How to Build a Budget-Friendly Maui Family Vacation

Today I’m sharing my tips for planning a budget-friendly Maui family vacation. Yes, it IS Possible!

MAUI, HAWAII – With long flights to get there even from the West Coast, and an average daily room rate of $350*, Maui may be one of the last places a budget-minded traveler would think of spending vacation time. And it may seem an especially daunting destination to the frugal traveler with a family in tow.

But while it may feel effortless (though painful) to plan an expensive Maui family vacation, planning one that would cost only half as much–or less–may be easier than you think. Here are a few tips to help your family get the most Maui for the least moolah.

Take advantage of spring airfare sales to Maui.

When you’re buying tickets to Maui for four or more people, a difference in $100, $200, $300 or more per ticket makes a huge dent in your travel budget’s bottom line. Just consider the difference in total airfare between a family of four that travels over their President’s Week school vacation (AKA ski week) or spring break, and the family of four that waits until summer vacation:

Summer vacation for 4:       

RT San Francisco/Maui @ $700   = $2800 total airfare

Spring vacation for 4:            

RT San Francisco/Maui @ $350   = $1400 total airfare

By taking advantage of Alaska Airline’s spring fare sales, we were twice able to fly round trip to Maui from the Bay Area for less than $350 per person (including taxes). In fact, the savings of $1400 illustrated here may actually pay for a 1-week stay in a 1-bedroom Maui vacation rental!

As I update this in early May 2023, Hawaiian Airlines is still promoting spring fares through end of May/early June, including one-way fares from San Francisco OR Oakland to Maui from $129 each way. Click here to check Hawaiian Airlines’ latest special offers.

Tip: Use www.Fly.com to find out which airlines serve Maui from your nearest airport and sign up for their promotional emails. You’ll be the first to know when they offer a fare sale to Maui—which is important when the number of sale seats per flight are limited and you’ll be buying four or more of them. By subscribing, you may also get special offers, promotional codes, or perks others don’t.

Bypass the resorts and book a Maui condo instead.

It goes without saying that a family equipped to cook at least some of its meals during a Maui vacation will save money over the family stuck with eating out in restaurants the entire time. But having a kitchen, which may be included in many resort rooms as well, is really just the beginning of the financial advantages you’ll have by renting a fully-equipped Maui vacation rental.

Privately owned Maui condos and vacation rentals often come stocked with extras you’d have to pay additional fees for at a resort—like boogie boards and beach chairs—or conveniences you’d pay resort fees for such as beach towels to use during your stay.

Maui vacation condos and rentals usually provide more square feet per dollar than resort rooms, too, and with a 1-, 2-, or 3+ bedroom vacation rental, large families and those vacationing with grandparents or extended family can more affordably accommodate the group without the financial burden of having to pay for a second hotel room for extra children or additional hotel rooms for extended family.

And in a best case scenario, your vacation rental will even include a washer and dryer in your unit, which can not only save you over exorbitant resort laundry fees (or trips back and forth from a coin-op shared laundry) but it may even save you on checked baggage fees when you can get away with packing fewer outfits (x 4 or more people!).

Shelly’s pro tip: Search family-friendly and budget-friendly maui vacation rentals through VRBO

Or… consider camping on Maui!

Yes, you can fly your camping gear over to Maui, but for a family of four, you might really want to consider a campervan rental instead. A VW Westfalia campervan rental from Maui Westy Campers for a van sleeping 4 runs $140-$160 per night in mid season or $160-200 per night in high season —and that covers both your car rental and lodgings!

Note: That doesn’t include additional insurance (optional) of $15 a day, or campground fees—which range from $5 per adult (and $2 to $3 for children) at some camp sites up to $35 per night for a family. But what else does it include? All of the bedding and towels you’ll need, a kitchen kit, French coffee press, ice chest, flashlight, and other helpful items (www.alohacampers.com).

Having a campervan also gives you great advantages on Maui. You can continue exploring the island without constantly back-tracking, and every time you go to the beach you’ll have everything you might possibly need, including all of your food, a stocked ice chest, and mobile changing room!

Rent your snorkel gear or paddle board by the day or week (not by the hour).

Even if you’re staying at a resort, renting snorkel equipment on your own by the day or week will save you money over renting it from a beachfront resort. For example, you can pay around $35 an hour to rent a snorkel set at most Maui beachfront resorts, or stop by Snorkel Bob’s dive and snorkel gear rentals to get fitted for you complete “Ultimate Truth” premium snorkel & fin set for the week at $45 for adults—and lower-priced packages for kids. And you’ll be able to snorkel wherever and whenever you want during your stay.

