Dont assume that visiting Hawaii is beyond your reach if you need to plan an affordable vacation through the purchase of cheap travel options such as cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, and cheap auto rentals, or cheap vacation packages.
The Aloha State reached a new a new height in popularity in 2012 with almost 8 million travelers arriving last year, shattering the previous record set six years earlier. As a consequence, prices are on the upswing.
The average cost of a Hawaiian hotel room rose to $233 a night in February which was the most expensive rate in the country and up over 13 percent from 2011. Almost 86 percent of its hotel rooms were occupied which was a 10 percent higher occupancy rate than Florida hotels experienced during the same month.
The following are some strategies as to how to find bargains while vacationing in Hawaii:
Avoid traveling there over the Christmas and New Year holidays or midsummer. Best airfares and seat availability is on weekdays during the spring and fall. If the only time you can travel is during the summer, because of school or job requirements, you can significantly reduce the cost of a Hawaii vacation by delaying your departure until mid to late August. Through the beginning of June airfares from the West Coast to Honolulu are as low as $230 roundtrip ($420 from the East Coast) vs. around $700 to $900 for peak summer travel (June 7th to August 11th).
Be open to consider staying at other than mainstream hotels. Often less well known hotels tend to compete with national brand hotels by offering more space, free parking, free Internet access, and amenities such as coolers, beach chairs, and grills.
Avoid limiting your hotel options to the most popular resort areas. For example, on Kauai, look for accommodations in the Lihue and Kapaa areas where tourists often save $100 or more per night vs. the more popular Poipu or Princeville resorts. On Maui significant savings can be had by staying in centrally located Kihei vs. the more upscale Kaanapali Beach.
Do a little research and avoid paying list price for activities. Hawaii offers plenty of free activities including soaking in the magnificent scenery, to cultural classes and entertainment at most resort area shopping centers. Great activity bargains can be found in the Entertainment Book and online deal sites such as LivingSocial and Groupon for Oahu. Activities such as snorkeling excursions, kayak rentals, and guided tours are often available at half the list price.
Be open to trying different types of food at venues you may not have eaten at in the past. Lunch wagons and food trucks in Oahu are very popular and serve everything from Southern soul food to Filipino classics. Dozens of farmers markets help keep prices down by selling locally grown fruits and vegetables directly to customers.
Take advantage of happy hour specials while in the Aloha state. There are apps such as HappyHourHawaii that help users find happy hour menus and discounts at over 200 restaurants and bars across the state.
www.cheapfares.com