Maine travel tips, what's new at Universal, and re: to Hawaii right now

We just got back from Maine so I want to share about that, but also Maui has been absolutely hit with fires, so I have resources to help and things to consider before traveling to Hawaii right now

On Friday I got stuck behind a school bus on its route. Summer break is over, I guess. We knew this was coming and I really think we made the most of our time together this year. Today I wanted to share a little about the reality of parenting a sixth grader, tell you about our final trip of the summer, and I’ve got a really stupid budget travel tip that I learned about at 5:30 am this morning. Argh.

Thank you for following along as we continue blogging our way through life. I’m really excited about what we’ve got coming up this fall, so stay tuned as we have little random adventures on the weekends and have one BIG adventure in November. If you have anything you want me to chat about in the newsletter or share on the blog, please let me know. I always prefer to be helpful than just share my word vomit, but I am always down for either!

What’s Happening in Hawaii

I assume most people have seen by now what happened on Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii last week. Wildfires swept across Maui, with a few smaller ones happening on Hawaii. The biggest, most concentrated fire seems to be in Lahaina, destroying the town completely, but there also was a huge burn right next to Kihei and then in the middle of the island.

On the Big Island, there were several fires too, on the north end of the Kona Coast and around Waimea. The bulk of the damage is on Maui and it’s unclear when the island and its families will be able to recover. It’s really awful.

“Should we cancel our trip to Hawaii?”

When disaster hits in a popular tourist destination, I always get questions about what people should do regarding their own travels. It’s rarely a question of “Who can I donate to?” or “is there a group I can be involved with to help?” So, before I talk about personal vacation travel to Hawaii, here are the suggestions of HOW TO HELP:

• Hawaii Community Foundation - actually in Hawaii and on the ground

• Maui United Way - actually in Hawaii also, and if you already do local work with the United Way, they can connect you with volunteer opportunities on the mainland.

Now, should people cancel their plans to travel to Hawaii, and specifically Maui? This is always a delicate topic. First statement is yes, if you’re heading to Maui in the next couple of months, I would cancel and rebook. I say this because right now the island needs to focus its resources on its own people, from providing shelter in hotels to providing man-power to clean up and rebuild peoples’ homes and businesses.

When should you plan to visit Maui?? Ugh, that’s another tough question because you have to consider a few things:

1. Is the Island ready to focus on tourism again yet?

2. Will the costly trip positively contribute to the community?

3. Will visiting creating an unwelcome strain on resources right now?

4. How much will you enjoy visiting while things are being rebuilt and everything is still scorched?

Yes, there are indeed parts of Maui that are okay, but the most concentrated tourism areas were deeply impacted. So with all that in mind, if you’re planning travel to Maui in the near future, consider your options. Tourism is essential to the Islands, but visiting is quite the delicate matter.

Our Fall Sailing Through the Hawaiian Islands

Yes, we’re sailing through the Hawaiian Islands in November. As of right now, our trip has not been cancelled or changed. We will be on an expedition ship with UnCruise, having unique experiences with locals and visiting Molokai, Lanai, Maui and the Big Island, and we’ll be sleeping on our boat each night. I’m not sure how the current situation will impact our itinerary, and maybe it’ll provide a volunteer situation. We’ll have to see.

In the meantime, we’re still planning for our trip, including taking the kids to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and visiting friends in the islands. We’ll keep our plans nimble though as we don’t want to be part of a problem.

If you’re thinking about Hawaii and want to plan something fun on one of the other islands, we’ve got plans for Kauai, Oahu and the Big Island, all of which are beautiful and each one is very different!

Today’s Random Budget Travel Tip

Let’s start with me sharing what I learned this morning. Today I got an email receipt for our tolls from our trip to Maine last week. We went through one toll meter on the Maine Turnpike just after leaving the airport, so I used the toll token in the vehicle, like I always do. Usually I get a bill for around $15 for using it and that covers the base fee plus the tolls I incur.

Yeah, when I picked up my car from Hertz at the Portland International Jetport (PWM) they didn’t mention any changes to tolling or even that I had a token in the car, so I used it as normal. Today I got my $75 receipt… for ONE TOLL. I’ll be calling PlatePass and Hertz tomorrow to sort it out, because there wasn’t any discussion or disclosure anywhere (including in the printed material I received at pickup).