Paddle boards rented from beachfront resorts may cost you from $55 an hour and up (they usually include a quick lesson with that). But if you pick up a rental board en route to the beach instead, you’ll get the board for the entire day for around the same price. If you’re wondering how to get a paddle board from a rental shop in town to the beach of your choice, it looks something like this (yes, those are foam noodles on the roof–and they’ll show you how).

Or if you prefer, some board shops in Maui like 808 Boards offer affordable day rates of around $50/day or $200/week WITH free delivery and pick up in the west end included.

Skip the spendy luau and get your Hawaiian entertainment for free.

It’s not to say that an evening of feasting, fire dancers, and world class hula performances is anything to sneeze at. But the family on a budget doesn’t have to spend the $80 to $100 per adult (and child over 12 years) or $30 to $50 per child 6 to 12 years, to enjoy Hawaiian culture and entertainment. Especially when there are plenty of opportunities around Maui to enjoy it for free. Here are some places to start.

Free family fun in the Kihei, Makena, and Wailea area:

Check the schedule of free entertainment and activities including Polynesian dance performances, Papa Hula dance and ukulele lessons, lei making, and more. You can view upcoming events at The Shops at Wailea website.

Free family fun in the Ka’anapali area:

Take a look at the current schedule of events at Whaler’s Village, where you may find hula lessons, lei-making classes, ukulele lessons, and even a free movie night.

Free Friday town parties all around Maui:

Plus, each week Maui has a rotating “Friday Town Party” with free live entertainment, food trucks and vendors, and local arts and crafts on display. Here’s the schedule:

• First Friday of the month – Wailuku
• Second Friday – Lahaina
• Third Friday – Makawao
• Fourth Friday – Kihei
• Fifth Friday – Lana‘i

Kihei’s Friday town parties, which happen every 4^th Friday of the month at the Azeka Shopping Center, are known to be particularly family friendly, with face painting, animal rides, and now “human hamster balls” on water. You can visit the Maui Fridays site to see which parties are coming up next.

Plan ahead—or plan last minute for Maui.

Planning your budget-friendly Maui vacation well in advance will enable you to jump on those best airfare specials when they surface, and also to reserve one of the best-value vacation rentals before someone else gets it for the dates that you want.

Destination Residences, for example, will even reward you for booking from at least 60 days up to 120 days in advance with discounts up to 40%. That can bring the cost of a 1-bedroom garden view condo at Grand Champions Villas in Wailea down as low as $143 per night, or a 1-bedroom ocean view at Wailea Ekahi Village down as low as $269 per night (prices will vary by season, date, and individual unit). Click here for more about these offers from Destination Residences.

But if you’re too late to be early, there’s no reason to despair. Many vacation rental owners will drop prices on certain dates if there is a cancellation or an odd number of days to fill between other stays (keep checking Vrbo).

Save like a local on groceries.

Yes, there is a Costco near Maui’s main airport, and you and 100 of your closest friends from your flight may all be headed there as soon as you pick up your rental cars. But before you load up on more short ribs or cheese doodles and jumbo-size condiments than you may be able to consume during your stay, consider whether or not this is the most cost-effective way to go about grocery shopping for your vacation.

You might fare much better overall by shopping at a grocery store nearer your accommodations on an as-needed bases. Safeway has multiple locations on Maui, including Kihei, Kahului, and Lahaina, and if you already have a Safeway Club Card, you can use it to get the sale prices when shopping at any of these.

Foodland, which also has locations in Kihei, Kahului, and Lahaina, is rumored to have better prices than Safeway, especially when you take advantage of their Maika’i Card savings program (similar to the Safeway Club Card). You don’t have to be a local to join; just ask a cashier for the quick form to fill in on your first visit and the “instant savings” prices will apply to you at checkout.

Better still, Maui has farmer’s markets all around the island and all through the week. In fact, central Maui and south Maui (Kihei) have farmer’s market three days a week, making it easy to buy the freshest, local produce you could hope to get your hands on (unless you want to go pick your own…). Click here to see the full list of Maui’s farmer market locations and dates.

You might also like these other Maui family vacation features:

My Six Picks: Great Maui Vacation Rentals for Multi-Gen Family Vacations

Of Pirate Ships and Paddle boards: A review of Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas

East Maui Escape: My Review of Travaasa Hana for Families

Inspired yet? For more tips, ideas, and inspiration for your Maui family vacation, see my “Maui with Kids” board on Pinterest. And if you get a great budget-friendly Maui tip, please share with the rest of us it in a comment below. Mahalo!

You might also like:

Kauai with Kids – Hawaii Family Vacation Guide

The Ten Best U.S. Vacation Destinations for LGBTQ+ Families

Ten Things You Should Do Before Booking Family Vacation Rentals

California with Kids: 10 Unforgettable Family Vacations

This article was first published September 25, 2015. It has since been revised and updated.