We're going to Honolulu for 4 days in November and would like to see USS Arizona, Punchbowl Crater, Hanauma Bay, etc. Is it necessary to rent a car or is it easy enough to see these places by public transportation? (I've been to HNL and know everything else is close enough to Waikiki.)

We took the bus to both Hanauma Bay and to Pearl Harbor. Later we rented a car at a place right by our hotel and drove around the island. The bus to Pearl Harbor was very interesting because it takes you through parts of Honolulu you might not otherwise see.

attention: Suzie

where did you rent your car in HNL? and did you pre-book or walk in?

Thanks

We did not prebook. We just called, they had a car and we walked over. There is a budget desk in the Hyatt on KALAKAUA AVE which is the main street along Waikiki. There is a Hertz desk in the Hilton Hawwian Village. There are car rental places all along Waikiki.

pnchbwl prbbly by van tour; rest accessble by www.thebus.org

Any idea what the cost would be for a last-minute one-day rental from somewhere along Waikiki?

I rented a car last week on two separate occasions. I rented from VIP on Beach Walk, which is one block over from Lewers Street. The rate TOTAL, including all those crazy add-ons was $34.20 a day. I have collision coverage through my credit card (VISA), so that amount is exclusive of collision coverage. Dollar has a slightly better rate, but VIP was closer.

thanks for the info, al.

The best deal I found for a rental car on Oahu was www.alamo.com. I got a Toyota Corolla for $19.99 a day.

To Nina-
You rented for $19.99/day. That was the base price, but what amount came out of your pocket? The add-ons sometimes cost almost as much as the base rental. In hawaii, there are a bunch of add-ons, such as $3.00 a day road tax, 11.46% sales tax, a Hawaii "usage" tax and some other mysterious taxes, in addition to personal property and liability taxes, which bring the amount to substantially over the $19.99.

"personal property and liability taxes" on a car rental? I don't think so !!!