How Big Is the Island of Oahu? (Size Comparisons with States & Cities)
Oahu, the vibrant and widely visited Hawaiian island, boasts the distinction of being home to the state capital, Honolulu.
However, the island’s actual size often leaves people wondering about its dimensions, as its remote location makes it challenging to gauge.
Understanding the scale of Oahu is crucial in order to grasp its geography and plan your island explorations more effectively.
To provide you with a comprehensive perspective, I will delve into the island’s dimensions and offer meaningful comparisons to enhance your understanding of its size.
How big is the island of Oahu?
The island of Oahu is approximately 597 square miles (1,545 square kilometers) in size, including small associated islands such as Ford Island plus those in Kāneʻohe Bay and off the eastern (windward) coast, making it the 20th-largest island in the United States.
As far as length and width goes, Oahu is 44 miles (71 km) long and 30 miles (48 km) wide and its shoreline is 227 miles (365 km) long. In other words, it’s about the length of the Panama Canal.
How does Oahu measure up to other Hawaiian Islands?
In terms of how Oahu stacks up to the other Hawaiian islands, it is the third largest Hawaiian island, following the Big Island (Hawaii) and Maui.
Even though some believe Kauai to be one of the much smaller Hawaiian islands, Kauai and Oahu are actually very similar in size in terms of land area. Kauai is 552 square miles, which means that Oahu is only about 8% larger than Kauai.
But the Big Island is much larger than Oahu, coming in at 4,028 square miles. This means that the Big Island is about 6.7 times larger than Oahu.
The Big Island is also much taller than Oahu. The highest point on the Big Island is Mauna Kea, which is 13,803 feet tall. The highest point on Oahu is Ka’ala, which is 1,023 feet tall.
In terms of population, Oahu blows the other islands out of the water. The Big Island has about 190,000 people, while Oahu has about 980,000 people. This means that Oahu is about 5 times more populous than the Big Island. On the other hand, Kauai has a population of approximately 73,000 people, making Oahu roughly 13 times more populous than Kauai.
This much higher population is relevant to your travels around Oahu because in some places it can mean dealing with a lot more traffic both on the road and when trying to get around on foot, waiting in lines, etc.
Generally, if you want to get away from the throngs of tourists and urbanization, you don’t go to Oahu, or at least not Honolulu.
How does Oahu measure up to other US states?
If you’re curious to compare Oahu with other states, here are some intriguing details. Oahu spans approximately half the size of Rhode Island, which covers 1,214 square miles.
In contrast, Texas encompasses a vast area of 268,596 square miles, making it roughly 450 times larger than Oahu.
But now let’s take a look at the size comparison of Oahu and different regions and cities of the US, starting off with another tropical area of the US: the sunny Florida Keys
The Florida Keys, while a completely different shape (a string of islands), are about 137 square miles, meaning that the Florida Keys are about 4.2 times smaller than Oahu, although they stretch over 150 miles farther!
What about lakes in the US?
Well, Oahu is much smaller than the biggest lake in the USA, Lake Superior, as Lake Superior is 31,700 square miles. This means that Lake Superior is about 53 times larger than Oahu in terms of land area!
One lake in the USA that is approximately 597 square miles in size is Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain, which is about 630 square miles. So you could theoretically fit Oahu inside the body of water just north of New Orleans.
What about regions?
Oahu is almost the exact size of Cape Cod Bay (604 square miles) meaning that Oahu could snugly fit inside of the hook-shaped peninsula.
And as for cities?
New York City, is about 304 square miles which means that Oahu is roughly twice the size of New York City. Houston, Texas, has a land area of 665 square miles (some say closer to 600), making it a very close fit for the island of Oahu.
The biggest county in the US, Los Angeles County, is about 4,058 square miles putting Los Angeles County about 6.8 times larger than Oahu in terms of land area.
How long does it take to drive around Oahu?
Contrary to what many think, you cannot drive around the entire island of Oahu because there is no road that completely encircles the island.
Instead, you can only drive along a portion of the island. Typically, when people talk about driving around the island they mean doing the “Eastern Loop” that runs along the stunning Kamehameha Highway (Route 83).
They then come down the center of the island because there is a small peninsula called Kaena Point that juts out into the Pacific Ocean on the northerwest shore which breaks up the continuity of an encircling highway route.
If you start in Waikiki, you can drive the ~110-mile loop around the eastern half of the island in about 3 hours and 30 minutes without stopping much, as shown by the map below.
If you wanted to hit up the northern coast and western side of the island it would take about 5 to 6 hours, depending on traffic. Basically, you would be spending the entire day just driving around the island and you’d have to do some backtracking on the west side.
The time estimations above assume that you make very few stops along the way.
The thing is, there are so many interesting sites to see along these highways!
From the beautiful landscapes of Kualoa Ranch to Pearl Harbor, and all of the beaches and waterfalls in between, you’ll likely want to stop a lot along the way.
So if you do plan on driving around the island of Oahu, I’d just go ahead and plan for that to be an all day event so that you can really enjoy some of the sites and make plenty of worthwhile stops along the way.
Final word
I hope this article has provided you with a better understanding of the size of Oahu.
Comparing it to familiar areas can indeed help in visualizing the island and anticipating what it will be like to navigate and explore. Having a sense of scale can also contribute to a more informed and enjoyable experience as you move around the captivating island of Oahu.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Uber vs Turo in Honolulu, Hawaii (Which is Cheaper?) [2022]
Are you planning a trip to Hawaii and not sure if you should go with Uber or Turo and what the price difference might be?
Well, I was wondering the same question and we tested it out on our last trip to Honolulu/Waikiki, Hawaii.
We arrived at a couple of conclusions which I am happy to share with you so that you can make some informed decisions based on real data and first-hand experience.
Uber vs Turo in Honolulu, Hawaii
Below, I’ll take a look at the comparative cost between Uber and Turo when utilizing them in Hawaii and specifically in the Honolulu/Waikiki area.
I’ll give you some price estimates on how much you can expect everything to cost you when visiting different attractions in the area. I’ll factor in everything including gas, rental car coverage, etc.
I’ll also provide you some tips based on my own experience with utilizing both Uber and Turo.
Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!
Uber costs in Honolulu/Waikiki
First, let’s take a look at the cost for an Uber trip to and from the airport at Honolulu (HNL).
It’s really important to know that these prices can fluctuate wildly. During morning rush hour, I’ve seen prices shoot up to over $70 for a one-way trip between Waikiki and the airport!
But based on my personal experiences in Hawaii and the research I did, the prices below reflect the “normal” pricing.
Below are some estimated round-trip costs from the Holiday Inn Express Waikiki. It’s one of the hotels we stayed at in Waikiki and should give you an idea of what the prices would be for other hotels in Waikiki.
Honolulu International Airport (HNL) to Holiday Inn Express Waikiki
UberX – $22.83
UberXL – $45.96
Uber Premier – $84.72
Holiday Inn Express Waikiki to Honolulu International Airport (HNL)
UberX – $25.08
UberXL – $44.41
Uber Premier – $59.01
Uber costs for Oahu tourist attractions
Oahu is home to a lot of really interesting attractions that are not in Waikiki.
So chances are if you want to see some of these popular destinations, you’re going to want to venture outside of the Waikiki area.
Here’s a look at what you can expect to pay when visiting from Waikiki. Again, keep in mind that surge pricing can definitely happen at these locations and change the price $20 to $30.
To Kualoa Ranch
UberX – $57.17
UberXL – $101.29
Uber Premier – $122.22
From Kualoa Ranch
UberX – $48.84
UberXL – $93.11
Uber Premier – $112.87
To Dole Plantation
UberX – $61.27
UberXL – $108.48
Uber Premier – $128.75
From Dole Plantation
UberX – $52.24
UberXL – $102.21
Uber Premier – $122.03
To Pearl Harbor
UberX – $32.41
UberXL – $57.52
Uber Premier – $71.75
From Pearl Harbor
UberX – $24.31
UberXL – $49.08
Uber Premier – $62.03
Turo costs in Oahu
There are obviously a lot of different types of vehicles that you can choose on Turo. We decided to price out four different types of vehicles.
We’ve provided a price for a one day rental below:
These one day rental prices apply if you are renting for a 24 hour period but also for shorter periods.
So if you picked up a car early in the morning and then dropped it off later in the evening, you still get charged the one day rental. That policy might change in the future but that is what we had to work with.
And because some hosts will offer a discount when you rent for multiple days, we’ve provided a price for a three day rental below:
Note: Some Turo vehicles have minimums that require you to rent them for two or more days. This seems to be more common with cheaper vehicles so it’s not always easy to find a super cheap one day rental.
Turo delivery fees in Hawaii
If you don’t want to pick up your vehicle at the host’s location, you can have them deliver it to you at your hotel or Airbnb or wherever you’re staying.
The thing about getting the car delivered is that usually you will have to pay a delivery fee and those delivery fees can add up pretty quickly.
Here are some Turo delivery fees from HNL airport.
You’ll notice that the Turo delivery fees for the airport are pretty close to the round-trip airport pick-up and drop-off costs for UberX. However, these fees could be much cheaper than Uber if you were dealing with Uber surge pricing.
I found it usually the case that it would be cheaper to just Uber to the host’s location and then pick up the vehicle from there. That will usually end up saving you about $10-$20 depending on how far you are from the host.
Note: The thing that is tricky about Turo right now is that it required us to drop off at the same location that we would pick up. Depending on your travel plans, that can make life a little bit more difficult.
Waikiki parking fees for Turo
If you’re staying at a hotel in Waikiki, chances are you’re going to be paying a pretty penny for parking every night.
Here is the overnight parking rate for 10 popular hotels in Waikiki. The self parking price is on the left and valet is on the right if available.
Holiday Inn Express Waikiki – $45
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort – $55 / $65
The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki – $35 / $45
The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach – $41.80
Sheraton Waikiki – $35 / $45
Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa – $45 / $50
Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort – $40
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort And Spa – $50
Every hotel may have a different price but there’s a good chance you’ll be paying about $40 or more for parking every night of your stay.
This is where the cost will really start to add up for Turo.
Note: Parking fees are not outrageous on every island or at every hotel in Hawaii. For example, when we stayed in Kauai both of our resorts did not charge us for parking.
Fuel
California is known for having the most expensive gas but Hawaii is right up there at number two. Prices obviously fluctuate but you could be paying around $4.50 per gallon.
If you plan on doing quite a bit of driving then these gas prices will force you to take a hit when using Turo but it’s usually not that bad.
Miles
A lot of Turo cars come with unlimited miles but some do have limitations on miles. The good thing about Hawaii is that chances are you probably are not going to put a ton of miles on the vehicle.
However, always check to see what those mileage limits will be.
Insurance
Your auto insurance may or may not cover you with Turo.
And if you typically rely on a credit card to provide you with primary rental car coverage, you most likely will not get that with Turo.
