Hawaii Travel Guide

America’s tropical paradise, Hawaii is a group of islands, each with something special to offer a visitor. From the surfing on Oahu, to the wonders of Maui, to the beauty of Honolulu, to the hidden wonders on Lanai, Hawaii is the great tropical escape for those looking to stay within America. There are beautiful beaches, amazing jungles, monstrous waterfalls, excellent diving, and world-class waves. Hawaii is a great destination for honeymooners, surfers, and families. While not thought of as a budget destination, there are plenty of budget options for people to choose from once you leave those resorts on Waikiki beach!

Top Things to See and Do in Hawaii

Visit the Island of Hawaii: Also referred to as ‘The Big Island’, Hawaii is nearly twice as large as all of the other islands combined. It is home to two of the Earth’s largest volcanoes, including the most active – Kilauea. Dive with the Pacific Manta Rays, scope out the black sand beaches of Waipi’o Valley, or exploring the historic downtown of Hilo.

Learn to surf: Or at least try a boogie board ;)

Explore Hawaii Volcanoes: The island of Hawaii is also home to two of the Earth’s largest volcanoes, including the most active – Kilauea. I highly recommend a visit to the Volcanoes National Park, but even a trek up the inactive Diamond Head volcano with baby in tow is worth the hike.

Stargaze at Mauna Kea: Also known as ‘White Mountain,’ this is Hawaii’s highest peak at a whopping 13,796ft. Along the summit, there are a number of observatory domes—the telescopes housed within them are considered to be the greatest collection of astronomical telescopes in the world. As you can imagine, this makes for excellent star gazing.

Explore Honolulu & Waikiki: Honolulu is a fascinating place, where Asian culture has blended with the Hawaiian culture, with hints of Americanism. There is an interesting blend of languages here and the food is absolutely delicious. There are a ton of cheap noodle joints, most of which offer fresh fish as well. Waikiki is more of an escape from the city scene but also the center of tourism and resorts. Got kids? We recommend checking out the Honolulu Zoo.

 

Watch dancing at the Polynesian Cultural Center: This is one of Oahu’s most popular attractions. Interestingly, the center is divided up into eight ‘villages’, each showcasing the indigenous Polynesian cultures of different parts of the world. Catching a canoe ride here is a blast and the fire walkers and dancers are pretty awesome. There is a ton of interactive stuff to take part in plus food.

 

See a show: We took in an evening performance of Ha - Breath of life and it was amazing. Special effects and fire-spewing volcano aside, there were over a hundred dancers, drums, and a world renowned fire knife performance!

 

Watch a sunset: Or better yet, go see a luau. The traditional dance is beautiful and the women are captivating and exotic. Throughout the ceremony you get to feast on traditional Hawaiian buffet, most of which is cooked in an underground oven – the imu.

 

Whale-watch at Lahaina: This former whaling port is now a center for commercial activity and tourist attractions. There are a ton of interesting historical buildings and sites to explore. Many of the restaurants here are set up with balcony seating, ideal for sunset cocktails and the dinner hour. In a roadside area on the way to Ma’alea, there is a great winter whale-watching spot called Papawai Point

Visit Pearl Harbor: This is a major must-see. The attack on the American navy that occurred here during 1941 brought the United States into the Second World War. The memorial on Oahu has a memorial to the USS Arizona, which is reachable for visitors by boat. The exhibit straddles the wreckage of the ship. One of the biggest events in US history, you can’t miss this truly moving and heart wrenching place.

Bring home something Hawaiian: Go on. Get that Hawaiian shirt.

 

Typical Costs

• Accommodation: You can find hostel dorms for $30 USD a night. Regular pricing falls into the $75-100 USD per night range. There are many high-end places, with rooms starting at $175+ USD a night. The smaller, less touristy spots have double rooms as cheap as $60 USD per night.
• Food: Since food has to be imported, the cost of food is slightly higher than on mainland USA. You can find lots of food option in the $7-12 USD range. This includes locally run restaurants that feature everything from local plate lunches, Mexican food, sandwiches, and the like. Oahu is starting to see food trucks that range from the $5-10 USD range. Fast food like McDonalds will cost you $6 USD per meal (unless you go after the dollar menu); restaurants like Applebee’s will cost around $10-15 USD per meal. However, most formal, sit down restaurants will cost you around $20 USD or more for an entree. There are a lot of buffets on the islands which around $25 USD.
• Transportation: The best way to get around the islands is to rent a car. For a compact vehicle, it’s about $70 USD per day. To rent a jeep or convertible will run about $100-130 USD per day. Taxis start around $3 USD, with $3.20 USD for each mile traveled.
• Activities: Scuba diving costs for a two tank dive about $100- $125 per person (equipment included). Surfboard and Stand Up Paddle board rentals start at about $25 USD for a half-day, and sailing and snorkeling excursions usually range from $70-150 USD for a half day or sunset cruise, gear rental included. Helicopter Tours usually range from about $150-250 USD. Zip lining is also available on the bigger islands, with rates of about $100 and up.

Money Saving Tips

• Travel off season: Traveling during low seasons (mid-April to mid-June and mid-September to mid-December) will definitely save you money on lodging in Hawaii.
• Visit the discount grocery stores: Discount stores such as Cost-U-Less (Big Island and Kauai), Don Quijote (Oahu) and Big Save (Kauai) offer inexpensive for food and alcohol.
• Find discounts online: You can find some good discounts on social sites like Groupon or Living Social. The pamphlets at airports and local tourist offices also have some discounts for tours.