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My first vacation in years... yes, in this economy

The memories are worth the guilt

by BettyConfidential.com | 724 views | 0 comments | Rate this now!

By day we basked in the sun, taking in the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and neighboring islands while our boys splashed around in the 3.5-acre super pool with slides, waterfalls and grottos.

What was also refreshing is that although Marriott's Maui Ocean Club accommodates a tremendous amount of guests, you NEVER felt like you were on top of people because of the way that the pools and grounds are vastly laid out. We never had to haggle for a lounge chair in the BEST milieu because just about every spot had a spectacular view.

My kids loved the sandy beach with a pirate-ship play area, and had a blast participating in the activities that Marriott's Activity Zone Experience (MAZE) offered -- from scavenger hunts to making puka necklaces, to playing bocce ball (yes, 3-year-olds playing bocce ball is really cute!). And, there were some great kid-friendly restaurants on the property, but we were also thrilled to find that there were BBQ areas throughout the resort where we were able to cook our own food. And because our suite came complete with a full kitchen, we were also able to prepare some meals and snacks there - a great money-saving option.

The resort's location was ideal, and we didn't need to worry about a rental car. (Not having to strap kids in and out of car seats for 5 days in a row was a vacation in itself!) We were able to walk to an array of shops and restaurants along the beachside boardwalk without having to pay for taxis or figure out other transportation.

While we were there, it was also whale-watching season. What an amazing experience to be just sitting on the beach and catch dramatic scenes of humpback whales.

Memories like those are priceless, recession or not. And any lingering guilt I felt was alleviated when I read this recent study that says experiences, like vacations, bring people more happiness than buying material things.

So there. If we need to forgo a few "things" for a while in exchange for the wonderful time we had, so be it. While stock prices may come and go, we'll always have Maui.