So you may need to look into buying coverage for the car which can increase your cost anywhere from $20 a day to $70.
Add-ons
One really cool thing about using Turo in Hawaii is that they offer special packages that can make your life easier.
For example, some offer you a packaged deal for $50 where you can get beach chairs, umbrella, snorkel gear, a cooler, etc.
These will all be ready for you in your vehicle which will allow you to enjoy the beach.
Comparing the cost (Uber vs Turo)
Now to compare the cost.
Let’s say you just arrived at Honolulu Airport and you plan on spending all of your time in Waikiki except for one day when you want to spend a day at Pearl Harbor.
Below are the prices that you would pay for your transportation with Uber vs Turo.
UberX
Airport travel: $47
Pearl Harbor: $56.72
Tip: $13
Total: $116
UberXL
Airport travel: $90
Pearl Harbor: $107
Tip: $25
Total: $222
Turo (Cheap car)
Rental fee: $72
Pick-up fee: $45
Hotel Parking: $45
Minimum insurance: $20
Gas: $6
Total: $188
Turo (Jeep Wrangler)
Rental fee: $144
Pick-up fee: $75
Hotel Parking: $45
Minimum insurance: $20
Gas: $9
Total: $293
So by the data points above, you can tell that if you were only traveling to and from the airport and then heading only to Pearl Harbor for a day, the cheaper route would be to go with Uber.
That’s even the case if you go with one of the cheapest cars on Turo.
However, if you have a larger party and are forced to use UberXL, it’s a lot closer and Uber could be more expensive.
Just remember this is only going to Pearl Harbor. If you want to add on other sites like the Punch Bowl then Turo could quickly become cheaper for the day.
But what about the following days if you wanted to continue to get out from Waikiki?
Maybe one day you wanted to go to the Kualoa Ranch and the next day you wanted to go to the Dole Plantation. Let’s see how the cost each day would compare.
To take a round trip on UberX from Waikiki to Kualoa Ranch, that’s going to be $106 and UberXL would be $194. That’s without factoring in the tip which would probably bring those totals to around $116 and $213, respectively.
Compare that to the cost of renting a cheap car from Turo for the second day, which would be ~$143 and the Jeep Wrangler at ~$218.
Getting to the Dole Plantation is a more expensive Uber ride coming out to $113.51 for UberX and $210 for UberXL. Again, tips would drive up those prices to around $124 and $230.
So the prices are actually pretty comparable to Turo but you just can’t forget to factor in all of the flexibility that a rental car offers.
Here’s a chart that adds in a few more destinations to give you an estimated transportation cost roundtrip from Waikiki.
Prices from Waikiki (with 10% Uber tips):
Destination
UberX
UberXL
Turo (cheap)
Turo (Wrangler)
Kualoa Ranch
$116
$213
$143
$218
Dole Plantation
$124
$230
$144
$219
Polynesian Cultural Center
$184
$310
$146
$221
Hanauma Bay
$80
$132
$143
$218
Turo is probably cheaper for your Dole Whip needs.
Multiple stops
Some destinations in Oahu are really perfect for day trips where you spend several hours exploring them.
Pearl Harbor is a perfect example of a great day trip. By the time you get through exploring places like the USS Missouri, USS Arizona Memorial, and all of the other sites you’ll probably be ready to head back to your hotel and rest.
But in other cases you will likely want to hop around to check out different sites.
So let’s run one of those examples to see how the price comes out.
Let’s say you wanted to go from Waikiki and visit these three spots in one day:
Bishop Museum
Halona Beach Cove
Polynesian Cultural Center
Waikiki to Bishop Museum
UberX: $19
UberXL: $33
Bishop Museum to Halona Beach Cove
UberX: $36
UberXL: $70
Halona Beach Cove to Polynesian Cultural Center
UberX: $80
UberXL: $156
Polynesian Cultural Center to Waikiki
UberX: $80
UberXL: $150
For UberX, that total comes out to $215 and for UberX it’s $409.
That’s 92 miles of driving and so your gas costs would be about $20 assuming 20 miles per gallon.
For the cheaper car on Turo, that’s a total expense of ~$157 and for the Jeep Wrangler it’s ~$234.
So it will be significantly cheaper to rent a car with Turo if you plan on hopping around the island during your vacation.
The conclusions
After looking at these different costs, I’ve arrived at the following conclusions:
Uber prices can fluctuate wildly to and from HNL airport so be on the lookout for those surge prices. If you schedule an Uber ride reportedly you can avoid the dynamic pricing.
Taking trips to single (day trip) destinations is probably more economical with Uber than Turo but not always by a huge margin and not for longer trips.
If you get hit with surge pricing Uber can easily be more expensive and if you want to make multiple stops Uber can quickly become more expensive.
Also, if you have more than four people, you can’t use UberX and will be forced to go with UberXL. The prices then jump up dramatically and renting a Turo car usually becomes cheaper (sometimes a lot cheaper).
This is especially true if you have five people in your party because you don’t always have to rent an SUV to accommodate five people.
I personally value the freedom of being able to head out to any destination at any time.
You never know when you might see something on the roadside that you want to stop at such as a food truck or art gallery.
And what about all of the beaches and scenic overlooks you will undoubtedly stumble upon?
Things get complicated and pricey when you’re using Uber and trying to constantly stop to check out different stops but if you have your rental car you can check out anything and everything.
So even if Turo was more expensive than Uber, I would be okay with paying extra for the added flexibility which in a place like Hawaii is invaluable.
Final word
If you think you will be remaining at your hotel or simply in the Waikiki area for the majority of your trip then relying on Uber for all of your transportation needs is obviously going to be cheaper.
If you plan on taking one or two day trips to a specific destination and nowhere else Uber can also be the cheaper way to go.
But if you plan on getting out pretty far from Waikiki or if you think you’ll be making trips with multiple stops then renting a car through Turo can be much cheaper.
And if you have a party of five or more renting a car through Turo can be significantly cheaper than UberXL.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
The Oil Leak at The USS Arizona Memorial: A Moving Yet Controversial Site
Visiting the USS Arizona Memorial is one of the most moving experiences you’ll ever have as a traveler.
It’s a beautiful memorial but one of the things that sticks out when you visit is the oil leak.
It’s a leak that is moving to witness but also controversial with a lot of people worried about the environmental impact from the oil spilling out over the decades.
Below, I’ll give you more information on the oil leak and explain both sides of the debate while also giving you practical advice on how to view the site yourself.
What is the oil leak at the USS Arizona?
On December 7, 1941 the Empire of Japan launched a surprise attack at Pearl Harbor in Oahu.
The Japanese destroyed or damaged 19 Navy ships, including 8 battleships, one of which was the USS Arizona which suffered a fireball explosion killing 1,177 men on board. This amounted to nearly half of the total deaths that day at Pearl Harbor.
Unlike other ships that could be salvaged, only parts of the USS Arizona could be salvaged and the majority of the ship remained submerged below the shallow waters of the harbor.
The USS Arizona was topped off with oil the day before the attack and after being sent to the bottom of the harbor with 1.5 million gallons (5.7 million liters) of oil aboard it has constantly leaked oil from its submerged tanks for decades.
The amount of oil that leaks every day varies but estimates are that it leaks up to nine quarts of oil every day. That’s approximately up to 1 gallon per day.
It’s believed between 14,000 and 64,000 gallons of oil have leaked from the USS Arizona since the attack but about 0.5 million gallons (1.9 million liters) remain.
Did you know? Oil is also leaking from the USS Utah although it seems that much less is known about that oil leak.
Why do they still allow the oil to leak?
There are two main reasons why the oil is allowed to leak.
First, the site is an active military cemetery and stopping the leak could force them to disturb the cemetery and potentially result in an environmental catastrophe.
Second, the leaking oil contains symbolic importance and is part of the experience for many people.
Active military cemetery
The USS Arizona is considered an active military burial site.
More than 900 of the 1,177 servicemen who died aboard the USS Arizona remain entombed in the ship.
In addition, over 44 survivors of the attack have chosen to have their urns placed within the turret of the ship.
You have to step back and remember this was one of the worst losses of life in American military history that rivaled Normandy on D-Day.
Moreover, the Arizona Memorial is a memorial for all members of the armed services who lost their life in Pearl Harbor. And by extension, it kind of serves as a memorial to all of those who died in World War II in the Pacific Theater.
It’s easily one of the most sacred places in the US.
Therefore, the military and the National Park Service want to interfere with it as little as possible out of respect for all of the fallen sailors and marines.
By taking actions to prevent the oil from leaking, it’s possible they will have to significantly impact the structure of the ship which would disturb the fallen’s final resting place.
“We just don’t know if the oil is creating pressure in the tanks that’s helping the structural integrity of the ship,” said the National Park Service’s Bojakowski according to CivilBeat.
“I wish I had more studies but I do know that there are a lot of really dedicated government employees who are very passionate about the environment and cultural resources and are working hard to kind of answer those (questions).“
And in addition to disturbing the cemetery, if the efforts to contain the leak are not successful, it could result in an environmental catastrophe.
It’s a moving and symbolic site
The oil leak, also called the “Arizona tears” or “black tears” is also a visually moving site to witness.
When you see it in person it sort of connects you to the ship and all of the lives lost in a way that closes the gap on the many decades since the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Think of it this way: you are seeing oil that may have been refilled the day before the attack and there is just something surreal about that experience.
It’s also hard not to feel the symbolism from the glistening black tears when standing quietly on the memorial — it’s as if the ship is still mourning from the attack.
I’ve personally never experienced anything quite like it.
I think the Navy and National Park Service are well aware of this effect and it’s just another major reason why they are reluctant to remove the oil.
Environmental impact and Marine life
While the leaking oil is a moving site, it’s also something that is no doubt impacting the environment in a negative way.
The question is: just how much of a negative impact does it have?
It’s reported that the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have all completed studies on the impact of the oil leak although the results of the studies don’t appear to be widely publicized.
Arizona’s hull does not appear to be in any danger of imminent collapse, and consequently there is no urgency to remove the oil to preserve the environment or prevent “environmental catastrophe.”
But they also stated more research is “needed to inform management decisions that address the actual environmental impact of the Arizona oil release.”
So it seems there is still a lot of unknown when it comes to the long-term effects of this oil leak and which steps to take to correct it. (Funding seems to have been an issue here.)
We do know that lots of marine animals currently inhabit the USS Arizona.
You can find coral growing on the ship and marine animals like sea turtles, seahorses, sharks, and several types of fish abound in the area. In fact, during our visit we saw a sea turtle swim to the surface over the ship.
There’s debate over what this presence of marine life means for the environmental impact.
On the one hand, the presence of such marine life means that life is still able to survive/thrive in this area. In fact, some forms of algae or bacteria might be thriving too much and could be contributing to the deterioration of the hull.
On the other hand, more marine life means more animals impacted by the oil leak.
