Hawaiian Budget Vacation

[Tink3815]

I know the words Hawaii and budget do not go together. We are lucky enough to have the trip from NY to CA paid for by points. For 2 people, a round trip for the rest of the way will only be about 800. We were planning on 10 days in CA already in Nov.
Has anyone been able to do Hawaii on a budget of sorts? I’m looking at the Waikiki area, as it seems the most economical area in the Islands. I’m ok with using public transportation and eating in the mom/pop restaurants to save money. I would like to be close to the beach in a safe area hotel .
Has anyone ever done this that could give me some direction.
Thanks

 

[sunflare]

Are you eligible for any discounts (military, etc)? Otherwise, you may not end up very close to the beach (but can still be in the Waikiki area.) It won't be a gorgeous hotel, but it will do in a pinch. I think the budget chains I remember were the Ohanas and the Astons. There's also the motels near the airport, which can be very economical (Honolulu Airport Hotel, etc.)

 

[ekatiel]

It sounds like you're already aware that Hawaii is not cheap. A hot dog can cost you $10 at a resort-- that's not a hot dog combo meal-- that's JUST the hotdog ! The two cheapest meals we had in Honolulu were at:

1) Hot Pot Heaven-- this was an awesome little place in a strip center just outside of Waikiki-- we were the only tourists there. You pick out a type of broth, and then some meat, noodles, veggies, etc. They put them all in a hot pot on your table and they heat up right there. It was a fun experience, and our family of four got out of there for under $30. You CAN spend a lot there, though-- just be careful what and how much you choose to put into your broth.

2) Helena's Hawaiian Food-- this restaurant is very popular and has been on food network. The lady who owns the place will help you with what to order. It is fairly inexpensive and very yummy. Be careful-- this place is only open certain days of the week-- check their website to find out when they're open.

I thought of one more that's not exactly "cheap", but it is a great deal. Shorebirds in Waikiki has a sunset dinner special. You have to be seated between 4pm and 5:30pm. You get a steak (which you get to cook yourself on a big grill) and their great salad bar for $16.95-- Maybe this could be one "special" meal?! The restaurant is right on the beach. Great location!

Also, as soon as you get there, make a trip to Walmart. You can buy breakfast stuff (poptarts, donuts, etc). You can also buy Hawaiian clothes there and beach chairs and an umbrella, all for relatively cheap. Beach chair/umbrella rental is obscenely priced-- we stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and it was something like $60 a day for two beach chairs and an umbrella. Much cheaper to just buy. If you can't make it to Walmart, the ABC stores (convenience stores you can find all over Honolulu) will also have similar items and they are usually priced pretty well, too.

As far as entertainment goes, here are some free or cheap things we did:
1) Hike to Manoa Falls-- this was my favorite hike by far!!!
2) Hike to the top of Diamond Head Crater
3) Head to the Northshore and watch the surfers-- also look for turtles-- there is one beach where they love to hang out. At the Northshore-- be sure to get some shrimp from one of the shrimp trucks!
4) Go to the beach in Waikiki-- remember to bring your own chairs/umbrellas.

 

[brymolmom]

DH and I went for our honeymoon...so that was many years ago...But the best take-aways I came away with for budget are:

1) Find a hotel with a frig or ask if you can get one for an extra charge...Go to one of the corner stores and get some bagels/bread/PB and Jelly and snacks and water and eat breakfasts and pack a soft-sided cooler for some lunches. The charge at a corner store will be $$$$ more than you're used to - but it will end up saving you a ton in the end. The food in restaurants is very expensive.
2) Take the bus - I know 10 years ago this was the best method to get around and cheap too.
3) Diamond Head - Back when we hiked up there it was free to do so (and we packed a backpack with our lunch and ate it up there).

