budget travel tips - Pitstops for Kids

Where to eat with kids on Kauai North Shore

May 22, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

Eating out is one of the most expensive aspects of any family vacation, right after airfare and lodging. When your vacation is in the Hawaiian islands, the cost can be even higher.

Wondering where to eat with kids that won’t break the bank? We have plenty of picks for Kauai, particularly on the North Shore. If you’re staying in a vacation rental, all the better…you can make meals at home, and supplement with these fun eats:

Best lunch to-go or dinner pick-up:

North Shore Country Store:

Grab a great plate lunch here, or pick up a pizza to go to eat at home after a fun beach day. This store is right by the gas station at the entrance of the Princeville resort community, near the Foodland store and other convenience stops.

Kilauea Fish Market:

This cute hole-in-the-wall near the Kilauea Lighthouse is located in a small shopping center (go around back). They have a limited menu with only what’s most fresh and available, and offer plate lunches with fresh fish, rice, and potato-mac salad. There’s also fish tacos, and people rave about the mahi mahi wraps…we tried the plate lunches only, and loved them. Order ahead and pick up to take back to your vacation rental or to the beach, or eat at outside picnic tables.

Puka Dog:

Located in Hanalei, Puka Dog has to-die-for hot dogs topped with relishes like pineapple relish, banana relish, or mango relish, plus mild to hot garlic sauce and Hawaiian spicy-sweet mustard. Veggie dogs are also available. Grab dogs to go for the beach, and be sure to try the homemade lemonade, too!

Sunshine Markets:

Look for these open-air farmer’s markets across the island, on designated days and times. We found the Hanalei one on Saturday morning, with acai smoothies, lots of fresh produce, juice bars, and handcrafted items. Pick up produce for dinner and treats for your morning.

Moloaa Sunrise Fruit Stand:

This small dining space along the highway between Princeville and Kapa’a is so much more than a fruit stand, but still looks just like one, which is part of its charm. When you pull up into the dirt parking lot, the first thing you see is fresh fruit lining the front counter in baskets, with a list of prices by the pound. At the counter, grab a menu and pick out a fresh fruit smoothie or freeze, or opt for a full meal. They serve amazing breakfasts and sandwiches here. Try the Ahi sandwich or the breakfast burrito. Eat at the open-air counter or take it to go.

Note: many readers also seem to love Bubba’s, in Hanalei, for their great burgers. We didn’t get a chance to try this counter-service establishment ourselves, however.

Best nice dinner out:

Dolphin Restaurant:

Located in downtown Hanalei, the Dolphin features an open-air dining room, outdoor ‘garden’ seating, and a fish market. Come at night to eat in the glow of tiki torches, and be sure to try the sushi. We had a nice meal out with the adults only during our trip, but we saw plenty of kids, too. Dolphin manages to be casual but also upscale, a rare but beautiful quality in a restaurant. They have a nice wine list and lots of fun cocktails. I loved the Skinny Chi Chi with coconut vodka. Plan to spend about $25-$35 per entree for adults…a bit overpriced, in my opinion, but off-set by the friendly service and nice ambiance.

Postcards Cafe:

We didn’t get a chance to eat here, but my sister and brother-in-law did, and reported that the food was as tasty as at Dolphin, in a more intimate, cozy setting. You’ll get excellent service at Postcards, and enjoy your meal in a quaint Hawaiian plantation house. The restaurant is located right across the street from Dolphin in Hanalei, and does require reservations on most evenings.

Best Shave Ice:

Let’s get serious: the most important meal of the day is your daily shave ice on Kauai, right? We enjoyed several shave ice stands in Hanalei, but the lines get very long in this resort area. Instead, head up the road toward Princeville to the shopping center. Directly across from the North Shore General Store, you’ll see Kauai Shave Ice. This hole-in-the-wall stand uses natural syrups, without any corn syrup and non-GMO. Hang onto your cone though, because the cups used can topple over.

We found the shave ice with the best price in Kapa’a, at Ono Ono Shave Ice. It’s in a parking lot, so we took our shave ice here to go, but prices start at just $3.50 instead of the usual $4 for four flavors. Add a scoop of ice cream to the bottom for just a $1 or $1.50 more.

Note: for a healthier option, try an acai bowl. This smoothie-type treat comes with fresh cut fruit and granola on top.

Best Luau:

Smith’s Tropical Island Paradise:

An evening at Smith’s is a full schedule of food and entertainment. Get there right when it opens (at 5 pm in the spring and summer) to walk the grounds before the excitement begins. When you arrive, you’ll be handed shell leis and a map of the gardens; either take the tram on a loop tour, or explore on your own. We took the tram, then wandered back to our favorite spots. Be sure to buy bird feed for the kids to throw to the many peacocks, chickens, and ducks!

