Booking choice: The Lahaina ATV Adventure, from $203 per person. Check dates Tour details
The Lahaina ATV operator puts it plainly: expect to get very dirty and possibly soaking wet. The base has sinks and paper towels, not showers, so whatever you wear rides back to your hotel with you.
Most of it comes down to three things: closed-toe shoes, dark clothes and a towel in the car.
The quick answer
Wear closed-toe shoes (required) and dark clothes covering top and bottom, ideally long pants. Bring a water bottle, reef-safe sunscreen, your driver's licence if you are driving, a light jacket if rain is forecast, and a towel and change of clothes for the car. Helmets and goggles are provided. Leave valuables at your hotel: there is no storage on site.
What should you wear on a Maui ATV tour?
Dark clothes you do not mind staining, covering top and bottom: the Lahaina tour requires clothing on both and recommends dark colours.
Red dirt stains. Guests on the West Maui Mountains ride add two tips: do not wear white, and wear long pants, which Maui Mountain Activities' own ATV page lists as required. A T-shirt or a light long-sleeved top works under the helmet and goggles.
Dressed for the dirt? Check dates for two hours of trails above Kapalua.
Check dates for the Lahaina ATV AdventureWhat shoes do you need?
Closed-toe shoes are required: on the Lahaina tour, sneakers, water shoes, Crocs or toe-covering hiking sandals are all fine.
Pick a pair you can write off: guests on the Ka'anapali zipline warn that shoes get really dusty from the red rock. Open sandals and flip-flops do not meet the rule. If you add a zipline elsewhere, check its rules: the Maui Jungle Zipline requires athletic or hiking shoes and does not allow Tevas, Keens or Crocs.
Will you get muddy or dusty?
One or the other, and often both: guests report dust after dry spells and mud after rain.
One guest "did not get muddy but it had been dry for a week so we got dusted instead"; another had "a rainy and muddy experience" and advised bringing extra clothes. Napili and Kapalua get more rain than Lahaina town, so a wet ride is quite possible. On dry days a bandana helps, and the Lahaina operator hands out dust masks and gloves on request.
What should you bring?
Only what you need: there is no personal storage at the Lahaina base.
- Your driver's licence, if you plan to drive
- A refillable water bottle (plastic bottled water is not included on the Lahaina tour)
- Mineral sunscreen and sunglasses: Maui County allows only mineral sunscreen (non-nano zinc oxide or titanium dioxide)
- A towel for the rental car seats
- A change of clothes and a bag for the muddy ones
- A light jacket if rain is forecast
- A GoPro, if you have one: they are welcome, and some helmets have mounts
What if it rains?
The tours run rain or shine, so dress for rain rather than hoping it passes.
At the Lahaina base you can rent a raincoat or buy a poncho, and the operator suggests a light jacket when rain is forecast. One guest "especially loved that it rained a little". If the forecast looks grim, the Viator booking cancels free up to 24 hours before; booked direct, the operator charges in full within 48 hours.
Rain or shine above Kapalua: helmets and goggles included, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Explore the Lahaina ATV Adventure Tour detailsWhat gear is provided?
Helmets and goggles are provided and required on the Lahaina tour; the West Maui Mountains ride provides helmets, plus water, soda and juice.
On the Lahaina tour, gloves and dust masks are available on request, and you can wash up at the sinks with paper towels afterwards. There are no booster seats and no seat-belt extenders.
What should you leave behind?
Valuables, white clothes and anything that cannot get wet or dirty.
The Lahaina operator does not recommend bringing valuables and has no storage on site. Alcohol, drugs and smoking are not allowed. And no outfit changes the health rules: the ride is not for pregnant guests or anyone with recent surgery, neck, back or knee problems, or serious health conditions.
What should you plan for after the tour?
A shower before anything else: one West Maui Mountains guest wrote "don't plan any activities after because you will need a bath".
Lay your towel on the car seat, change shoes if you brought a spare pair, and keep the evening gentle. If you book the Ka'anapali sunset dinner sail, wear shorts: guests report wading through the shallows to board, and the listing suggests a light jacket. More ideas in West Maui adventure tours compared.
Clean again? End the day with a two-hour sunset dinner sail from Ka'anapali Beach.
Check dates for the Ka'anapali sunset dinner sailFrequently asked questions
Can I wear shorts on a Maui ATV tour?
On the Lahaina tour, yes, as long as top and bottom are covered. The West Maui Mountains operator requires long pants on its own site, so wear them there.
Do I need to bring a helmet or goggles?
No. Helmets and goggles are provided and required on the Lahaina tour, and helmets are provided on the West Maui Mountains ride.
Are there showers after the Lahaina ATV tour?
No. There are sinks and paper towels to wash up, so bring a towel and a change of clothes.
Can I bring my phone or a GoPro?
Yes. GoPros are welcome and some helmets have mounts, but there is no storage on site, so keep valuables to a minimum.
Ready to book
Choose your ride
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Lahaina ATV Adventure: Small-Group UTV Tour
- Guided two-hour off-road tour in a four-seat side-by-side (UTV)
- Helmets and goggles (required for everyone)
- Two stops so drivers can switch and take photos
West Maui Mountains ATV Adventure
- Guided 1.5-hour ride on your own ATV, maximum 8 guests
- Helmets provided; water, soda and juice included
- Viator tickets from age 16; under-18s ride with an adult
