carabro

Just trying to get a good idea of what we might spend on food/entertainment/excursions for 10 days in Hawaii. Here's our rough itinerary...

2 nights - Kona (no breakfast included)
3 nights - Hilo B&B (breakfast included)
5 nights - Maui Resort (no breakfast included)

While on the Big Island we want to visit Volcano National Park, do the Mauna Lea star-gazing thing and then in Maui do the bikeride down the summit. But I think those are the only 'big' things we plan to do.

Can anyone give me a general idea what to budget???

THANKS!

needzavacation

Food in Hawaii is pretty pricey compared with the mainland, so budget high. There are few budget dining options at any of the hotels -- most of the hotels promote their buffet breakfasts, which are in the $20+ range. Dinners at the hotels can be in the $50/person range. However, if you're closer to Kona and Hilo, you can find any price range for meals, as long as you're OK with restaurants that aren't necessarily distinctive in terms of menu.

We spent 10 days on the Big Island last month, and for excursions we spent: $10 a carload for a week's pass at Volcano National Park (it's a national park, thus the bargain); $68/person for a half-day snorkel trip on Sea Quest (print our an Internet coupon in advance). We were going to book the Mauna Kea summit tour, but after reading details (you don't actually get to look through any of the telecopes in the observatories -- you drive to the top, see the sunset, then descend to a warmer climate and look through a portable telescope), we opted out. I believe the pricing was around $150 or $165 per person for the tour, which lasts about 7 or 8 hours.

On Maui, check out pricing for the Haleakala downhill rides online -- lots of tour operators with different features and different prices. For all the tours, check web sites in advance for coupons or discounts for advance booking. Hope this helps!

fdecarlo

The permanent telescopes on Mauna Kea are not optical scopes -- there's nothing to look into.

Even at 9500' (at the Visitor's Center), the view of the skies is simply spectacular. On a new moon the Milky Way fills 1/3 of the sky.

amelie

Hard to say...

We spent one week on Maui and one on Kaua'i, and spent 1,000 dollars each week for two people.

iamq

We spent $100 a day on food and activities on our recent trip to Kauai. On this trip we did not do many tours and things that cost the big $$. We bought a few things, but did not go crazy. We ate in a few times and splurged on dinner three times.
-Bill

Shar

You big expense will be your dinners. and activities. Breakfast and lunch are easy. You can always use your hotel refrig for yogurt, juice and cold cuts if you want. Dinner in Hawaii is like eating in a nice restaurant in San Francisco every night. You can however look for inexpensive places for burgers,etc and look to see where the locals eat. YOur hotel concierge can also direct you to lower cost places. Use him/her that is what they are for. ALoha