Even if there is no danger of an imminent environmental catastrophe (based on the outdated report from 2008), the long-term exposure to the toxins in the oil could be having detrimental effects on different forms of marine life.
How to see the oil leak at the USS Arizona
In order to get a close glimpse of the oil leak at the USS Arizona, you’ll need to make a proper visit to the USS Arizona Memorial.
The memorial is located at Pearl Harbor and you’ll take a short boat shuttle ride from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center to the USS Arizona Memorial.
You want to make reservations for the shuttle boat a few weeks before your visit to ensure that you have a spot and it will cost one dollar per person to make the reservation. Otherwise, the experience is free.
They do offer paid audio guides you can purchase to enhance your experience.
Also, at the visitor center you’ll find different ways to immerse yourself in the history of the USS Arizona such as through museum exhibits and even virtual reality.
Once you make it to the memorial, you’ll be walking above the USS Arizona that is mostly sunken.
The oil from the ship can pop up just about anywhere depending on the current and there’s never a guarantee of how much oil you’ll see.
I’ve seen aerial photos showing the oil flowing from either side of the ship/memorial and I’ve even seen photos with no visible oil on the water’s surface.
In our case, there was a steady stream of oil bubbling up the entire time we visited.
The National Park Service estimates it could continue to leak oil for 500 years. That’s assuming that there is no intervention until that time and that the ship does not deteriorate before then.
If the environmental concerns continue to mount, I think there’s a good chance that something might be done about the leak before then.
It also sounds like while there may not be imminent danger of a structural collapse we don’t really know how quickly the ship will deteriorate. Things could rapidly change from decade to decade.
It seems that studies are still taking place to learn about the deterioration effects and some people estimate that the ship will only hold its current form for a few more decades.
Final word
Visiting the USS Arizona Memorial is easily one of the most moving experiences you can have in Hawaii.
Catching the black tears from the oil leak adds an element to the experience that almost acts as a time machine making your visit all the more memorable.
But there do appear to be some serious environmental concerns that may need to be dealt with in the near future, so it’s not clear to me how much longer the oil leak will be visible.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Using Turo in Hawaii (Prices & Tips) 2022
Are you thinking about using Turo on an upcoming trip to Hawaii?
In this article, we’ll break down the cost for using Turo in Hawaii on different islands including: Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and The Big Island. We’ll show you the average prices for different types of vehicles like cars, SUVs, trucks, and even electric and hybrids.
Finally, we also provide you with some tips from firsthand experience so that you’ll be prepared for your first Turo experience in Hawaii!
How much does Turo cost in Hawaii?
We analyzed 285 data points from Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and The Big Island and figured out the average for a one day, three day, and seven day rental for 5 different classes of vehicle.
Below are the average prices you can expect to pay:
Rental Time
Vehicle Class
Avg. Price
1-Day Rental
Car
$136.99
SUV
$150.49
Truck
$184.02
Mini-van
$192.34
Electric Hybrid
$171.75
3-Day Rental
Car
$384.56
SUV
$492.65
Truck
$558.01
Mini-Van
$512.41
Electric Hybrid
$536.98
7-Day Rental
Car
$821.12
SUV
$1,083.14
Truck
$1,207.28
Mini-Van
$1,177.18
Electric Hybrid
$1,164.35
Key considerations for using Turo in Hawaii
If it’s your first time booking Turo in Hawaii there are a few key considerations you want to think about when making your booking.
Island time
The first thing I would point out is that some of the vehicle owners you’re renting from operate on “island time.”
In other words, they may not show up right on time. So be prepared to potentially be waiting a few extra minutes for your vehicle to arrive and plan accordingly.
Personally, I would not try to cut anything close with your booking time.
It does not take very long for the vehicle owner to handover the keys and for you to do your inspection but if you were planning on heading out within five minutes of your scheduled rental time, that may not be doable.
For that reason, if you have somewhere to be I would push back your rental time by about 20 to 30 minutes to ensure that you have ample time for the vehicle to arrive and for you to get the keys.
Add-ons
You do have the option to select add-ons like a child safety seat, prepaid fuel/prepaid EV Charge, coolers, beach/snorkeling gear or camping gear for an additional charge.
Obviously, in Hawaii you’re probably spending a lot of time on the beach and so having all of your beach gear and snorkeling gear ready to go is a big plus.
One of the most expensive add-ons you may come across is a “guided trip.”
You can be taken along to local hotspots where your host will help with photography to provide you with valuable memories. Some of these guided trips can cost over $500 though so they are not for everybody.
Discounts
Some cars offer early bird booking discounts and multi-day discounts. If you take a look at the pricing data points for the multi-day rentals, you can see some of these discounts reflected.
Insurance
Your auto insurance may or may not cover you with Turo.
And if you typically rely on a credit card to provide you with primary rental car coverage, you most likely will NOT get that when riding with Turo.
So you may need to look into buying coverage for the car which can increase your cost anywhere from $20+ a day to $70. They offer three different plans (Minimum, Standard or Premier) and you can see the pricing details below.
You can also choose to decline the insurance all together.
Premier plan
Cost is 65% to 100% of the trip price; minimum charge of $14/day.
Standard plan
Cost is 40% of the trip price; minimum charge of $12/day.
Minimum plan
Cost is 18% of the trip price when the trip price is more than $250; minimum charge of $10/day.
Cost is 25% of the trip price when the trip price is less than $250; minimum charge of $10/day.
Beware that if you are flying through the booking process a lot of the vehicles automatically add the premier insurance to the booking which could change the price dramatically!
Older vehicles
If you are on a budget there are usually plenty of older vehicles that are offered for a cheaper price; I’ve seen some up to 20 years old!
Obviously, that may come with a risk of a sub-par vehicle so be prepared for potential issues like the check engine light coming on. But if you’re willing to take a little bit of a risk, you could end up saving hundreds.
Trip fee
Don’t forget about the trip fee!
The trip fee is a percentage of the trip price. It’s calculated at checkout by Turo and varies dynamically based on the expected cost of each trip.
Several factors unique to each trip can influence the trip fee calculation, including the:
Vehicle’s value (a higher-value vehicle may incur a higher trip fee)
Lead time of booking (trips booked further in advance can lower the associated trip fee)
Trip duration (shorter trips contribute to a higher trip fee, while longer trips can help reduce the trip fee)
Delivery fees
If you don’t want to pick up your vehicle at the host’s location, you can have them deliver it to you at your hotel or Airbnb or wherever you’re staying.
The thing about getting the car delivered is that usually you will have to pay a delivery fee and those delivery fees can add up pretty quickly.
Here are some Turo delivery fees from HNL airport.
Parking fees at hotels in Hawaii can be really expensive in certain areas like Waikiki, Oahu. But then, on other islands like Kauai you may not have to pay for parking at all so it really varies based on the island and property.
Just don’t forget to factor in those prices and in case you’re wondering what the prices might look like here is the overnight parking rate for 10 popular hotels in Waikiki. (The self parking price is on the left and valet is on the right if available.)
Holiday Inn Express Waikiki – $45
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort – $55 / $65
The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki – $35 / $45
Basically, the findings boil down to the following:
If you plan on taking one or two day trips to a specific destination (and nowhere else) Uber can be the cheaper way to go, but if you plan on getting out pretty far from your hotel or if you think you’ll be making trips with multiple stops then renting a car through Turo can be much cheaper.
And if you have a party of five or more, renting a car through Turo can be significantly cheaper than UberXL.
With all of that out-of-the-way, below is the complete list of our data points.
We tested out pricing for one day rentals, three day rentals, and seven day rentals.
And to give you an accurate estimate we broke them down into five different vehicle classes. Keep in mind that all prices are without any type of insurance plan added or any type of other add-ons.
