• A staycation (or stay-cation, or stacation) is a neologism for a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions.
  • The word "staycation" is a portmanteau of stay (meaning stay-at-home) and vacation.
Source: Wikipedia

Considering a staycation this summer? Here are our picks - by island - to rack up Bonus CashPointsSM close to home, and get that free Getaway Trip faster!

Hawaii Maui/Molokai/Lanai Kauai Oahu
Hawaii

The Big Island is full of fun things to do and exciting places to explore, and so are your choices of ways to earn Bonus CashPoints. Our Big Island picks for accommodations are both off-the-beaten path. At the Crater's Edge in Volcano offers luxury lodging accommodations in a magical forest setting next to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Traveling north to Kona, Holualoa Inn is a red cedar inn amidst a private 30-acre coffee estate on the slopes of magnificent Hualalai.

At the Crater's Edge
Holualoa Inn
Daniel Thiebaut

For family fun, sail on the Fair Wind II , a 60 foot catamaran with two 15-ft slides, high dive platform, showers, sun deck, cabin galley and full bar. The Hula Kai is a luxurious 55-ft hydrofoil combining first-class comfort with exhilarating cruising speeds to whisk you to spectacular hidden location along the remote South Kona Coast. Or let Body Glove Cruises transport you to Pawai Bay, a marine fish sanctuary offering snorkeling visibility up to 150 feet and is home to over 600 species of tropical fish. Another choice is to explore sea caves and lava tubes along the Kona coast on a fast-moving raft with Sea Quest Rafting Adventures. Your choice along the Kohala Coast is Ocean Sports providing a wide range of activities including snorkel tours, kayaks, sunset sails, glass bottom boat rides and much more.

Parker Ranch
Hula Kai
ATV Outfitters
KB Extreme

We have some great picks to rack up Bonus CashPoints on land too! Venture into the mountains of Kohala to secluded rain forests and waterfalls with ATV Outfitters, the only commercial enterprise with access to this remote area. If you prefer more traditional transportation, travel to the Parker Ranch, where Gear Up & Go can arrange trail rides and hunting adventures. While in Kamuela, visit the Parker Ranch Historic Homes museum and be sure to stop by the Parker Ranch Store to pick up souvenirs and omiyage from the Big Island's largest selection of styles and sizes of Paniolo wear and upcountry apparel. Not far from Kamuela but a world away in the Hamakua Rain Forest you'll find the Hawaiian Vanilla Company, the only commercial grower of vanilla in the U.S. Visit their gift shop, enjoy a provincial lunch, or partake of their afternoon upcountry tea. For clean, good indoor fun, visit KB Xtreme, West Hawaii's favorite family entertainment center with bowling and a large video game room.

Dining choices range from budget to gourmet. For breakfast, head to Bongo Ben's Island Cafe, the Kona local's favorite destination for breakfast ("huge" loco moco). Another local fav is U Top It, specializing in pan crepes, giving customers a wide assortment of toppings to design "custom crepes" (hence, U Top It). If you have a hankering for Asian, try Hilo's fixture, Leung's Chop Suey House or New Chiang Mai Thai Cuisine to sample Northern Thai cooking. Krua Thai Cuisine in Kona is another great choice. For fine dining, see why people drive miles to Daniel Thiebaut in Kamuela where Chef Daniel Thiebaut, formerly executive chef at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and native of the Lorraine region of France, serves up French-Asian cuisine.

Kauai

If you're planning a staycation on the Garden Isle, we have some great selections for you to earn Bonus CashPoints as you explore the soaring Na Pali cliffs or recline on any of Kauai's heavenly beaches. For accommodations, our pick for the family oriented is Best Western Plantation Hale Suites, Kauai Inn and Garden Island Inn for those preferring something more 'old time Hawaii', and the Kauai Beach Resort for a plantation-style resort with full amenities.

Kauai Beach Resort
Hale Plantation Suites
Kauai Inn
Garden Island Inn

There is no shortage of adventures on Kauai, and we have some great ways for you to have fun while racking up Bonus CashPoints. Sightsee, relax, snorkel and enjoy the Na Pali Coast and the Forbidden Island of Niihau with Holo Holo Charters, or venture off-road on ATVs through cool mountain pools and cascading waterfalls with Kauai ATV. Or for clean, good fun, visit Kauai's only bowling center, the Lihue Bowling Center. When you're ready for something more layed back, retreat to A Hideaway Spa in historic Waimea, and let them take care of you with herbal wraps to body scrubs.