 

[manning]

I would suggest the Hawaiian cultural center. Get the ambassador package

http://www.polynesia.com/

 

[woodkins]

We spent this past Thanksgiving at Aulani. We rented DVC points for a 1BR and it was a great savings, as well as the fact that we had a full kitchen and washer/dryer. We went to Target & Costco and bought breakfast and lunch foods plus snacks. There was an ABC store across the street from the hotel which also had economical prepared foods, sandwiches etc.

The Pearl Harbor Memorial and museums are very economical (we preordered our tix and booked the memorial ferry online and I want to say it was like $8 per person). It was an awesome day and we all enjoyed it...even my 10 year old daughter who griped the entire time up until we arrived.

The Aloha Market at the Aloha Stadium is like a giant flea market and was a great place to pick up very cheap souveniers. We had a great time spending the morning walking around picking up treats for our friends and family & it was like $2 per person to get in.

 

[cndij]

We have been on 3 budget trips to Hawaii, all 3 done on miles and/or hotel points. When we didn't use hotel points, we rented through vrbo dot com I don't necessarily think Honolulu is your best budget bet, but you have to decide what you want out of the trip, to know that. A couple of cross the board recommendations, if you don't already have a Costco membership, make sure you get one before you go. Its the closest to mainland pricing on groceries/supplies you will find anywhere. They also still have the hot dog meal special and the Pizza slice special you will find on the mainland, for a cheap, quick meal. There is one on each of the 4 main islands and 4 on Oahu. Also whichever island you settle, order the right book, from the Hawaii revealed collection for that island. It is invaluable for tips to little known restaurants and sites. As far as vacation rentals through VRBO, we have stayed in an apartment in Maui (Kihei) across the road from the beach, a house on the Big Island (Hilo side) a few miles from the beach, but up on a hill where we could see the ocean from the back deck, and a condo on the Big Island (Kona side) a half mile from the beach, but not a fabulous beach, but less than 5 miles from Beach parks with some of the worlds greatest beaches. Prices for lodging vary tremendously by season, we prefer to go in "shoulder season" of September and have gotten really good prices on rentals.

 

[princesslilobess]

Eat at the Rainbow for breakfast. Its great cheap grub. The Queen K is a decent budget hotel (read old and worn but clean) that has views of Waikiki and Diamond head. Use the bus and stay away.... I repeat STAY AWAY from any and all chains. They will cost 2 to 3 times more than local joints. Do lots of research, take your time and you can have a great trip. I hope you have a blast. I have cried every time I have had to leave Hawaii, even though all of my trips have been on extreme budgets (5 days for 1500 food, flights, lodging and transportation).

 

[ElenaRN]

I've only been to Oahu once. We usually go to Maui.
So I can't say if Waikiki is your cheapest option, but I wouldn't think it would be.
I agree to what PP said. We got a GREAT deal on a one BR in Kihei, Maui as well, on VRBO. We paid $100 a night.

It was also a block from the beach with a full kitchen and complex had a nice pool/hottub/tennis courts.

To save $, getting a room with a full kitchen is def your best bet. Grocery shopping is expensive in Hawaii, but it will still be less than eating out every meal.

 

[danygirl]

Go local and eat at drive ins, like Zippys. You can get a plate lunch that will fill you up for under $10.

Public transportation will get you a lot of places on Oahu. The bus is cheap and reliable.

Stop at Safeway in Ala Moana center and pick up your breakfast food, and eat in the hotel, just like we do with going to Disney!

If you love to save money, go to the swap meet at the Aloha Stadium. Lots of great souveniers and good stuff from local vendors at the prices locals pay. Get a shave ice, some manapua, and all kinds of good food. This is fairly close to Pearl Harbor, so you can visit the memorial and then the swap meet.

Don't stay in an airport hotel, too far from anything.

If you are military, try Bellows Beach. This is an Air Force beach with a rec center and cabins for rent. The Navy also rents beach cabins at Barbers Point. These are only available for the military, but civilians can access part of Bellows on weekends only. Bellows is a great beach!

If you are a govt employee, ask hotels for government rates.

