RV Camping in Maui

Look up RV camping in Maui and chances are you will find some mixed reviews leaning way toward the negative. Many will encourage the reader to "run, not walk" to the nearest resort or hotel.  There are horror stories where the writer describes the RV rental literally falling apart at the seams or having cockroaches running over them in the night. Well, that all sounds like fun!

If the vehicle options aren't sketchy enough, there is the absence of a genuine RV campsite and a severe limitation of RV friendly sites on the island (and really all over Hawaii). If you don't mind the possibility of being woken by security or police in the middle of the night, you can try to find a back lot or other empty parking spots. And at $89-225/day, you might save money...or you might not.

So why, you ask, did we rent an RV in Maui if it's such a pain? Because Jay really wanted to...I mean because it's all about the adventure, right? Thankfully we got a great deal on a nice camper van that worked great for what we needed. We got to experience Maui in a different way, meet some nice people we wouldn't have met otherwise, and get an idea of what it's like to live in an RV together. Incidentally, we went a size up and now have a shower and a real mattress in the RV we just bought. Thank you Maui RV camping experience!

Here are some tips to make your Maui RV camping experience as stress free and vacation-like as possible:

• Contact the RV rental companies and GO SEE the vehicle before finalizing your rental, if possible. Here are the companies: www.rvmaui.com, www.mauicampersrental.com, www.alohacampers.com . The company we rented from was closing doors, so we don't have a review to offer, but there are plenty that are out there. Some are quite entertaining!

• Either obtain permits ahead or be willing to search for somewhere to park and be willing to get kicked out if you choose poorly. This link has good information on well known RV friendly sites: http://www.rvmaui.com/camping_maui.html . If all else fails, you can always park at the one Wal Mart on the island in Kahului.

• If there are no signs that read "no camping", you can park at any beach and camp, as long as you are fishing. Now, some will tell you that all you need is a visible fishing pole. Others will tell you that doesn't go over well with police or locals. We recommend doing some actual fishing. You might just catch dinner!

• Weekends and holidays are a borderline sacred family time for Maui locals. We ran into many friendly folks, but just be respectful and aware that tourism gets annoying sometimes. Being respectful of locals wherever you go will allow for a friendly welcome for you and others in the future.

All in all, we loved the freedom and fun of the RV experience, even if there was plenty of give and take with the convenience factor. Maui is a fantastic island to explore in a vehicle and RVing is no exception! We have since returned to the mainland and purchased our first RV (yay!). Falling right in line with our track record, we are doing things the fun way, not the easy way, as we start our winter trek in the northern half of the country.  Stay tuned for plenty of ridiculous stories!