Lighthouse Bistro
Holo Holo Charters
A Hideaway Spa
Kauai ATV

Finally, our choices for romantic dining to top off your busy day are the award-winning Port Allen Sunset Grill & Bar where you can enjoy the sun set over the ocean, or the Lighthouse Bistro in Kilauea serving fine Pacific cuisine with a European touch while relaxing to live music. If you're in the mood for something more casual, try the Tahiti Nui Car & Restaurant, which Fodor's calls a "venerable and decidedly funky institution in sleepy Hanalei".

Maui, Molokai and Lanai

If the Valley Isle is your choice for this summer's staycation, you're in luck. Whether exploring the wonders of Haleakala National Park or strolling through historic Lahaina, we have a bounty of great picks for you to earn Bonus CashPoints and build memories for a lifetime. For accommodations, pick from four kama'aina favorites. The Old Wailuku Inn at Ulupono is a charming inn listed on the Hawai'I Registry of Historic Places. Another award winning choice is The Inn at Mama's Fish House with nostalgic plantation-style cottages just steps from Hookipa Beach.The Paia Inn Hotel - a boutique hotel - is the ideal jumping off point to the arts and culture of East Maui, while the Hotel Wailea Maui is an all-suite, amenity filled resort in posh Wailea.

Hotel Wailea
Old Wailuku Inn
Inn at Mama's Fish House
Paia Inn Hotel

Maui adventures are varied and unforgettable, and when you can earn Bonus CashPoints they are no kai oi! Enjoy an all day sailing excursion to Lanai or a snorkel or scuba sail to Molokini with Trilogy Excursions or a sunset sail off Kaanapali Beach with Teralani Sailing Adventures. Maui is also home to two wildly exciting zipline adventures - the Piiholo Ranch Zipline in East Maui boasts the longest side-by-side zipline in Hawaii; and Flyin Hawaiian Zipline in the West Maui Mountains is renowned for its 3,200 foot monster! Or try your hand at soaring off the Kaanapali Coast with UFO Parasail. For family fun hop on the Expedition's Maui-Lanai ferry to enjoy spectacular views of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe in the morning, and then relax in the afternoon at Alii Kula Lavendar - a 13.5 acre lavender estate nestled on the cool slopes of Haleakala. If your destination is Upcountry Molokai, be sure to visit the Coffees of Hawaii Plantation and enjoy a fresh cup at their Espresso Bar and Cafe, drop in to the must-see Plantation Gift Shop with handmade crafts and a variety of coffee products, or join a mule drawn wagon tour of the Plantation.

Expeditions
Flyin Hawaiian Zipline
Coffees of Hawaii
Alii Kula Lavendar

Our Maui dining picks start with Lahaina Coolers Restaurant & Bar, an open air restaurant known for their ono breakfast (eggs benedict with Portugese sausage, huevos rancheros, fried rice with Kula veggies) as well as great menu items all day. Market Fresh Bistro in Makawao or Buzz's Wharf Restaurant in Maalaea are favorite lunch selections, and for a casual place to meet after a day of fun filled activities, head to Moose McGillicuddy's in Kihei or Lahaina. Dinner favorites range from Fu Lin Chinese Restaurant in Lahaina, to Fat Daddy's Smokehouse BBQ and Kobe Japanese Steak House. And if you're in a mood to splurge on a truly fine dining experience, head to Wolfgang Puck's Spago in Wailea. Another Wailea choice is The Grand Luau at Honua'ula , Maui's most spectacular and mesmerizing luau event, located on the luxurious grounds of the Grand Wailea Resort. Finally, on your way home be sure to drop by Maui Coffee Roasters near the airport - winner of the "2008 Best of Maui - Best Coffee House" for a quick cup of their freshly-ground gourmet brew.

