Forget about everything you heard… Here’s what you REALLY need to know about taking a trip to Hawaii!
We all know Hawaii is frequently on the short list of dream vacations for a relaxing beach holiday. But let’s be real!
A potential trip to paradise can’t really happen without first asking yourself the critical question: How much is a trip to Hawaii? Well, that answer varies depending on where you stay and when you go. But don’t worry!
I’ve crunched the numbers so you don’t have to, and I can show you how much you can expect to spend so you’re prepared to budget for a vacation in Hawaii.
I’ll even include some budget-friendly tips to help you have the adventure of a lifetime. Ready to get started? Here’s your ultimate guide to taking a trip to Hawaii!
Here’s what a couple’s vacation would look like on a trip to Hawaii
Planning a couple’s, or even friend’s trip to Hawaii is easier and less cost-effective than taking an entire family to the islands. Here’s what you should think about, though: when booking flights, consider buying your couple’s tickets separately. It’ll be cheaper than getting them together.
And it’s important to talk to your accompanying partner about their preferred accommodation setting. Some travel companions need high-end amenities, and others dream about setting up tents at a free camping site. Sit down to discuss both of your budgets and decide what the best middle ground would be.
Last but not least, plenty of work trade opportunities are available for couples. It is a perfect way to spend a fun trip together and witness a new experience and culture while helping out an important cause.
Here’s what a family vacation would look like on a trip to Hawaii
A family vacation is probably the highest-cost trip to Hawaii out of all three options due to the number of people present. Yet, it’s still possible to have a low-cost family visit to the islands. Preparing to bring a family of three, four, or even more to Hawaii can be stressful. Still, no worries, I can help.
Look for different budget accommodation options near the city, or else you’ll find your family spending lots of money on transportation. And the best thing you can do is book your flights to the islands during the OFF seasons.
A trip to Hawaii during summertime or spring break will increase the flight cost by a couple of hundred dollars. And rather than taking the entire family on a sunset yacht that costs $500 for the night, spend some quality time together for genuine, down-to-earth family fun.
Rent a car on any island through affordable companies because there are many overcharges and drive to one of the stunning waterfalls this island has to offer. Take a quick trip to Costco or any other supermarket near the family lodging area to stock up on sandwiches and other possible meals.
You can enjoy a fun hike and talk about how much money was saved for more nature-based activities!
Here’s what a solo vacation would look like on a trip to Hawaii
Going on a solo trip to Hawaii is one of the better options because all decisions are on a single individual. Solo travelers to Hawaii have the independence to make their own schedules and itineraries without considering another person’s needs or budget.
Think about what type of traveler you are. Do you enjoy luxurious accommodation, or are you more of a laid-back backpacker or traveler? Hostels for one bunk can range from 25 bucks for one night, whereas luxury private rooms can get up to as much as $100 to $200 per night.
Of course, if you don’t feel like spending more money, you can volunteer for a hostel downtown and get a nice place to stay for free by volunteering in Hawaii. Do you like to take private helicopter rides over Honolulu, or do you prefer taking free hikes with some close friends?
Of course, there are activities where you’ll spend some money, but there are just as many free or low-cost ways to have fun.
Another thing to consider: The cost of a trip to Hawaii varies by island
First of all, You should know that costs can vary widely. It’s possible to plan a trip to Hawaii on a budget, especially if you’re primarily chowing down on home-cooked meals from the corner store instead of sitting in front of a white tablecloth for a fine dining experience.
But you should also know that individual islands can vary widely in cost. Generally speaking, Oahu is the most budget-friendly Hawaiian island to visit.
According to data from the Hawai’i Tourism Authority, Oahu hotel rooms average roughly 20% less than the broader average across the rest of the state. Here’s the lowdown of average daily hotel room rates on the four main Hawaiian islands for tourism:
-Oahu: $272
-Island of Hawaii: $365
-Kauai: $415
-Maui: $520
But even within Oahu, prices can vary depending on whether you’re staying in Ko Olina, Waikiki, or the North Shore, where Ko Olina is typically much more pricey than Waikiki. North Shore hotel prices are also usually more expensive than Oahu’s average because there are only a couple to pick from.
And what about other travel costs, like activities and dining out? Oahu triumphs there, too. The Hawai’i Tourism Authority check out average spending per day per visitor.