Dinner is served following a ceremonial uncovering of the roasted pig (which is optional to watch), and is served buffet-style. There was plenty to eat and drink, and the kids had fun trying Hawaiian dishes such as poi and shredded pork. There’s an open bar for the adults, with Mai Tais, wine, and beer, but we found out the bartenders will make you whatever you want. During dinner, you’ll be entertained by dancers and a band.

Check out the kids, or ‘keikis’ learning the hula:

After dinner, head to the amphitheater for the luau show. It lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes, and everyone in our group, from the four-year-old to the grandparents, enjoyed it. It was very professionally done, though the length was a tad long after a full day (we wouldn’t have minded a one hour show). The whole evening was well organized and relaxing, and we recommend it as a first luau for newcomers to the islands. Smith’s is affordable for families with kids (they’re only $19 each) but you’ll pay over $78 for each adult. Consider it a full scale evening out…dinner and a show.

Where do you like to eat on Kauai?

Where to stay on Kauai North Shore: HomeAway vacation rental pick

April 15, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

We recently spent 10 days exploring as many off-the-beaten-path locations on Kauai we could. Our home base: this North Shore Kauai vacation rental. Located in the resort community of Princeville just a few blocks from the ocean, the home was perfect for our extended, multigenerational family of 11. If you’re wondering where to stay on Kauai North Shore with your family, read on!

When we booked this home through HomeAway, we were given maps and detailed information about where the house is located. We worried the neighborhood would feel to ‘suburban’, or, as one of my kids put it, ‘like it could be anywhere’. I understood what he meant: would our vacation rental and its neighborhood look just like our street at home?

The short answer: no, it did not. With plenty of grass for the kids to play on, beautifully landscaped around lush gardens, our vacation home felt like a tropical bungalow tucked into the jungle. I could meditate in the garden, even while the boys played football around the side of the house. We could sit out on our spacious lanai and watch the sun go down over the breathtaking mountains. And we could even see a waterfall from our upstairs bedroom window. ‘A regular suburban neighborhood’, it was not.

The house’s greatest asset aside from the lovely grounds is the spacious kitchen and pretty lanai with ample outdoor living space. Families can find a BBQ in the back, and just as important after days of swimming, a spacious laundry room off the garage. Several boogie boards, a surf board, some snorkeling gear, and other beach equipment (including a cooler) save families money on rentals.

A large master bedroom is located upstairs, with three more bedrooms downstairs (one of which has bunk beds). The house has three bathrooms, but only one shower and one bath. This was a problem for us, no doubt about it: one shower for 11 people needing to rinse off after a beach day? It got ugly! However, we knew this would be the case from the get-go: HomeAway clearly describes all layouts and house configurations, and several reviews brought it to our attention as well. Vacation rental tip: always read the reviews from past guests!

We had wifi, parking for two cars (or more), and ample space and amenities for enjoying big family meals. We had movie nights and Mai Tai nights (virgin for the kids, of course), and game nights. We didn’t have a pool, and frankly, we didn’t miss it. With so much swimming in the ocean every day, we were ready for some fun out of the water by evening.

Nearby amenities and activities:

If you opt for a Princeville North Shore rental, you’ll be within walking distance of at least one beach (at the base of the St. Regis), Queen Emma’s Baths, and Hideaway Beach. You’re also close to golf. You have the Princeville shopping complex just outside the Princeville planned community (about 5-10 minutes away). There you’ll find a thorough (yet expensive) grocery store, the best shave ice on Kauai, Kauai Shave Ice (best, in our opinion, due to the natural, non-GMO flavors used), several restaurants, and the North Shore General Store, which is both a convenience store and a great take-out location, with pizzas, plate lunches, and sandwiches.

Just about 10 minutes away is the town of Hanalei, which is adorable, right on the shores of Hanalai Bay, and offers everything you need in terms of activity rentals, restaurants, and surf. The start of the Na Poli Coast is just a bit further, and you’re 45 minutes from Lihoe and only 30 from Smith’s Luau and other West Shore gems. We found Princeville to be a great home base, and we certainly didn’t mind doing some driving…there’s so much to see on Kauai!

Pros of a Kauai vacation home rental:

Space and price are the top reasons we love renting vacation homes from HomeAway. Our rental came out to under $300 per night, for a family of 11. No where on Kauai could we find three hotel rooms for the same combined price. We always save additional money by buying and cooking our own meals. If this sounds good, here are other indicators a vacation rental home is for you: 1. you want space for the kids to play, 2. you want to be able to do your laundry easily, 3. you want to be able to separate kids and parents so Mom and Dad don’t need to go to bed at 8 pm.

