorkeling on the island and makes for easy day trips to Lanai.
Need help choosing to stay between Ka’anapali and Wailea? Ka’anapali vs Wailea: Here’s How to Decide Where to Stay.
How Busy is Maui in November?
November is one of the best times to visit Maui because it is during the slow season. September to November is the shoulder season in Hawaii. You can expect short or no waits at the popular restaurants, activities not booked up, and roads without traffic.
A low-season in Maui doesn’t mean the Hawaiian islands shut down. With the great weather all year long, the slow season just means a few thousand fewer visitors on Maui for the month. 20,000 fewer than the average to be more specific.
November isn’t the least busy month in Maui but it is pretty close (September holds the title).
If you don’t want to visit Maui when it is full to the brim, then figure out a way to talk the family and your boss into letting you go to Maui for November.
Is Maui Cheaper in November?
If you are looking for a vacation rental, November is the cheapest month on Maui. Log into Airbnb or Vrbo to start shopping for some deals.
In 2019, the average for Maui County was $220 a night for a vacation rental (source: Hawaii Tourism Authority). That is a far cry from February peak of $291 a night. Rates are higher in West Maui where there are more rentals but look to Kihei, Paia, or Upcountry for some deals.
Source: Hawaii Tourism Authority Infrastructure Report
For hotel rates, November is once again in the lower quartile of the cheapest months. $299 a night was the 2019 daily average hotel rate in the West Maui area. That is surprising as West Maui includes the resort stretch of Ka’anapali. The average hotel rate across Maui was $354 a night. I’m sure rates will come down in 2020.
Source: Hawaii Tourism Authority Infrastructure Report
Flights to Maui in November
Flying to Maui in November is not the cheapest time to go (spoiler: January and February are the cheapest months to fly). But you can still find deals, especially in the early part of November.
If you are looking to save money on your November in Maui vacation, this is what you can do:
🍍 Book early, like more than 6 months in advance
🍍 Sign up for deal notifications via Hawaii’s budget carriers: Southwest, Alaskan Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines
🍍 Follow our 5 Insider’s Tips to Getting a Cheap Ticket to Hawaii
Related articles:
- Hotel vs Airbnb: How to Decide What’s Best for Your Hawaiian Vacation
- 65 Things Your Kids Will Love to Do on Maui
Things to Do on Maui in November
You can do all of the popular activities on Maui every month of the year. But there are some that are extra special in November.
🍍Maui’s Thanksgiving Paddle for Hunger: The Kihei Canoe Club puts on a jungle rules race (anything that floats) for charity on Thanksgiving morning, race starts at 8:00 am at Ka Lae Pohaku Beach Park.
🍍 Restaurant Week in Wailea: Wailea’s world-renowned restaurants lower their prices but not their quality to offer a three-course, price-fixed menu for $29, $39, $49, and $59 per person. Proceeds go to the Maui Food Bank for Thanksgiving. Nov. 1 – 7, 2020
🍍 Made in Maui County Festival: The Made in Maui Festival is the biggest collection of Maui artisans, craftsmen, and jewelers selling from over 140 stalls. If you don’t want to shop, going for food trucks and live entertainment is worth it. November 6 – 7, 2020
🍍 Maui Turkey Trot: Upcountry’s Valley Isle Road Runners hosts a 5K Turkey Trot on November 26, 2020.
🍍 Arbor Day Garden Expo & Tree Giveaway: 1,000 Hawaiian trees are given away by Maui Electric and Maui Nui Botanical Gardens. Learn about Hawaiian trees and other endemic plants on Maui. November 7, 2020
Final Thoughts on Maui in November
Maui is worth a trip in November. Erica, Henry, and I love Maui in November because the summer heat has simmered down while the ocean is still very pleasant. It is a wonderful time of year to be on the Valley Isle.
Start working on shifting your responsibilities around so you can make a trip to Maui in November. Your wallet will thank you as a November trip will save you some serious money on accommodations. Stay in Kihei or Wailea (Wailea is more expensive) to get the best weather possible.
Planning a trip to Maui in November? We’ve done your planning for you with our Maui itinerary. Our itineraries take you to different parts of the island so you can see all of the great things Maui has to offer. From the best beaches, hiking, restaurants and more, our itinerary has everything you need for a fantastic trip.
“Just wanted to say thank y’all for putting together the Oahu and Maui itineraries! Our family had a great trip to Hawaii (especially Maui) due to having those itineraries handy anytime during the day. We all had an amazing time. Thanks again!” Tony R.
Get The Maui Itinerary
The step-by-step itinerary takes you to all the best beaches, snorkeling spots, restaurants, and sights. You’ll get six carefully planned excursion days to help you see the can’t miss stops no matter how limited your time is.
Get all the details on our itinerary and download it for a memorable and easily planned trip to Maui.