Hawai‘i Family Run

🏝️💰4 pax (parents + us), O‘ahu + Kaua‘i, actual parent spend only – we masked hotels with points. Here’s the real-world receipt. ✈️ FLIGHTS Hong Kong ➜ HNL rtn $1,000 pp 1 stop Tokyo, booked 5 mo out, premium econ upsell declined = economy but tolerable. Inter-island hop O‘ahu ➜ Kaua‘i rtn $200 pp 2 segments, 1 checked bag each – Hawaiian Airlines flash sale = lucky click. 🏨 HOTELS (10 nights) O‘ahu 6 nt + Kaua‘i 4 nt = $1,500 pp Average $150/nt pp after tax. O‘ahu: Queen Kapi‘olani (Diamond-Head view, walk Waikiki) – $180/nt split. Kaua‘i: Aston Islander (ocean-front studio) – $220/nt split. Pro move: refundable rate booked 6 mo out, re-shopped 1 mo later → saved 12 %. Credit-card points = we paid the rest → parents only see cash above. 🚗 WHEELS 12-day rental = $300 pp Compact SUV off-airport (HNL + LIH) – $1,200 total ÷ 4. Includes CDW + taxes – no airport surcharge = thrift win. Gas average $5.90/gal – full island circles = $80 total fill-ups. 🍽️ FOOD & DRINK $550 pp – “eat local, splurge twice” 70 % food-truck / grocery – poke bowls $12, Hilo farmers market fruit $3/lb. 2-3 “nice” dinners – Tommy Bahama mai-tai + coconut shrimp ≈ $70 pp. Cook-in nights (Kaua‘i studio has kitchen) – $30 grocery = feeds 4. Coffee budget – Kona blend $4/cup × 1/day = $48 trip. 🌊 THE BIG TICKET Captain Andy’s Na Pali Coast $280 pp 4-hr sunset cruise, open bar, grilled steak, dolphin pod, 1,000-ft cliffs = parent quote: “Best $280 I ever spent.” 🧾 NICKEL-AND-DIME $100 pp – the invisible stuff Airport shuttles $18 split ABC magnets + Kona coffee bags $40 Shave-ice 6×$6 = $36 (necessary evil) Locker 💎 FINAL TALLY (per parent) Flight $1,000 Hotels $1,500 Inter-island $200 Food $550 Car $300 Activities $280 Misc. $100 = $4,000 USD ≈ ¥29k (6.8 rate) 🌺 VALUE VERDICT Not backpacker, not luxury – comfort+ with ocean views, turtle sightings, mai-tai sunsets. Credit-card points shaved ~$1,200 off hotels – still counted in “value received”. Bottom line: 4 people, 12 days, 0 regrets, 100 % Aloha spirit – start saving, start booking, the islands are waiting. #US #Hawaii #Honolulu