1 Day Rental
Car
The Big island
2022 Toyota Corolla – Hilo, HI – $90.85
2011 Chevrolet Camero – Hilo, HI – $122.26
2022 Kia Rio – Hilo, HI – $99.74
2022 Subaru Impreza – Hilo, HI – $138.47
2018 Nissan Altima – Kailua-Kona, HI – $78.80
Maui
2019 Subaru Crosstrek – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $150.39
2018 Ford Mustang – Kahului, HI – $121.66
2020 Nissan Altima – Kahului, HI – $110.08
2015 Mini Cooper Countryman – Kahului, HI – $126.27
2021 Honda Accord – Wailuku, HI – $104.45
Oahu
2021 Toyota Corolla – Waipahu, HI – $100.79
2017 Audi A4 – Aiea, HI – $83.88
2018 Kia Optima – Pearl City, HI – $66.97
2015 Nissan Altima – Pearl City, HI – $82.99
2017 Jaguar XE – Aiea, HI – $115.29
Kauai
2013 Toyota Camry – Lihue, HI – $240.04
2012 Mazda 3 – Lihue, HI – $228.72
2012 Nissan Versa – Lihue, HI – $260.42
2016 Kia Soul – Lihue, HI – $280.77
SUV
The Big Island
2020 Honda CR-V – Hilo, HI – $114.13
2021 Toyota 4Runner – Hilo, HI – $230.97
2013 Toyota Sequoia – Hilo, HI – $164.96
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited – Hilo, HI – $204.01
2021 Jeep Cherokee – Kailua-Kona, HI – $95.81
Maui
2021 Subaru Forester – Haiku, HI – $120.55
2017 Jeep Renegade – Haiku, HI – $105.23
2017 BMW X1 – Kahului, HI – $132.60
2022 Volkswagen Taos – Kahului, HI – $99.24
2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited – Wailuku, HI – $137.77
Oahu
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee – Waipahu, HI – $170.41
2020 Jeep Wrangler – Aiea, HI – $138.76
2016 Mercedes Benz GLC – Aiea, HI – $138.76
2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited – Mililani, HI – $131.08
2017 Toyota 4Runner – Aiea, HI – $126.90
Kauai
2014 Toyota RAV4 – Koloa, HI – $176.93
2021 Nissan Rogue – Lihue, HI – $185.49
2022 Honda HR-V – Lihue, HI – $182.34
2016 Kia Sorento – Anahola, HI – $185.49
2020 Subaru Forester – Princeville, HI – $168.35
Truck
The Big Island
2021 Toyota Tacoma – Kailua-Kona, HI – $156.88
2022 Toyota Tacoma – Kailua-Kona, HI – $185.49
2019 Toyota Tacoma – Waimea, HI – $204.01
2021 Jeep Gladiator – Kalaoa, HI – $283.64
Maui
2020 Toyota Tacoma – Haiku, HI – $241.07
2021 Jeep Gladiator – Kahului, HI – $251.22
2019 Chevy Silverado – Lahaina, HI – $184.55
2020 Toyota Tacoma – Wailuku, HI – $183.42
2018 Toyota Tacoma – Makawao, HI – $176.03
Oahu
2021 Chevrolet Colorado – Kaneohe, HI – $149.70
2022 Chevrolet Silverado – Ewa Beach, HI – $139.62
2021 Jeep Gladiator – Ewa Beach, HI – $172.92
2019 Ford F-150 – Honolulu, HI – $116.45
2019 Toyota Tacoma – Pearl City, HI – $122.02
Kauai
2017 Toyota Tacoma – Kilauea, HI – $185.49
2017 Toyota Tacoma – Kilauea, HI – $202.57
2017 Dodge Ram 1500 – Lihue, HI – $185.49
2014 Nissan Frontier – Kapaa, HI – $193.18
2018 Toyota Tacoma – Kapaa, HI – $162.62
Minivan
The Big Island
2019 Dodge Grand Caravan – Kailua-Kona, HI – $185.49
2015 Dodge Grand Caravan – Kalaoa, HI – $202.57
2019 Dodge Grand Caravan – Kalaoa, HI – $229.85
2016 Honda Odyssey – Kailua-Kona, HI – $411.23
2019 Dodge Grand Caravan – Kailua-Kona, HI – $355.13
Maui
2019 Honda Odyssey – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $143.51
2014 Honda Odyssey – Kahului, HI – $148.95
2011 Toyota Sienna – Kahului, HI – $184.55
2019 Honda Odyssey – Lahaina, HI – $121.66
Oahu
2015 Nissan Quest – Nānākuli, HI – $92.41
2020 Honda Odyssey – Kapolei, HI – $133.85
2015 Toyota Sienna – Ewa Beach, HI – $160.33
2017 Chrysler Pacifica – Aiea, HI – $126.90
2019 Dodge Grand Caravan – Honolulu, HI – $171.50
Kauai
2010 Chrysler Town and Country – Lihue, HI – $241.18
2012 Nissan Quest – Lihue, HI – $168.35
Electric/Hybrid
The Big Island
2019 Honda Insight – Waimea, HI – $151.14
2018 Tesla Model 3 – Volcano, HI – $287.54
Maui
2021 Lexus RX Hybrid – Wailuku, HI – $258.80
2018 Tesla Model 3 – Wailuku, HI – $125.11
2017 Honda Accord Hybrid – Kahului, HI – $88.83
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4xe – Kihei, HI – $263.60
2017 BMW i3 – Kihei, HI – $133.69
Oahu
2018 Tesla Model 3 – Honolulu, HI – $161.47
2020 Toyota Prius Prime – Honolulu, HI – $151.14
2017 Honda Accord Hybrid – Honolulu, HI – $144.23
2021 Tesla Model 3 – Honolulu, HI – $116.75
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4xe – Mililani, HI – $166.87
Kauai
2010 Toyota Prius – Lihue, HI – $105.77
2018 Lexus RX 450h – Lihue, HI – $249.51
3 Day Rental
Car
The Big Island
2021 Toyota Camry – Volcano, HI – $511.85
2018 Kia Stinger – Hilo, HI – $553.58
2022 Subaru Impreza – Hilo, HI – $399.50
2018 BMW 3 Series – Waikoloa Village, HI – $561.90
2021 Ford Mustang – Kahaluu-Keauhou, HI – $508.68
Maui
2016 Chevrolet Malibu – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $239.42
2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $347.34
2018 Honda Accord – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $330.70
2021 Nissan Altima – Haiku, HI – $300.06
2021 Nissan Sentra – Makawao, HI – $261.60
Oahu
2011 Mercedes Benz E Class – Waipahu, HI – $250.64
2019 BMW 4 Series – Waipahu, HI – $247.36
2019 Ford Mustang – Pearl City, HI – $333.03
2021 Hyundai Accent – Pearl City, HI – $274.42
2017 Jaguar XE – Aiea, HI – $332.01
Kauai
2018 Honda Accord – Lihue, HI – $405.22
2014 Ford Fiesta – Koloa, HI – $436.39
2021 Honda Civic – Kalaheo, HI – $466.68
2022 Kia Forte – Lihue, HI – $464.17
2015 Nissan Versa Note – Lihue, HI – $466.68
SUV
The Big Island
2021 Toyota 4Runner – Volcano, HI – $795.76
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe – Volcano, HI – $606.84
2019 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited – Volcano, HI – $669.96
2017 Jeep Cherokee – Hilo, HI – $533.55
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited – Hilo, HI – $591.04
Maui
2015 Honda CR-V – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $334.57
2021 Subaru Forester – Haiku, HI – $280.68
2019 Toyota 4Runner – Haiku, HI – $400.85
2017 Volkswagen Tiguan – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $411.06
2021 Toyota 4Runner – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $367.32
Oahu
2022 Hyundai Tucson – Waipahu, HI – $411.28
2020 Infinity QX60 – Mililani, HI – $447.41
2016 Mercedes Benz GLC – Aiea, HI – $400.35
2018 Volkswagen Tiguan – Honolulu, HI – $396.13
2013 Ford Explorer – Honolulu, HI – $402.87
Kauai
2017 Toyota CR-V – Lihue, HI – $511.85
2022 Toyota 4Runner – Lihue, HI – $561.90
2022 Honda Pilot – Lihue, HI – $566.91
2019 Nissan Pathfinder – Lihue, HI – $592.44
2022 Mazda CX-5 – Lihue, HI – $570.24
Truck
The Big Island
2021 Toyota Tacoma – Volcano, HI – $669.96
2021 Nissan Frontier – Volcano, HI – $669.96
2021 Ford Ranger – Hilo, HI – $561.62
2020 GMC Canyon – Hilo, HI – $814.75
2020 Jeep Gladiator – Holualoa, HI – $769.31
Maui
2015 Toyota Tundra – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $534.19
2017 Toyota Tacoma – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $434.30
2020 Jeep Gladiator – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $663.24
2017 Toyota Tacoma – Paia, HI – $569.17
2021 Ford Ranger – Makawao, HI – $509.27
Oahu
2013 Chevrolet Avalanche – Honolulu, HI – $408.74
2019 Chevrolet Silverado – Honolulu, HI – $436.49
2021 Jeep Gladiator – Ewa Beach, HI – $500.16
2020 Toyota Tacoma – Aiea, HI – $361.57
2020 Dodge Ram 1500 – Honolulu, HI – $368.32
Kauai
2019 Nissan Frontier – Kapaa, HI – $511.85
2018 Toyota Tacoma – Kapaa, HI – $520.21
2021 Chevrolet Colorado – Kapaa, HI – $583.55
2019 Dodge Ram 1500 – Kapaa, HI – $636.76
2015 Ford F-150 – Kalaheo, HI – $636.77
Minivan
The Big Island
2020 Toyota Sienna – Volcano, HI – $764.34
2018 Dodge Grand Caravan – Hilo, HI – $623.47
2019 Chrysler Pacifica – Hilo, HI – $617.65
2015 Honda Odyssey – Kailua-Kona, HI – $570.24
2022 Kia Carnival – Waikoloa Village, HI – $699.80
Maui
2015 Honda Odyssey – Kahului, HI – $484.32
2019 Dodge Grand Caravan – Kahului, HI – $484.32
2022 Honda Odyssey – Kahului, HI – $464.33
2017 Ford Transit Connect – Wailuku, HI – $417.58
2021 Honda Odyssey – Kihei, HI – $467.67
Oahu
2019 Honda Odyssey – Ewa Beach, HI – $432.29
2021 Kia Sedona – Wahiawa, HI – $504.33
2015 Toyota Sienna – Ewa Beach, HI – $463.32
2022 Kia Carnival – Honolulu, HI – $332.35
2017 Toyota Sienna – Honolulu, HI – $456.62
Kauai
2013 Toyota Sienna – Kilauea, HI – $453.26
2022 Kia Carnival – Koloa, HI – $466.68
2016 Honda Odyssey – Kapaa, HI – $442.08
2019 Kia Sedona – Lihue, HI – $591.04
Electric/Hybrid
The Big Island
2018 Tesla Model 3 – Volcano, HI – $795.76
2019 Honda Insight – Waimea, HI – $436.49
2021 Tesla Model 3 – Kailua-Kona, HI – $633.77
2022 Tesla Model Y – Kalaoa, HI – $827.83
2014 Toyota Prius – Hilo, HI – $435.15
Maui
2018 Honda Accord Hybrid – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $330.70
2018 BMW 3 Series Hybrid – Waihee-Waiehu, HI – $449.30
2021 Lexus RX Hybrid – Wailuku, HI – $564.30
2018 Tesla Model 3 – Wailuku, HI – $402.05
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4xe – Kihei, HI – $652.60
Oahu
2018 BMW Series 5 Hybrid – Honolulu, HI – $451.56
2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid – Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI – $470.03
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid – Honolulu, HI – $470.03
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4xe – Mililani, HI – $482.89
2019 Tesla Model 3 – Pearl City, HI – $513.29
Kauai
2021 Tesla Model 3 – Lihue, HI – $703.11
2020 Kia Niro – Kilauea, HI – $595.04
2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid – Lihue, HI – $553.58
2018 Chevrolet Volt – Lihue, HI – $435.15
7 Day Rental
Car
The Big Island
2022 Subaru Impreza – Hilo, HI – $911.00
2010 Ford Mustang – Hilo, HI – $687.13
2022 Subaru Outback – Hilo, HI – $649.92
2018 Toyota Corolla – Hilo, HI – $841.67
2021 Hyundai Elantra – Hilo, HI – $771.67
Maui
2002 Lexus SC 430 – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $633.62
2017 Honda Civic – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $581.42
2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $715.70
2017 Hyundai Sonata – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $607.11
2021 BMW 3 Series – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $802.18
Oahu
2021 Honda Accord – Waipahu, HI – $896.37
2018 Hyundai Sonata – Mililani, HI – $876.35
2016 Chevrolet Camero – Waipahu, HI – $803.11
2017 Jaguar XE – Aiea, HI – $687.91
2015 Cadillac XTS – Ewa Beach, HI – $803.11
Kauai
2018 Honda Accord – Lihue, HI – $829.33
2021 Toyota Corolla – Lihue, HI – $1,131.87
2020 Kia Rio – Lihue, HI – $1,131.87
2021 Honda Civic – Kalaheo, HI – $1,064.73
2015 Honda Fit – Kalaheo, HI – $995.61
SUV
The Big Island
2021 Toyota 4Runner – Volcano, HI – $1,455.28
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe – Volcano, HI – $1,110.77
2019 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited – Volcano, HI – $1,378.83
2017 Jeep Cherokee – Hilo, HI – $1,046.69
2017 Acura MDX – Hilo, HI – $1,079.32
Maui
2022 Toyota 4Runner – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $944.72
2022 Honda Pilot – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $1,181.45
2017 Volkswagon Tiguan – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $937.44
2021 Jeep Renegade – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $914.11
2021 Acura RDX – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $990.60
Oahu
2021 Hyundai Palisade – Wahiawa, HI – $1,095.42
