Finding paradise in Waikiki
• Kauai: Sweet success
• Royalty, Chinatown, and movies on the beach
• Back in the water and antiques shopping
• Travel planner: Going local in Waikiki

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Public bench on Waikiki
Maren Caruso
The best things in life are free: on Waikiki, even public benches come with a knockout Pacific view.
Finding paradise in Waikiki

The secret to having fun and saving money along Hawaii's most famous beach: go local

Carefree in Waikiki sounds nice, but isn't Honolulu one of the most expensive vacation spots in the country? Hardly. While you can drop $400 for one night in a luxury beachfront resort, my wife, Lisa, and I managed to be positively parsimonious on a three-day spree in Waikiki. In fact, $327 took us the whole way. The key? Search the Web for hotel specials and ask for discounts; enjoy lots of outdoor activities; and eat where the locals eat. The big sacrifice? Being without a car is a downer in a town with mediocre public transport. Still, we had a ball on budget and headed home tanned and relaxed.

Published: November 2002