Activity prices

I just thought I would post an interesting thing I just realized when going over the budget for our up coming trip. A little background, we are going over in June with our 14 year old son and our 14 year old nephew. Being energetic young boys we were looking for activities that they would like that mom %26amp; dad could keep up with them. We pretty much settled on Backcountry zipline since my wife and I went on it last year and really enjoyed it. My DW made a comment a while back that it would be really nice to take a day trip to Oahu to show our nephew Pearl Harbor. I kind of put it out of my mind thinking it would be too much of our budget to do that. Being bored this morning I decided to look into it. I got a big surprise. The four of us could go to Pearl Harbor for about $40-$50 more total than to just do the zipline. And that%26#39;s airfare, car, and admission to USS Bowfin, USS Missouri, and the Pacific Air Museum.

Airfare for 4 (incl. taxes) $352.80

Car $40

Admission $148

Total $540.80

Backcountry Zipline for 4 $500

I dropped a jaw. I think the boys will get a lot more out of the day trip especially since their great grandfather was a Pearl Harbor survivor. Plus it%26#39;s pretty much a full day experience instead of a few hours. And the DW can get a few hours at the swap meet.

The moral of the story, research, research, research. If you have a budget like us which I know many do, you never know what you%26#39;ll find. Don%26#39;t dismiss anything until you check it out.

Activity prices

%26lt;%26lt;I think the boys will get a lot more out of the day trip especially since their great grandfather was a Pearl Harbor survivor%26gt;%26gt;

My kids absolutely LOVED this. We spent the entire day at Pearl Harbor. My father was in the Navy during WWII and was stationed in the Pacific. It was a great trip for me as well.

We actually flew into Honolulu from LA and spent one night in Waikiki with a whole day at Pearl Harbor. Not sure if you can do that from Portland but just a suggestion.

Activity prices

To be blunt the zip line is a cheap carnival thrill ride. They are a dime a dozen and everywhere. So are Swap meets

There is only one Pearl Harbor, one USS Arizona, One USS Missouri. and their great grandgfather was there.

It is pretty clear to me...

Pearl Harbor is a national icon... THere is the USS Arizona Natl Mem.. where the war started, The submarine memorial and museum next door how the war was fought, and the New Pacific Air Museum. Finaly the USS Missouri... where the war ended.. and has great ship tours, and food on board to eat.

Its a full 8-9 hour day of history that every American needs to visit in their life...... the full experience will take all day...

You wont need a car....take a cab from the airport faster and cheaper

martik, this will be a day trip while we are on Kauai. We did it a few years ago with both our sons when we went to Maui. Our nephew has never been to the islands.

My wife%26#39;s grandfather was aboard the Helena when it took a torpedo in the attack and sunk. He passed in 07 and we recently got some transcripts from his interview about the attack and the Helena%26#39;s final resting place after being returned to service and being sunk in the Solomon Islands. He spent a couple days floating in the water covered in oil. He was rescued, rehabbed and returned to service on the USS Franklin which was hit and almost sunk off Japan. To him it was just a little piece of his life, not a big deal. I haven%26#39;t seen a dry eye on anyone who has read the story.

Dan, I agree that the day trip to Pearl was the clear choice. There is quite few ziplines in the islands now but it is a fun activity. But as I have now found out pretty high priced for what you actually get. Along with tubing, horseback riding, and many other activities available in the islands.

And I don%26#39;t think I%26#39;ll be able to talk the wife out of the Aloha Bowl swap meet. But we have never been to the air museum so we may skip the swap meet. But the last time we did a day trip we went to the memorial, the Mighty Mo and the Bowfin and still had quite a bit of time to kill. We won%26#39;t be venturing into Waikiki this time so since the Aloha Bowl is so close to Pearl we might have enough time to see a bit of the swap meet.