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee – Waipahu, HI – $1,074.26
2018 Nissan Armada – Waipahu, HI – $1,090.60
2018 Infinity QX80 – Aiea, HI – $1,070.67
2021 Toyota RAV4 – Aiea, HI – $946.83
Kauai
2016 Jeep Patriot – Lihue, HI – $1,064.73
2017 Honda CR-V – Lihue, HI – $1,110.77
2014 Ford Explorer – Koloa, HI – $1,294.67
2017 Chevrolet Equinox – Kalaheo, HI – $1,034.02
2014 Mazda CX-5 – Kalaheo, HI – $841.67
Truck
The Big Island
2021 Toyota Tacoma – Volcano, HI – $1,149.12
2021 Nissan Frontier – Volcano, HI – $1,072.41
2021 Ford Ranger – Hilo, HI – $1,111.92
2020 Jeep Gladiator – Holualoa, HI – $1,760.52
2022 Nissan Frontier – Waikoloa Village, HI – $1,306.54
Maui
2020 Jeep Gladiator – Kahului, HI – $1,028.82
2021 Ford Ranger – Makawao, HI – $1,162.38
2021 Toyota Tacoma – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $1,210.05
2021 Jeep Gladiator – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $1,210.05
2015 Toyota Tundra – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $1,196.70
Oahu
2021 Jeep Gladiator – Ewa Beach, HI – $937.94
2021 Ford Ranger – Kapolei, HI – $1,168.29
2021 Jeep Gladiator – Ewa Beach, HI – $1,034.02
2020 Toyota Tacoma – Waipahu, HI – $1,079.69
2019 Chevrolet Silverado – Honolulu, HI – $995.60
Kauai
2021 Jeep Gladiator – Kapaa, HI – $1,371.19
2021 Chevrolet Colorado – Kapaa, HI – $1,239.88
2019 Toyota Tacoma – Kapaa, HI – $1,345.18
2019 Dodge Ram 1500 – Kapaa, HI – $1,386.48
2015 Ford F-150 – Kalaheo, HI – $1,378.83
Minivan
The Big Island
2020 Toyota Sienna – Volcano, HI – $1,309.98
2018 Dodge Grand Caravan – Hilo, HI – $1,378.83
2019 Chrysler Pacifica – Hilo, HI – $1,332.95
2019 Honda Odyssey – Captain Cook, HI – $1,417.06
2022 Kia Carnival – Kailua-Kona, HI – $1,608.01
Maui
2019 Dodge Grand Caravan – Kahului, HI – $1,053.65
2022 Honda Odyssey – Kahului, HI – $1,059.38
2015 Honda Odyssey – Kahului, HI – $1,070.82
2022 Kia Carnival – Haiku-Pauwela, HI – $1,162.38
2018 Dodge Grand Caravan – Paia, HI – $1,028.82
Oahu
2022 Kia Carnival – Honolulu, HI – $1,049.37
2019 Dodge Grand Caravan – Honolulu, HI – $1,020.58
2021 Kia Sedona – Wahiawa, HI – $1,113.07
2018 Toyota Sienna – Honolulu, HI – $1,103.88
2016 Honda Odyssey – Pearl City, HI – $1,053.22
Kauai
2009 Mazda MAZDA5 – Lihue, HI – $1,110.77
2013 Toyota Sienna – Hanalei, HI – $1,187.45
2016 Honda Odyssey – Kapaa, HI – $1,023.05
2019 Kia Sedona – Lihue, HI – $1,283.18
Electric/Hybrid
The Big Island
2018 Tesla Model 3 – Volcano, HI – $1,730.02
2019 Honda Insight – Waimea, HI – $995.60
2019 Tesla Model 3 – Waikoloa Village, HI – $1,302.33
2021 Toyota Camry – Kalaoa, HI – $841.67
2021 Tesla Model 3 – Kailua-Kona, HI – $1,372.33
Maui
2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid – Kahului, HI – $1,105.17
2018 BMW 3 Series Hybrid – Waihee-Waiehu, HI – $1,025.60
2018 Tesla Model S – Pukalani, HI – $1,393.78
2019 Tesla Model 3 – Kahului, HI – $1,295.72
2021 Lexus UX – Makawao, HI – $975.32
Oahu
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E – Honolulu, HI – $1,046.69
2021 Tesla Model Y – Honolulu, HI – $1,136.02
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4xe – Mililani, HI – $1,051.13
2019 Tesla Model 3 – Pearl City, HI – $1,114.51
2018 BMW 5 Series Hybrid – Aiea, HI – $1,217.62
Kauai
2020 Kia Niro Hybrid – Kilauea, HI – $1,283.95
2022 Ford Escape Hybrid – Lihue, HI – $1,053.22
2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid – Lihue, HI – $1,228.45
2018 Chevrolet Volt – Lihue, HI – $972.54
2020 Tesla Model 3 – Lihue, HI – $1,145.29
Final word
Turo can be an extremely convenient way to snag a rental vehicle in Hawaii. But you need to be aware of all of the fees that you could be hit with and be prepared to make a decision on add-ons like rental coverage.
This article should provide you with a good idea of how much you can expect to pay on your next trip to Hawaii!
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum Review [2022]
When Pearl Harbor was attacked almost all of the damage came from the air and perhaps the best place to get a sense of what those enemy attackers looked like is the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
It’s one of the attractions located on historic Ford Island and it’s definitely worth adding to your itinerary if you can find the time.
Below, I’ll explain more about the museum and give you an idea of what you can expect when you visit including highlighting some of the most interesting things to check out.
What is the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum?
The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is home to several aircraft and original artifacts involved in the Pearl Harbor attacks.
You’ll explore two airport hangars, an outdoor aircraft lot, and a control tower, which all allow you to experience the unique history of this place in a different way.
This museum is special in that it is located at ground zero for the Pearl Harbor attacks.
I’ve been to some aviation museums before and always enjoyed my time but this one just feels different. The history is palpable.
Tip: If you want to buy tickets to multiple Pearl Harbor attractions (USS Bowfin, Pacific Aviation Museum, and Battleship Missouri) check out this option online.
How to visit the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is located on historic Ford Island, Hawaii, which is an active military base that can only be accessed by a shuttle bus (unless you have some other type of special permission).
The shuttle bus station is located on the north side of the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites Visitor Center. It’s basically on the opposite side of the station for the shuttle boat to the USS Arizona Memorial.
If you plan on visiting the USS Missouri and USS Oklahoma Memorial, you should first get dropped off by the bus at that stop and then when you finish up there you can hop back on the shuttle bus and make your way to the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
That will make things a lot easier because the shuttle bus only runs one way.
Shuttles depart every 15 minutes from 8am to 5pm daily but the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is only open from 9am to 5pm.
For security purposes, no bags are allowed on the shuttle bus to Ford Island.
A bag storage facility at the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park shuttle bus stop can store your belongings for a fee of $5.00 per bag. Credit cards are accepted.
You can buy tickets for the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum online or in-person at the following rates:
Adults: $25.99
Children: $14.99 (ages 4-12)
Experiencing the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
Hangar 37
Your first stop will be Hangar 37, where the shuttle bus will drop you off.
When the attack happened, this hangar housed nine Grumman J2F “Ducks” and nine Sikorsky JRS-1s.
Soldiers on the ground used the mounted machine guns on the grounded J2Fs to defend the island. Meanwhile, five JRS-1s departed Hangar 37 to find the Japanese fleet (but were unsuccessful).
The hangar also provided shelter to the survivors of the battleship USS California.
So thousands of lives were permanently altered on the grounds you’re stepping on and countless acts of bravery took place on these premises.
Getting started
After showing your tickets to the front desk you will begin your journey to the museum.
You should see the gift shop and the Laniākea Cafe restaurant located right by the entrance and also nearby is a 200-person theater that you can pop into to catch a short film about Pearl Harbor.
That will give you some history and then you’ll be ready to head into the main part of the museum.
Mitsubishi A6M Zero
One of the main attractions at the museum is the Mitsubishi A6M Zero or simply “Zero,” which is the name used for these Japanese planes made by Mitsubishi.
They get their name from the last digit of the year that they were launched which was the year 2600 according to the Japanese Imperial calendar.
These were state of the art planes and the most equipped carrier planes when they were launched in 1940. Japan also produced more of these (10,000+) than any other model of combat aircraft.
Their lightweight design made them extremely fast and maneuverable and gave them a lot of range but also made them vulnerable to gunfire. Nine Zeros were shot down during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Eventually, weaknesses in the Zero were discovered and the US would capitalize on them by altering their strategies of engagement.
As the Allies became more advanced with their aircraft tactics, the Zero became increasingly outdated and eventually was adapted for kamikaze attacks.
This specific aircraft was used in combat in the Solomon Islands in 1943.
Zero Nishikaichi (the Niihau incident)
At first glance, the remains of the The Zero Nishikaichi look like in an uninteresting pile of scrap. But these rusted remnants are actually part of a fascinating story related to the Pearl Harbor attacks.
Pilot Shigenori Nishikaichi flew this Zero during the second wave of attacks and was forced to make a crash landing on the island of Niihau, which is just off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii.
A local Hawaiian, Kaleohano, then discovered him and took his papers and pistol.
Kaleohano did not know about the attack on Pearl Harbor yet but he realized this was a Japanese pilot and knew that relationships were strained between the US and Japan.
The locals provided a hospitable welcome for the pilot but struggled to communicate with him so they brought in two Hawaiians of Japanese descent, the Haradas.
Nishikaichi shared the news of the Pearl Harbor attack in Japanese with the couple but they kept that news a secret.
This married couple had sympathy for the pilot and would end up trying to help Nishikaichi escape the island while also attempting to retrieve his confidential papers and pistol.
But as locals on the island discovered what happened at Pearl Harbor via radio broadcast, they quickly turned on Nishikaichi.
Ultimately, a situation played out overnight where Nishikaichi and Harada, armed with a shotgun and pistol, stormed Kaleohano’s house only for him to get away.
Nishikaichi and Harada then initiated a manhunt for Kaleohano, while putting the island intro a frenzy.
Ben Kanahele, who had been captured along with his wife by the duo, ended up getting into a fight with them. During the scuffle, Kanahele killed Nishikaichi with a hunting knife despite being shot three times by the pilot.
Meanwhile, Harada took his own life with a shotgun.
It was a very crazy situation and unfortunately it was likely a contributing factor to the government setting up Japanese internment camps based on an official Navy report dated January 26, 1942.
Nishikaichi burned his Zero which is partly why the exhibit looks the way it does. Image via creative commons.
Nakajima B5N “Kate”
There’s also a Nakajima B5N or just “Kate,” which was the first all metal monoplane aircraft in the Imperial Japanese arsenal.
Japan’s premier carrier-based torpedo bomber, these were integral to the Pearl Harbor attack and 144 of these planes took part in the attack, arriving in both waves.
They also played a role in battles at the Coral Sea, Midway, and Santa Cruz Islands.
