Oahu Self Guided Driving Tour Advice .....

[jbuch02]

We will be in Oahu (Waikiki Beach based) In June, 2010. Plan on renting a car on a Friday and will have from 0700 to about 1600 to tour. I've done extensive research and want to take a self guided driving tour and am considering these five areas either separately or in combination:

 

(1) North Shore, (2) South East Oahu, (3) Windward Oahu, (4) Leeward Oahu, (5) Central Oahu. (see this link for points above for general orientation so we all know what we are referring to):

 

http://gohawaii.about.com/od/oahumaps/l/bloahu_clickable_map_001.htm

 

We are sightseers, foodies and picture takers that are fit; we are not big beach goers or swimmers. We will visit Pear/USS Arizona separately but not on this day. We will hike Diamond Head but not on this day.

 

The problem with my research so far is that I can find sights that interest us in these regions but it is difficult to determine how much time to allot for stopping at the various "must see" attractions or eateries in these specific areas (or combos thereof) and how much I can reasonably see in 9 hours.

 

Therefore, I'm looking for advice from folks here who have driven this island and can make recommendations on sights, places to eat casually and timing so I can put together a reasonable, relaxing and unrushed drive in the 9 hour time frame I have.

[Giantfan13]

We were exactly like you, in that we aren't big beach people, more like picture takers and sightseer's, who just love to drive around and see whatever we can see. We also did Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor on different days and we decided to rent a cart on our last day in Honolulu to drive around.

 

 

As for time at each place, that is really up to you, but we started at Hanauma Bay and drove where the roads took us.

We hit the North

Shore, we went to the Byodo-In Temple,in the valley of the Temple, we drove the Pali Hwy, and stopped many times just to take in the beauty of where we were. We do NMOT enjoy rushing from place to place just to say, Hey I saw that. You have to experience it and feel the beauty of it.

 

If you don't mind, here are a few of my pix along the way

 

Deriving along past Hanauma Bay, along the coast

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/Hawaii/Dsc00241.jpg

 

Keep driving for some magnificent scenery

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/Hawaii/Dsc00259.jpg

 

The Byodo Temple in the Valley of the Temples

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/Hawaii/Dsc00263.jpg

 

 

Nuuanu Pali Park ( a truly spectacular s[pot for pictures)

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/Hawaii/Dsc00293.jpg

 

A visit to the Palace

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/Hawaii/Dsc00324.jpg

 

And we enjoyed a sunset on the beach

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/Hawaii/Dsc00341.jpg

 

I would guess we spent about 1/2 an hour at the temple and about the same amount of time at Nuuanu Pali Park. The rest of the time we just drove, stopped and looked. A truly memorable day.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[Hoof Hearted]

"Oahu Revealed" You may have allready checked this book out, but it is one of the most imformative guide books on Oahu that I have read so far... It breaks down the Island in pieces similar to what you have laid out... It helps you decide what you want to see and what is just a waste of time... I hope this helps...:)

[Cruise_More_Often]

We were in Hawaii years ago and stayed at the Turtle Bay on the North Shore. We made a couple of trips into Honolulu during the time we were there, and we preferred driving the Windward side because of the grandeur of the mountains on that side of the Island. We used the Pali Highway to get across the mountains and onto Kamehameha Hwy., and Giantfan's photo of the Pali Lookout reminded me of why we drove that way. We will probably rent a car while we're there next January, and this time we will drive past Hanauma Bay (it looks gorgeous), too.

 

Sorry I can't be of help to you in timing, because it depends so much on how often you stop for photos or to snack/eat. It always takes us a lot longer than we plan for, as we're big snackers. If you run short of time, you can always come back into Honolulu from the North Shore through the center of the Island using H2/H1, since it's so much faster.

[jbuch02]

I've been favoring the North Shore via the windward island drive. Good tip coming back down to Honolulu via H1/H2 central Oahu route.

 

I did find a very nice and fairly recent description of the drive to the North Shore at About.com:

 

http://gohawaii.about.com/od/oahuhonolulu/ss/north_shore_of_oahu.htm

 

..... and I thought this driving guide was well done:

 

http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/drives/oahu/ns.htm

 

Appreciate the photos and the help. Thanks again. I think you're right .... we'll just hop in the car with a skeleton plan and go from there. I learned a long time ago, "the best laid plans ......". Both my wife and I enjoy our many travels a lot more with a serious dose of spontaneity.

[Cruise_More_Often]

http://gohawaii.about.com/od/oahuhonolulu/ss/north_shore_of_oahu.htm

 

..... and I thought this driving guide was well done:

 

http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/drives/oahu/ns.htm

 

Appreciate the photos and the help. Thanks again. I think you're right .... we'll just hop in the car with a skeleton plan and go from there. I learned a long time ago, "the best laid plans ......". Both my wife and I enjoy our many travels a lot more with a serious dose of spontaneity.

COOL! Both of those links are good. The first one tells you how to use the either the Pali Hwy or Likelike Hwy to get to Kamehameha Hwy. Both will be so beautiful.

 

We're going to try to take it easy on our drives, too, as we want to savor every minute of our time in Hawaii. My husband was laughing at a statement he read in a guidebook written by a local who said the locals can always spot tourists because they do everything so fast.

 

I hope you have a fantastic time.

[Hawaiian Mongoose]

Of course, this is all IMHO!!

You generally cannot make a circuit of O'ahu in the time allotted at the pace you described. Suggest you decide on either west up the middle of the island to Haleiwa and beyond or east starting with Hanauma Bay and then around. Either way suggest you take the Pali Highway, stopping at the Pali Lookout and Punchbowl on the way back to Honolulu. In any case, enjoy your trip. Aloha. .

[sarahcraigy]

We have just returned from POA cruise and stayed before and after in Waikiki and hired a car both times. We loved the drive to the North Shore and were advised to get up there in the morning for best viewing of the turtles on the beach, we arrived approx 10am and approx 2 miles along the road from Haleiwa is a white picket fence, where there is parking, opposite is a great beach and the turtles swim in the sea and then come and beach themselves for a rest, I have attached some pics for you, I have many more if anyone wants any.

Also a highly recomended place to eat at Kahuku is on the side of the road called Giovanni's, fresh prawns and rice $13, plus they have clean toilets there, there are many places on the side of the road, but this one is supposed to be the best. http://onokinegrindz.*****.com/ono_kine_grindz/2004/05/giovannis_shrim.html

 

We stopped along the road at most of the beaches and the waves were huge up to 20ft that day, and we were lucky there was a surf comp on which was interesting to watch.

Sarah

[jbuch02]

..... Sarah. There's quite a few of these shrimp trucks on the North Shore. For others interested in this unique dining mode:

 

http://www.hawaiiforvisitors.com/oahu/dining/kahuku-shrimp-trucks.htm