5 Things to Do in Hawaii for Free

You're a smart budget traveler. You've researched and found cheap airfares to get you and your family to Hawaii. You've wisely rented a timeshare, which has saved you money over hotel accommodations, given you a kitchen to help further save money when feeding those constantly hungry kids, and you get to enjoy many of the resort's amenities to boot.

Now, how to stretch that budget even further. Here are 5 tips on how to enjoy much of the real Hawaii for free.

1. Beach Fun
Many of Hawaii's best beaches are practically empty during mid-day. Give the kids an exciting treasure hunt along the beach - who can find shells, scuttling crabs, even coconuts fallen overnight from surrounding palms. Or have a sand sculpture contest. Forget the castle - who can build a sand mermaid, or a pirate's chest, or a sailboat?

2. Snorkeling
Most of Hawaii's snorkeling bays are free. You don't need to pay a fee to be able to enjoy a spectacular underwater adventure! If you don't already have snorkel gear, you can get an inexpensive set from a local convenience store. The colorful fish, slippery eels and occasional fascinating octopus all await you.

3. Hiking
Miles of free hiking trails will take you across tropical rain forests, through towering stands of bamboo, and past splashing waterfalls. You can find easy beginner’s walks along the surf, to advanced hikes across jagged cliff tops. Pick up trail information at visitor's centers, on the internet, and even at your own resort. Do your own research and you won't have to pay for a guided tour.

4. Waterfalls
All of the islands of Hawaii are blessed with abundant waterfalls - you can swim around them, walk behind them, slide down them, float in their sparkling swirls. A good guidebook will tell you exactly where to find the best waterfalls - many you can just pull off the road to see, and others will reward you at the end of a hike.

5. Driving Tours
Before your trip, so some research and learn where the special places are for viewing awesome vistas, and finding hidden treasures. For example, a drive across Oahu will take you past Dole pineapple fields where you can stop in for a free taste and a close up look at how pineapples grow. Driving around the Big Island you'll see everything from fresh lava flows to a working cattle ranch. The Hana Highway on Maui is the most popular for spectacular tropical beauty.

Why is a timeshare rental (http://www.redweek.com/timeshare-rentals) the best way to have a budget-friendly Hawaiian vacation? Your Hawaii timeshare rental will generally cost up to 50% less than a comparable hotel room, and gives you separate bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, a balcony, and a kitchen. Included in the low rental price will be some of the resort’s amenities including multiple swimming pools, often with waterpark features, hot tubs, kiddie pools and children’s playgrounds, and arcade game rooms.

With budget-friendly timeshare rentals and these tips on how to enjoy much of Hawaii for free, vacationing in Hawaii has never been so affordable!

*Written by Guest Writer Alice Perkins, who is a timeshare travel blogger for the website http://www.redweek.com, the largest online market place for timeshare rentals, where vacationers can find luxury accommodation for less than the cost of a typical hotel room.