Hawaii on a Budget

How to Visit Hawaii on a Budget With Kids

I sometimes dream of flying first class, staying in five star resorts, eating out every day, and enjoying a poolside daily massage.

My bathers look awesome, my stomach doesn’t look like I grew two children, and the kids whinge to daddy (and not me) every time they get tired and start to argue.

Do you know what though? Visiting Hawaii on a budget is still a whole lot of fun and better than not visiting at all!

It’s beautiful, family friendly, and has everything you need for travelling with kids. Your family will still have a great time in Hawaii on a budget. I’m a firm believer that a holiday on a budget is better than no holiday at all.

These tips focus on the island of Oahu, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work for the other beautiful islands in Hawaii. In fact, we look forward to coming back one day and testing it out!

So, without further ado …

How to Visit Hawaii on a Budget With Kids

Flights

This will most likely be your biggest expense. Never fear. There are plenty of ways to reduce the cost of flying.

Fly off peak or in shoulder season. My Lonely Planet Hawaii travel book tells me that shoulder season is May and September, and low season is October to November.

Low season is described as dry, hot, and extremely humid. This didn’t sound that bad for a beach holiday, so we jumped at the opportunity to score cheap flights in October.

Fly at odd hours. Often flights that leave at inconvenient times are cheaper. It just so happens that travelling at night is easier with kids because they can sleep on the plane.

Be flexible with departure dates if possible. You will be amazed at the price difference sometimes between only three days. I always check a few days after my proposed departure date. I’m happy to leave a day later if it means my flight is $300 cheaper.

Sign up to email flight specials so you don’t miss out on the great deals. I sign up not only to my favourite airlines, but also to I Want That Flight where you can set up a flight alert to specific destinations and price limits.

Search multiple airlines for the best deals! It’s easy to do and there are many websites that do it for you. I particularly like Sky Scanner. I don’t always book through them, but it does give me a great idea of which airlines are flying to a particular destination for a good price.

Go while the kids are young! If one of your children is not quite two years old, go NOW! International flights are charged at a very minimal rate for children under two years old.

This of course, is providing you are happy to have them on your lap. You will have to pay for a seat if you want them to have their own seat.

Accommodation

Forget fancy resorts if you are on a budget. Honestly, the kid’s aren’t going to notice if your room is not five star. Private rentals in Oahu can be very affordable, especially when compared with their brand name counterparts in similar locations.

Prices will drop in shoulder season and off-peak season.

We stayed in a home away when our little boy was just one years old and still sharing our bed. The location was absolutely fantastic! The best part about an apartment is that you save a LOT of money by self catering.

Although we booked through home away on this occasaion, I usually book on Bookings.com.

Don’t discount camping when travelling overseas either. Whilst we didn’t stay in them personally, I saw two fantastic camp sites on the island of Oahu and a quick google search brings up many more. You might like to hire a motorhome and stay in campgrounds, therefore solving your vehicle hire problems at the same time.

House sitting is an awesome opportunity to completely cut out the cost of accommodation. Check out House Sitters America to find and apply for an awesome place to stay in Hawaii.

Don’t forget to check out house swap sites either. Who knows? You might find a family looking for something in your area, who is happy to swap for a week or two. We haven’t done this yet but I think it’s a fantastic idea!

*Our private rental in Hawaii was right next to the beautiful Yacht Harbour, Hilton Lagoon and Waikiki Beach.*

Getting Around

The public bus service in Oahu is extensive and affordable, especially in the more populated areas. You can keep costs down even further by buying an unlimited pass for four days, or a monthly bus pass.

Car hire is not overly expensive in Hawaii, although its not bargain basement either. Compare car hire across major brands at RentalCars.

If you like the idea of a budget RV and staying in campgrounds, check out Hawaii Campers.

The well known tourist bus, the Waikiki Trolley is a good alternative to car hire or taxi if you plan to hit up all the major tourist spots in a short space of time. You can get a one, four, or seven day pass which includes unlimited access to all lines.

Taxi travel will get pricey in Hawaii if you are relying on it for all of your travels. I wouldn’t recommend it for more than a short trip back from the shops when you get stuck.

Food

Self catering is really the only way to keep food costs down in Hawaii when you are feeding a whole tribe. Whilst not overly expensive, Hawaii is not like South East Asia where you can get a fantastic meal for a few dollars.

Expect to pay anywhere between $15 – $30 for a main meal at a mid-range restaurant.

Activities

This is where Hawaii shines! It’s fairly easy to occupy both yourself and the kids here for either free or low cost because the beaches are so beautiful and varied.

Check out my post on Best Swimming in Oahu With Kids and Things to do in Oahu With Kids.

The Go Oahu Card – Multi Attraction Pass is great value for money if you plan to be hitting up a lot of Oahu’s popular attractions. Choose from 1 – 7 day cards and visit as many of the 34 available attractions and scenic spots as you want.

Looking for More Awesome Family Holiday Destinations?

For more information on visiting Hawaii with kids, head on over to our Hawaii page. Head on back to the home page for inspiration on destinations worldwide.

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Booking Your Holiday to Hawaii With Kids