Buzz's Wharf
Kobe Japanese Steak House
Lahaina Coolers Restaurant & Bar
Wolfgang Puck's Spago
Oahu

Whether you're a neighbor island visitor or a "close to home" staycationer, there are great ways to rack up Bonus CashPoints on Oahu and get that free Getaway Trip faster! For the Oahu staycationer, why not a little getaway to Waikiki? Select any Aqua Hotels & Resorts and earn 4 CashPoints per dollar on top of their 12% kama'aina discount. Each of the 12 Aqua hotels in Waikiki are unique, ranging from the tallest hotel in Waikiki with commanding views of the Pacific Ocean (Island Colony Hotel), a comfortable, budget friendly hotel offering fabulous views (Maile Sky Court), a AAA 3-Diamond contemporary boutique hotel (Aqua Palms & Spa), an affordable budget friendly hotel located directly across from Waikiki beach (Park Shore Waikiki), the contemporary and hip Aqua Waikiki Wave, and much more. If the choices are too bewildering, try their handy Aqua Visual Hotel Finder to find the perfect hotel for you. It will match you to just the hotel you are looking for.

Park Shore Waikiki
Aqua Palms & Spa
Island Colony Hotel
Aqua Waikiki Wave

If you still can't find what you're looking for, Hotel Renew is sure to satisfy. Ranked #2 of 98 hotels in Honolulu by TripAdvisor, this is a chic, houtique hotel known for their exceptionally friendly staff.

Those of us living on Oahu are spoiled by an abundance of fun summer activities for the whole family. Our picks include golf at Coral Creek, an adventure to the bottom of the ocean on Atlantis Submarines, take to the sky with Honolulu Soaring, get up close to sharks with North Shore Shark Adventure, a leisurely cruise off Oahu's world famous beaches on Atlantis Navatek, Outrigger Catamaran or Tradewind Charters, an afternoon at the Honolulu Zoo, or feasting at a traditional Hawaiian luau at Paradise Cove. For the horseman/woman there's Gunstock Ranch, a 400 acre working ranch on the North Shore where you can ride miles and miles of trails and they respect your freedom to ride as you wish. If you want to dance the night away, our picks are Rumours at the Ala Moana Hotel, Tsunami on King Street, and a couple of newly opened chill restaurant/nightclubs - Apartment 3 and Ka Restaurant & Lounge. Or if you feel like just sitting back and being thoroughly entertained, be dazzled by the Magic of Polynesia.

Magic of Polynesia
Coral Creek Golf
Atlantis Navatek
Paradise Cove

For those having a hankering for self-improvement, why not learn to scuba (Dive Oahu), or give your child a real head start in the essential life skills of surfing (Hans Hedemann Surf School - Waikiki and North Shore ) and stand-up paddling (Hawaiian Watersports - Kailua and Kapahulu )? If you're looking for the latest in watersports equipment, go no further than Go Banana Watersports ( Pearl City and Kapahulu ) which boasts the largest selection of kayaks in Hawaii, together with paddling accessories for kayaks, stand-up paddling and canoes.

Leonard's Bakery
Don Ho's Island Grill
Angelo Pietro
Kakaako Kitchen
Jinroku

Finally, whether grabbing a quick bite along the way, or enjoying a fine dining experience, round out your staycation by sampling from over 50 Oahu restaurants where you can earn bonus CashPoints 4X faster! For our neighbor island visitors, here are our top-5 choices. For upscale plate lunches while you shop at Ward Warehouse, try celebrity Chef Russell Siu's Kakaako Kitchen. Another popular shopping/dining spot is Angelo Pietro adjacent to the Ala Moana Center, serving a unique fusion of traditional Italian and Japanese flavors. Located at water's edge on the second-level of Aloha Tower Marketplace, Don Ho's Island Grill offers inexpensive, family-oriented entrees and live entertainment provided by some of Oahu's best musical artists. If you have a hankering to try "new" Japanese in the heart of Waikiki, head for Jinroku Pacific which serves up "Jinroku-style" teppan-yaki and okonomi-yaki cuisine. Finally, stop by the iconic Leonard's Bakery - home of the malasadas and a great choice for omiyage.

* CashPoints stated are for Priority Rewards Credit Card purchases, subtract 1/2 CashPoint per dollar for Priority Rewards Debit Card purchases. Click on links for additional details and interactive map.

* CashPoints have no cash value except as described in the Priority Rewards Program Agreement. First Hawaiian Bank reserves the right to cancel or change the program at any time without prior notice. "First Hawaiian Bank", the First Hawaiian Bank Brand Mark, "CashPoints", "PlusPoints", and "Priority Rewards" are registered service marks of First Hawaiian Bank.