Thanks so much for any advice you can offer!

Sheila Beal: You've presented a very interesting question. As far as flights versus a cruise from the Mainland to Hawaii, my thoughts are go ahead and fly all the way into Hawaii. My rationale is why pay the pricy cost of a cruise for all the days at sea? If they would be flying from Indiana, bear in mind that there are a several direct flights from Chicago to Hawaii which makes it easier.

I do think you are on the right track with a cruise possibly combined with a resort stay. They could pick up a cruise in Honolulu which would be great for seeing the highlights of the major islands in a short amount of time. I believe that you truly "experience" Hawaii by staying on shore for a few nights or more. As far as a resort goes, here is some food for thought.

- Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu, has the beautiful beach with palm trees that your mother would like and tennis that your father would like, plus in my opinion, it is fairly well priced resort for its location and views. It's a four-star hotel. Though it is far away from all the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, the restaurants there are really good and the resort really is nicely self contained. They can go horseback riding, take short hikes, take a helicopter tour all from the resort. The Polynesian Cultural Center is about 15 to 20 minutes away and has a phenomenal Polynesian evening show.
- Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with all the points that Michener refers to in Hawaii. If I'm not mistaken, I believe Michener did write about the road to Hana which is on Maui. This road is arguably one of the most scenic drives in America. Hana is rather remote and the main hotel there is very expensive. It is easy to drive the road to Hana and back in a day from the main resort areas of West and South Maui. Kaanapali Beach makes a nice base to stay in Maui. There's a good three-star hotel that has been recognized as being Maui's most Hawaiian hotel. It is Kaanapali Beach Hotel They provide many free Hawaiian cultural activities and they often offer some enticing package deals on their website which would suit your parent's frugal desires. I don't believe the hotel has tennis on site, though there are courts nearby at the Lahaina Civic Center that are open to the public. There are five courts there and it would only be a five minute drive, if that. I do hope you can convince your parents to go, especially since it's your mother's lifelong dream.

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Gig Harbor, Wash.: My sisters and I are taking a trip to Maui in February, and we will definitely be on a budget. We are staying in Lahaina, and will not have a car (unless we rent one for a day or two). With our budget and limited transportation in mind, can you prioritize a list of the best things to do? We will be there a week (from Friday to Friday). Thank you! Cynthia

Sheila Beal: I do advise that you rent a car for a day or two if your budget allows. There are some rental car agencies in Lahaina. Hertz and Enterprise are two that I know of. One of my readers recently shared that Enterprise does offer 50% off complete weekend rentals, so that would be worth you investigating.

With a car, you can go to Haleakala for sunrise plus some other sight-seeing on one day. Then on another day, drive the road to Hana. Note that the road to Hana and back is will take all day and you should start in the morning so that you won't be driving the curvy road from Hana in the dark. Though you will be paying for the cost of the car, the free scenery is worth it.

Pick the free guides and coupon books at the airport. You may find so good 2 for 1 coupons and other deals to save you money. The good news is that you will be at a prime viewing spot during the peak of humpback whale season. You can watch for whales from the shore at no charge, of course. You can pick up a free self-guided walking tour of Lahaina town from at the 1834 Baldwin Home in Lahaina.

For a list of my top budget friendly picks in Maui, see this article. Maui does have a bus system, so you could consider using that on the days that you won't have a car. Here is the link to route map and schedule.

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Dacula Ga.: Can you recommend budget accomodations in Honolulu?