The Kate you’ll see at the museum is an extremely rare find.
In fact, it’s one of only two Kates in existence, even though over 1,000 were produced.
This one is especially noteworthy because it was used by former President George H. W. Bush on December 15, 1942, while participating in flight training at Naval Air Station, Minneapolis, MN.
Another interesting aircraft to check out is the Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat, which was used by the US to combat the Zeros and quite a successful US Naval fighter. It was famously used a lot when pilots engaged in the “Thach Weave” (video).
There are some other interesting exhibits to check out in the hangar.
One of the more helpful exhibits was a large diagram that illustrates the first and second waves of the Pearl Harbor attacks.
It does a really good job of giving you an idea of the direction that the attacks came from and also showing you some of the other targets that were hit on Oahu.
Fighter Ace 360 Flight Simulators
If you’re looking for a bit of a thrill ride then consider giving the Fighter Ace 360 Flight Simulators a try.
My biggest regret on visiting the museum is that we did not try this out because in retrospect it looks freaking awesome.
It’s only about $22 for two people and this thing can take you fully inverted for the ultimate flight experience.
You can experience a dog fight with Thunder in the Pacific or get futuristic and partake in some space travel with Quantum Star Fighter.
Outdoor collection
Once you get finished with Hangar 37 you will head outside and make your way to Hangar 79 but on the way you’ll probably want to make a pitstop at the outdoor collection.
Between the two hangers there is an outdoor area where different helicopters and planes are on display.
You’ve probably heard of the Blackhawk but have you heard of the Seahawk?
One helicopter that stuck out to me was the Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk which was sort of the Navy’s version of the Blackhawk.
Equipped with one torpedo on each side, a 30mm gun, and Hellfire missiles, it specialized in anti-submarine warfare, mine clearing, anti-ship warfare, and insertion of Navy SEALS.
If you look on the left side of the helicopter you’ll see 25 tube openings which look a bit peculiar. These are made to send out sonobuoys that allow a crew to detect submarines.
There’s quite a few aircraft outside so you’ll want to allocate some time to wander around and check these out.
Raytheon Pavilion
The Raytheon pavilion is located between the two hangers and it houses an “ever-changing roster of experiences with traveling exhibits.”
When we visited, there was an exhibition on Bob Hope who was a comedian, actor and entertainer who helped keep the spirits high for service men and women on the front lines of World War II.
Hangar 79
The other major structure that makes up the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is Hangar 79.
Hangar 79 was undergoing a lot of construction when we were there and the vast majority of the hangar was blocked off.
Once inside, we got a glimpse of one of the Blue Angels and the B-17 “Swamp Ghost.”
This B-17 aircraft, which originally arrived in Honolulu 10 days after the Pearl Harbor attack, has a pretty fascinating story as the pilot had to perform an emergency landing in Agaiambo Swamp in Australia.
The aircraft remained there for decades and only recently was restored and brought back to the US in 2014.
We also saw the Shealy Restoration Shop in action, which is a “genuine aircraft restoration shop that maintains and restores authentic aircraft from World War II and beyond.”
If you want to go behind the scenes of the restoration shop, book the guided Legends of Pearl Harbor Tour.
While I enjoyed exploring the hangar, I don’t believe we were able to get the full experience that Hangar 79 typically has to offer since so many things were blocked off.
Still, one thing that we did see were all of the bullet holes in the windows which are from the Pearl Harbor attack.
To me, that is the most moving aspect of the entire museum.
Control Tower
It was at this control tower where the first radio broadcast of the attack on Pearl Harbor was made at 8:05 a.m. on Dec. 7, 1941.
“AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR X THIS IS NOT DRILL.”
At the time of the radio announcement, the structure was being bombed and windows on the lower levels were shattering.
The Control Tower at Pearl Harbor has undergone a lot of recent renovations but unfortunately those were not fully complete when we visited.
But soon the tower will be complete and you’ll be able to take an elevator all the way to the top where you will have 360° views of Ford Island and the surrounding harbor.
Update: the tower is now open and you can visit it by scheduling a tour for around $20.
Final word
It felt like our experience here was a little bit limited because of some of the ongoing renovations but it was still worth checking out.
You’ll no doubt feel the history as you wander the premises and check out everything from the bullet holes left in the windows to some of the rare aircraft on display.
During my time on the shuttle bus, I overheard people talking about skipping the aviation museum but I would highly recommend you to give it a shot because there’s a lot to take in here.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
USS Missouri “Mighty Mo” Review (Pearl Harbor) [2022]
Pearl Harbor in Hawaii is full of interesting and historical sites to see and one of those sites is the USS Missouri aka the Mighty Mo.
It’s one of the most iconic and symbolic attractions at Pearl Harbor and it’s arguably the most famous battleship in the world.
But what exactly is there to see at this ship and what can you expect when you visit?
In this article, I’ll give you a breakdown of the major highlights of the USS Missouri and also give you an idea of what to expect when you walk its historic decks.
What is the USS Missouri?
Launched on January 29, 1944, the USS Missouriwas the last battleship commissioned by the United States and it’s well known for its “surrender deck” which was the site where the Empire of Japan surrendered, officially ending World War II.
Today, you can explore many rooms and quarters of the ship on a self-guided tour as part of one of the many enriching experiences at Pearl Harbor.
How to visit the USS Missouri
The USS Missouri is located on historic Ford Island, Hawaii, which is an active military base that can only be accessed by a shuttle bus (unless you have some other type of special permission).
The shuttle bus station is located on the north side of the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites Visitor Center. It’s basically on the opposite side of the USS Arizona Memorial shuttle boat station.
You’ll load into the shuttle bus and be taken over the bridge to Ford Island and during your ride your bus driver might give you some history into Pearl Harbor.
Once you make your way to the military base, you are forbidden to take photos from the bus until you get out so keep that in mind.
Your first shuttle bus stop will be the USS Missouri and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum will be your second stop.
If you plan on visiting both the USS Missouri and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum then you should first get off at the USS Missouri because the shuttle bus only runs one way.
Shuttles depart every 15 minutes from 8am to 5pm daily and the USS Missouri is open from 8am to 4pm (you must present your ticket before 3pm).
For security purposes, no bags are allowed on the shuttle bus to Ford Island.
A bag storage facility at the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park shuttle bus stop can store your belongings for a fee of $5.00 per bag. Credit cards are accepted.
Tip: If you want to buy tickets to multiple Pearl Harbor attractions (USS Bowfin, Pacific Aviation Museum, and Battleship Missouri) check out this option online.
USS Missouri (brief) history
The USS Missouri was launched on January 29, 1944, as part of the Iowa class battleships ordered in 1939 and 1940 and designed in part to ensure the US could compete against the faster Japanese fleets.
Although plans were made for the next generation class of battleships which would’ve been even bigger, the Iowa class ended up being the last class of battleships and the USS Missouri was the final US battleship created.
The Missouri arrived at the latter end of World War II but just in time to provide support for other vessels and inflict damage at the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
During the war she provided anti-aircraft support for aircraft carriers and helped to bombard the shores of places like Okinawa. In August of 1945 it was decided that the official surrender of Japan would take place on the USS Missouri.
After World War II, she would then go on to fight in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, where during two deployments she inflicted considerable damage to many locations along the Korean coast.
In 1955, she was decommissioned and after about three decades she was reactivated after being modernized in 1984.
She’d go on to provide support in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, where she fired newly installed Tomahawk missiles and also fired her 16-inch guns in anger for the last time.
After being decommissioned on March 31,1992, and after much bidding from other states, it was decided that the perfect docking place for the Missouri’s final chapter would be Pearl Harbor.
In 1998 she was towed across the Pacific to Ford Island and then in 1999 she opened as a ship museum.
USS Missouri with World War II camouflage.
Experiencing the “Mighty Mo”
There’s a ton to see at the Mighty Mo but when it comes to the things you have to see, make sure you check these out:
Main Battery Turret
Surrender Deck and plaque
Bridge
Kamikaze Deck (make sure you see the “dent”)
Second Level
When touring the ship, you should be able to wander anywhere that is not restricted, so just be on the lookout for those signs. It’s possible that during the pandemic more things are blocked off.
Getting on the ship
As soon as you get off the shuttle bus, you can proceed to the Missouri but don’t forget that you can also walk across the street and check out the USS Oklahoma Memorial.
It’s a well-done memorial to all of those who lost their life in the USS Oklahoma and it’s also much less crowded than other spots so it’s worth a visit.
Once you head to the entrance area you’ll walk towards the ship where you should see a line or at least someone attending a station and they will scan your tickets.
You’ll then make your way up to the main deck of the ship and begin your tour.
Note: if you think you need to use the bathroom I would recommend going to the bathrooms located just near the shuttle stop.
Your driver should tell you about these bathrooms but they are located in a building just in front of the main entrance (across from the USS Oklahoma Memorial).
There is a bathroom on the ship but there’s only one and it’s easy for you to get stuck in the middle of a maze inside the ship so it is best for you to just go before you head inside the ship.
Main Battery Turret
One of the most impressive things you’ll see on the Missouri is the Main Battery Turret and this should be your first stop on the tour.
This battleship came armed with nine 16-inch guns, 20 five-inch guns, 80 40mm anti-aircraft guns, and 49 20mm anti-aircraft guns.
But it’s the nine 16-inch/50-caliber Mark 7 guns that really stick out.
The size of these 66 foot long guns is hard to fathom until you are standing beneath them. You can only imagine how loud these suckers were when they fired upon the enemy at about two rounds per minute.
To get a sense of what this looked like and probably felt like, take a look at the image below which shows the sound waves blasting through the surface of the ocean.
And just imagine how much force was output when all of the guns were firing broadside. It was truly a spectacle.
USS Missouri firing during the Korean War.
You can see the size of one of the shells just below the barrels of the gun. These guns could fire projectiles weighing up to 2,700-pounds, which is just incredible.
What’s even crazier is that the Japanese built a battleship with even bigger guns which could handle 18 inch shells.
That was known as the Yamato and it was sunk during the battle of Okinawa after being hit with multiple bombs and torpedoes.
Each turret required a crew ranging from 85 to 110 men.
These guns were great for bombarding shorelines prior to amphibious invasions and destroying structures like bunkers.
They could fire up to 24 miles away with good accuracy and were used in the battle of Iwo Jima, Okinawa and also in the Korean and Gulf War.
While these guns were extremely powerful, the Navy realized during World War II that carriers could be utilized better and that is largely why battleships were phased out.
After checking out the turret, you’ll head towards Surrender Deck which will require you to go up a steep ladder.
I believe they have an elevator that can also take you up so if you have mobility issues you can still see Surrender Deck. Read more about the accessibility here.
Surrender Deck
The main attraction of the USS Missouri has to be Surrender Deck, since you really can’t get any more historic than this location.
This is the site where Japanese commanders signed the official instrument of surrender, thus ending World War II in a 23-minute ceremony.
