Honolulu Sightseeing
Boat Tours Cruises and boat tours are available aboard anything from a junk to a catamaran. Some explore the reefs off Waikīkī or visit Pearl Harbor; others offer recreation—chiefly swimming and skin diving—or dinner and dancing and other fun things to do.
Atlantis Adventures: Majestic by Atlantis Cruises
Atlantis Adventures: Atlantis Submarines Waikīkī
Bus, Limousine, Trolley and Van Tours One of the best ways to get an overview of Honolulu and the rest of O‘ahu is on a guided tour scheduled by your AAA travel advisor. Costs vary with the mode of conveyance and itinerary. For example, a van tour will run about $60 per adult for a half-day trip and $75 for a full day; a bus tour will cost a little less, a sedan a little more.
One advantage of a smaller vehicle, such as a van or limousine, is that it allows more opportunity for rapport with the driver/guide as you head to your destination.
Waikīkī Trolley offers a coastline tour (Blue Line), a Diamond Head area tour (Green Line), a historic tour (Red Line) and the Ala Moana Shopping Shuttle (Pink Line). Depending upon the trolley tour chosen, riders may get off and board a later trolley all day, enjoying many of the things to do in Honolulu in between. The first trolleys depart between 8:30 and 9 a.m. and the last trolley pickup is between 8 and 10 p.m., depending upon the tour and the day of the week. Trolleys leave every 10 to 40 minutes and run daily. Phone (808) 465-5543 for schedule and fare information.
Gray Line offers a variety of sightseeing tours departing from Waikīkī; phone (808) 833-3000 or (888) 998-4741.
Lū‘auA lū‘au is a Hawaiian picnic featuring traditional food and dance, and a must if you are booking travel packages to Hawaii. The lū‘au food is cooked in an imu, an underground oven, which is formed by pōhaku (heating rocks) in a pit in the ground. The pit is lined with fresh leaves, filled with native vegetables and a prepared pig, then surrounded by heated rocks that also are placed inside the pig. The whole feast is then covered with leaves or canvas and allowed to cook for about 6 hours.
The pork tends to be salty—a nice contrast with the traditional poi, the pounded taro-root dish of which there are many variations. Polynesian entertainment adds flavor to the colorful proceedings.
Found at various locations, lū‘au last about 3-4 hours and are only by reservation. Adult prices generally range from $75 to $165, with discounted prices for students and children. One of the more established Honolulu-area lū‘au is Germaine's Lū‘au, (808) 949-6626 or (800) 367-5655. Another solid choice is Paradise Cove Lū‘au, (808) 842-5911 or (800) 775-2683.
Honolulu, HI
AAA’s in-person hotel evaluations are unscheduled to ensure the inspector has an experience similar to that of members. To pass inspection, all hotels must meet the same rigorous standards for cleanliness, comfort and hospitality. These hotels receive a AAA Diamond designation that tells members what type of experience to expect.
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Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki Beach2330 Kuhio Ave. Honolulu, HI 96815
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Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa2424 Kalakaua Ave. Honolulu, HI 96815
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Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort2005 Kalia Rd. Honolulu, HI 96815
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Courtyard by Marriott Waikiki Beach400 Royal Hawaiian Ave. Honolulu, HI 96815
Book NowCity Population
390,738
Elevation
21 ft.
Sales Tax
Hawai‘i has an excise tax of 4 percent (4.712 percent in Honolulu) on most goods and services. Honolulu has a lodging tax of 10.25 percent; rental cars are subject to state tax and a road tax of approximately $5 per day.
Emergency
911
Police (non-emergency)
(808) 529-3111
Temperature
(808) 973-4380
Hospitals
Kaiser Permanente-Moanalua Medical Center & Clinic, (808) 432-0000; The Queen's Medical Center, (808) 691-1000; Straub Medical Center, (808) 522-4000.
Visitor Information
2270 Kalākaua Ave. Suite 801 Honolulu, HI 96815. Phone:(808)923-1811 or (800)464-2924
Air Travel
Busy
Rental Cars
Hertz, (800) 654-3080, offers discounts to AAA members and has several area locations: the airport, (808) 837-7100; Kahala Hotel & Resort, (808) 735-8983; Hyatt Regency Waikīkī Beach Resort & Spa, (808) 971-3535; Imperial Hotel, (808) 922-3331; and Pagoda Hotel, (808) 942-5626.
Taxis
The largest companies serving the island are TheCAB, (808) 422-2222; and Charley's Taxi & Tours, (808) 233-3333.
As a AAA member, you'll save even more. Your AAA Travel Agent will check to see if AAA Vacations is combinable with other AAA member benefits, plus cruise and tour past passenger discounts and benefits.