I skipped out on Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert because it was too expensive and flew to Hawaii for a vacation instead — my 3-day trip was a better use of $1,200

• Samantha Meany is a lifelong Taylor Swift fan who planned to fly to LA for the Eras Tour concert.
• But the tickets cost over $1,000, more than what Meany wanted to spend on the concert.

This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Samantha Meany, a TikTok content creator, and lifelong Taylor Swift fan from Raleigh, North Carolina. It's been edited for length and clarity. Meany's trip took place in the first week of August, shortly before the wildfires broke out on Maui.

I've been a fan of Taylor Swift since her very first album. Like many fans, it's been a dream of mine to see her perform in person. This year, for my 29th birthday, I had planned to treat myself. I wanted to fly to Los Angeles, where she would be performing in Inglewood for an entire week in August.

But I was in for a rude awakening when I found out that not only were tickets hard to get, but they were also absurdly expensive. In fact, the only available tickets were going for over $1,000 — and those were for some of the worst views in the venue. I checked the ticket prices every day, but it wasn't budging. As I couldn't justify spending that much money, I decided to take a vacation in Hawaii instead.

I didn't expect traveling in Hawaii to be affordable. But when I scanned for flight and hotel prices, they were more reasonable than I expected. I ended up spending about $1,200 on my three-day trip to Hawaii. It was just a bit more than what a nosebleed seat at Taylor Swift's concert would have cost me.

I stayed at a highly-rated resort in Maui — Aloha Aku Inn & Suites — which is a bit pricey at around $300 per night, so that's where most of the budget went. But flying there didn't cost that much. I paid just $250 for my return flight on Southwest Airlines from Raleigh, North Carolina to Maui, as I had reward points and travel credits. The average cost of a return flight ticket on this route would cost around $500.

My time in Hawaii was spent paddleboarding with sea turtles, sunrise swimming, and traveling the Road to Hana with a tour guide.

The Hana Highway stretches across over 60 miles and links Kahului to the town of Hana in east Maui. Along the way, we stopped for cliff jumping, hiking, and even checked out beautiful private beaches. I got to learn more about the native Hawaiians and the history of the island.

When the fires broke out in West Maui, I was devastated. My heart breaks for the locals of Hawaii who were affected by the fires.

I spoke with a friend who lives in Hawaii and we believe that there's a way to promote positive and healthy tourism that helps to stimulate the economy in Maui. I think that it's important for tourists to travel to the island but to do so in a way that is respectful of native Hawaiian culture.

I wanted to do my part in helping Maui recover from the fires. I made a video about it on TikTok, and all of the revenue generated from that video will be donated straight to the locals in Maui. I am grateful that I had the chance to experience Hawaii and the beauty of the island before the fires.

I learned that people pay for what is of value to them. For me, I would have purchased tickets to see Taylor Swift's concert if the price had been around $500 or less. I understand that some fans are willing to spend over $1,000 on a ticket, and respect their decision to do so.

But I'd rather spend my money on a trip that allows me to explore a new place than spend one night at a concert. I find value in experiences, especially when it comes to travel.

While I struggled to justify paying the price of the tickets for the concert, I'm hoping that next time they'll be more affordable and more fans can finally get to see her perform. If not, perhaps I'll just plan another trip for myself.