Hawaii on a budget

[85_Ranger4x4]

I know, don't laugh.

GF wants to go there for honeymoon next fall, I would love to go thru Pearl so no objections here.

Any pointers?

Sucky part is it is 6 hours of flying to get from Omaha to LA. And another 6 to get from there to HI. Airfair is a killer. Hotels are not cheap either.

Anyone have any learning curve pointers about going there?

 

[RonD]

We go to Maui so not much help on Oahu but VRBO(vacation rentals by owner) is a good start when looking for places to stay

Google: VRBO Oahu

Pick an area on Oahu
Then Filter by Studio, 1 bedroom 2 bedroom, ect

These will be condos, so have kitchens and depending on where they are, beach stuff, i.e. chairs, towels, coolers, ect....
Most, if not all, include WiFi and cable TV now

Prices are often equal or less than hotel per week, and you can cook meals so way less expensive than having to go to restaurants.

Enter the dates you are looking at at the top and it will only show those that are available for those dates.

Fuel prices can be high, car rentals are not too bad, you can also rent motorcycles, and if "in town" you can just rent for the day to have a look around the island.

Also check Craigslist for Hawaii rentals


WEAR A T-SHIRT!!!!!!!
When snorkeling, more than a few friends have ruined their vacation with a very bad sunburn, water keeps your back cool so you don't notice the burn, and man does it BURN.

And not a bad idea to hit tanning booths the week before you go, lol.

 

[out cast]

My recommendation from being there... don't go to big islands! Wife and I went to Kauai and loved it. Its laid back, beautiful, gorgeous beaches... Poipu bay is great place to stay, we stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, on my wifes employee discount. Can't help you there but I'd also recommend Courtyard by Marriot for hotel. Also HIGHLY recommend Paniolo grill, Smith family Luau (free drinks), and a snorkeling tour...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

We go to Maui so not much help on Oahu but VRBO(vacation rentals by owner) is a good start when looking for places to stay

Google: VRBO Oahu

Pick an area on Oahu
Then Filter by Studio, 1 bedroom 2 bedroom, ect

These will be condos, so have kitchens and depending on where they are, beach stuff, i.e. chairs, towels, coolers, ect....
Most, if not all, include WiFi and cable TV now

Prices are often equal or less than hotel per week, and you can cook meals so way less expensive than having to go to restaurants.

Enter the dates you are looking at at the top and it will only show those that are available for those dates.

Fuel prices can be high, car rentals are not too bad, you can also rent motorcycles, and if "in town" you can just rent for the day to have a look around the island.

Also check Craigslist for Hawaii rentals


WEAR A T-SHIRT!!!!!!!
When snorkeling, more than a few friends have ruined their vacation with a very bad sunburn, water keeps your back cool so you don't notice the burn, and man does it BURN.

And not a bad idea to hit tanning booths the week before you go, lol.

That is a really good deal, a lot better pricing than hotels. If we can make it work I bet we will go that route.

Not sure if we are snorkeling or not, I do remember at the pool as a kid it was like the water magnified the sun and made sunburns terrible. A sunburn at the pool was 10x worse than a sunburn from something like mowing the yard.

Usually by then I am rocking a pretty good farmers tan so I should be ok.

My recommendation from being there... don't go to big islands! Wife and I went to Kauai and loved it. Its laid back, beautiful, gorgeous beaches... Poipu bay is great place to stay, we stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, on my wifes employee discount. Can't help you there but I'd also recommend Courtyard by Marriot for hotel. Also HIGHLY recommend Paniolo grill, Smith family Luau (free drinks), and a snorkeling tour...

It sounds really good...but I really wanna go to Pearl Harbor.

I am a huge WWII nut, it is kind of the big kahuna for WWII stuff between the Arizona and Missouri. They have a big aircraft museum there too.

I haven't checked into moving from island to island yet though.

 

[RonD]

If you like to hike then these might interest you

http://www.hawaiifunshine.com/2016/09/14/secret-abandoned-bunker/

http://www.explorationhawaii.com/tag/bunkers/


Farmers tan is tanned neck and arms and bone white back and shoulders, lol

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Thanks!

I wonder what the guys looked like that carried 1000lb shells up and down the stairs.

And the rifle recoil pushing the ship around several feet...

Pretty cool read though, I am probably pushing my luck with two days at Pearl though.

 

[adsm08]

Do NOT underestimate the need to protect yourself from the sun in those latitudes. One time I was in Santo Domingo in June, already had my full summer tan going, I burnt through my shirt. I started feeling it about 10 AM on the first full day outside.

 

[RonD]

I don't know, depends on how you sell it ...........you are on your Honeymoon, nice romantic walk to look at the scenery, sunset, view, ect.
"Oh look honey, a bunker, imagine that", lol

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Do NOT underestimate the need to protect yourself from the sun in those latitudes. One time I was in Santo Domingo in June, already had my full summer tan going, I burnt through my shirt. I started feeling it about 10 AM on the first full day outside.

Thanks for the advise, she is a fair skinned redhead and is already making plans on how to deal with it. She will probably get a long better than me who is never used to dealing with the sun. I burn once a year and then tan... she almost burns if she sits too close to the tv at night.

I don't know, depends on how you sell it ...........you are on your Honeymoon, nice romantic walk to look at the scenery, sunset, view, ect.
"Oh look honey, a bunker, imagine that", lol

Might be worth a shot...

I did a little research on it, it is actually on the landfill's property.

 

[adsm08]

Have you considered putting tanning bulbs in the garage light fixtures and then putting up cardboard palm trees and some sand on the floor?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Have you considered putting tanning bulbs in the garage light fixtures and then putting up cardboard palm trees and some sand on the floor?

Not as much as I have thought about a heater...

Garage is actually framed with logs.

 

[RonD]

Kitty litter looks almost like sand
Usually I gotta put that on the floor now and then

And if you squint a bit that mop standing in the corner kinda looks like a palm tree, kinda

Couple of flood lights and I am set

Oh yea, I forgot the sprinkler on the roof, read on

85_Ranger, it RAINS every day in Hawaii, might only last 10-15minutes but it does rain every day.

High season, most expensive time, is actually when it rains the most, Nov/December to March/April, but many north americans head over because it is worse here, cold and snowy.
Low season May to Sept, it is cheaper and drier

But there is a Tropical Rain forest area on most of the islands, so "rain" will happen every day

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Looking at room pricing it seems when we are going in October we are kind of a lull.

I suppose all the summer vacation types are done, there is a huge price spike around Christmas.

The condo we are looking at will come out at around $150/night with all the fees which isn't that bad... even compared to hotel in the midwest.

I did check the weather there really quick, supposed to to rain there every day this week and they are currently under a flash flood watch...

 

[Hagan]

When are you getting married? I just got married and went to Kauai on my honeymoon. I don't like paying for expensive/overpriced meals so we stocked up our hotel room with food from Costco lol

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

When are you getting married? I just got married and went to Kauai on my honeymoon. I don't like paying for expensive/overpriced meals so we stocked up our hotel room with food from Costco lol

Middle of October.