I am currently on a ten day vacation on the Big Island in Hawaii with my husband and two grown boys. After a lot of discussion, we booked a very reasonable flight to Oahu. We are only staying for a few hours. We will arrive at 8:30 AM and board our flight home at 7:30 PM. We rented an inexpensive car while there. We wanted to see another island while here and thought that Oahu would offer the biggest contrast to the Big Island.

We were advised to visit Pearl Harbor, then get on highway 3 to see beautiful vistas, head toward Kailua where we should pick up the Kananianaiole Highway and then head towards Waikiki Beach. I'd love to see some sights in Honalulu too.

Essentially we will have about 8 hours to spend on Oahu. Any suggestions, additions, or feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

You probably will want to get tickets for Pearl Harbor - other wise it is first come-first served and it does get really busy in the summer so you might get shut out. http://www.recreation.gov/tourSearch...O&parkId=72369

Thanks that is a very helpful suggestion! I think we will book the basic tour for the USS Arizona Memorial. I'm thinking that we could make a 10:00 showing after landing at 8:30. My husband thinks an 11:00 would be safer. We are just not sure of tHe traffic and how far away it is from the airport. Any suggestions would definitely be appreciated.

It's 20 minutes from the airport. 10:00 should work fine.

I think the advice you've been given is great. I would add Haleiwa and the north shore beaches to the drive, but you might not have enough time for that.

Well it looks like the only availablility for 4 tickets was at 2:30. That will really change the order of our day in Oahu. Does anyone know how long it will take to drive the Kananianaiole highway to highway 3 and then pearl harbor?

Thanks again martym. Your tip really saved us a disappointment. I love this forum!

Honolulu to Kailua via the H3 is about a half hour. You could do H3 to Kailua - stop at Kailua and Lanikai beaches, maybe eat breakfast there (there's a breakfast place that's well-known and supposed to be great - can't conjure up the name right now), continue down the coast past Waimanolo towards Diamond Head, then to Waikiki, stay as long as you have time for, then continue on to Pearl Harbor (again, about a half hour). That would be a wonderful day! (The scenery on the H3 is spectacular)

You might also want to visit Punchbowl Crater, home of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. It is a very sobering sight (as is Pearl Harbor) yet has the most beautiful views. I visited it with my father who served in the Korean War and was stationed at Barber's Point, HI in the 1940's. As he pointed out names etched on the memorial walls of men he knew and served with, I felt blessed that he lived to become my father.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punchbowl_Crater

Great suggestions and affirmations. Thank you!


I would love to see something worthwhile in Honolulu that won't require a lot of time. Any suggestions?


Thanks again!

Here are three suggestions that are related to Hawaiian culture

Bishop Museum http://www.bishopmuseum.org/

Iolani Palace http://www.iolanipalace.org/

Queen Emma's summer palace http://www.queenemmasummerpalace.org/

You would have to visit them during the day before your visit to Pearl Harbor so don't know if it would work for you.

Thank you so much!

Dh and I have used a Honolulu waling tour book that took us to some interesting neighborhoods like Chinatown, Historic areas around the palace. the Bishop, Iolani Palace are excellent. walking thru the royal hawaiian Hotel and perhaps having a drink there or tea on the terrace at the Moana Surfrider. these are two wonderful old hotels.

Suggest you jump in the car - drive to the Pali Lookout http://tinyurl.com/8y7cdto
for a great view - and then continue on into Kailua and maybe hang around there (find the breakfast place, whatever) - check out Lanikai beach http://tinyurl.com/6nw4chx - continue your drive around the south end - passing through Waimanalo (at an Ocean front estate near there is where they filmed the Magnum PI/Tom Selleck series years ago http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080240/ ),

Drive past Sealife Park and then Sandy Beach - and pull into the parking lot at Hanauma Bay http://tinyurl.com/82hjglb if there is room and walk over to take a look, and then back to Hono and maybe Chinatown for a bite to eat before your tour at Pearl Harbor, or even Sam Choy's - as it's on the way to the airport from Hono. http://www.yelp.com/biz/sam-choys-br...rab-honolulu-3

I don't think you will have much additional time but would recommend the Bishops Museum if you were to add anything else, or just parking in Waikiki and walking along the beach - having a drink at the Mai Tai bar http://www.royal-hawaiian.com/dining/maitaibar on the beach at the (pink) Royal Hawaiian or at Duke's, whatever, and then back to the airport.

I think it's a great idea to check out another island when in Paradise.

Thanks again for your wonderful suggestions!

A drink in the downstairs bar at Duke's is a great idea, especially at sunset.

<I would love to see something worthwhile in Honolulu that won't require a lot of time. Any suggestions?>

In agreement with the suggestion of Bishop Museum and/or Iolani Palace. Also don't miss at least seeing Waikiki Beach. It's a classic!

Wow! These are all wonderful suggestions! I hope I can fit them all in. Thank you everyone!

I think Dukes is a noisy hangout for the 20's crowd. Cannot hear yourself think in there. At least the 2 times I've tried to eat there it was so moved on. try upstaris at the Hula Grill for the same view and much quieter..

Thanks Shar! I'm sure my sons wouldn't mind the noise in Dukes but my husband and myself would definitely prefer something quieter like Hula Grill.