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

DAY BY DAY

Day 1: Kapiolani Park and Waikiki’s Main Street 

Day 2: Royalty, Chinatown, and movies on the beach 

Day 3: Back in the water and antiques shopping 

Travel planner

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 a budget and headed home tanned and relaxed.

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