By Jeffrey A. Rendall
Head to Hawaii figuring you’ll pay about 150% of what it costs at home to buy necessities
Related to the previous item, you’ll experience sticker shock if you’re not prepared to greet the prices you’ll find there.
Starting with gasoline, everything comes dearer in Hawaii. Knowing that they must bring everything to the stores on some sort of ship or plane helps explain why the wares are so outlandish. This goes for restaurants, too. Whereas you can get an appetizer and an entrée at home and still have a little left over for dessert, in Hawaii, the appetizers cost about as much as entrees do elsewhere.
If you’re someone who enjoys adult beverages during your meal, budget a hundred bucks a head for a “nice” restaurant at dinner time. Sales taxes, as expected, won’t spare you either. And gratuities are often added for large parties, just like at home. As I always tell my (now grown) kids, it all adds up.
Lahaina town stirs intense feelings of sadness – and gladness
Arriving in Hawaii this year, I didn’t quite know what to expect when approaching Lahaina.
The source of so much joy for us over the years, it was gut-wrenching when the historic and quaint seaside town burned to the ground in August, 2023, killing over a hundred of its residents in the process. There’s a memorial along the Lahaina bypass road there now, which features pictures and short bios of each of the victims. It’s a sobering reminder of what can happen when Mother Nature’s wrath combines with what looked to be human fallibility (in a government management sense).
We had visited Maui a month before Lahaina burned in 2023, so we at least got to see it one last time, though we didn’t know what was about to happen, only that we feel like we didn’t get to say our proper goodbyes.
Seeing Lahaina in 2026 came with a range of emotions. Like a volcano after a devastating eruption, there are signs of life everywhere in the town. Re-construction is ongoing and it was heartening to see that a fair number of homes have been rebuilt, and that the people there seem determined to remake the town. The “spirit” is still there.
Though much of Lahaina still lies barren. Your impression might be, “They’ve done this much since the fire!” and, “They’ve only done this much since the fire?” The historic Banyon Tree still stans, trimmed back considerably because the fire did to it what time couldn’t. Reduce its size and scope. Yet the tree’s living presence provides hope that one day, Lahaina will feel like itself again.
Front Street is gone. Completely. We took it for granted that Kimo’s and Cheeseburger in Paradise (which we used to frequent for breakfast, of all things) would last forever. Ditto for regular visits to Crazy Shirts, the location featuring bathrooms in the back of the store fronting the ocean. You can’t get this type of setting very many other places. It was uniquely Hawaiian.
Will old Lahaina ever be built back, and what will it look/feel like?
A future visit to Maui could supply the answer. Prayers for a safe return – for Lahaina’s sake.
Navigating Kahului airport and rental car tips, cont.
Earlier I suggested that bigger is better when booking a rental car, but what I neglected to mention was the fact that the rental car of your choice may not be there when you arrive.
Say what?
Because of our large party, we rented two cars, both from major rental agencies, and when we arrived to pick up the cars… neither was there. For me, the line to even speak to an agent took about ten minutes to clear even though there was only one car-seeker ahead of me.
When it was my turn, I was informed that they were out of the model I’d reserved and was offered a similar car in its stead, which was satisfactory. It had to be. But the fact the place was scratching for available cars at the time of pickup wasn’t a good sign. I was directed to a huge parking garage, which is new since I was last in Hawaii. Once there, I didn’t see the car at the directed spot. After searching for someone to ask, I was told the car was still being washed and would be available shortly.
No big deal, right? I had a big group waiting for me, which increased anxiety. But I was also told that some of the people who had reservations weren’t getting cars because the agency was overbooked. I didn’t witness this first-hand, but the moral of the story is… to reserve your rental car ahead of time and don’t leave it to chance that you can pick one up without a booking.
The Kahului airport itself was reasonably user-friendly considering its size and tendency to always be busy. Food options weren’t plentiful, and I had to search to find a plug to charge my devices. When departing, you’ll need to run your bags – carry on and checked – through an agricultural inspection station. More bureaucracy. Is it necessary?
But the airport is the airport these days. On the way to Hawaii, we met members of our party in California, which mandated that we fly out of LAX. Expect lines, mobs of people and construction detours at the west coast semi-hub. LAX reminded me of SEATAC, which, up to that time, ranked as the worst airport in my estimation. Now LAX has made Seattle’s airport the co-worst. Any dubious new nominations to join the list?
On the other hand, we paid two visits to DFW on our journey to and fro, and the airport’s skylink system is awesome! What a difference a little planning makes. Tight connections won’t scare you in Texas!
It’s not what you eat; it’s what you don’t eat that matters
I know I’m not the only one who worries about ruining months’ worth of struggle watching my diet and exercising regularly for a few moments’ pleasure consuming Hawaiian goodies and cuisine that looks – and tastes – inviting, but are packed with fat and calories and sodium that will require significant additional weeks and months to work off.
I’d like to say there are many substitutes, too, but we didn’t find this to be the case. Our group purposely toils to plan reasonably priced meals that we prepare ourselves, using a few visits to Costco as a home base for procuring fresh ingredients. This practice will help you keep on track, but it can be a fair amount of exertion, too. And who wants to cook on vacation?
Timeshare resorts usually have plenty of grills for guests’ utilization, and the days we used them, they were well attended. Going early – or late – in the afternoon/evening is the best way to ensure you secure an open hot spot. One word of advisement: you have no idea what was cooked on the grill before you got there, and it’s been my experience to realize previous users grill fire-activating stuff. Cook on high temperatures and then prepare yourself for a heck of a conflagration!
Back to calories. We found the salad pickings were rather meager at the larger grocery store stops. This might’ve only been a temporary shortage, but we were frustrated that we couldn’t buy stuff for a filler. Ditto for “ordinary” side dishes, such as rice, etc. There were plenty of chips, but don’t these things kind of defeat the purpose?
Just beware, if you’re hoping to return home without a big blip in your diet routine. It’s not quite as bad as on a cruise ship, but things can get away from you easily.
Hawaii vendors don’t want your money
Actually, they very much do want to drain your bank account, they just don’t accept cash.
Anyone who’s traveled recently knows that airlines no longer accept currency. If you want that shot of booze on the plane, you’ll need plastic to pay for it. No exceptions. It saves the flight attendants from having to make change for the multitude of passengers who only carry 20’s – or bigger denominations.
What’s become surprising is how many destinations and attractions have gone cash-less as well. I can only speculate at the rationale for the no-bills rule, but for those who still prefer to pay as they go to stay on budget, you’ll have to find another way. A debit card perhaps? Cash card?
I’m guessing the places say the new practices help with convenience (not to mention, encourages people to spend more), but if you’ve built a cash stash just to ensure that you don’t break the bank when you’re there, you’ll need to adjust. The Maui Aquarium was one place that demanded a credit card for the transaction, though the independent trinket vendors there were happy to take your paper money. The same goes for the usual service roles – bell folks, valet parkers, etc.
Have no fear – you’ll find a way to spend the cash in Hawaii! They won’t say no, either, except if you’re trying to gain admission to an establishment that only accepts credit.