Does anyone know any free things to do in Maui? (Kihei: rental car, low income)

[bpobst]

Aloha,

I currently live in Oahu and have been there 8 years. My family is from California and my only sibling is getting married in a week here in Cali. I am very low income due to some debilitating issues and I was laid off recently but still looking for a job. I am posting because my sister and her soon-to-be husband are coming to Maui for their honeymoon and they are going to be so broke they can't do much. Basically, they spent most of their savings getting me out to Cali for the wedding (I haven't seen any members of my family since 2004), and then right about 2 months before the wedding my sister was laid off of her decent paying job, they paid for the very reasonable wedding with savings along the way, her fiance just graduated college and is doing some slight freelancing but mostly works for about $10/hr at a grocery. My wedding gift to them is homemade (but awesome!) and very few people are going to be at the wedding because of familial health crises all across the board basically. My sister just found a new job a week ago or so but doesn't have many clients and is still in training (she is an esthetician) at the new place. They have NO MONEY. Someone in the family paid the hotel and the plane tickets were given months ago with frequent flyer miles from a relative that travels very far everyday for business practically. I want them to be able to go to Haleakala to see the sunrise, it's cheap, and the road to Hana, at the very least because they are supposed to be stunning, but they are now worried about the price of gas and already had the rental car booked (I'm telling you, a few months before this wedding, we had an uncle who's like a father to my sister, have a football size tumor removed from his kidney, my great grandmother died, my sister and I both were laid off, and there are other things as well and everyone is just really struggling). What is there to do that is FREE? I don't want them going out of the continental US for the first time and JUST sitting on the beach because they can't afford gas to go to Haleakala, or anything fun to do. Does anyone have any advice or what they can do? I love my sister more than anything, and they have been together 8 years, since high school and she is very hardworking, but the bad news kept coming one after the other. Does anyone have anything to offer? Advice? Places to go that are extremely cheap/free?
Mahalo!

[whynot?]

Do you know where they're staying? So we can make recommendations that might be economical to minimize their driving? I might recommend one set of things on the West End, but another for South Maui, for instance.

[hothulamaui]

snorkeling is free, so is Iao valley,

[bpobst]

Thank you so much for your responses, they will be staying at the Marriott resort, Wailea Beach area. I have come up with the road to Hana and the Haleakala National Park since that is only $10 per car, but not sure if they can afford gas for the road to Hana. Anything in their area would be awesome for advice, mahalo nui loa!

[Joliefille]

If this were ANYWHERE except Hawaii...I would never suggest this, but since this IS Hawaii...plenty people back pack around the islands. They could try hitching rides places like Hana. Make a cute sign, saying "Broke Honeymooners need ride to Hana".
You'd be suprised how many people still will pick up hitch hikers here.

[MaryleeII]

This is a small savings, but every little bit helps---

is anyone in the party disabled? If so, you can get a Golden Eagle Pass for national parks, free admission for life. I forget how I got mine, I believe I applied in person at a national park in TN, perhaps you can still apply in person, if you have something on you to prove disability. At the time, I forget, I think I just filled out some forms.

Hey, $10 is $10! Try going online for national parks.

[MaryleeII]

Originally Posted by bpobst

Thank you so much for your responses, they will be staying at the Marriott resort, Wailea Beach area. I have come up with the road to Hana and the Haleakala National Park since that is only $10 per car, but not sure if they can afford gas for the road to Hana. Anything in their area would be awesome for advice, mahalo nui loa!

I know that area, we stayed at the Maui Marriott Beach Club, right next door. Look, its extremely expensive, even for a coke or sandwich. There is a Randall's down the road you can stock up on cokes, snacks, etc, they also take Randall's members discount card. either get one on the mainland or ask to apply for one there. Also, they take coupons, take yours with you. There's a Costco on the island, if you have a Costco card, its the best for gas.

And, there's a great aquarium not too far from that area, I forget the admission, look it up.

But realistically, you can't do on nothing. If they're really that broke, perhaps they should reconsider.

Also, they can't afford to be without trip insurance. If their flight is cancelled, delayed, etc, or circumstanced delay them, then what? without cancellation insurance they pay for hotel, could even pay for plane fare.

I got sick last trip to hawaii, ended up in the hospital. We had to delay our flight, and take another one, extend our hotel stay 4 more nights. We had two kids with us, 8& 9 years old. We couldn't send them on home, and dh couldn't leave me alone, so we all had to stay. if it weren't for trip cancellation insurance, it would have cost thousands more---planr reservations made at the last minute are pricey, and hotel rooms.

[MaryleeII]

Be careful going too far off the beaten path looking for "cheap thrills". Crime is bad on all the islands, big drug problem.

[Jeepers Creepers]

One free thing to do is .....leave. Mainland is full of "hot" things but, the negatives outweigh the rest. LOL. Just kidding...but...not really.

[thyroid_gal]

Costco here on Maui doesn't sell gasoline, but is fantastic for all other grocery purchases. Also, the Walmart in town (close to Costco) is much cheaper than any of the Kihei/Wailea grocery stores. Gas is about $4.35 a gallon here this week, so hopefully they'll get a super tiny rental car that will be good on gas useage.

Cafe O'Lei resturant in Kihei has very nice and reasonably priced lunches, so one idea would be to go "out" for lunch and eat "in" for dinner.

They should be able to rent snorkel sets at Snorkel Bob's for $9 for the *week* and there is great snorkeling from several beaches around Wailea/Makena. Wailea Beach (between the Four Seasons & Grand Wailea) is perfect for beginners as you can access some great coral and fish in shallow depths of water on the South end of the beach. The North & South ends of Po'olenana Beach (park at Makena Shores Condo's) are really fantastic as well.

Maui Nut Botanical Gardens have some beautiful plants and friendly staff who love to educate folks about the plants. It is free.

The Makawao Forest Preserve is free and has beautiful trails to explore and hike.