{"id":4093,"date":"2011-11-16T14:49:49","date_gmt":"2011-11-16T14:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/?p=4093"},"modified":"2026-02-22T00:55:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T00:55:49","slug":"a-hawaiian-getaway-free-and-nearly-free-activities-in-oahu-and-maui","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/a-hawaiian-getaway-free-and-nearly-free-activities-in-oahu-and-maui\/","title":{"rendered":"A Hawaiian Getaway – Free and Nearly Free Activities in Oahu and Maui"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you looking for sun and fun adventure during the winter season? Load up on family fun without unloading your wallet! First time visitors to Hawaii and their families will want to keep this travel list handy for free and nearly free things to see and do on the islands of Maui <\/strong>and Oahu<\/strong>, Hawaii.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Photo by Hawaii Tourism Authority – Tor Johnson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Free and Nearly Free Activities in Maui<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0 Tide pooling<\/strong> – A wonderful early evening activity \u2013 don\u2019t forget to bring your camera, as the spectacular sunsets are free, as well! \u00a0There are several protected tide pool areas around the island of Maui, including the Wailea area near Ulua Beach. \u00a0Take a flashlight and water shoes and prepare to find anemone, brittle stars, crabs, eels, sea cucumbers, shrimp and maybe even a baby octopus!<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0 Hiking<\/strong> – Maui is blessed with many hiking trails that run the gamut from highly advanced to easy, family-friendly strolls. \u00a0A favorite hike through Ko’olau Forest Reserve<\/a> starts in a bamboo forest and over the course of a few miles, you\u2019ll find yourself crawling over rocks, crossing streams and swinging from vines.<\/p>\n

\"Hawaii<\/a>3.\u00a0\u00a0 Take in a sunset<\/strong> – Sunset viewing is a time of gathering with family (ohana) and friends (hoaloha) to toast the close of a day. Maui’s colorful sunsets are best viewed from the south side of the island, including parks such as Kamaole III. \u00a0Residents and visitors gather on the grassy knoll and watch for the infamous green flash!<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0 First Friday<\/strong> – As part of the revitalization of Wailuku Town, First Friday<\/a>, held the first Friday of each month, is a street festival with live music, a beer garden, local crafts and food. The banana lumpia is not to be missed!<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0 Eco-adventures<\/strong> – Voluntourism, as it’s been coined, offers not only free fun for the family but a sense of fulfillment and a greater understanding of the island. \u00a0Visitors may work as a farm hand on an organic farm in Kula, collect invasive species at the top of a volcano, or assist in reconstructing an ancient fishpond. You won’t get paid for your work, but the memories are priceless. For more information, check out gohawaii.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Hawaii<\/a>6.\u00a0\u00a0 Snorkeling and scuba diving activities <\/strong>right off Maui’s shores – this counts as FREE only if you happen to have the equipment. However, I think it’s good to note that you don’t have to pay a lot of money for a boat dive when shore dives are easily accessible.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0\u00a0 Whale watching<\/strong> during the season (December- March) – the Maalaea area is best for viewing whales. They have pullouts for whale watching along Honoapiilani Road.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>8.\u00a0\u00a0 Hookipa Lookout<\/a><\/strong> – It’s free to watch top windsurfers, surfers, and kiteboarders take on strong winds\/waves. \u00a0(Near Mama’s Fish House)<\/p>\n

9.\u00a0\u00a0 The Boo Boo Zoo<\/strong> – or East Maui Animal Refuge – you have to call in advance and they ask for donations but it’s free. The Boo Boo Zoo<\/a> is a sanctuary for injured and orphaned animals.<\/p>\n

