Admittedly, our first trip to Hawaii was not as economical as one would expect given the title of this Blog Category. Still, I’m always on the lookout for good deals for travel, and it was this trip that sparked an interest in the economical side of travel from Kodiak to Hawaii. So, indulge me in the story of my family’s first trip to Hawaii.

My company surprised me with a trip to Oahu after two years of long hours and successful business impacts. They paid for round-trip tickets from Kodiak to Oahu for my husband, daughter, and myself. Additionally, they put us up at the Courtyard Waikiki Beach. The specific flight and seats we had and the hotel would not make it into an article about cheap travel to Hawaii, but since these were paid for, we were able to splurge on some other pretty cool activities. Also, I’m always thinking a few steps ahead so I was already planning the next trip which you’ll get to read about in my article “How to Have a Family Reunion in Hawaii for less than Five Grand.”

When it comes to activities, parasailing checks all the boxes: Exhilarating, great views, and economical.

I’m a planner when it comes to travel. I like to do a lot of research and figure out how to make the most of the trip. I’ve never gone home from vacation feeling like I missed something or didn’t do everything I intended to do. Some things don’t make it onto the list, but are worth doing anyway. The things that made my list for our first trip to Hawaii were things like snorkeling with dolphins, horesback riding, surf lessons, and of course a luau. When we saw the colorful sails flying high above the bay, it was an impromptu activity we had to try.