<p>Kilauea Military Camp is on the Big Island, and folks with military privileges who are willing to “rough it” can get rustic lodging there for pretty low prices. Our boy scout troop & lots of school groups stay there. If you snag a good airfare deal, prices can really be quite reasonable. There are also some lower priced B&B options and some “sketchier” places that I wouldn’t feel comfortable recommending (tho I did stay in a few). There are some really good deals for condos–our neighbors stayed somewhere in a condo-type place on the Big Island for well under $100/night.</p>
<p>I agree that renting a car to get around the Big Island is a very good idea; as far as I know, there is NO bus service & if you don’t rent a car, you’re basically stuck at the resort/hotel and wherever you are able/willing to walk.</p>
<p>teri - is your H attending PacifiChem 2010? I was trying to convince my bosses that this meeting could be beneficial for my professional development, but I just found that there will be a confrence in France that looks even better :D</p>
<p>Hawaiian vacations can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you make them. If you stay at the Grand Wailea and eat every meal at the restaurants there, of course it is going to be expensive! If you find a great hotel deal and cook your own meals, it can be a bargain. For us on the West Coast, flying to HI is the same price as flying to the East Coast and just slightly more expensive than flying to Mexico. I always shop for hotel bargains. If a hotel is undergoing renovation or if there is construction next door, it usually means low prices, a 4-star hotel for the price of a 2-star. A couple of times H and took the bait and did the Westin’s 5 nights + car deal. (Unlike the Marriott’s deal, this one does not require you to sit through any timeshare presentations.) We stayed at Honua Kai because no one wanted to rent rooms there due to the rumors that the building owner would file for bankruptcy (I heard that they did let one of their properties go into foreclosure, but not the one where we stayed). We also try to travel when hardly anyone wants to travel (Sept - Nov, January, and early June) - the weather in HI is always 80 degrees and at least partially sunny, and the ocean temperature does not change much either. Fewer people = more beach square footage for us! :)</p>
<p>On the Big Island, a car is a must! Surprisingly, cars are very cheap to rent in HI (just do not buy the optional insurance - it is close to $30/day!). You will need 1-2 tanks of gas for your entire week - the islands are not that big! The Waikoloa Marriott on the Big Island has a very nice lagoon to swim in, and there is a shopping center (King’s Shops) right next to it. Unfortunately, it looks like the Japanse restaurant in that mall is no longer in busines…</p>
<p>In our 4 trips to HI, we almost never paid for airfare. H accumulated lots of miles on American, and we booked way in advance. That in itself saved a huge part of the cost. (On our last trip we did pay for D to fly from school in NC since American didn’t work for her.)</p>
<p>Hey D2…gotta ask…did thid come true for both kids?</p>
<p>We are using FF miles for our upcoming vacation too. While I’m not a fan of DH’s business travel, this is a nice bonus when planning vacations!!!</p>
<p>I did a quick search for the big island. A 8 day 7 night in Oct package for two including airfare, hotel (4*) and a small car is about $200 per day per person right now. I suspect that will come down some in July-August time frame.</p>
<p>T1, at least one poster on CC knows that answer. For others, I am sorry.</p>
<p>Oh cut the drama, Dad II. No one cares. Hows Chicago this time of year? And enjoy spending your “discretionary income” that you supposedly dont have on an expensive Hawaiian vacation at a 4 star resort.</p>
<p>OP- Please consider the level of expertise your kids are at ocean swimming. If they are not used to swimming through rip currents or dealing with backwash from waves you may consider staying at beaches with life guards.
Consider packing/purchasing good boogie boards/snorkel gear for your teens-they will pay for themselves in convenience of not having to rent/return.
You can pack the boogie boards in a large clear sturdy plastic trash bag and packing tape- ask your airline.</p>
<p>jym626, I have no idea about chicago this time of the year. Yes, no one else should care. Yes, we will enjoy our hard earn vacation time some where nice this year.</p>
<p>OP-
I will PM you with some fun things to do in Hawaii. I will share with those who dont suck the life blood out of other posters, and play games all the time.</p>
<p>I love HI, but not Oahu. I prefer Maui and kauii. We have stayed at the Four Seasons on Maui and also rented a condo next to it. I prefer Wailea because the weather is nicer (sunnier) and less bugs. We like the Princeville Hotel on Kauii and also the Princeville area. That hotel is part of Starwood. You could use your points for half off or free nights.</p>
<p>SO what is the best time to go? Since inlaws have the condos, we could theoretically stay anytime- there is one on the big island and one on Maui- my H says we could also stay at a hotel, but I think he has no frigging idea how expensive it is- and since we haven’t taken a family vacation for years, and never outside our own state- I think paying for airfare is already plenty.</p>
<p>D1 is going to be in grad school & D2 is still in college- so school vacations, especially winter ones are good- but is everything really packed during winter break?