A whole lineup of generals from the US and from other countries were present at the signing and you can stand in the same exact spot where these famed military officials once stood.
Initially, the surrender ceremony was scheduled to take place on August, 31, 1945.
Sailors were ordered to get the ship ready for the ceremony and performed cleaning and even paint jobs on the ship. However, bad weather delayed the ceremony until September 2, 1945.
On that day, at 9:02am, General MacArthur opened the surrender ceremony with these words:
“It is my earnest hope—indeed the hope of all mankind—that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past, a world founded upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance, and justice.”
This moment is memorialized with a plaque that is set into Surender Deck of the USS Missouri.
When you arrive at Surender Deck, there should be a guide there who will tell you some of the story around the surrender.
This is also a great opportunity to ask any questions you might have so it would help if you did a little bit of research before your visit and come with a couple of questions because chances are this guide will know the answers.
In addition to the plaque, there is also an exhibit with duplicates of the surrender papers which were signed at 9:25am to close out the ceremony.
Something that’s a little funny is that U.S. General Richard Sutherland had to fix some signatures because several Allied officers mistakenly signed in the wrong place. Talk about an awkward experience.
This article from Life has a lot of photos from the ceremony that gives you a good idea of what the scene looked like.
In one of those images you may notice an old (backwards) American flag in the background and you’ll see a duplicate of this flag at surrender deck.
It’s a flag used by Commodore Matthew C. Perry when he arrived at Tokyo Bay in July 1853 to deliver a letter from President Millard Fillmore to the Emperor of Japan with the hopes of opening diplomatic and trade relations with Japan, which had isolated itself for two centuries.
The flag was one of the demands by Gen. MacArthur and during the surrender ceremony he brought it up in his speech.
“We stand in Tokyo today, reminiscent of our countryman, Commodore Perry, 92 years ago. His purpose was to bring to Japan an era of enlightenment and progress by lifting the veil of isolation to the friendship, trade, and commerce of the world. But alas, the knowledge thereby gained of Western science was forged into an instrument of oppression and human enslavement.”
The final stamp on the surrender ceremony had to be the flyover which included 465 B-29s.
This was nothing short of a force demonstration that would rid Japan of any doubts about changing their minds on the surrender.
It would also send a message to other participants in the audience including those from Russia.
These B-29s would take a special route so that they could loop back around and make it appear as if the US was equipped with 2 to 3 times more of these aircraft than we actually had.
Not every B-29 pilot was thrilled with this request, though.
The Smithsonian notes that “the average B-29 crewman was much more likely to die in an accident or a mechanical failure than from enemy action.”
These pilots were taking on a 15-hour trip over 3,000 miles of ocean in subpar weather.
They’d be forced to fly much lower than originally planned and to do so in an already crowded air space with hundreds of aircraft.
This was not your typical football game fly over.
With many of the B-29 pilots having been through plenty of close calls and emergency landings, I’m sure there was a lot of reservations about the risk versus reward.
Still, other pilots embraced the experience and even went on “sightseeing tours” over Tokyo to view the decimated city in the daytime for the first time since their bombings usually took place at night.
The B-29s ended up arriving shortly after the final signatures were made and they put on an impressive showing.
Captain’s cabin & Bridge
After experiencing all of that history, you can then make your way to a few more interesting spots up on the deck including the Captain’s Cabin.
As you make your way up to and around the bridge, you come across a special view of the USS Arizona Memorial.
You’ll notice that the Missouri’s guns point right over the remains of the USS Arizona.
It’s meant to be a symbolic gesture that the Missouri is watching over the Arizona and all of those sailors and marines who were entombed within it.
As you look out to the memorial you realize it’s quite fitting that the Missouri is located at Pearl Harbor since this place marked the beginning of World War II and the Missouri is where it ended.
I thought this view from inside the bridge was one of the most impressive views in Pearl Harbor.
One could only imagine the type of scenes that were viewed from these same windows throughout the decades.
Next, you’ll be able to get a glimpse of the conning tower. Take note of how thick the walls are.
I also thought it was interesting that they still had the naval signal lamp which was used to send communications to other ships, usually with Morse code.
They would be able to output no more than 14 words per minute, so sailors either had to be very concise or patient with their messaging.
You can still pull the levers today, so feel free to give it a try.
Kamikaze Deck
As you come back down onto the main deck you have a chance to check out Kamikaze Deck which is another major point of interest on the Missouri.
This marks where, on 11 April 1945, a 19-year-old kamikaze attacker, Setuso Ishino, crashed a Zero into the ship’s hull during the battle of Okinawa.
Thankfully, there were no casualties from this attack and only superficial damage to the ship.
However, kamikaze attackers did do a lot of damage especially during the battle of Okinawa when they essentially went all out.
As of late June of 1945, it’s reported that around 10,000 US sailors and marines had been killed or injured by kamikaze attacks and 30 ships had been sunk with an additional 400 or so damaged.
Kamikaze attackers were so difficult to stop that they forced US forces to bulk up on anti-aircraft fire power including more ships and more personnel.
There’s a few interesting things to note about this kamikaze attack at Okinawa.
You can still see the dent from this attack if you look over the side of the ship between frames 159 and 165.
There’s a photograph of the Zero (or Zeke) just before it slams into the ship. It’s such a rare moment that I can’t imagine there being many (if any) other photographs like it.
Equally impressive is that it was taken by Len Schmidt, the cook assigned to the USS Missouri.
Zero kamikaze slamming into USS Missouri.
After the plane hit the Missouri, a machine gun from the plane broke off and impaled one of the turret guns.
There is a picture of that scene and it’s pretty remarkable how that happened.
Finally, the crew recovered the body of the kamikaze attacker and gave him a proper sea burial.
This was ordered by the captain of the ship, William Callaghan and it came at the protest of many sailors, especially when he called for the burial to take place with a Japanese war flag.
Callaghan’s reasoning for the ceremony was that he wanted:
“A tribute to a fellow warrior who had displayed courage and devotion, and who had paid the ultimate sacrifice with his life, fighting for his country.”
It’s kind of unfathomable to me that a crew would be able to show this kind of humanity during such a brutal war but there’s probably something to be said about the perspective it helped to maintain for some sailors.
The second deck tour
Right after you get done exploring everything above, you have the decision on whether or not you want to go down to the second deck.
The entire second deck will probably take you 30 to 40 minutes to explore.
I did not have a map and was able to get through it all without any major issues because the doorways and walls are marked with arrows so you pretty much always know where you need to go.
Personally, I would highly recommend that you head down there to check everything out because it will give you a sense of what life was like on a battleship like this.
It’s also a nice way to get a break from the heat if you are visiting on a warm day.
It’s kind of easy to miss the ladder down to the second deck but it is in the little outhouse looking building located underneath the middle gun in the photo below.
You can check out the second deck photos below.
For the most part, it’s pretty obvious what you’re looking at and a lot of times you’ll see signs describing to you what you see.
Once you finish up your tour you can head back down to the pier and there are quite a few different places to grab food, snacks, and souvenirs.
You’ll probably be spending around $10-$15 depending on if you want a burger or something a little bit more substantial like shrimp, fish and chips, etc. But you can also find refreshments to get you by like Dole Whips.
Before you leave make sure you check out the iconic statue of a sailor kissing his partner.
As you exit the Missouri area, you’ll head back to a covered pavilion with a lot of benches where you can wait for the shuttle bus.
After the tourists exit the bus they will signal for you to board and you can head to the next stop which is the Aviation Museum.
If you don’t want to visit that museum then just stay on the bus and you will be taken back to the visitor center.
Final word
I think the USS Missouri is a must when you come to Pearl Harbor. The ship itself and all of its armory is a spectacle but it’s hard to beat the history on the ship with Surrender Deck.
Even if you don’t have the time or the energy to tour the entire lower deck it would still be worth it to just come and check out the main deck and perhaps grab a bite to eat.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
USS Bowfin Submarine Review (Pearl Harbor, Hawaii) [2022]
One of the must-see attractions when visiting Pearl Harbor in Hawaii is the USS Bowfin submarine.
It’s one of the only places where you can actually go inside the tight quarters of a submarine from World War II and it’s a really cool experience, especially if you’ve never even seen a submarine before.
Below, I’ll give you some tips and guidance so that you will be prepared for your USS Bowfin Submarine visit.
Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum campus overview
The Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum campus is one part of the Pearl Harbor experience and it’s home to the:
In my personal opinion, the USS Bowfin submarine is the primary attraction here but the museum is also pretty cool, too. This article will just focus on the USS Bowfin Submarine experience.
Tip: If you want to buy tickets to multiple Pearl Harbor attractions (USS Bowfin, Pacific Aviation Museum, and Battleship Missouri) check out this option online.
How to visit the USS Bowfin Submarine
The USS Bowfin Submarine is located on the north side of the Pearl Harbor National Memorial area. After you go through the main entrance, you will head to the right to make your way to the submarine.
You should see signs pointing you the right way but basically it’s on the opposite side of where you line up for the USS Arizona shuttle boat.
You will need to buy tickets in order to visit the USS Bowfin and here are the prices for the tickets:
• Adult General: $21.99 • Children General (4-12 years): $12.99
Military members and Kama’aina can get discounts:
• Adult (Military and Kama’aina): $16.99 • Child (Military and Kama’aina): $8.99
You can buy these online or you can buy them whenever you get there but I would advise you to just secure them online.
You’ll have to select the date of your visit but you do not have to lock in a specific time slot.
You can choose to do an audio tour if you’d like (they have a kid’s version and an adult’s version). If you don’t do the audio tour, you should be able to get through the submarine in about 30 to 45 minutes.
Once you have your tickets, you can bring them in printed form or digital form on your mobile device and someone at the entrance of the museum area will scan them and let you in.
The good thing about these tickets is that you can leave and come back.
So let’s say that you had a tour of the USS Arizona coming up and you need to head over there to catch your shuttle, you could always just come back later on and see the rest of the USS Bowfin submarine area that you missed.
USS Bowfin submarine history
The USS Bowfin launched on December 7, 1942, exactly one year after the attack on Pearl Harbor, which is why she is known as the “Pearl Harbor avenger.”
In World War II, the USS Bowfin conducted nine war patrols between 1943 and 1945 and most of her patrols were in the South China Sea, Celebes Sea, off the East coast of Japan, and into the Sea of Japan.
Each patrol was a couple of months long and you never quite knew what to expect.
Some patrols were almost entirely uneventful with no confirmed hits on vessels while others were insanely busy with many close calls from depth charges.
You get a sense of the cat and mouse game that the submarines played with other vessels and also an idea of how many torpedoes simply missed or malfunctioned in some type of way.
The USS Bowfin. Image via Pear Harbor.
Looking at all of the combined patrols, the USS Bowfin did a lot of damage
The Bowfin’s four commanding officers believed she sank 179,646 tons (including 34 large vessels) but the Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee (JANAC) credited Bowfin with 67,882 tons sunk (16 vessels of that tonnage plus 22 smaller craft).
