Oahu

Oahu is an exciting Pacific playground with a unique combination of cosmopolitan glamour, rich history, Hawaiian cultural delights, plus gorgeous tropical beaches and rainforests. Each day brings the opportunity to enjoy contrasting experiences. In Waikiki, you can surf, swim, climb iconic Diamond Head, shop international boutiques, savor the best farm to table fare, and enjoy unrivaled nightlife. On the North Shore, you can shop charming Haleiwa town and visit famous surfing beaches. Spend a day exploring WWII history at Pearl Harbor Historic Sites and a night attending a luau, the quintessential Hawaiian feast and cultural celebration. Come to Oahu, a colorful kaleidoscope of sights and sounds enhanced by the plumeria-scented breezes, sunny skies, and warm aloha welcome.

Getting Around

Venture beyond Waikiki and Honolulu and experience the island’s many outstanding, off the beaten path areas and attractions. You may not even need a rental car to enjoy Oahu, especially if you’re only here for two to three days. To familiarize yourself with Oahu, consider one of our Pearl Harbor tours followed another day by our Circle Island Tour. Visiting the Arizona Memorial and other Pearl Harbor sites with our trained guides is the best way to experience this poignant national treasure. The Circle Island Tour will provide you with an insider’s view of Oahu plus island history and Hawaiian culture that you just can’t get driving around on your own. If you’re traveling with a large group that requires two or more cars, hiring a tour company is an easy way to keep everyone together. Our safe, comfortable, luxurious mini vans are ideal for groups traveling together. While you’re in Waikiki, it’s easy to get around by walking. When you want to navigate downtown Honolulu, take a short cab ride from Waikiki and walk around the city. If you want to hike Diamond Head or snorkel Hanauma Bay, your Waikiki hotel can provide a shuttle or taxi for you. Waikiki also has a bus system, but it’s not the most convenient system for visitors to navigate.

Food and Oahu Tours and Activities

Poke or pizza? Sushi or shave ice? You’re going to eat well in Oahu. The island is an East-meets-West culinary hotspot boasting trendsetting chefs and restaurants serving up a tantalizing array of Hawaiian fare, ethnic specialties, and international dishes prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Waikiki, Honolulu, and trendy Honolulu neighborhoods like Chinatown, Kaimuki, and Kakaako are brimming with an ever-growing selection of restaurants, eateries, gastropubs, bars, breweries, and cafés featuring inventive menus, international wine lists, handcrafted cocktails, and locally brewed beers. Chefs cook with island-sourced produce, meat, poultry, and dairy plus fish caught in local waters. Bartenders mix drinks with Oahu-made rum and Maui-made vodka. Oahu’s unlimited food experiences also include an innovative food truck scene, epic food festivals, and farmers’ markets galore.

Cheap Pearl Harbor Tours Recommends

Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial

Few experiences are as moving as a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor Historic Sites. On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the U.S. forces stationed at Pearl Harbor. The USS Arizona battleship sank, taking with her 1,177 seamen, a loss representing over half the Americans killed during the worst naval disaster in U.S. history. The USS Arizona Memorial, the iconic white structure suspended over the remains of the sunken ship, pays tribute to these fallen heroes. Book one of our Pearl Harbor tours and your remarkable tour guide will bring history to life with a vivid recounting of the events leading up to the attack and the aftermath. By the time our van arrives at Pearl Harbor, you’re ready for the Arizona Memorial experience which includes a documentary about the attack, an official Navy boat ride to and from the Memorial, and time at the USS Arizona Memorial. Visit the Shrine Room with the names of those lost heroes etched in marble and look down in the water where oil droplets—“Black Tears”—from the sunken hull still rise to the harbor surface after 76 years. All our tours include the USS Arizona Memorial while others feature the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, and the Pacific Aviation Museum. Select the Pearl Harbor that best fits your schedule and get ready for an unforgettable day.

Explore the North Shore and South Shore of Oahu

Just minutes beyond the urban vibe of Honolulu and Waikiki, Oahu is a tropical island paradise of deserted beaches, hidden valleys, emerald mountains, and mysterious rainforests. The wild and dramatic North Shore is home to some of the world’s best surfing beaches, quaint Haleiwa town, coffee plantations, and farms where local chefs source many of their ingredients. In Waimea Valley, you can splash under a waterfall, learn how ancient Hawaiians lived, and hike. The Windward Coast will amaze you with windswept shorelines, extraordinary lookouts, and lush rainforest landscapes. At Polynesian Cultural Center, immerse yourself in the magic and art of seven South Sea nations. Further south, magnificent Waimanalo Beach offers miles of soft sands splashed by turquoise waves while Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail leads to a lookout with magnificent Windward Coast views. Other South Shore highlights include Halona Blowhole, where water spouts up to 30 feet in the air through an ancient lava tube and nearby Halona Beach Cove, immortalized in “From Here to Eternity.” Don’t miss snorkeling at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, carved out from a former volcanic crater. Experience Oahu’s magnificent North and South Shores with our Circle Island Tours. Ride in total comfort as our guides share the rich history and culture of Oahu and Hawaii.