10.\u00a0\u00a0 Some resorts offer Outrigger Canoe paddling<\/strong> – such as Fairmont Kea Lani and Four Seasons Maui – \u00a0free for guests. Makena Beach Resort charges $30 for 1 hour excursions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Free and Nearly Free Activities in Oahu<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Oahu is an affordable, family-friendly tropical destination with hundreds of exciting things to do, see and experience for FREE or for less than $10 per person. Visit Oahu and discover the energizing sights, sounds, art, culture, history, nature, and adventure of the island.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Photo by Polynesian Cultural Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0 Visit the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort & Spa on any Friday to experience its weekly \u201cAloha Friday<\/a>\u201d Polynesian show<\/strong> featuring Tahitian drummers, hula dancers, lei making, and music.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0 Stop in at the lei stands<\/strong> that line Maunakea Street in Honolulu\u2019s Chinatown and see firsthand how these intricate lei are created.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0 On the first Friday of every month, art galleries<\/strong> in downtown Honolulu open their doors from 5-9 p.m. at no charge. This event is popular with art enthusiasts of all ages.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0 Walk the booths at the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet<\/strong><\/a> for affordable made-in-Hawai\u2018i souvenirs on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 6 a.m.-3 p.m.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0 Enjoy locally-grown produce and meats, fragrant flowers and tasty treats at the Kapiolani Community College Farmers\u2019 Market<\/strong><\/a> on Saturday mornings.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0\u00a0 Watch the fireworks<\/strong> explode on Friday evenings in remembrance and celebration of King Kalakaua\u2019s Jubilee at Hilton Hawaiian Village.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Photo by Oahu Visitors Bureau<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

7.\u00a0\u00a0 Drive to the North Shore for Matsumoto\u2019s famous shave ice<\/strong>, a Kua Aina hamburger<\/strong> and garlic shrimp from a roadside shrimp truck<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

8.\u00a0\u00a0 View the work of local artisans at the Art on the Zoo Fence<\/strong> along the fence of the Honolulu Zoo.<\/p>\n

9.\u00a0\u00a0 Visit Ward Warehouse<\/strong> for free hula lessons on Thursdays, country line dance classes on Tuesdays and live Hawaiian music every first Sunday of the month. While there, check out Ward Centers<\/a>\u2019 locally-owned boutiques for affordable Hawaii souvenirs.<\/p>\n

10.\u00a0\u00a0 Meet Hawaii\u2019s local fishermen at the early morning Honolulu Fish Auction<\/strong><\/a> at Pier 38, where the fresh catch is displayed and auctioned off to island chefs and merchants daily at 5 a.m.<\/p>\n

\"Hawaii<\/a><\/p>\n

For more information: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Maui Visitors Bureau<\/a> – Information on sights, activities, events, accommodations and more.
\nOahu Visitors Bureau<\/a> – Information on how to plan your trip to Honolulu and the island of Oahu.
\nCalifornia Tours Hawaii Vacation Packages<\/a> – California Tours can arrange flights and hotel accommodations in Honolulu and Maui, as well as the Big Island!<\/p>\n

About the Author:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nancy Brown is a lover of all things travel-related.\u00a0 She has combined her passion for travel with her professional writing career. Aside from writing for California Tours, Nancy has her own travel blog, www.Nancydbrown.com<\/a> and writes the \u201cWhat a Trip<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0newspaper column for the Contra Costa Times\u00a0Lamorinda Sun<\/a>, a publication of Media News Group.\u00a0 She is the Lodging Editor<\/a> for Uptake.com\u00a0and the on-line Travel\u00a0Editor for Diablo<\/a> magazine.\u00a0 Horse lovers will find her\u00a0on the Writing Horseback<\/a> blog.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Are you looking for sun and fun adventure during the winter season? Load up on family fun without unloading your wallet! First time visitors to Hawaii and their families will want to keep this travel list handy for free and nearly free things to see and do on the islands of Maui and Oahu, Hawaii. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4146,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_s2mail":"yes","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[40,39,38,36,37],"class_list":["post-4093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hawaii","tag-family-travel","tag-free-activities","tag-honolulu","tag-maui","tag-oahu"],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/palmtree-sunset_shutterstock_8mb.jpg",7744,5184,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/palmtree-sunset_shutterstock_8mb-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/palmtree-sunset_shutterstock_8mb-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/palmtree-sunset_shutterstock_8mb.jpg",768,514,false],"large":["https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/palmtree-sunset_shutterstock_8mb-1024x685.jpg",1024,685,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/palmtree-sunset_shutterstock_8mb.jpg",1536,1028,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/palmtree-sunset_shutterstock_8mb.jpg",2048,1371,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"California Tours","author_link":"www.Nancydbrown.com"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Are you looking for sun and fun adventure during the winter season? Load up on family fun without unloading your wallet! First time visitors to Hawaii and their families will want to keep this travel list handy for free and nearly free things to see and do on the islands of Maui and Oahu, Hawaii.…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4093","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4093"}],"version-history":[{"count":48,"href":"https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4093\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5021,"href":"https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4093\/revisions\/5021"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.california-tour.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}