Hawaii is a dream destination for a family vacation. A trip to Hawaii can be an adventure to remember but it doesn’t come cheap. The islands are renowned tourist attractions and are expensive for the average traveler. The tourism industry in Hawaii takes advantage of the many visitors that flock the place. The good part is that vacation to Hawaii is possible even for those on low budgets.

Of course, you must understand the travel costs for Hawaii so that you can plan and track your travel budget accurately.

If you don’t want to miss a lifetime of adventure, read the tips below to make your vacation dreams come true.

Research and plan ahead

Before doing anything, it’s wise to do some research and plan carefully. You must draft plans on how to travel within your budget. Therefore, find out the best time to travel, how long the trip will take, where you’ll stay, the fun activities to do, and the costs of all these activities. 

A plan has to be detailed and must factor emergencies. This will create a good picture of how the trip will look like and help in developing a budget.

Stay in affordable vacation rentals or cheaper hotels

Many hotels in Hawaii can be quite pricey, as you can see on our analysis of hotel costs here. However, cheap resorts and cottage rentals in Maui are often plenty of fun, have terrific amenities, and give you the space you need to unwind for a few days. When on vacation, you’ll spend most of your time outside instead of inside the rooms anyway. Affordable accommodation options are a perfect choice for reducing costs as this is the largest part of most travel budgets.

Stay on cheaper islands

Hawaii has eight main islands and you can be tempted to visit all the islands. This can be a bad choice if you’re on a tight budget.

Stick to one island. Honolulu, and Oahu in general, are great if you want some cheap places to stay. They are more accessible and offer more affordable options because they’re among the most visited places.

You’ll find more affordable rentals at cheap prices if you hunt well. At koala, you can get rentals at some of the best resorts at a fraction of cost.

The Big Island can also be fairly affordable if you know where to look. While it has a variety of large resort complexes that are not cheap, more affordable accommodations can be found in some of the towns around the island such as Hilo or Kailua-Kona. And check out these tips to visiting the Big Island if you’re planning to visit, too.

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Travel with friends

Traveling in groups or with other families can help in sharing costs. The main aim of traveling together is to save money. Some prices sometimes may shock you, but if you are in a group, it’s easier to share the costs.

Traveling together is also great for creating unforgettable memories.

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Eat at the local restaurants

We all know that taking meals in tourist resorts is expensive. Save money by having your meals at the local diners where the local people get their food. They’re cheaper and offer some great local food too.

Drive around to locate some local hotels or ask for directions from locals who know the area well.

Use public transport

There are buses that serve many routes on the islands. They’re unbelievably cheap, going for just $5 a day. This is a great offer compared to the money you’ll spend if you rent a car.

DaBus is an app you can use to catch a bus on Oahu island. With it, you can find out when and where the next bus will arrive.

However, renting a car is also a good option if you want to move at your own pace. You can get some rental cars from as low as $21 a day. 

Enjoy free adventures

Not everything has to be paid for. Some of the best things to do in Hawaii are free. You should get more involved in free activities as you can enjoy more for less.

Take advantage of free activities like hiking in the parks, enjoying waterfall and landscape scenery, swimming in the ocean, and stargazing the beautiful sky at night.

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Check coupons

Coupon booklets contain activities you can do in Hawaii at a cheaper price. These coupons can be found in airports and stands outside hotels.

These coupons offer discounts for various attractions when you visit the listed sites. You can also buy a local newspaper. They contain advertisements for some good places with great services at low costs and high discounts.

And you can also check out Sales & Deals page, too.

Shop at the local markets

Buying accessories in shops can be costly. The local markets have everything you’ll need at cheap prices. In the local markets, you can find many foods and accessories of all types that may not be available in big shops.

These are a few basic tips that should help you enjoy a family vacation in Hawaii on a low budget. But there’s always more to saving money while on vacation.