Are you interested in visiting the ‘Aloha State’ and want to start planning a trip to Hawaii on a budget?
Being over 2,000 miles away from mainland USA it can often be an expensive getaway for travellers.
So, I wanted to share my Hawaii itinerary planning tips to help you organise a Hawaii vacation on a budget. One guide that I found handy in highlighting how much it can cost is this Hawaii travel costs and prices guide.
I spent a couple of weeks exploring this beautiful place, visiting multiple islands and was determined to find cheap and fun things to do in Hawaii for families and couples.
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Here is my research and findings to help you plan your Hawaii on a budget trip:
Hawaii is more than Waikiki Beach in Oahu – there are six other main islands to experience, all with different vibes and unique traits.
Of course, you need to explore Oahu especially these 3 must-do Oahu island attractions but I also recommend visiting somewhere else if possible. In my case, I selected The Big Island.
The Big Island
Home to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, The Big Island boasts incredible landscapes, history and attractions.
From seeing an active volcano, walking along black sand beaches and seeing suburbs where people live off the grid (no power, telephones etc) – this island offers a unique glimpse into authentic Hawaii.
Not only is it my favourite island, but in my opinion, it has to be the best Hawaiian island for kids and couples as there’s so much to see and do. However, I’ll let you be the judge.
Where to go?
There are a number of areas on The Big Island to stay, however, my favourite is Kona – a bustling seaside town full of accommodation, restaurants and is central for local tours.
Not sure if The Big Island is for you? Check out my below videos showcasing some of the things to do in Kona Big Island:
Big Island Transportation
It is recommended when visiting The Big Island to hire a car rental for the duration of your stay.
It’s easiest to pick-up/drop off your vehicle when arriving at the airport with frequent shuttles running to the car rental Kona airport offices. Some of the budget-friendly car rentals found were: Budget, Hertz and Dollar.
TIP: Be sure to book and ‘pay in full’ your car rental to avoid the final cost being inflated when you arrive on the day.
I’ve heard of stories where vehicles have been booked (with a deposit made online), only for travellers to arrive at the Kona car rentals office to be charged up to five times the booking estimate amount.
Other alternatives:
Alternatively, the island offers a range of Kona airport shuttle and Kona airport taxi services taking you to/from most hotels/resorts and the town centre areas. Some services recommended are Roberts Hawaii and Super Shuttle.
Best places to stay in Kona Big Island
For my trip to the island, I wanted to stay in the seaside town of Kona and found the Royal Kona Resort as an affordable family-friendly property with stunning oceanfront views.
A standard room (up to 2 adults, 2 kids) costs from $159 per night and it has no resort fees. A bargain! Easily one of the more cheap Hawaii hotels discovered on my travels that suits families very well.
Royal Kona Resort lobby area.
If you want to splurge a little then I recommend staying at the Westin Hapuna Beach Hotel on the Kohala Coast (40mins north of Kona). This place is spectacular as its situated right above Hapuna Beach and has its own private beach area for guests.
Staying here definitely reminds me of a Hollywood movie, set in Hawaii – just like Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston’s film ‘Just Go With It’. For me it was a lovely place to enjoy my honeymoon in Hawaii, so couples will love it.
The only thing to note is the property does have a resort fee of $30 per night to factor into your budget. But it’s well worth it if you’re after a few days of resort style living.
For another family-friendly resort, there’s Hilton Waikoloa Village. It features a tennis court, private beach and large pool areas with water slides for kids to lap up.
There are even tram and canal boat rides available to get about the small village offering a variety of restaurants, cafes and shops to enjoy.
Things to do in Kona Big Island
Being the largest and youngest island in Hawaii, I firmly believe the Big Island of Hawaii is also the most fun with a never-ending list of activities and attractions to experience.
Halemaumau crater and Kilauea volcano erupting.
Here are my top budget-friendly Kona sightseeing and Big Island activities:
- Drive and explore the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to see an active volcano (entry cost: $25 per vehicle).
- Drive to Punalu’u Black Sand Beach and swim/see green sea turtles (FREE).
- Wander through Kona village. Swim at the small bay area (FREE).
- Snorkel with manta rays at night (costs: $202 pp AUD). This has to be the best snorkeling Big Island experience out there. Read our manta ray snokeling trip review in Kona.
- Drive to and swim at Hapuna Beach (voted #1 best beach in the US in 1993). Parking costs $5.
- Discover Captain Cook Memorial in Keauhou Bay (from $102pp AUD). Accessible by kayak or boat.
- Mauna Kea Summit & Observatory (full day required). Entry FREE.
- Enjoy cocktails by Royal Kona Resort’s ocean-view pool. During happy hour Mai Tai’s cost only $6.
- Drive to and explore the Waipi’o Valley and see its amazing waterfall. Entry FREE.
- Drive and hike to Papakōlea Beach. It’s one of four green sand beaches in the world.
Food & Drink Venues
- Hugo’s on the Rocks (breakfast, lunch and happy hour drinks). Meals from $12.50-22.50; happy hour drinks from $3.
- Lava Java (breakfast, lunch and dinner – boast ocean views and regularly has live music) meals from $8-31.