( plus how warm is the water?)</p>
<p>I’ve been to Hawaii during winter break several times, and the outer islands are not too crowded, especially if you go off the beaten path. Waikiki can be pretty crazy year round, but that’s not where I like to be anyway. The water is delightful all year. Take into account that winter is surf season on the north shores, and that really means the beaches on that side of the islands are largely unusable to non-experts, so don’t try to economize that way.</p>
<p>Yep! He attended many years ago, but the kids were younger and still at home, so I wasn’t able to go. In December, I’d take Hawaii over France (no matter what time of the year you’d go to France) any day.</p>
<p>I have been to Hawaii 25 times, including my childhood. I have been to Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island. Yes, I have lots of preferences but I would suggest going to TripAdvisor.com and look at the Hawaii forums. </p>
<p>So much of the information you seek depends on budget, interests, activity level, and ambiance. And most of us can’t answer that here. We prefer the Kahala Mandarin for the few times we (as a family) have been to Oahu. It’s more secluded. You may hate the quiet and love the action. We prefer Kaanapali Beach because we generally bring our kids and they like it better there. Wailea is too much like home. I have friends who swear by Wailea…but then they have “pool jewelry” and we like to be more laid back. </p>
<p>But…now I am dreaming of Sansei…on Maui for sushi. Darn!</p>
<p>We went to Hawaii for our honeymoon, and again for our 20th anniversary with a 16 year old and 13 year old in tow. We used frequent flyer points for 2 free hotel nights and roundtrip airfare for 4 - great deal, but the trip still cost a small fortune!</p>
<p>Anyway, we stayed at the Ali’i Towers at the Hilton Hawaiian Village & loved it. The Ali’i, I believe, is the nicer of their buildings. Just a bit of advice - the pool chairs go fast so I would have someone get to the pool before it opens and reserve chairs when it opens. Pool chairs are free, but beach chairs are not. Otherwise, you will have to go to the beach, and renting an umbrella and/or chairs can really add up quickly.</p>
<p>We also stayed on the Big Island at the Hilton Waikola Village - not too thrilled about that hotel. My kids definitely preferred Waikiki and Oahu.</p>
<p>In hindsight, you can do the Big Island in one day. If you can, I’d recommend a day trip to the Big Island and going to Volcano National Park - it is a must see. You can drive a round circle on the Big Island in one day - see Akaka falls, black sand beach, Volcano National park & dine at Bubba Gump’s for views - you will feel like you are dining on the ocean - ask for a water front table - spectacular.</p>
<p>Have fun.</p>
<p>Also - P.S. - when we use our frequent flyer/hotel points, I tend to book a week or two before the trip - never way ahead, but that’s just me. Last year we flew 4 people first class to Orlando on frequent flyer points - so save your points people! We used credit cards to accumulate points, but we ALWAYS pay off our cards monthly - it’s free $$.</p>
<p>HIMom, me thinks your state’s economy might improve soon! Look, we are talking about HI vacations, not about how to squeeze the last drop of toothpaste out of the tube!</p>
<p>(Funny thing - this morning CNN had a picture of Iranian president with a bird of paradise flower in front of him on the front webpage :))</p>
<p>For us PNW dwellers HI water always feels nice and warm! But if you want really warm ocean, I think late September is the best time to go explore the islands.</p>
<p>We vacationed in HI in late August a few times. It is really no different than going there in October or March. The weather in HI always seems to be 80 degrees and mostly sunny to sunny (perhaps less rain in Aug than in March). I think once when we were in Maui the temperatures reached or almost reached a new record high - close to 100 degrees (we in Seattle beat that with our 108 degrees :)). The light ocean breeze makes the HI heat very pleasant and tolerable (unlike Florida in Aug).</p>