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jnadoreshn
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Can I do Hawaii for 3500? (or less?)
in Travel
We were going to look into Mexico for vaca in July but decided to try Hawaii for a week instead. Was wondering if anyone can recommend where to stay etc? We don't have a preference of island. Just want some good beaches, good food, relaxation, maybe some hiking.
Thanks for any input you can give! Looks like on average airfare is gonna be like 1500. We figure 800-1000 for food (is that too much?). So wondering if we can do hotel/car for about 1000-1200?
Of course cheaper would be better while still getting the beach/food/relaxation thing.
TTC for 18 months. IUI #1 BFP= EDD 5/23/14. Progesterone Suppositories and Levothyroxine started. First U/S 9/27
Re: Can I do Hawaii for 3500? (or less?)
Look at the "Revealed" guide books for Hawaii, that may help narrow down what island. We went to Kauai and Maui and I loved both, preferred Kauai. You may want to look at timeshares as a rental car/hotel for 6 or 7 nights may be hard to do for 1000, and a timeshare you can eat breakfast in, etc. drinks snacks etc. But keep in mind the groceries are also more expensive, and the price of gas. Good luck!
Yes -- our first trip to Hawaii was less than $3500. We spent six nights on Oahu.
Carefully monitor airfare and you can find some good deals.
I think that Oahu is the most affordable island -- there are a lot of cheaper lodging options, and it's usually cheaper to fly into Honolulu, and there are more affordable food options.
We stayed at the ResortQuest Waikiki Beach which was affordable, well-located, and offered a free breakfast (free meals help keep costs down!). We liked the hotel. Looks like the hotel has since been bought out by Aston.
I highly recommend renting a car for at least a portion of your trip. We had so much fun exploring the island. However, we only had our car for half of the trip. The costs add up because parking is very expensive.
This trip to Oahu was pretty low-budget for us, but we still had a fantastic time. Oahu is amazing! We have since also been to the Big Island and Maui, but Oahu is still our favorite island. It makes a great first trip to Hawaii because the island offers a little bit of everything.
Yes, you can definitely make this work! Like pp said, Oahu would be your best bet, and it's one of my faves too. Check out the Aqua resort line (www.aquaresorts.com), they have alot of nice affordable hotels in Honolulu. Also, see what kind of deal you can find on VRBO.com for a hotel or condo rental - they usually have kitchens so you can save $ by cooking some of your own meals. Oahu has some excellent restaurants, a real foodie's paradise, and some great beaches and hiking, and lots of other fabulous things to do and check out, so go! lol.
When you decide which island you're going to, hit us back up for more specific recs
I think it can be done! You just have to diligently stick to the budget while there and pass over the pricey activities, dining, and lodging. For your budget and time frame I'd definately suggest only staying on one island, flying interisland will eat up $$ and time. I think Oahu is always a good one to choose for a taste of everything Hawaii has to offer, but I did love our time on Maui
Search out a condo on homeaway or vrbo. We saved hundreds per night by booking a waterfront condo over a hotel. You'll shave even more off the price if you don't go for a waterfront option. (FYI: We stayed at the Mahana (803?) in Maui and it was lovely)
I loved having a kitchen to save on some meals. Often my dinner leftovers from the night before became an easy lunch. We also used the kitchen to have cheap cocktails/ a nice cold beer out on our lanai each evening.
Do a little research on BetterBidding to see what price people are getting for rental cars on Priceline. You can really save a ton by the name your own price option. If you don't feel comfortable using Priceline, google for car rental coupon codes daily. I changed my reservation constantly to get the best price. Consider renting an economy car instead of the standard tourist convertible to save more money.
One good tip i've heard is to stalk the Groupon page for Hawaii. If a deal comes up on an activity that you want to do, buying a groupon you can save a ton!
My husband loves to snorkle, so we picked up some cheap equipment at Wal-Mart once on the island. It was great cause he could go anytime he wanted all trip long and the purchase price was the same as one rental.
I think I've typed enough
Enjoy planning your trip!
I think it can be done. We did Oahu for our HM but splurged because it was our HM. Having said that, we could have done it for less by staying at a cheaper hotel/resort and not drinking 5 pina coladas a day haha! We loved Oahu too. Got a rental car so we could explore more of the island than just Waikiki. Let me know if you decide to do Oahu and want any more specifics on it.
FWIW, we are currently in the early stages of planning a Maui trip. I was looking on vrbo.com and many oceanfront condos are for rent for around $800/week. The downside is, no maid service, no fancy pool with poolside service, etc. But sometimes, it's even closer to the ocean than a hotel, you save a lot of money, and can save money on food by cooking in the condo. So I'd also check places like vrbo and airbnb for house/condo rental.