day trip to Oahu from Maui
 

We'll be vacationing in Maui and would very much like to take a daytrip to Oahu to visit Pearl Harbor. The flight I'm looking at is well priced at $39 one way. Is there a shuttle from the airport to Pearl Harbour or will I have to rent a car? I visited it a few years ago and was very moved and would like to show my folks and my youngest son (13) who has been studying WWII in school. My parents won't be up for anything real strenuous but we'll probably have a couple of hours after Pearl Harbour and lunch, what else should we do that would be near there? I'm assuming I'm going to have to rent a car.

I googled Pearl Harbor Shuttle and this is what I got. Looks reasonable.

http://www.viptrans.com/services/pearl.htm

Melissa

I think the shuttles are from the Waikiki hotels to USS Arizoana Memorial

Toobusy

You can rent a car or take the city bus.

If you intend to see some of the other Oahu sights, then rent a car.

If all you want to do is go to Pearl Harbor, then the city bus is fine. It's $2 each way, no transfers necessary & only a couple stops along the way. Only takes about 10-15 minutes by bus.

If you rent a car, you can see USS Arizona Memorial, National Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl), Chinatown/Aloha Tower area, drive through Ala Moana Park & Waikiki.

Chinatown & Aloha Tower Marketplace both have a lot of good restaurants.

I don't know of many activites near Pearl Harbor. I like dusty's suggestion of combining a visit to Punchbowl cemetary.

Punchbowl is near the downtown area, so I would add as an option if you have time, a visit to Iolani Palace in the heart of downtown Honolulu. It is the only royal palace on U.S. soil. Right across the big street in front of the Palace (King Street?) is the Kamehameha statue, and that building (the Hawaii Supreme Court building) has a small (free) mini-museum of Honolulu's history. It should be easy to get back to the airport from there - straight down Nimitz hwy.

aaaah, you are right, I was too hasty and lazy in reading that website!

Thanks Melissa, Dusty and Jolie. I did see the shuttle van from the hotel and thought briefly about getting a taxi from the airport to a hotel but then thought it would take as much time as just renting a car and our time is going to be limited enough. I like the Palace idea too! I'm making a list of things to do and have added all the suggestions. thanks!

just FYI- we tried the city bus to Pearl Harbor. Longest ride of my life-absolutely horrible. We actually got off the bus at the airport to rent a car- no joke.

"just FYI- we tried the city bus to Pearl Harbor. Longest ride of my life-absolutely horrible. We actually got off the bus at the airport to rent a car- no joke."

I agree if you got on the bus in Waikiki.

But from the airport to USS Arizona Memorial it is only a few miles and only a few stops.

If you have a big group you may want to get a charter bus or tour van. http://www.tpthawaii.com/charters/oahu_charters.html

If you're traveling by yourself then one of the smaller companies will suffice.