- Splashers Grill (breakfast, lunch an dinner). Breakfast is cheap and delicious – the lobster omelette is my pick) meals from $9-$21. Happy hour cocktails cost $5.
Best of all, each of these places serves up the best Kona coffee available.
My favourite dish at Splashers Grill, Lobster Omelette.
Oahu
Waikiki is a must-do in Hawaii but be warned it is very crowded. I stayed in Waikiki for nearly 10 days, however 4-5 nights would have been plenty. Being Hawaii’s tourist hub there are tons of activities to indulge in.
Where to stay in Waikiki?
Accommodation can be pricey in Waikiki especially if you want to be close to the beach. After a fair amount of research, I found an affordable, family-friendly and well-reviewed boutique hotel called, Coconut Waikiki Hotel.
Although it’s not ‘right on the beach’ – they sold me on their extras being free breakfast, free unlimited Wi-Fi, modern decor and a central location that’s close to the shops and beach.
Rooms for 2 adults and 2 kids are priced from as little as $143 per night. Read my full review of the hotel for more information.
Coconut Waikiki room interior.
I know when staying in Waikiki, many families and couples want to be right where the action is and that’s right on the beach.
So, if you’re after more of a family-friendly resort, then one of the best beachfront hotels in Honolulu is the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort.
They have all you need for a memorable Hawaii family vacation featuring multiple pools, a large stretch of beach, lagoon (great for kayaking and stand up paddleboarding), movie nights, fireworks displays, daily torch lighting, ukulele lessons plus numerous restaurants, bars, cafes and shops.
Family rooms priced around $283 per night and they often release a variety of Waikiki accommodation specials such as 20% OFF popular suites.
TIP: Be sure to sign-up to their newsletter or social media account to be across their latest Waikiki accommodation deals.
Being a resort you need to factor in their daily resort charge fee of $40 per night, which provides guests with internet access, cultural activities, exercise classes, outdoor movies, and Waikiki attraction discounts.
Waikiki Transport
There are a variety of Waikiki airport transfers available when you arrive on Oahu. The main options for getting from Honolulu airport to Waikiki is by taxi costing around $40 one way (taking around 20-minutes. There’s also a Waikiki airport shuttle costing around $16 per person (taking 1-1.5 hours).
TIP: I recommend getting a large taxi when travelling with a family as it ends up being cheaper per person overall and is faster/ more convenient.
Once you arrive at Waikiki, the main way to explore this iconic destination is on foot. Stroll down Kalakaua Ave and you’ll see all the main shops, eateries and of course Waikiki Beach.
Another cheap way to go Waikiki sightseeing is via the Waikiki trolley pink line costing only $2 one way per person, which stops at various Waikiki trolley stops including many resorts and the Ala Mona Shopping Centre.
Other must-do lines available to explore the wider Honolulu and Oahu region include the Waikiki trolley blue line (takes around two hours). This service offers amazing Oahu coastline views with key stops including Hanauma Bay, Sea Life Park and the Halona Blow Hole.
Waikiki Trolley Blue Line stops overlooking Oahu coastline views.
Another great service is the Waikiki trolley green line (takes over an hour) showcasing Diamond Head and stops at such sites as Waikiki Aquarium and Kahala Mall.
These lines are a bit more than the pink service costing $25 per adult and $15 per child.
Waikiki Activities
As the main visitor spot for Hawaii, you can expect to easily fill your days with so many Waikiki Beach attractions and activities.
To help you out here are my top budget-friendly things to do in Waikiki at night and day.
It also features a few attractions that are nearby/ easy to get to from Waikiki (below costs based on adult rate):
- Visit Pearl Harbor Memorial ($49.99pp)
- Stroll through the Waikiki Beach Walk precinct at night. They have numerous restaurants and shops to enjoy
- Snorkel Hanauma Bay (entry $7.50pp; snorkel hire from $20pp)
- Friday night 7.30pm fireworks at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort (FREE)
- Beach laze and stroll along Waikiki Beach (FREE)
- Learn to surf at Waikiki Beach (from $40pp; 1hr group lesson)
- Go below in the Atlantis submarine ($187pp AUD)
- See Paradise Cove’s award-winning luau performance (from $149pp AUD transfers included)
- See the marine life at Waikiki Aquarium ($12pp)
- Get up close with the animals at the Honolulu Zoo ($19pp)
- View sunset from ‘The Wall’ on Waikiki Beach (FREE)
- Indulge many of the Waikiki Beach restaurants including the Cheesecake Factory, Dukes, Barefoot Beach Café, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Eggs and Things and Tropics Bar and Grill (various prices)
- Visit the North Shore (stop by Halewai Town Centre). Tours run daily (from $107pp AUD)
- Shop till you drop (Ala Mona Shopping Centre – get there via pink trolley for $2pp each way)
Important: Don’t forget when visiting Hawaii to factor in a 15-20 per cent tip for service related items eg. table service dining and tours.
WATCH: See what you can expect to experience in Waikiki in these videos:
*Prices mentioned in this article are quoted in $USD unless stated otherwise.