Their data included lodging and other expenditures, including on-the-ground transportation, souvenirs, food, and activities. Here’s how much the average traveler spent per day:
-Oahu: $220
-Island of Hawaii: $245
-Kauai: $285
-Maui: $320
How much does an estimated trip to Hawaii cost
But everything I’ve talked about is all average costs, and maybe you’re hardly the average traveler. A broke backpacker could have a different travel style than a retiree at a 5-star resort. Given that, I’ve taken some hypothetical itineraries and put them to the budget test.
For this exercise, I looked at two different hypothetical holidays. Both assume a family of four, including two adults and two kids. The two vacation options for a trip to Hawaii are:
-A 10-night trip for a family of 4 during the peak summer season.
-A 7-night trip for that same family during the shoulder season.
Some logistics you should know about these hypotheticals:
-Round-trip flights for four from Los Angeles.
-Travel to Honolulu, the most popular island for visitors to Hawaii.
-A peak-season trip assumes a departure on June 25, 2024, while a shoulder-season trip assumes a departure on May 8, 2024.
-I used three property types to assess price estimates:
-A condo: Various Waikiki units on Vrbo.
-A beachfront four-star resort: Hilton Hawaiian Village.
-A three-star hotel: Holiday Inn Express Waikiki.
Totals include resort fees:
-All management and cleaning fees are charged for the condo units.
-$50 per night at the four-star resort.
-$29.49 per night at the three-star hotel.
-$5-a-day tip for housekeepers.
Totals include parking costs of:
-Parking isn’t included in condo totals. This varies by unit or building.
-$68.06 per day at the four-star resort.
-$45 per day at the three-star hotel.
Now let’s talk about food:
-Budgeted meals would entail cutting food costs by 60% with low-cost eats and/or preparing meals.
-Meals include nightly dinners of roughly $225, including drinks, taxes, and tips.
-The cost of a three-star hotel, which includes complimentary breakfast, includes only lunches totaling approximately $50 per day.
-At a 4-star resort, meal estimates include breakfasts and lunches totaling around $100 daily.
Based on the information outlined above, here are my estimated budgets for a:
A 10-night trip during the peak summer travel season:
-$4,936: Low-cost condo within walking distance to a beach, budgeted meals, and a two-day rental car.
-$15,090: A 4-star beachfront resort with a rental car for 10 days.
-$10,447: A 3-star hotel within a 10-minute walking distance to the beach and a rental car for 5 days.
-$7,781: A low-cost condo within walking distance to a beach, budgeted meals, and a rental car for 5 days.
The seven-night trip during shoulder season:
-$6,488: A 3-star hotel within a 10-minute walking distance to a beach and a rental car for 2 days.
-$9,574: A 4-star beachfront resort with a rental car for 2 days.
Is there any way you can beat these numbers? Definitely! Continue reading for a few tips on how to save on your trip to Hawaii.
Cost of a trip to Hawaii: Affordable activities
Visit Pearl Harbor
This might surprise you to know, but a visit to Pear Harbor is technically free. There’s only a ticket service fee of $1.50.
Being such a popular tourist attraction that’s priced extremely low, the tickets sell out fast because they’re given out on a first-come, first-serve basis. So, just remember that if you want to visit Pearl Harbor as part of your itinerary, be sure to plan ahead!
Take a hike at a national park
Diamond Head Trail is a gorgeous hiking location that only costs a dollar per hiker, and cars cost five bucks per vehicle. So how could you NOT visit? If you find yourself on the big island, you must visit different volcano sites to see how the past eruptions have affected the terrain.
Just don’t take any volcanic rock home! Visitors had reported having terrible luck when they extracted the volcanic rock from its rightful land. Always remember that Hawaii is an indigenous ground. So respect the people and their customs and traditions.
Visit a Waterfall
We all know that Hawaii is home to a series of popular and spectacular beaches. Still, there are also plenty of breathtaking waterfalls to see and snap the perfect Instagram-worthy pic. Some of the most popular waterfalls tourists visit are Kahiwa, Wailua, Manoa, Pu’uka’oku, and ‘Opaeka’a Falls.
