1 Day in Honolulu: Touring Oahu

You may be staying on one of the neighboring islands and considering visiting Oahu, or you might want to save money. Either way, weʻll help you make the most of your 1 day in Honolulu. There is also some information about our favorite places. Weʻll give you plenty of information you can use if you rent a car, choose a group tour, and of course, if you decide to let us show you around. But donʻt worry. We donʻt try to convince you of that until the end.

Spending 1 day in Honolulu and touring Oahu?

Time is precious, and vacations can seem essential. It doesnʻt matter if you are in Honolulu for 1 day or an entire month. But if you decide to go touring the island if you have a flight or a cruise to catch, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, the only way you are not on the hook for making that departure is if the airline tickets are included in a package. A few companies still offer interisland tours, but not as many as before. If you know you want extra “insurance” for that exit ticket, thatʻs the way.

Book an excursion or be self-guided touring Oahu?

There are benefits and drawbacks to both options. There are several areas off-limits to commercial vehicles that you would have to rent a car or take a taxi to visit. This is actually true for most beaches on the island now. So many more people are deciding to go that route. But it doesnʻt mean you have to miss the stories. Several GPS-Guided Audio Tours will share stories, directions, and recommendations. Of course, that does mean you have to navigate traffic and streets you are unfamiliar with.

Oahu is known as the Sands of Kahuhihewa

The story of Hawaii is incredible, and Oahu is no exception. Some things are more familiar, like Kamehameha, World War II, your favorite movies, and television shows. But there is so much more than that. History and tradition cover every inch of these islands. This particular one is known as ʻKe one o Kakuhihewa.ʻ He was a famous Chief who moved his Royal Court to Waikiki. For those on a budget, there are plenty of resources to learn about this special place that donʻt cost a dime.

Pearl Harbor National War Memorial

The Arizona Memorial and Pearl Harbor Visitor Center are also free. However, a small fee reserves tickets in advance for the shuttle boat. Which we highly recommend doing. Since the site is so somber, there are stringent rules for guides here, so even if you are on a tour, much of that is self-led. Although they do have audio sets for those who want to learn more.

Variety of Historic and Honolulu Art Museums

Waikiki houses another free Military Museum. But the history here starts long before the United Statesʻ presence in these islands. The Kingdom of Hawaii was the first non-Western Country to be recognized as a sovereign nation. There is a Modern Art Museum in Honolulu and a Judiciary Museum at Aliiolani Hale, behind the Kamehameha Statue. The Royal Palace across the street has turned into a museum.

No other island offers so many types of adventures

For those more active than interested or wanting a quick trip to Pearl Harbor but still do some exploring, youʻll love Oahu. You can easily add a tour at Kualoa Ranch depending on how many museums you visit. But make sure you have reserved that in advance. They will give you even more education, or you can raise those adrenaline levels on an off-road excursion or zipline. You can also stop for free photos at the visitor center, and the gift shop has surprisingly reasonable prices.

1 day in Honolulu, from the mountains to the sea

While most people have beaches and waterfalls in mind, the hike up Diamond Head Crater is undoubtedly the most popular hike on Oahu. It takes under 2 hours and is generally considered easy. However, the stair section is guaranteed to get your heart pumping, and youʻʻll want to bring water and sunscreen. But there are several great places to cool down while exploring the island. One of our favorites is Manoa Valley.

Shop until you drop on your day touring Oahu

If all that sounds good, consider a Circle Island Tour especially if you like to shop. There is a huge range of souvenirs, fruit stands, coffee, and macadamia samples. These places also have clean restrooms, which arenʻt always easy to find. So, if you are doing a self-guided driving tour and the need arises, theyʻre a great option. But if you are thinking about an excursion, youʻll want to decide between a group trip or something with a more personal touch.

You can turn any tour into a food tour!

While most group tours will feature some local treats, itʻs so easy to get exactly what you want when you travel privately. You can even turn a Pearl Harbor Tour into a culinary delight! There are great places to get malasadaʻs, fresh fish, dim sum, and much more, minutes from the Memorial. Good luck getting that type of experience on a group excursion. Oahu is a severely underrated food destination; you can generally find something from nearly anywhere in the world. If you know where to look.

Best part of Honolulu private touring? Making changes

Whether the weather or your mind changes. This allows you to make adjustments. Weʻve all been on a tour where 1 component or another is canceled. On a group tour, thereʻs rarely anything anyone can do. But when you go private, you can often adjust and get a similar experience. Not to mention, if youʻre traveling with young ones, especially babies, their moods can change quickly.

You can get a discount for Community contributions

Now you donʻt have to travel with us to do something special for these islands or their people. But we make it easy and will also get you a discount. You can save hundreds of dollars on Your Community Service Tours by spending 1 stop doing something kind. Then spend the rest of your 1 day in Honolulu seeing or doing whatever you want on any route we offer. Thatʻs not a bad deal if you ask us, and our favorite days at work.

Thinking about more than one touring day on Oahu?

For those lucky enough to have more than 1 day in Honolulu for touring, weʻd love to help with that as well. We have some articles for information about multiple days on the island. Regardless of where you are staying, they should help. After all, the average length of vacations here lasts about a week. So we put more discounts together for you to spend some of that time with us.

Weʻve also put together all online tour reviews to help you decide. No matter how you spend your time on this beautiful island, we certainly hope you enjoy it. We hope this article was helpful and gave you many more ideas for spending your 1 day in Honolulu touring Oahu.