There are only 8 hotels actually on the beach at Waikiki, so keep that in mind. Ocean front and beach front are not the same. The outrigger chain has a hotel right on the beach, and they also have other hotels a few blocks away. Used to be able to access the pool at outrigger main if you were staying at other outriggers, I would check that out and ask them

Like any other trip, you just have to figure out what you want most out of it, and then you can cut corners on the things that don't matter to you.

 

[Apsychmommy]

For us, we like to book condos through vrbo as having a kitchen saves a ton of money. When we do eat out, we mostly use yelp to find those hidden hole-in-the wall places that get the best reviews for one dollar sign.

We just went to Oahu and Maui this summer and I found Maui to be much cheaper in terms of renting a condo and also the rental car. We booked the rental car through Costco and just kept checking and rebooking when the prices fall, so it may be possible for you to get a pretty good deal so that you don't have to rely on public transportation.

 

[bearzabout]

I liked having a car since it allowed us to do many activities inexpensively. Costco usually has pretty good rates. We rented a condo off VRBO (the Banyon) close to the beach that had free parking (about $80/night for a nice condo with full kitchen - loved the pool and jacuzzi too).

Do a search for free and cheap things to do on Oahu. We kept very busy on a rather tight budget and had a wonderful time.

We have no problem planning cheap, wonderful trips on most of the islands. Plan on spending about $100/night for lodging and $18/day including taxes for a car. Free and cheap activities keep us busy all day every day. We also save a ton of money on food by driving to special budget dining destinations.

If you do drive, just avoid the highways during rush hour since the city does have some of the worst traffic jams anywhere. Saturdays and Sundays are better.

Loved chinatown, the market, north shore, flea market, punch bowl, pearl harbor, Shirokiya at Ala Moana center, sunset free hula concerts on the beach, free concerts by Olomana at various resorts, walking around Waikiki at night, hiking diamondhead, etc.

That said, Maui is my first choice in Hawaii. Great activities can cost nothing so our only expenses are for a one bedroom condo ($125/night for prime locations (must negotiate to get this rate on VRBO), as low as $80 for budget options), car (around $120/week + gas) and food ($25 PP per day). There are direct flights from LAX/SFO. It is so worth every penny!

 

[crisi]

I've only been to Oahu once. We usually go to Maui.
So I can't say if Waikiki is your cheapest option, but I wouldn't think it would be.
I agree to what PP said. We got a GREAT deal on a one BR in Kihei, Maui as well, on VRBO. We paid $100 a night.

It was also a block from the beach with a full kitchen and complex had a nice pool/hottub/tennis courts.

To save $, getting a room with a full kitchen is def your best bet. Grocery shopping is expensive in Hawaii, but it will still be less than eating out every meal.

We had a one bedroom room up in Lahaina on the beach for about the same. There are LOTS of timeshares to rent in Hawaii and many of them will rent fairly inexpensively (Disney's won't).

There are a few things about Hawaii. You'll need a car. Car rentals in Hawaii can get VERY expensive (although sometimes there are bargains). So if this is a "we can't go over $x" trip, make sure you research car rental before going. We thought gas was really expensive. There are lots of opportunities for activities, but sitting on the beach is free, and snorkeling is practically free.

I can't imagine Oahu ended up the cheapest island - especially near Waikiki.

 

[yeheyprincex2]

Our last trip to Waikiki was in 2009 and we had a free show and one of our budget best meals at the international market place right in Waikiki.

 

[NC State Tigger]

Has anyone used the "Go Oahu Card". Was it worth the money? Costco has a 3day card cheaper than other sights. Could you do enough in three days to make buying worth the expense?

Thinking Pearl Harbor one day, PCC one day, 3rd day undecided. Ideas from anyone who has used the card are welcome. We are staying at Aulani and will spend several days just enjoying the resorts. We plan on 3-4 days exploring and enjoying Oahu. Will not visit any other islands.

