The main airport is Daniel K. Inouye International Airport,(HNL). HNL is also Hawaiʻi’s major airport, serving as the entry point for most of Hawaiʻi’s visitors.

Yes, the cost of a rental car for your vacation can represent a big part of your vacation budget. You can walk, which is very enjoyable and lets you discover so much of Waikiki and Honolulu. There is Uber and Lyft, Taxi’s, Public Transportation, the Waikiki Trolley is a great option, and there are a variety of Rental Scooters, bikes to choose from as well. But you are on vacation and there is so much to discover around the island of Oahu, so if your budget allows it, we recommend a renting a car for at least a portion of your time you are visiting Oahu. There are so many beautiful places you can discover with a rental car that you may not be able to enjoy otherwise, including; Many of Oahu’s beautiful beaches, the North Shore, the town of Haleiwa, Ko Olina and many of the wonderful Oahu activities like, Pearl Harbor, Hiking, Kualoa Ranch and much more.

You can find public parking garages but they can be expensive, be sure to bring lots of quarters for meters as they charge around $0.25 every 10 minutes. There is a public parking garage in Chinatown and downtown located under the state capitol building and at Iolani palace. Many of the state parks here do charge for parking but it is normally a small fee. The Honolulu Zoo parking lot entrance on Kapahulu Ave has metered parking. International Market Place & Royal Hawaiian shopping center has garage parking with validation. There are parking along Ala Moana Park Drive, behind the Ilikai hotel and Duke Kahanamoku, Ala Wai Boulevard has free parking spaces across from the convention center available 24 hours a day, the Shell parking lot on Montserrat Avenue (located on the Diamond Head side of Waikiki near the Honolulu Zoo and Kapiolani Park) offers unlimited free parking, Waikiki Beach Embassy Suites in port cochere offers 3 hours of free parking between 10 am and 3 pm as long as you provide a receipt from one of the Waikiki beachwalk restaurants or shops, the Royal Hawaiian Center offers an hour of free parking with validation after the free hour charges are approximately $2 for 2 hours, a purchase is required for this free, reduced rate. Be sure to look for signs regarding overnight parking and time limits on when parking ends.

A helpful site for checking parking availability and pricing is www.bestparking.com/honolulu-parking.

Oahu has a great bus transportation system, called, ‘TheBus’ – and as of February 2022, TheBus offers a one-way fare of $2.75. They also offer 3 a 1 Day Pass for $5.50 and a Monthly Pass for $70.00. If you’re planning to stay in Waikīkī, you can get around by shuttle, tour bus, taxi or Hawaiʻi’s excellent public transportation system. But to really experience Oʻahu outside of Waikīkī, you should consider renting a car.

Any time of year is a good time to visit Oʻahu. The average temperature ranges from 75˚–85˚F. Summer, between April and November, is warmer and drier while winter, between December and March, is a bit cooler. Trade winds keep things comfortable year-round. It is generally drier on the western (leeward) side of the island, and wetter on the eastern (windward) side. Winter is big-wave surf season on Oʻahu’s North Shore, with major competitions in November and December. Whale-watching season begins in December and ends in May, with peak whale-watching months between January and early April. Swimming and water sports are possible year-round.

Since the weather is great year-round, there’s no “bad” time for a vacation in Oahu. If you’d like to avoid the most crowded times and expensive accommodation, plan your trip for the spring or autumn months. April-May and September-October are the best months for a Hawaii vacation. The winter months are busier with people escaping the cold, while summers draw vacationing families with children. Winter is big wave season on the North Shore, so this is the best time to visit if you want to surf (or watch the pros in action). November through May is also the season for whale watching tours.

Hawaiʻi follows Hawaiʻi Standard Time (GMT-10 hours), which is five hours behind Eastern Standard Time and two hours behind Pacific Standard Time. Hawaiʻi does not observe Daylight Saving Time, so add one extra hour to the time difference during this period (March through November).

Since Hawaiʻi is the 50th state, you won’t need to bring your passport unless you’re visiting from outside the United States or traveling to another country after Hawaiʻi.

Generally warm weather means you should pack your summer attire. You may want to bring a light jacket or sweater for the evenings. Suits and ties are rarely worn here. Bring some casual dress clothes or resort wear if you plan on experiencing Oʻahu’s nightlife. Traveler’s checks aren’t necessary since credit cards are widely accepted and ATM machines are everywhere.

It is not much more expensive to eat here on Oahu than in many other major cities. Of course, Waikiki, Honolulu have some very nice restaurants, some with beachfront dining, amazing views and yes, more expensive dining options. However, there are many dining options that are both affordable and very tasty! You can find many options just few steps away on Kapahulu ave, offering a wide range of cuisines including Hawaiian, Mexican, Italian, American, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Sushi and many others. There are AMAZING “must eat” in Hawaii options to be found in smaller locally owned Restaurants & food trucks vendor. Often you can find complete Lunch options from $6.95 to $12.95 and Dinner options for $9.95 to $19.95 – and higher.

Oahu is a great destination to enjoy great food. The island offers so many fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood. There are several different cuisines including Japanese food to Western fusions. Some local dishes include delicious Malasada ( hot Portuguese doughnut) , Loco Moco ( hamburger steak with egg served over rice and covered in gravy), plate lunch includes two scoops of rice, macaroni salad and meat including kalua pork, Korean barbecue, chicken katsu, poke and Hawaiian shave ice.

: Certain fruits, vegetables and flowers are allowed for export, but they must be agriculturally approved. You can find boxed pineapple and other goods in retail shops throughout Hawaii. You CANNOT pick fruit or flowers in Hawaii and take them home. All luggage is scanned for outgoing agricultural products. For more information please see the link to the state website. AGRICULTURE INSPECTION