Hawaii Bargain Tours

Finding family beach bargains in Hawaii, the Caribbean

Ready to build the biggest sandcastle ever?

Maybe you'd rather jump some waves with the kids or read that novel on the beach while they're happily engaged elsewhere.

This summer, if you are willing to fly, you may find a better deal in the Caribbean or even Hawaii than in traditional beach resort towns like Newport, R.I., or Cape Cod, Mass. In fact, when Travelocity named summer's Top 10 family destinations, after Orlando, they included Cancun and Puerta Vallerta, the Hawaiian Islands, the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos and the Dominican Republic.

Travelocity spokesman Genevieve Brown says rates can be as much 50 percent less than last winter. "And that doesn't even include value adds like upgrades and resort credits," she said, noting that the Caribbean has some of the most aggressive offers.

For example, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas touts "Reconnect," which includes breakfast and a $100 daily resort credit, rates starting at $359 a night (at least $200 less than in winter) and even a kids' sailing and windsurfing camp.

Look for deals starting at $250 a night, plus a resort credit of up to $400 at the brand-new Grand Solmar on the beach in Cabo San Lucas with lower rates at its sister properties next door. Families will like the mini kitchens and the location that's within walking distance to everything.

Look for deals at upscale Caribbean resorts from www.perfectescapes.com .

Travelzoo senior editor Gabe Saglie notes that Hawaii, which typically isn't known for summer deals, can be a bargain this year, as it tries to recoup from the hit it took from the drop in Japanese tourists following the earthquake and tsunami. Early predictions state that tourism to Hawaii is expected to fall by 45 percent as a result. "All of a sudden it is much more affordable than we expect," he said.

For example, the newly renovated Kauai Marriott Resort's (kids will love the pool complex) Free for All deal includes free golf for the kids, discounts on food, room upgrades and more for $259 a night. (Visit www.kauaimarriott.com and enter promotional code FLP.)

Maui's newest luxury resort, Honua Kai Resort & Spa on 38 oceanfront acres slashed 35 percent off their rates and threw in a fifth night free at the all-suite resort where families can spread out and eat some of their meals in their suites.

You can try a different kind of experience too. Go to Belize where you can visit Mayan ruins and, through the Maya Village Homestay program, also stay with a Maya family in a local village near Punta Garda. You can also take a hands-on workshop to learn how to make chocolate from cacao beans or go along with researchers studying crocodiles at the Lamanai Outpost Lodge's Crocodile Encounter.

Two New Hawaii Movie Studios » Discover Hawaii News ... - Hawaii Tours

Now Ryan Kavanaugh, the CEO of Relativity Media, is proposing to build two new movie studios in Hawaii. Kavanaugh, who takes trips to Maui to visit his second home, is one of Hollywood’s biggest producers and financiers. Having produced “The Fighter” and “Charlie Wilson’s War” and over 50 other movies since 2005, Kavanaugh envisions building 40-acre studios on both Maui and Oahu that could create thousands of jobs.

Not only will two new studios generate more filming on Oahu and Maui, but it would in turn create more visitors to Hawaii. Trips visiting movie locations have long been popular in New York, Venice and Los Angeles, and Hawaii is slowly catching on. Taking tours of the film locations on Kualoa Ranch has been a popular activity for over a decade on Oahu, as visitors love seeing filming locations from “Jurassic Park” and “50 First Dates.”

If Kavanaugh gets his way, in the very near future a trip to Maui might just include a visit to the sight of the latest Hollywood blockbuster.

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