Situated on the island of Oahu, Manoa Falls’ entrance fee is free, and you only have to pay $5 for parking. Even though these are the most visited waterfalls, the islands have hundreds of smaller and lesser-known waterfalls. So get some hiking boots on and be up to discover a never-before-seen water beauty on your trip to Hawaii!
Have a free, fun beach day!
Hawaii quite possibly has some of the most exquisite beaches on the planet. And the good news is that many are completely free! Hawaii has seven islands: The Big Island of Hawaii, Oahu, Kauai, Honolulu, Molokai, Niihau, Maui, and Kahoolawe.
Even though there are a bunch of expensive tourist attractions, there are also free and crystal-clear beaches just waiting to be enjoyed by budget travelers and others wishing to save a buck or two.
Bonus: Here are a few tips and tricks on how to cut your costs on a trip to Hawaii:
Eat cheaper
If you’re on a trip to Hawaii with a family of four and want to have a nice dinner at the world-famous Duke’s Waikiki, which includes an appetizer, cocktails for the adults, and a Hula Pie dessert to share with the table, you’ll spend approximately $225, including taxes and tips.
Now, obviously, the tiki torches, beachfront views, and aloha spirit are worth it. But you don’t have to spend that much each night. The further away you get from the beach, meals get much more budget-friendly. For instance, the fantastic burgers at Cheeseburger in Paradise are roughly $20 rather than the $35 baked fish at Duke’s.
Besides this, pizza places, very-affordable ramen houses, authentic Hawaiian diners like the Rainbow Drive-In, chains such as IHOP and Denny’s, and fast-food restaurants including Burger King, McDonald’s, and Subway can bring your dinner costs down.
Or swing into one of the ABC Stores to pick up sandwiches, packaged salads, yogurt, snacks, drinks, or some spam musubi, which is a slice of grilled Spam sandwiched on top of a block of rice and covered in nori. And even more budget-friendly yet, you can buy cereal, milk, coffee, sandwich meats, and bread to prepare breakfasts and lunches at your condo or hotel.
Stay on the beach or rent a car every day, but don’t do both
Does your idea of a great trip to Hawaii involve hitting the open road to explore every beautiful corner of the island? Then, don’t pay those high prices for a hotel right on the beach.
On the other hand, if your dream trip to Hawaii involves lots of time lounging around on the sand and splashing in the pool, don’t waste all that cash for a rental car plus all the money to park it daily when it’s just going to sit there.
Pro Tip: Many Waikiki hotels are within walking distance of a car rental agency.
So, getting a car for just a small part of your trip is straightforward. Select “Waikiki” rather than “Honolulu Airport” as your pick-up and drop-off spot for your rental car. If you pick the car up in the morning and drop it off at the end of the day, you can save a whole night’s worth of parking fees, cutting down even more costs on your trip to Hawaii.
The only downside to this approach is that you might have to wait in a long line to get your vehicle. So, the best thing to do is to send an adult to pick up the car in the morning while the rest of your crew gets ready.
And remember to include airport transfers in your budget. Allocate about $40 each way, including tip, for a rideshare or taxi between Waikiki and Honolulu airport.
Consider a condo
You can usually find a vacation rental on a trip to Hawaii just a few minutes away from the beach, which is much more affordable than paying for a hotel. For instance, I found a condo on Vrbo for a 10 night stay for $1,942 plus tax for $2,260. And that’s during the peak summer season.
For a 7-day rental during the shoulder season, you can cut your total accommodation cost by about $500 by choosing a condo over a hotel. Many condos have kitchens, too. So you can save money by making pancakes or eggs for breakfast, spaghetti for dinner, and packing sandwiches for lunches while you’re out all day.
The bottom line on taking a budget-friendly trip to Hawaii
Hidden costs like resort fees and outrageous parking prices can easily break a budget on any trip to Hawaii. But there are smart ways to save on the cost of your next vacation. Traveling during shoulder season can save a considerable amount.
Also, don’t pay a premium to stay somewhere on the beach if you won’t take full advantage of that spot, and don’t pay all that money to park a car as you’re splashing around the pool for a week. To save even more, consider a condo where you can cook your own meals.
So how does a trip to Hawaii sound now? Let me know what you think in the comments section. Meanwhile, if you liked this article, check out: 9 Affordable Family Vacation Destinations in the US