So here’s by budget travel tip: when traveling in the Northeast or South Florida, always have small dollar bills and at least two dollars in quarters with you. You’ll save a ton of money, save time with dealing with toll bills, and you’ll get to enjoy the simple yet vintage experience of going through a manned toll booth. You’ll actually be ensuring somebody’s future employment, so HAVE CASH MONEY WITH YOU!

(more on our trip to Maine below)

New Stuff at Universal Orlando - Minionland!

This weekend a new area (or an updated old area) officially opened at Universal Studios in Orlando. Minionland is how the main Hollywood Blvd area has been updated. As you enter the main gates at Universal Studios, you’re smacked in the face with bananas and lots of Minion stuff. The old Shrek 4-D theater and meet and greet area has been replaced with Villain Con, which is hilarious as an adult who often is at trade shows. From the speaker schedule to the map of the exhibitor tables and products to try out, it’s exactly like what we as working adults experience with work events. Check out our 2 Days at Universal Orlando plan here!

The new attraction is pretty cool too. Think of Toy Story Mania at Walt Disney World meets some sort of shoot-em-up game where you don’t kill things, but just create mayhem. It’s pretty fun, but exhausting.

The food in Minionland is also pretty great, and I’d go so far as to say it’s the best at Universal. There are actually healthy options, and if you want vegan and gluten free options, you’ve actually got lots and there’s no drama in trying to find it. I think, as a frequent theme park goer, it shows that Universal is in tune with its customer base and it’s keeping up to date with high end travel expectations.

Summer in Maine - Quick Trip Recap

We’ve done Maine in summer several times and really enjoy. Our best friends live in MidCoast Maine, so visiting is a combo of getting the boys all together to hang out and also exploring. This summer we did a combo trip of winding along the fingers of the coast and heading up into the Maine Highlands. While we didn’t get to see any moose during this trip, we did see a lynx, puffins, a fin whale, humpback whales and minke whales. It was awesome! Check out our Summer in Maine itinerary here!

While we always love hanging out on the coast and kayaking around the many islands, this trip brought a new element to our Maine adventures: waterfalls! The Highlands, which is the western part of the state which borders Quebec, are full of waterfalls, both out in the wilderness and downtown in so many little villages! Hiking and swimming in the cascades was a hit. So different from our Florida springs we’re used to.

Keep an eye on the blogs for all the details, cuz there’s a lot to share (including Lobsterfest details). I’m excited to get back into writing and publishing often now that school is starting again!

Back to School - It’s here!

Last week I shared how I’m kind of torn about back to school time, both in that it makes me sad to not have the kids with us every day, but also that they’re excited. Well, I’ve landed on my deepest and truest feelings: I’m thrilled to be back into a routine and it really does suit all of us best. Our kids are troopers and always down for traveling and beach days, but really when they get settled into a routine they are so peaceful and you can see them dig into their interests more.

We go hard during summer break, with the kids leading lots of the activity decisions, but having a routine gets them into such a great vibe. Seeing how they spend their time on their own and what they pick up to read or bring home from school is so interesting. For me, it’s a very different experience with each of the boys because they are so very different. I’m excited to see how they each change this year and grow their interests.

PS: 6th Grade is where we’re at. If you’re a grown-up to a 5/6 grade student you may have to start having some unique conversations soon. We’ve always been very open about growing up and the physical and sociological changes that happen, but it’s always been so high level and easy to casually mention. Well, those chats are at a whole new level now and I can see them becoming more complex in the coming months.

I just want to give a shout-out to all the parents who’ve come before and successfully, peacefully, awkwardly navigated this unique time in life. And thank you to those who’ve had good tips on how to maintain open communication with kids as they get older. I think that’s what’s going to be the key to all of this as time goes on.

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Well, I think that’s all I’ve got for this week. As I get back to work full time I’ll have a lot more to share about specific travel advice, plans and maybe even a group trip to Alaska to chat about with folks (more to come…)

Have a great week, stay strong, find some time to relax by yourself, and enjoy this last stretch of summer!