Hawaii Travel on a Budget

Hawaii in a Heartbeat: 3 Ways to Cut Costs on Your Next Trip to the Islands

Hawaii is where my husband's heart is, not because he has family there but because it's a place that makes him feel relaxed, re-energized and renewed. We've spent many vacations there as a result, including a trip to Kauai earlier this month. Our feeling is that if you live on the West Coast of the U.S. like we do, or have easy access to it, there's no excuse not to head to Hawaii -- and to arrive...

My Six Most Memorable Travel Moments in 2013: A Dramatic Rescue, A Tragic Fire and More!

What a great year 2013 was for travel! One thing I learned was that going back to a favorite destination a second or even a third time can still reveal new adventures, and that was certainly the case for me as we made our third journey to the island of Kauai last year. But no matter how many times you visit a particular place, there are always signature moments that define each trip. And in...

Northern Kauai: Beauty on a Budget

Kauai is the fourth largest of the Hawaiian islands, at approximately 550 square miles in size. And while that might not seem like a lot of ground to cover, it has taken us three visits to explore nearly every corner of "the garden isle." This time, we spent our entire vacation on the tropical, rainy side of the island -- on the north. Lucky for us, we were blessed to have sunny, enjoyable weather...

Cutting Costs in Kauai: Air and Lodging for Two in The Garden Isle — Only $1500

After two weeks in New Zealand, we weren't planning on heading to Kauai this year, but when we came across an Alaska Airlines deal for $318 roundtrip flights to Maui, it became an easy decision. We booked the air travel, adding on a quick island-hopper flight to Kauai, and soon came across a cost-effective yet charming ocean-view studio available at $100 per night. All told, the total costs for ai...

Beachfront Stay in Maui: Beautiful and Budget Friendly

Of all the Hawaiian islands, Maui seems to be the easiest to get to, especially from California. And it's very family friendly too, for a number of reasons. I have had the good fortune to travel there a handful of times through the years, and even though it's a small island, on each visit we explored something new, whether it was the spectacular volcanic monolith of 'Iao Needle or the rarely trave...