 

[wiigirl]

I would suggest the Hawaiian cultural center. Get the ambassador package

http://www.polynesia.com/

x2

 

[FLAngie]

I would suggest the Hawaiian cultural center. Get the ambassador package

http://www.polynesia.com/

Which ambassador package did you get?

 

[aclov]

I was married in Oahu in June, we stayed in a Courtyard which was a few blocks away from the beach but in walking distance. We than stayed at Aulani in Ko'Olina. Sign up for Groupon, Living Social, Travel Zoo. People already mentioned Costco which if you book your rental and it goes down they will adjust your rate. There are a lot of ABC stores you can buy souvenirs and lunches at a reasonable price.

 

[CrAzY4DL]

I used to live on Oahu after I got married. Young and poor so I hear ya on the budget!

Bus all the way. It's cheap, safe, reliable AND air conditioned.

I second the shrimp trucks in Northshore, nom nom!

When out of towners came we would hike up Diamond Head one day and the next go to Hanauma Bay. I can't remember how much it was to get into Hanauma Bay since it was free for us military. They rent snorkel gear or you bring your own. Beautiful underwater, simply amazing.

We went to 1 luau while we lived there, don't remember which one. Went to the Polynesian Cultural Center once, it was really neat! Dole Pineapple Plantation was pretty cool too! I have always wished we had gone to Waimea Falls but alas, never made it.

We would hang out in Waikiki weekend nights but my favorite place was Northshore. Just so laid back, quiet, lovely little unknown spots. Haleiwa was awesome for my inner hippie!

Our favorite restaurant apparently closed so can't help you there. All McDonald's serve saimin on their menu, I miss it dearly! Like high class delicious cup of noodles, haha. The McDonald's in Waikiki also sells fresh pineapple, so delicious!

ABC Stores (one on every corner) are great for beach supplies, t-shirts, snacks, and chocolate covered macadamia nuts.

Hope some of that helps!

 

[happymommy]

I also used to live on Oahu - also military (and young and of course not much money).

Now we own at Marriott's Ko Olina, and go every other year for two weeks. We always use airline miles (otherwise the flights for 4 of us would be a lot!), and these trips (minus the timeshare purchase of course) are our most economical vacations!

I would suggest looking into renting at the Marriott Ko Olina - we've used redweek.com for rentals at other Marriotts before. You'll pay a lot less than if you booked directly through Marriott - but you'll be treated like an owner (no maid service, except for one midweek tidy, but we don't need maid service daily in a condo). We like it over Aulani (yes, I know we love Disney, but the Marriott condos are bigger, they have gas grills which we use all the time to cook dinner and I don't think Aulani has them, plus if you rent from an owner you won't pay for parking, as Aulani owners still have to pay for parking, plus the resort is more spread out; we just like it better).

We eat in most of the time, with occasional lunches out while sightseeing. We shop Costco & Target for groceries, but there is a new super Walmart right up the road too, so next trip that's where we'll shop first!

I've been twice to the PCC, and would honestly skip that. If you do want to go, go EARLY so you can do all the little shows. To me, it's just too touristy.

If you drive over to hang out and see Waikiki, you can park at the military hotel hourly (Hale Koa) even if not military, and it's the best place to park (and not expensive) to walk up and down Waikiki.

There are a ton of fun things to do on Oahu - drive over to Pearl Harbor - go early!! I also agree to go to the Flea Market (it's also called the swap meet) - we go there at least twice each trip. You can get tee shirts and other souvenirs, plus dried fruits, nuts, etc... Also, go early - it gets hot!

We like Ko Olina, because the manmade coves are so nice to swim, it's a great area, and Waikiki is just so crazy busy - expensive dining options abound there. We'd rather go sightsee a bit, or hang out at the pool and beach, then grill some nice fresh fish or whatever and eat in at night.

You definitely don't have to spend a lot in Hawaii - just plan accordingly. If it's dinner time, and you're in Waikiki, and you have no plans, you can end up spending a lot on a mediocre dinner. Also most Waikiki hotels charge for parking, and we like to have a car (at Ko Olina you really need one).