Cons of a Kauai vacation home rental:

Renting a house for your Hawaii vacation may not be for you if guest services and hotel pampering are a big part of your vacation experience. This is true everywhere, not just on the Hawaiian islands. When you rent a home, some of the nitty gritty details you may not want to think about on vacation fall to you: do we have enough toilet paper? Should we run to the market for trash bags? Where do we take the recycling? Is the fridge leaking? If you’d much rather not think about such things (and are willing to pay more for that privilege), opt for a hotel or resort stay instead.

Want a preview of some of the nearby activities on Kauai? Check out our video:

Other reasons you may not want a rental home:

if you don’t want to drive often in your car to reach amenities such as tennis courts, golf courses, and beaches
if you don’t wish to stay in a neighborhood or town (preferring a resort atmosphere)
if you don’t want to shop for food and cook your own meals

Have you rented a vacation home on Kauai? Where?

Five budget travel hacks you thought you’d outgrown

March 20, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

You traveled extensively as a young adult, but now you’ve settled down with a job and kids. Think your budget travel days are behind you? Think again! The following budget travel hacks can still be implemented with kids in tow. All that’s needed is a little flexibility, nostalgia, and sense of adventure!

1. Take the bus or train:

Train travel is admittedly less convenient in the US than many points abroad, but great deals and experiences can still be had. Get out of the ‘road trip by car’ mindset and save on gas money on your next trip by booking Amtrak or VIA Rail (in Canada). Reserving sleeper compartments is a blast, but often more expensive than flying to your destination. Instead, use the Amtrak Fare Finder to locate Saver and Value coach seat fares for day time rail journeys. Stay the night in cities in-between for a road trip on rails. On VIA Rail, rail passes can be bought for youth, perfect for regular routes (such as to Grandma’s house). Plus, the scenery on VIA Rail cannot be beat. Grab a seat in an observation car and soak in the views for a fraction of the price of airfare. Read an entire post on affordable rail travel.

2. Stay in a KOA:

Have you visited a KOA Campground recently? They’re no longer you mom’s budget campground. KOAs are designated as Journey, Resort, or Holiday campgrounds now, making it easier to discern before booking what might be in store. What’s a Journey campground? It’s a pit stop…a place to stay near major roads and interstates while you’re traveling. Given the choice between a basic roadside motel room or a campground with a cabin and plenty of outdoor space, we choose the latter every time. Want to ‘glamp’ instead of camp? Try a KOA Destination or Holiday property. They’ll be located near major attractions and have plenty of on-site activities. We think there’s a time and place for both types of KOA resorts, and you’ll save money every time.

3. Eat at farmer’s markets:

Remember your bohemian days, when you ate and drank your way around new cities, soaking up the culture and learning about its people and history through tactile experiences and carefree exploration? You can still do this with kids…er, sort of. While the ‘carefree’ aspect of your trip may be lost to nap time schedules and early bedtimes, families can still find the heart of any city’s personality in farmer’s markets and street fairs. Instead of stopping at a fast food restaurant en route, seek out the area’s farm-to-fork offerings. On weekends in cities and agricultural areas, this will likely be in the form of a farmer’s market. On weekdays, look for food trucks or natural grocery stores. Buy the makings of a picnic, and eat at a public park, historical site, or designated nature area. The food is likely to be fresher, healthier, and cheaper, and everyone will burn off energy.

4. Stay cheap on a farm or ranch:

Farm stays are the very definition of family travel chic…they’re adventurous, ultra-local, and an absolute blast for kids. The nightly rate at most farm stays may not be cheaper than your standard B&B or hotel, but all those extras you usually have to buy when traveling with kids will disappear, like entertainment and food. Kids are content to roam the farm, help with chores, and play in a hayloft instead of requiring expensive admission tickets to museums and attractions. Farms and ranches offering stays range considerably, so do your research before pulling in. While some farms offer complete cabins or condos for families, others provide single guest rooms. The best will cater to families with included interaction with any animals on premises.

5. Backpack:

Have you been reminiscing about that summer you backpacked around Europe? Kids can certainly accompany you, though in some cases, hostels that charge a price per ‘head’ won’t be as economical as they were when you were single. Instead, look for European campgrounds located just outside major cities (some of the best we’ve seen are located in Croatia and Slovenia). If you’re craving a wilderness adventure, don’t shy away from backpacking in national parks or national forest service land with kids. Families who are prepared for a backpacking trip, and remain flexible en route, can have a very rewarding and low cost adventure the kids will remember for years. Learn how to plan a multi-day backpacking trip.

What are your best budget travel hacks? What ways does your family save money while traveling?