Wearing: Triangl Bikini | Victoria Secret Bikini | Splash Hawaii Bikini (one of my favorite suits) | Prada Sunglasses
What to Pack for Hawaii:
Aloha! If you've followed me on Instagram for a while, you probably know that I LOVE Hawaii. Long story short: about 10 years ago our family volunteered to be bumped from our flight to Utah during the holidays, and with the miles we were given, our parents choose to take us to Hawaii the following year. Since then, it's become an annual tradition to go Hawaii each summer and have some fun in the sun and spend some quality family time together. So after many summers and many hours on the beaches of Oahu, I've rounded up my top travel tips:
1. Stay in Waikiki and Stay in a Room with a View
Everyone has their own preference on where they would like to stay in Oahu, but I personally suggest staying on Waikiki. It's definitely a touristy spot, but it's where the bustle and hustle is. From there you can easily find a car to rent, go on a catamaran ride or go parasailing.
There are many choices for hotels on Waikiki and a few of my favorite include: the Outrigger, Hilton, Ilikai, or Modern Honolulu. A few of the photos above were taken from our hotel room and you can see you can get quite the view in Waikiki. After a long day at the beach, feel free to kick back, relax, and sip on that Mai Tai while you enjoy a breathtaking sunset from your balcony. Trust me, you'll thank me later.
2. Rent a Jeep and Visit As Many Beaches As You Can
Okay, so it doesn't have to be a Jeep but rent a car for a day or two and visit all the beautiful beaches around the island. One of the great things about Hawaii is that once you're there, you don't have to spend a lot of money to enjoy yourself. There are so many beaches that are hidden around the island that going on a beach scavenger hunt will keep you busy! So let that top down on the Jeep, turn up that Bob Marley and cruise around until you find Waimanalo, Lanikai or Shark's Cove. And don't forget to stop for some Hawaiian Shave Ice along the way :)
3. Fly With A Friend For $99
A few years ago I realized that I should really start using a credit card that would give me rewards for all our flights to Hawaii. I came across the Alaska Airlines Credit Card where each year on your card anniversary, you receive a voucher for your companion to fly with you for $99 (plus $22 in taxes). And they don't just fly to Hawaii, they have routes all over the U.S and Costa Rica and Mexico.
The card has $75 annual fee, but let's say right now you are looking to book a flight from SJC to HNL (Honolulu) in August. One of the cheapest routes comes out to $638. If you have you companion fare voucher, you would book your additional ticket for $121 and your total for the two of you would just about come to $770 or $335 per ticket. That gives you a total savings of $442 ($517 saving from the fare - $75 annual fee). Definitely a deal if you consistently fly to Hawaii, or any of their other destinations on a yearly basis.
Also, when you first sign-up, you can get 25,000 bonus miles added to your account. Depending on where and when you fly, this may be enough for a a roundtrip flight. Last year I made a last minute decision to join my sisters in Alaska and I flew for free using these bonus miles. Between a free flight to Alaska (~$500 value) and the savings on my companion ticket (~$400 value) during this past year, I'd say I'm getting some pretty good value out of this card!
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