Hawaii has stunning landscapes, but you can also be stunned by something else – the cost of everything. Think about how far food and consumer goods must travel to get there, and you can understand why – but that doesn’t lessen the pain.
Here are some money-saving tips, thanks to my lovely readers on Facebook.
Getting around
We always get our cars from Discount Hawaii Car Rental. We have always gotten the best deals through them (even vs. Costco, etc.). We have used them several times on the Big Island, but they are also on Maui, Honolulu, Kauai and Hilo.
– Nicole Andrews
Rent a car in the city, not at the airport. If you’re on Oahu, avoid the Polynesian Cultural Center. It’s a theme park with virtually nothing cultural to it. They call it a museum, but it’s more Disneyland than authentic. It’s about $50, but the prices aren’t even posted until you pay. Try not to forget anything on the mainland. Anything you buy on the islands will cost more, because everything has to be shipped there.
– Jay Berman
Use the city bus system, if you’re in Waikiki/Honolulu; save the rental car for a specific set of days you want to venture to North Shore or Windward coast. We used the city buses a lot to get to destinations around the city and saved. Use Yelp to find hole-in-the-wall eateries that don’t charge a tourist premium.
– Samantha Gowen (Register business editor)
Rent (a car) from a small local place that rents beater cars (they work fine and have AC, just older cars). We used kimosrentacar.com and got a car for $10/day that took us all over.
– Shanin Ziemer
Rent a car. I thought I was not going to need it but I saved a lot. I was able to drive around the whole island on my own time, eat wherever I wanted to. Also book your trips through Costco, very cheap. I actually booked mine through Expedia and also got a great offer. (Costco was sold out on the days I wanted to go but the offers on any other day were great).
– Diana Salazar
Shopping
Shop at Costco, and get souvenirs at Wal-Mart or at the swap meet at Aloha Stadium, weekends and Wednesdays. Also has a farmers market.
– Ann McCabe Parrack
Buy your snorkeling gear at Wal-Mart. We sold our Wally gear to other tourists at half price as we left the beach the last time. No baggage fees coming and going, beat two-week rental fees by about $60 for the two of us. Avoid resorts. Don’t rent in Kona or on the north coast of the Big Island, for example. You can easily drive there from truly authentic villages. This probably applies to other islands, too.
– Robert Mercer
I got some great gifts to bring back at ABC Stores, and shopped their website for Christmas gifts, too!
– Pam Ellison Cisneros
I asked where the “real” people live and found a swap meet and normal stores where prices were great.
– Isabelle Kaminsky
We go at least once a year and have several tips; if you’re going to be there awhile, it is cheaper to buy beach chairs than to rent them for a week; get a cheap cooler and make sandwiches to take to the beach or when out sightseeing … get the free booklets at the airport and use the coupons.
– Cheryl Gilbert
Accommodations
If you’re staying in a hotel, use the business rooms vs. the vacationer rooms … much cheaper. Difference is they usually don’t have that big window view … we were fine with that as we don’t stay in the hotel that much unless we’re sleeping. I usually call the hotel direct to ask if they have a business section.
– Toni Selman
We didn’t do a standard hotel room, we did a timeshare type of room on Maui, and did a Costco shopping run before checking in, so that we had breakfast, lunch and snack food. We only ate out for breakfast a couple of times in the seven days. What was nice is that those resorts have barbecues also so you can grill up some burgers or steaks and still have a nice dinner.
– Monika Hopson Hall
Stay out of Honolulu and Waikiki. Spend your money locally where everything is cheaper and better prepared. Airbnb a place toward the middle of the island, away from the big city. Rent a car.
– Kaitlin Agee
This is something my wife and I did about 18 years ago, so some details might have changed. But we camped the night at Polihale State Park on Kauai, sleeping under the stars in Army green sleeping bags we rented from a surplus store in Lihue. I recall that we were able to do that – because Cristine’s dad was retired military (it’s on the site of the Pacific Missile Range facility, but thankfully no target practice went on). But this site says you can reserve space in advance with a background check and $25. to-hawaii.com
– Landon Hall
Rent a condo or Airbnb with a kitchen.
– Lee Neil
Things to do
We planned excursions with Boss Frog, cheaper than booking tours through the hotel. … We bought entertainment books for places we have visited and used them for 2-for-1 dinners and meals.
– Ingrid Eck Pullen
Eating
We bought fruit and veggies from a stand across from the Westin resort where we stayed in Kaanapali on Maui and ate that for breakfast instead of eating breakfast at the hotel. Also, we had rooms facing inland instead of the ocean; the hundreds of dollars we saved not getting an ocean view was worth it, we saw enough ocean when we were out and about every day. We alternated going out to dinner and eating dinner in the condo. And we didn’t go crazy on souvenirs; I think the kids got one each.
Stock up on poke from Foodland (grocery store)!
– Laylan Connelly Perino (Register beach reporter)
For Oahu: Look for the “shrimp trucks” on the North Shore. Best meal in town for $12. Go to Aloha Stadium swap meet (even during the week) for cheap souvenirs. Ask hotel staff for best places for locals to eat.
– Lucy Jo
More tips
Go during the offseason. I went for one week from Sept. 25-Oct. 1 and got a great offer to stay at the Disney Aulani.
– Diana Salazar
I second going in the offseason and noticed the rental car drop-off on Maui had a bin for used beach accessories (chairs, toys, etc.) that I think they then offered to other customers. Might be worth a call ahead to see how it works.
– Kristen Hinman
My friends in Maui who own two businesses suggest checking out Maui Revealed and Maui Craigslist.
– Gerrie Schipske
Got a good travel tip for me? Or a suggestion? Email me at mfisher@scng.com. I love to hear from readers.
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.