Revisiting Hawaii!

True Blue, Dedicated Travelers — like my husband Richard and I. Recently, we have been enjoying our photo books and videos and remembering the great times we had while on many of our past vacations.

We are looking at returning to destinations we are familiar with and loved. After all, we can further explore the destination and do more of what we enjoyed last time we were there... and also try some new destinations while there. I guess this is a wonderful way to guarantee a wonderful vacation with very little risk.

Take our next trip to Hawaii as an example: We are staying on Maui this time as the cruise we went on a few years ago we found Maui to be our favorite Island. Instead of horseback riding and mud bugging (expensive) we are planning on snorkeling, hiking and touring. Instead of a cruise (expensive) we opted to rent a hotel (with daughter kelsey's discount) and do some of the cooking in the room (breakfasts anyway.) This way will allow us to explore destinations more thoroughly, while saving a little money.


My advice: DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

* Book as soon as you know the dates you want to go. There are many Hawaii websites you can research to find inexpensive lodgings.

* When you get off the plane at each island grab every brochure available. You'll find racks of these in the baggage claim area. If you are renting a car make sure you take the brochures that they give you as well. You will find many coupons in them

* Bring your own snorkels, fins and mask. I was surprised how inexpensive rentals are at many beaches, however, if you go to three beaches in one day, you can spend $15.00. Surprisingly, if you pack well, these items don’t take up much room in luggage.

* On all the islands, there are many chain stores such as Wal-Mart, Sears, Longs, etc. Shop there first as items might be cheaper. We are planning on cooking some of our dinners so I am going to bring a few spices & staple food from California in our suitcase. After we arrive we will plan on stopping at Costco (near the airport) and load up on other foods there. The prices are only slightly higher than the mainland. Hilo Hatties was great and reasonable for gifts to bring home if you have to but try to avoid all tourist trinkets if possible. Take home pictures on your digital camera for free. They are better than cheesy hula dolls, shell necklaces and macadamia nuts.

* Take a jacket with you as some nights can be chilly from the wind coming off the ocean. It's expensive to buy a jacket.

* Hide and lock up your valuables as in any city you visit. It's expensive to replace stolen items.

* Decide which meals you'd like to splurge on and which meals you'd rather keep costs down on. This may mean spending less on breakfast and lunch (or even eating in your hotel) so you can enjoy a nice dinner out once in a while.