Cheap travel: 10 things to do in Maui, Hawaii for $5 or less
Cheap travel: 10 things to do in Maui, Hawaii for $5 or less
Island travel doesn't have to be expensive if you skip the popular tourist spots
Writer’s note: This June 9, 2016 post was previously repurposed on Gurulife. Unfortunately, I realize that several Lahaina locations may no longer be around. I still want to show off how beautiful the location is though in hopes they will rebuild these landmarks.
The idea of paying $20.95 for a train ride in Chicago would sound absolutely ridiculous to a CTA rider. But it’s a wee bit different to land in Maui and learn about a chance to check out a steam train ride. And what if the steam train includes checking out Molokai, Lanai and the West Maui Mountains in Hawaii, along with Michael Jordan’s favorite golfing spots? Game on!
Still sound excessive? Probably. But there are economical things to do in Hawaii that cost far less money. Here are a few.
Purchase $2 day pass for the local bus
Renting a car means travelers can go wherever they want whenever they want, but that also includes hundreds of dollars for daily rental fees, car rental insurance and gas prices. However, at the Wharf Cinema Center, travelers can pay $2 and ride the bus all day long, traveling from Maui to Lahaina. Just don’t compare the bus service to major cities such as Chicago, which arrive every seven to 15 minutes.
ADVERTISEMENT: Recommended Read ~ Amazon
In Maui, the buses arrive at 30 minutes after the hour between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. If you miss that 1:30 bus, you’re out of luck until 2:30 p.m., but you may find yourself enjoying tourist stands during the wait. For travelers who plan on staying in Maui longer, monthly passes are also available.
Skip the restaurants, grocery shop for grub
Avoid worrying about restaurant menu prices, tips and travel time. Check out healthy food options at grocery stores such as Whole Foods Market. One trip to that organic store for $19.95 helped me to load up on salt and black pepper chips, quinoa salad, sesame tofu, spinach artichoke dip and 365 sandwich cookies.
Recommended Read: “Vegan and vegetarian options are easy to find in Maui, Hawaii ~ Scoping out animal-friendly food options on the island”
That’s four meal items plus a dessert for about $4 each and can last three days. It’s generally a good idea to have a hotel with a refrigerator should travelers choose to purchase any grocery items or have leftover meals. With the four-hour time difference (from the Midwest), it’s a good idea to have some kind of meal in your hotel anyway because chances are high you’ll wake up long before restaurants open for breakfast and too tired by the time it’s dinner.
Tour the University of Hawaii Maui College
The campus is pretty open and easy to walk around if you’re near Kaahumanu Avenue. Walking around the campus area is also a fun way to burn off calories from heavy meals. Of course strolling around Queen Ka’ahumanu Center and Maui Mall counts as “exercise,” but admiring the buildings, palm trees and “Aloha” symbol around the campus is good for the brain.
Admire West Maui Mountains
A walk around the beach area by Kahului Harbor gives a clear view of West Maui Mountains. But even a trek around the area, a bus ride or going on foot will give a postcard view of Mother Nature. Fishermen and dog walkers randomly show up around the harbor so it may not be long before you make a new friend. Maybe you can find a hiking buddy — if you don’t already have one.
Luau Mondays at Queen Ka’ahumanu Center
The price to attend a luau can easily cost a traveler anywhere from $75 to over $150. This includes food, traditional Hawaiian music, hula dancing and history about Hawaiian culture. But if your focus is entertainment-only and you just want to enjoy the hula girls and guys plus live music, Queen Ka’ahumanu Center offers a luau performance every Monday. Audience members sit near the front of centerstage to enjoy the show.
Visit outlet stores in Lahaina
The beauty of cities and islands as tourist attractions is that there’s always a sale or clearance going on. Of course the store sales may change in the blink of an eye, but check sites like MauiClothingCompany.com for coupons. With Hawaiian clothing company sites like this, if there’s not a deal at one place, there’s always one at another. Collect the brochures at Kahului Airport and in your hotel lobbies because those always have coupons inside. If you have Internet access, check the rates to make sure those coupons are really a deal.
Check out artwork in Lahaina
Chances are slim that Hawaiian travelers will want to lug around huge paintings all over the island, but that doesn’t stop them from browsing in stores like Images, which is an art gallery that includes custom framing. There is an option to have the paintings shipped to your home address. The place is so big that it may take some time to narrow the final choice down to just one piece. However, the artwork is quality so don’t expect cheap pricing. No one can charge you for window shopping though.
Enjoy the free hotel coffee
Hawaii is known for its homegrown coffee. And with a massive amount of coffee sold at Kahului Airport, the island is not subtle about it either. Depending on the traveler, some may ignore the “free” hotel coffee and purchase coffee at restaurants. Who wants to sit in a hotel room and drink coffee when you can be out on the town? Me!
Ignore that thought pattern with Hawaiian coffee. Soak it up. None of their coffee should be ignored. The Kona Hawaiian Blend micro-roasted coffee alone could make you want to throw away your entire collection at home.
Hang out on Kahului Harbor
Behind Maui Seaside Hotel, there are lawn chairs that look out over the island water. Starting out at Lono Avenue to Ka’ahumanu Avenue, take in the Kahului Harbor near the West Maui Mountains.
Go for a swim
There’s just no rational reason for not swimming while you’re there. Hairstyle be damned, especially if the pool is one of the hotel or motel amenities. Take a dip. It’s probably more sanitary than swimming in public areas.
Whatever you do, just enjoy yourself without emptying your bank account. Instead of getting lost in credit card swiping, get lost in island brain.
ADVERTISEMENT ~ G Adventures
HAWAII RECOMMENDED READS:
“Aloha! My 30th birthday on 11/11/11”
“Cheap travel: 10 things to do in Maui Hawaii for $5 or less”
“Embracing ‘island brain’ in Hawaii ~ How paddleboard yoga helped ease my mind from a family member’s death”
“Memories of Lahaina Hawaii and steam locomotives ~ The Sugar Cane Train was my intro to Lahaina in Maui”
“Vegan and vegetarian options are easy to find in Maui, Hawaii”
Did you enjoy this post? You’re also welcome to check out my Substack columns “Black Girl In a Doggone World,” “BlackTechLogy,” “Homegrown Tales,” “I Do See Color,” “One Black Woman’s Vote,” “Tickled,” “We Need To Talk” and “Window Shopping” too. Subscribe to this newsletter for the monthly post on the third Thursday.
If you’re not ready to subscribe but want to support my writing, you’re welcome to tip me for this post! I’ll buy a dark hot chocolate on you. Thanks for reading!