Tropical thrift usually conjures up thoughts of destinations in Southeast Asia, not Hawaii. Oahu in particular is known for first-rate relaxation -- as long as you're a paying customer. But those in the know can make rich memories without spending much. The following picks will help you say aloha to unnecessary spending on Oahu.
Eats
Best Investment of $1.95: A macaroni salad is just one of many of the less-than-$3 items at the Rainbow Drive-In (3308 Kanaina Ave.; tel. 808/737-0177), which prides itself on generous portions and reasonable prices. This philosophy has kept the eatery successful for almost 50 years.
Best Investment of $2.25: Shave ice ranks among the top Hawaiian treats. The best place to cool off with a sweet flavor is Haleiwa's Matsumoto Shave Ice (66-087 Kamehameha Hwy; tel. 808/637-4827), where two and a quarter bucks will fetch you a small with ice cream or beans.
Best Investment of $2.50: Treat yourself to poi, a Polynesian favorite, prepared just the way locals like it. Get this real taste of the islands at Helena's Hawaiian Foods (1240 N School St.; tel. 808/845-8044).
Best Investment of $3: Moose McGillycuddy's (310 Lewers St.; tel. 808/923-0751) offers $3 beers and cocktails from 4 to 7pm daily. The best part? This lively happy-hour hotspot is just a couple of blocks from the beach.
Best Meal Plan: While making the obligatory loop around the island, stop at Opal's Thai Food (66-460 Kamehameha Hwy.; tel. 808/381-8091) for the perfect North Shore lunch or dinner. Be advised: This is a Thai truck. The food's high quality and unbeatable prices, paired with world-class picnicking beaches, make for one of Oahu's most romantic dinner dates.
Entertainment
Best Cheap Date: Every Friday night, the Hilton Hawaiian Village (2005 Kalia Rd.; tel. 808/949-4321) presents the King's Jubilee and Fireworks. The event includes Polynesian music and dance, a parade, ceremonies, and a fireworks show on the beach. If you sit inside the event's roped area, you'll need to buy a drink but sitting just outside of it to see the fireworks is free.
Best Free Concert: Honolulu has America's only official royal state residence. Iolani Palace (364 S. King St.; tel. 808/538-1470) offers a variety of activities which are either free -- these include strolling the royal grounds and listening to the Royal Hawaiian Band's weekly concerts -- or inexpensive (gallery tours start at $6).
Best Cultural Experience: The Chinese New Year celebration, held downtown in January or February each year, showcases one of America's most vibrant Chinese urban populations putting on a colorful cultural spectacle. It's free to attend. If you're not in Chinatown that early in the year, head there on the first Friday of each month, when the district comes alive with open museums and galleries (most with free admission) and street music and vendors.
Best Way to Catch a Flick: Saturday and Sunday evenings are best spent on Waikiki's Queen's Beach (tel. 808/523-2489). During "Sunset on the Beach," top films play on a 30-foot screen in a world-class outdoor surrounding. It's free to attend.
Best Challenge: The Dole Plantation (64-1550 Kamehameha Hwy.; tel. 808/621-8408) encases almost 2.5 miles of shrubbery that, taken together, forms the world's largest maze. For $6 ($4 children; $5 military), you can attempt it; if you get to the endpoint fast enough, your name will be among those top five listed at the starting point.
Exploring
Best Historical Museum: The date that will live in infamy -- December 7, 1941 -- is remembered daily at USS Arizona Memorial (1 Arizona Memorial Pl.; tel. 808/422-0561). Pay tribute to the more than 1,100 crewmen who died aboard the sunken battleship during one of the free tours offered between 7:45am and 3pm.
Best Wave: Arguably the most famous and deadliest break anywhere, the Banzai Pipeline (Ehukai Beach Park, Pupukea) demonstrates the spectacular forces of the world's largest ocean releasing its fury on an offshore reef. When the forecast calls for big waves, be there with a towel, sunscreen, and a camera (unless your name is Laird Hamilton, entering the water isn't worth the risk).
Best Workout: More than an hour's climb up the Diamond Head trail (tel. 808/587-0300) is a natural stair-climber that can provide a last-minute beach-body boost. The entrance fee ($5 per vehicle; $1 per pedestrian, 6am-6pm daily) is a far better value than the local gym: The hike's payoff includes a rich ecological setting, plus unparalleled views of Honolulu from the summit's historic artillery control station.
Best Art Museum: The Hawaii State Art Museum (250 South Hotel St.; tel. 808/586-0308) houses some of the islands' top artworks. The museum, built in 1928 as a YMCA, rotates its free exhibitions, ensuring that no two visits will be the same.
Best Jungle Adventure: Lyon Arboretum's (3680 Manoa Rd.; tel. 808/988-0456) collection of tropical vegetation is well worth the suggested entrance donation ($5). A short trail through the rainforest along Manoa Creek takes you to the breathtaking, 150-foot Manoa Falls.
Talk with fellow Frommer's travelers in our Hawaii forum today.
