Hawaii is getting too expensive to visit.
- Thread starter gfh77665
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I think tourist hate is universal across the world. Spanish can't stand Brit tourists. Australians can't stand Indian tourists, Nepalese can't stand anybody because of their littering (Everest), etc. I can't stand most tourists either when I go into the downtown office, especially the tour groups where the blob of people take up an entire 10 ft wide sidewalk.
We (family of five) went to HI right at the end of the pandemic and had exactly the same experience as you. Went to the same places apparently. Stayed on Waikiki right across from the "lagoon" and it was beautiful. No tides to speak of, and beautiful weather the whole trip.
Went to all the "places to see", hiked up to the lighthouse for the amazing views. Awesome time and definitely worth every penny. But will I go again - yes! Cost was decent for all five of us for ten days (including airfare) including dinner at Hy's and all the cool places (secret island "beach"), Jurassic park area, etc.).
The one thing that ate up money was the taxi rides everywhere. I'll post up a picture when I find it.
Anyway - worth every penny for the trip. Great memories!
If anything, the big popularity in traveling right before COVID probably made it worse. Popular travel locations get it worse, like the coach busses that release their payloads at national parks.
You have seen nothing until you see a mega flotilla unload in Juneau AK. The ship is larger than downtown, and with 4 or 5 other ships cargo wandering the street, absolutely nowhere to walk. Even in the rain! But the funny part there are some lunch/beer places with nothing but tarps and gravel/mud underfoot. Just like the gold rush days!
That's another place on my bucket list! Hopefully the mosquitoes aren't as bad there as all the nature videos show about Alaska!
Me neither! Are they the smaller cruise ships? I can't stand cruises, I feel trapped inside but I can understand the allure of them.
I agree, we started traveling quite a bit in the past few years. We were surprised how uncrowded Florida was but the Keys at least were close to the price of Hawaii. We mostly travel in Mexico which is probably 30-50% the cost of Hawaii or Florida. Even traveling through Europe and visiting beaches along the Mediterranean the prices were much more reasonable than Hawaii.This nails it! HI can be fun to visit. But it is not cheap, and not better. Having been to about half the worlds countries, I'd say save your money and go to less traveled locations. One could easily go to the Italian beaches for half the cost, have a far better experience and get WAY better food too.
The local beach here in Jupiter, FL. 11 miles from my house. I've been wanting to go there lately. Have not been there much this year.
As the late, great Yogi Berra once said,
"Nobody goes there any more. Its too expensive and too crowded."
"Nobody goes there any more. Its too expensive and too crowded."
I entered a contest. First prize was a week vacation in Newark NJ, all expenses paid.
Second prize was a two week vacation in Newark NJ, all expenses paid.
Second prize was a two week vacation in Newark NJ, all expenses paid.
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If true, can't say that I blame them too much. There is a certain type that does earn that repute, but we're not all like that by a long shot. I've traveled a fair amount. My worst experience with others traveling in other countries, was when we were staying at a hostel in Spain. It was a shared room type deal. At around 2am to 3am in the morning, a group of Italians came in and despite everyone else in the room was clearly trying to sleep (lights off, everyone in bed), were super loud and inconsiderate, and it wasn't brief. It seemed like they really just didn't give af. I had earplugs in and it was still loud and annoying for me. I don't get angry easily for the most part, but I felt like yelling at them at the time.
But with that, I'm not going to make generalizations about Italians. It most likely was just that particular young group of Italians.
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We enjoy cruises since they do make for an easy getaway, especially going to the Caribbean during the winter. We do book the smaller ships having found we don't like the larger ones. As with anything else, you do get what you pay for, although there are always deals to be had for the alert, as with anything else.
It's also nice to go to Europe and stay somewhere for some days. This year, we'll visit Venice for four days and then board a small ship that hits ports along the Dalmatian coast and Greece and then terminates in Istanbul, where we'll spend some days and then on to Tbilisi, where we'll stay a week.
We'll be gone about a month and I'm sure we'll enjoy the experience.
I can understand how the locals feel in places that get overrun with visiting tourists. I'd feel the same were I a resident of a place like Barcelona or Venice.
It's also nice to go to Europe and stay somewhere for some days. This year, we'll visit Venice for four days and then board a small ship that hits ports along the Dalmatian coast and Greece and then terminates in Istanbul, where we'll spend some days and then on to Tbilisi, where we'll stay a week.
We'll be gone about a month and I'm sure we'll enjoy the experience.
I can understand how the locals feel in places that get overrun with visiting tourists. I'd feel the same were I a resident of a place like Barcelona or Venice.
As a young man I flew into and out of Newark same day for a meeting. I literally have no recollection of the place. Repressed Memory Syndrome, I'm sure.
I love Costa Rica. It is a completely different culture and the forest is stunning. Originally not on my bucket list but due to some Continental airline refund credit issue I have to travel with them to use it up within a year, and the furthest best use destination was CR. It was one of the best luck of draw in my travel history. Will definitely go again.
I am not a cruise person yet (too young too impatient) but I can see the charm. It is like you are in an RV that has a magical door into different part of the world every time you open it, and a theme park right outside the door whenever you feel like going somewhere. If you are spontaneous and like to try new things you get to do whatever you feel like all of a sudden. Not my thing but I can see kids getting excited about this kind of opportunities.
One day we will have earthlings not understand space travel as well, and want to just stay on earth. It is something like that.
