Free vs. ticketed
The Tiki Marketplace and art show are open to the public — seminars, pool areas, and evening entertainment require a paid pass. If you're local and curious, the marketplace alone is worth the trip.
The seminars fill up
40+ seminars on tiki history, mixology, and mid-century design. The good ones hit capacity — check the schedule when it drops and plan your day around your must-sees.
Budget for the room, not just the ticket
Parking runs $18/night plus a daily resort amenity fee. The 3-night minimum at the host hotel is the real cost of admission — but staying on-property is the whole point once the pool DJs start.
Wednesday is not optional
The opening luau at the Catamaran — a genuinely Polynesian-styled 1950s resort on Mission Bay — is its own experience and the best low-key night to actually talk to people.
Dress the part
This is the best-dressed crowd in tiki. Aloha wear is the floor, not the ceiling — and yes, there's a caftan meetup.