We'll be stopping in Oahu for 2 days before a 5 day stay in Kauai. We are staying with friends, but on the day that we depart for Kauai we want to visit Pearl Harbor. Here's the problem...we will not be renting a car, and our friends will not be able to drive us to Pearl Harbor in the morning.

We are right now planning to take a cab to the airport from her house, check our bags, take a cab to Pearl Harbor, then take a cab back. It seems like a LOT of cabs. Is there a fast/cheap/easy way to get to Pearl Harbor and back from the airport? I read that buses go there...are they easy/fast? Is there a place at the visitor's center where we could store our luggage if we went straight there instead of going to the airport to check our luggage? If we DO end up doing cabs, will we need to call to arrange a pick up at Pearl Harbor or will there be some lurking around?

Lastly, what time do we need to get there in the morning to insure that we'd be able to get back in time for a 3:00 p.m. flight? If we get there at 8:00 or 9:00 is that okay?

Thanks for any advice!

We took a day trip from Maui to Oahu in Feb. 2003. We rented a car at the airport and drove to Pearl Harbor. The entrance to Pearl Harbor is about 10-15 min from the airport and quite easy to get to. There was a manned storage building in the parking lot for a fee to hold your personal items. No camara bags, diaper bags, purses, strollers, etc. allowed. Also no cell phones. We didn't use the storage facility, so don't know the cost.

I would go first thing when they opened. The front desk will issue a colored card. When your color is called, then you can proceed to the movie theater and then onto the water shuttle. We had about 1 1/2 hour wait before our color was called.

Across the parking lot is the Bowfin Sub and tram to the USS Missouri. If you have time, I would suggest checking them out also.

We did not see any available taxis when we went, so may want to schedule a pick-up if you chose to have a taxi drop you off.

City buses do not allow baggage.

Unless it has changed, airlines won't allow you to check your bags more than 3 or 4 hours before your flight. Check with your airline to see if this is still the policy.

There is a baggage storage area at USS Arizona Memorial, so you could check them in there. They are not storage lockers. An attendent checks and watches the luggage.

It is about $4 per bag.

http://www.nps.gov/usar/pphtml/planyourvisit.html

If you get there by 8:00, you should be able to complete the tour by 10 or 11. Opens at 7:30. First tour 8:00 (7:45 summer).

You could leave your bags there after the tour and walk across the parking lot to USS Missouri/USS Bowfin ticket office.

While at the USS Arizona Visitors Center, go through the center to the back lawn and Circle of Remembrance. Nice photo op for Bowfin, Arizona Memorial and Missouri.

Even if you do not tour the Bowfin, you can walk through the memorial area there outside of the ticket office. It is a nice memorial for all of the submarines lost in the war.

So you could take a cab straight to Arizona Memorial and then to the airport.

Is it possible to leave your luggage at your friends house and just take a city bus from to and from the Arizona Memorial and later take a cab to the airport?

I think a big question is where on Oahu do your friends live? If it is Pearl City or Aiea that will make a huge difference than if they live in Hawaii Kai or Kailua....

I wouldn't recommend taking a public bus in the morning. We did it. It seems half of the city got on and off at every single stop. It took for ever. Yes, it was much cheaper than taking a taxi or shuttle. But it wasn't fast or easy. What is it worthy to save a few dollars? No way, the next time we are going to drive or take a taxi.