Is visiting all 50 states on your bucket list? Or maybe you’d just like to spend some time in paradise? There’s a military benefit that makes going to Hawaii more doable for an average family.
Military travel tip: Did you know military members, including reservists and National Guardsmen, receive TSA PreCheck benefits for free? TSA PreCheck is an expedited security screening process at airports. It typically costs $78 for a five-year membership and requires an online application plus in-person enrollment. To receive this benefit, enter your DOD ID number in the Known Traveler Number field when booking your flight. Unfortunately, spouses don’t qualify.
Reservists and members of the National Guard are entitled to stay at Morale, Welfare and Recreational (MWR) lodging facilities across the U.S. and around the world. My husband has been in the Guard for more than 23 years, and we just took advantage of this benefit for the first time. I don’t know what took us so long.
In November, we traveled to the Hawaiian island of Oahu for eight days to celebrate a few milestones: the end of an overseas deployment, our 15-year anniversary and my 40th birthday.
In my trip-planning research I came across the Hale Koa Hotel, which is an Armed Forces Recreation Centers facility. The oceanfront resort is located on the property of the U.S. Army’s Fort DeRussy in the popular Waikiki area of Honolulu. I quickly realized the Hale Koa – meaning “house of the warrior” in Hawaiian – would be our answer to planning an affordable trip to Hawaii, which is a notoriously expensive place to visit and live.
Staying at the Hale Koa
The Hale Koa, built in 1975, features 818 guest rooms, two pools (one adult-only) and several restaurants. The rooms start at $184 per night (much less than any comparable hotel I priced out). It turned out to be just what we were looking for — a clean, comfortable, family-friendly resort on the Pacific Ocean in walking distance to all of Waikiki’s shops, restaurants and activities. An unexpected bonus: The Hale Koa’s beach and pool are the perfect spot to catch the free fireworks show that takes place every Friday night at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
Another perk of the Hale Koa is an on-site PX. As a Guard family, we’ve never lived on post so our kids love the novelty of shopping at the PX. It was nice to grab inexpensive, tax-free drinks and snacks for the day, rather than pay tourist prices the whole trip.
What we did on Oahu
We rented a car so we could experience all of Oahu’s “must do” activities. We spent one afternoon paying our respects at Pearl Harbor, taking the Navy-operated boat to the USS Arizona Memorial. The Arizona program, exhibits and grounds are free and part of the National Park Service. Reservations are recommended for the Arizona memorial. Other attractions at Pearl Harbor include the Battleship Missouri Memorial, Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum and Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
Another day we climbed the iconic Diamond Head, a dormant volcanic crater with stunning views of Honolulu and the ocean waiting for you at the top. Then we snorkeled at Hanauma Bay, home to a coral reef and a variety of vibrant tropical fish. These spots are crowded and touristy but worth doing. They both require reservations and a fee; some military discounts are available.
We also spent part of our trip on Oahu’s North Shore, stopping at the Dole Plantation for its famous pineapple-flavored Dole Whip along the way. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate during our time on the North Shore, but we still enjoyed watching surfers near the famed Banzai Pipeline, seeing the beautiful beaches at Turtle Bay Resort, walking around the surf town of Haleiwa and visiting the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie.
As all good vacations do, our trip to Oahu came and went too quickly. If you’re traveling to Hawaii and planning to spend some time in Waikiki, remember your MWR benefits and consider the Hale Koa. It helped our family make amazing memories and cross the Aloha State off our bucket list.
MWR lodging around the globe
United States
Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort (Florida)
Fort Fisher Air Force Recreation Area (North Carolina)
Seward Resort (Alaska)
Big Bear Recreation Facility (California)
Hale Koa Hotel (Oahu, Hawaii)
Kilauea Military Camp (The Big Island, Hawaii)
Europe
Edelweiss Lodge and Resort (Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany)
Asia
New Sanno Hotel (Tokyo, Japan)
Okuma Beach (Okinawa, Japan)
Dragon Hill Lodge (Seoul, South Korea)
