Unless you're a paradise freak. It was his first time, my third. Hawaii can be done on a budget if you know where to look. And the looking begins before you leave Bakersfield, with airfare as the first challenge. Get your tickets on the Internet and do it as soon as you know when you are going to go.
Prices fluctuate a lot during the year, so looking early can pay off.
I told my son we'd have to pass on the dinner cruise, until I did the shopping myself after arriving. All over Waikiki are free booklets of Oahu Week or This Week Oahu. Inside is a virtual cornucopia of options and coupon bargains. The two-hour cruise of the bay and harbor on the Starlet boat was a real treat. Coffee and dessert were free.