My sister asked me to snap a few, quick iPhone photos of my niece on our last day at the beach. Even though I was tempted to use my phone (because uploading and sending is WAAAAY easier), I grabbed my “big camera” and headed to the sand.

Even though I’m a HUGE fan of learning photography tricks on smartphones, there’s NOTHING like the color and clarity that only a “big camera” can produce.

Each year when Maui sees that, ONCE AGAIN, it’s won the prestigious award of “Best Island in the World,” it gives all the restaurants, hotels and stores the thumbs-up to increase prices even more. (Or at least that’s how it plays out in my own mind.)

Whales, sea turtles, dolphins, waterfalls, forests, mountains and breathtaking hikes are just a FEW of the reasons why Maui has held this title for TWENTY consecutive years! But it also explains why it seems impossible to visit this magical place on a budget.

But being a thrifty gal, I’ve discovered some really SIMPLE ways to experience paradise without going broke! Here’s a few tips:

FOOD:
* FOOD TRUCKS! Maui has some WONDERFUL food trucks and is ALWAYS our 1st stop once we leave the airport! (There’s a parking lot across Costco with several great food truck options. However, check hours!)
* Pack snacks and granola bars. Since all Maui’s food must be shipped in to their island, it’s naturally much more expensive to buy your favorite foods.
* Pack a refillable water bottle. Most resorts have fruit-infused water in the lobby where you can refill and save money throughout the day.
* HAPPY HOUR: Most restaurants offer discounted prices before the evening crowd. My favorite Happy Hour places are Monkey Pod and Japengo.
* GROCERY STORE: We always make a quick stop at the grocery store where we’re not eating out every meal.
* Discount cards from hotel. We’re always grabbing free appetizers or desserts using the discount cards given by the hotel lobby.
* Skip a meal! When in Maui, it’s a MUST to eat (at least ONCE) at Kihei Cafe! Not only is it INCREDIBLE food, there’s enough food to actually SKIP the next meal! We go at least once each visit and I’ve never been able to eat lunch after their AMAZING french toast breakfast (Portuguese sweet bread dipped in our decadent french toast batter … fresh n’ local Bananas & Macadamia Nuts with a coconut syrup.) Remember to bring CASH.

GETTING AROUND:
* Rental car: It’s nearly impossible to NOT rent a car when you’re on the most beautiful island in the world. However, you’ll probably save $$$ choosing a rental facility NOT at the airport.
* WALK: During our most recent trip, we skipped the rental car (and daily parking fees) and, as a result, ended-up making some of our BEST memories on FOOT!
* Trolly/Shuttle/Bikes: Many hotels and areas offer FREE services. Just ask!
* Bus: This is NOT for the faint-of-heart (nor a first-timer to Maui), but we purchased a public transit bus ticket ($4 a person per day) to get us all around the island. (Between the waiting time and confusion navigating bus numbers, many would say this is NOT worth the money you’ll save using Uber or renting a car.)

The BEST things are FREE!
* Bluetooth speakers + a FUN playlist = BEST.DAY.EVER!
* Beautiful hikes
* Hidden beach trails
* Turtle, whale and dolphin watching

EXCURSIONS:
* Explore on your OWN! Instead of spending all day with a group, save money by discovering Maui’s beauty on your OWN! Not only will you still see all the wonder, you’ll likely get to swim ALONE with a big sea turtle!
* If you’re taking a whale-watching tour, consider a smaller vessel. Not only will you possibly save money, you will probably end-up much closer to the whales than the larger boats.
* This is NOT for the faint-of-heart (nor the easily persuaded), however, if you’re willing to give up 90 minutes of your vacation, viewing a time-share presentation can save you LOTS of money on excursions! (Last year, in exchange for attending a 90-minute presentation, Matthew and I received (2) Helicopter Rides and (2) Whale Watching Tours.)

RESORTS & FLIGHTS:
* Sign-up for notifications of deals with Expedia and other travel sites
* Consider using a credit card that will allow you to earn points for travel
* Consider your risk when paying a tiny-bit less for airfare. Although we knew better, we choose American Airlines based on price and ended-up losing an ENTIRE day due to their mistake. Our return flight was ALSO cancelled which ended-up costing us an extra travel day, PLUS added expense. (Currently, American Airlines is not reimbursing us at all for both of their mistakes and all of our extra expenses.)

PACK:
* Cash
* Snacks
* Snorkel gear
* Water shoes
* Only the basics! You’ll spend most of your time in a bathing suit. No hair products required. (I always pack light enough where I can simply bring a ‘carry-on’ with me.)

If you have other tips, I’d love to hear!

Meanwhile, click HERE to read “Maui: Favorite Spots” with a list of Maui highlights!

I was so happy to not only visit Andrea and Jeff’s beautiful property, but also meet the rest of their family. Here’s a few from our time together…

It was SUCH a crazy plan, in the minutes leading up to it, I found myself sitting alone in front of Crystal Bridges Museum of Art with a BIG smile on my face (…silently wondering if this scheme was actually going to work).

Christy told me how she’d really like updated photos of her family, but was afraid everyone else might SAY NO not be as excited as her. And THAT‘s when she came up with an OUTRAGEOUS idea!

Christy and her husband, David, asked her parents to join them for their first visit to Crystal Bridges. She also mentioned that her friend, Christy, would be meeting them there to show them around.

(Are you starting to see where this is going?!?!?)

Everything was lining-up perfectly!

* Their (pre-planned) outfits were colorful, well-blended and not too matchy.
* Purses and distractions were all left in the car.
* Those cute little “Crystal Bridges” shirt-buttons were all discretely hidden in my backpack (to save me LOTS of time in Photoshop later).

Now the ONLY thing standing in the way of photos was ME. You see, when I get NERVOUS, I start talking a LOT. So, being a Crystal Bridges JUNKIE, before even stepping foot in the actual museum, I began educating them on EVERYTHING I had EVER learned about one of my FAVORITE places! (And I’ve taken a LOT of tours, field trips and information-walks over the past 5 years!)

After about 20 minutes of me explaining “We the People,” “Mamam,” and all the fascinating facts about the architecture, I remembered I was there as their PHOTOGRAPHER, not their official TOUR GUIDE!

Now to the TRICKY part…

I casually directed my captive audience outdoors (thank you, “Fly’s Eye” for that perfect detour) when Christy’s mom, Donna, said, “Oh, we should have brought our camera!”

Without seeming over-enthusiastic, I quickly said, “Oh, I actually have my camera with me.”

The next hour was spent ‘touring’, laughing and me LEADING THEM TO BELIEVE I WAS INSANE non-nonchalantly asking them if I could please snap a “quick picture”.

Also being a girl who LOVES natural (MUCH more than posed), I actually enjoyed this challenge!

Thank you, Christy, for trusting ME with your genius plan! Not only did we do a fun ‘tour‘, we got lots of fun pictures to document your special day and wonderful family!