How easy is the drive around Oahu Hawaii?
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I want to determine whether or not to rent a car or to just take the bus while I vacation there.
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I want to determine whether or not to rent a car or to just take the bus while I vacation there.
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:57 am
For the most part you can just take buses or walk assuming you are staying in Waikiki (Honolulu) assuming you are just wanting to hang at the beaches, shop at the International Market etc.
If you want to go snorkelling or to the Polynesian Cultural Center there are busses available but may be worth having a car.
I’ve rented scooters there before for the day to explore further around the island (i.e. North Shore)
It is possible to find public transit or tour buses to take you pretty much everywhere.
So the long and short of it is you probably don’t need a car for the whole time that your there.
If you do get a car probably would only want it for a day or two and best to get once your there as you’ll be able to figure out what is right for you. If your staying at a hotel they should have transit and tour info as well as be able to recommend where to rent a car if you need decide to.
September 6th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Rent the car; better control of things
September 6th, 2009 at 4:32 am
it’s pretty easy to drive around the island. just not during rush hour! i’d rent a car so you can make all the touristy stops. it’s pretty rad!
September 9th, 2009 at 5:28 am
Rent a car. It’s not a city. It’s a tropical island. Unless you’re staying in Honolulu the whole time, you need a car. You might be able to find some tour bus but it would be a gigantic hassle. If you want to drive around the island then you should have a car. It’s a beautiful place and you should be able to enjoy it at your own pace, not on some tour schedule.
September 9th, 2009 at 9:25 am
The drive is pretty easy as long as you are careful and don’t speed. Some of the roads on the north shore can be trecherous if you are not careful. In town there is a lot of traffic. Depending on where you are staying, it MAY be easier to take the bus, but then you are dependent on the bus (which can be a little undependable).
I would say if you are staying in Waikiki and will be there for awhile, it woud be worth your while to rent the car and explore! It is a nice island!
September 11th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Oahu is not terrible navigating. My advice is to rent a car because then you can come & go as you please. We stayed at Waikiki beach; I will warn you there are alot of one ways streets. So if you have a GPS system take it with you, or pay the extra to get it in your rental car.
September 12th, 2009 at 7:19 am
Unlike the mainland, there aren’t really easy streets to recognise. Like 4th street, 7th ave. etc. Try like, Wylee Street. and Liliha Street, or like Piikoi, names of that nature.
The Bus system will practically take you anywhere on Oahu. Driving would be much faster though. (Well depends if you plan to stay within the city or if you plan on going to the country side or to Polynesian Cultural Center and such.) Hawaii drivers are friendier and much slower than mainland drivers, so at least its not crazy. The only thing to worry about is traffic and conjestion.
Which won’t be that bad (1 hour in traffic is like a normal drive for someone in the mainland) and traffic happens around 4-6 P.M. of course, other than that, the roads are managable. Waikiki moves VERY SLOW during rush hours though. Getting to Waikiki will be very congested during rush hours.
September 12th, 2009 at 8:14 am
Rent a car
Lock the doors when you leave the car
Don’t leave anything in the car to encourage break ins
It is easy to drive around the island
If you do anything, this may be your best investment for, at least, one day to travel around the island.
September 15th, 2009 at 11:14 am
it’s pretty easy to get around the island.. you can always take “THE BUS” to get to where you need to.. but i always rent a car when i’m out there.. because besides staying in waikiki.. i like driving to kailua (east side) and to the north shore as well
in kailua.. one of the top 10 beaches in the world (lanikai beach) is a must see
and i always have to make a trip to the north shore to get some garlic shrimp (giovanni’s shrimp truck)
also.. a fun way to get around waikiki is by scooter.. there are always rentals around.. just have to find them
September 17th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
There is a circle island bus that goes around most of the island (Route 55). It takes about 5 hours and the ticket is just $2. I don’t have a car here in Oahu and wherever I go I just take the bus. They run fairly often too (Route 55 every half hour). The advantage of renting a car is that you’re a bit more flexible. But it’s not necessary.
September 19th, 2009 at 6:38 am
Distance-wise, there is really not much area to cover on Oahu. Without traffic, you could drive around the whole island in two hours.
However, traffic can be horrendous between the hours of 6-8 a.m. and 3-6 p.m. For that reason, I recommend you get a car at least part of the time to visit the opposite side of Oahu from which you are staying.
Although there is not an extensive road system so you would think it would be difficult to get lost, Oahu’s roads can be very confusing. On the highways, there is rarely an off-ramp that corrresponds to an on-ramp. You just have to know where to get on and off…I should know, I grew up there and lived there most of my life.
Drivers here are very laid back and courteous. People thank each other with a wave or shaka when you let them in and out. They also tend to drive slower…there is no fast lane on the left…at least no one observes it. I know I didn’t and the Honolulu Police Department is always out enforcing the speed limits.
If you are staying in Waikiki, you need to take into consideration that most hotels and condos charge between $10 and $25 per day for parking. There is only one condo that I know of that does not charge for parking and that is the ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Tower which is a luxury condo. There are also some condos that include free parking if you rent directly from the owner or their agent.
So yes, it is pretty easy to drive around Oahu and you definitely should get a car for at least part of the time but allow extra time for traffic and losing your way once in a while.
Hope that helps.
September 20th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
when I went we rented a jeep best thing we did