Regardless of the exact figure, the fact that she had so many successful patrols and made it back so many times is significant.
Submarines were one of the most dangerous places you could be during World War II and they had one of the highest fatality rates (1 in 5).
In many ways, because World War II was the most fatal war for submariners in US history, the USS Bowfin is a memorial to all of the submariners who lost their life in “silent service” during World War II.
And that’s fitting considering the USS Bowfin is considered to be the best preserved and most visited submarine that served during World War II.
The USS Bowfin crew. Image via Pear Harbor.
The USS Bowfin Submarine experience
Once you verify your tickets you have the opportunity to choose which submarine attraction you want to visit first and I would personally recommend going to the USS Bowfin submarine first.
You’ll take the walkway to the deck of the submarine and then you’ll see an entry hatch to take a steep stairway ladder down.
Watch your head as you enter and as you make your way through all of the different compartments.
USS Bowfin at sunrise.
Immediately, we dropped into the forward torpedo room, where bunks were literally on top of torpedoes which was just wild.
Apparently, these bunks became prime real estate because they are so far removed from their busy corridors in the middle of the submarine.
Not only would they be quieter but also cooler since they were farther away from the engine room. To help the sailors sleep, only a red light would remain on in this dark compartment.
I never realized that submarines had both front and aft (back) side torpedoes so they could launch them in either direction.
In total, the sub would carry 24 torpedoes, which doesn’t really sound like a lot when you consider that they would be underway for two months but it just goes to show how selective they had to be with their targets.
At the end of the forward torpedo room, you’ll see the officer’s head (bathroom area) and from there, you’ll head into the forward battery compartment.
You’ll see the ward room which is where the officers ate their meals and across from that you’ll also see where they slept (berthing area).
Although the officers had their own eating area, everyone on the submarine apparently ate the same food.
Next, you’ll come across the stateroom which is where the captain slept. The lucky captain was the only sailor to have his own personal bedroom.
Considering the magnitude of the decisions he had to make on a daily basis, it’s probably a good thing he got some good rest in a private room.
Next is the “ship’s office” which is basically a closet where someone worked on a typewriter and helped keep track of all of the admin tasks. It’s pretty tight working quarters but what would you expect on a submarine?
After that, it’s time to head through another portal to the control room.
This is where they controlled the steering of the ship and also initiated the dives when it was time for the submarine to submerge.
The goal was for them to submerge in less than one minute. Every second counted.
After reading some of the patrol reports, I realized just how up-and-down the submarines would be during battles at sea.
I can’t imagine the adrenaline and focus flowing through this room during those times as they rode out depth charge explosions for hours.
Prepare to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of controls and valves located all around you.
Keep in mind that all of the different stations were manned by different sailors and when it came to things like surfacing or submerging, there needed to be perfect synchrony to avoid any catastrophic outcomes.
It’s no surprise then that submariners were some of the best sailors as it wasn’t easy to become one.
If you were one of the lucky volunteers who were accepted to serve in submarines, you did receive a nice pay raise, though.
There’s a ladder in this room that heads up to the conning tower, which housed all of the equipment needed for an attack such as the radar, periscope, torpedo data computer, etc.
It was from this room that all of the damage was done to the enemy.
Unfortunately, this was not open to us on our visit.
I don’t know if access is limited because of coronavirus or because only special guided VIP tours offer access to that but it would’ve been really cool to go up in there and check that room out.
Note: They have a conning tower from the USS Parche in the outdoor part of the museum you can check out.
USS Parche conning tower.
So without going up, we proceeded through another water tight doorway and into the galley which is where most of the crew had their food cooked.
It’s reported that the food was actually quite good which is in line with what I once heard from someone who served on a submarine.
I think it’s partly because they don’t have to mass produce the food like they would on a big battleship or carrier but also largely because they needed to keep the crew in good spirits considering that they could go weeks without surfacing sometimes.
While the submarine was underway, this area remained manned at all times and served up four meals a day.
Here’s where the crew would eat or just socialize between meals.
Right past the mess area is where the main bunks were for the crew (berthing area).
You then get a look at the crew’s heads (or bathrooms).
On some ships, it wasn’t uncommon for sailors to only shower once every two weeks or so. With an 80 man crew, you can imagine how things probably smelled throughout the ship weeks into a patrol.
Next, you’re headed to the forward engine room, where two of the main diesel engines are located, which I’m assuming was both hot and loud.
Right through there is the next compartment which is the aft engine room where the other two diesel engines are located.
Diesel engines only ran whenever the submarine was at surface and when submerged it was all electric. That battery power was finite so submarines had to be careful to not get stuck underwater without power.
And then finally we entered the aft torpedo room.
It’s in that room where you’ll find the exit ladder to make your way back to the deck of the submarine.
Up top on the main deck, you can check out the 5″ deck gun which was used whenever torpedoes were not worth the effort, such as when firing on smaller merchant ships.
This was especially true later on in the war when the Japanese ran out of steel ships and were shipping resources on old wooden ships.
You can also see the radar mast and radar antennas, which were things that gave the US a major advantage during World War II.
You can also climb up on the bridge where there is another gun and see the exact type of view the sailors would’ve had.
Interestingly, a lot of the fleet submarines had different variations of guns because commanders could choose how they wanted them to be equipped and the types of guns they wanted to use.
Most of the time torpedoes were fired when the submarine was submerged but they would sometimes fire torpedoes when surfaced, especially at night.
When on the surface, there would’ve been two people on lookout on top of the bridge who were tasked with the duty of watching out for all of the crew. There was no room for error and slacking off on your watch could mean the difference between life and death.
Final word
Overall, the USS Bowfin was a really cool experience.
It probably would have helped to have the audio guide but I still enjoyed being able to explore on our own especially because we had the submarine to ourselves at 7am.
If you don’t choose to do the audio tour, this article should give you enough detail to appreciate what you’re seeing and hopefully you’ll enjoy checking out this submarine as much as I did.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Pearl Harbor Ultimate Guide (Itinerary & Ticket Prices) [2022]
Pearl Harbor is one of the most visited sites in all of Hawaii. But there’s a lot to see here and it can be a little bit confusing as to how to best visit all of the different attractions.
In this guide, I’ll break down all of the different sites to see at Pearl Harbor.
I’ll give you an idea of what to expect at each of the sites and also recommendations for how long to spend at each location. I’ll also provide pricing information so you’ll be able to prepare a proper budget before visiting.
So let’s dive in!
Pearl Harbor Overview
Why is Pearl Harbor significant?
Pearl Harbor is considered one of the most sacred and significant sites in the US for a few reasons.
First, it’s the location where the Empire of Japan launched a surprise attack in 1941 which led to the US getting involved in World War II.
Second, the surprise attack resulted in one of the worst military losses in the nation’s history with 2,335 killed — a figure almost equivalent to the lives lost on D-Day.
While much of the Pearl Harbor history is quite heavy due to the loss of life, coming here is not an entirely somber occasion.
Visiting Pearl Harbor is about reflecting upon the lives sacrificed but also taking pride in the bravery and triumphs of the US and Allied forces during World War II.
By spending time at the various sites below, you’ll learn a lot about the events that took place in the Pacific Theater in World War II.
History will come to life and hopefully you’ll walk away with an increased sense of gratitude for the freedoms and luxuries that we enjoy today.
Where is Pearl Harbor located?
When you visit, the exact site you want to go to is the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center (also referred to as the Pearl Harbor National Memorial).
It’s located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu in Honolulu, about 20 minutes from Waikiki.
The Google Maps address is: 1 Arizona Memorial Pl, Honolulu, HI 96818.
Make sure that you had to that destination because if you just put Pearl Harbor in your GPS it might route you to the military base.
There are a few different parking lots out in front of the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center.
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center consists of an outdoor complex with multiple sites, museums, and memorials within it and the complex also connects to a few sites located on nearby Ford Island, which is also an active military base.
Some of the sites are managed by the National Park Service but others like the Battleship Missouri Memorial, Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum are separate and independent sites.
Pearl Harbor list of sites and prices
You can divide the entire Pearl Harbor National Memorial area into four main areas to make it easier to plan your trip.
These four areas include:
Submarine sites
USS Arizona sites
Visitor Center sites
Ford Island sites
Below, I’ll give you the list of sites to check out along with recommendations of how long it will take you.
These recommendations are based on you moving fairly efficiently through the attractions.
If you’re someone who typically moves pretty slowly through museums and exhibits, then consider adding more time to each of my recommendations.
Submarine sites [1.5 hours]
USS Bowfin [30 minutes] {$16.99}
Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum [45 minutes] {included with USS Bowfin}
Outdoor exhibits [15 minutes] {included with USS Bowfin}
USS Arizona sites [2.5 hours]
Two Galleries (“Road to War” and “Attack) [30 minutes] {Free}
Virtual Reality [30 minutes]
23-minute film [30 minutes] {Free}
USS Arizona Memorial [60 minutes] {Free}
Visitor Center sites [30 minutes]
Remembrance Circle, Lone Sailor, and USS Arizona anchor {Free}
Interpretive Wayside Exhibits {Free}
Bookstore {Free}
Information booths {Free}
Ford Island sites [2.5 hours]
USS Missouri Battleship [1.5 hours] {$34.99}
USS Oklahoma Memorial [15 minutes] {Free}
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum [45 minutes] {$25.99}
Pearl Harbor places to eat [30 minutes]
There are a handful of places you can grab a bite to eat at when visiting Pearl Harbor.
Visitor Center (snacks)
Jake’s Food Truck @ USS Bowfin/Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum
Sliders Grill, Wai Momi Shaved Ice, and Battleshop @ USS Missouri
Laniakea Café @ Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (serves alcohol)
Structuring your itinerary: One day or two days?
Pearl Harbor can definitely be done in one day and if you complete it in one day your itinerary might look something like this:
Day 1:
Submarine sites
Visitor Center sites
USS Arizona sites
Ford Island sites
But if you really want to see everything Pearl Harbor has to offer, try out some of the newer attractions like the flight simulator and VR experiences, and you want to take your time through it all, you probably need 1.5 days.
If you can allocate 1.5 days for your Pearl Harbor visit my proposed itinerary would be the following in this order.
Day 1:
Submarine sites
Visitor Center sites
USS Arizona sites
Day 2:
Ford Island sites
Punchbowl Cemetery (not located in Pearl Harbor but closely related)
Now that you have a sense of how to structure your itinerary, let’s get into the individual sites.
Submarine sites
The submarine sites are all lumped together so if you purchase a ticket for one you get entry into all of them.
USS Bowfin
You will need to buy tickets in order to visit the USS Bowfin and here are the prices for the tickets:
• Adult General: $21.99 • Children General (4-12 years): $12.99
Military members and Kama’aina can get discounts:
• Adult (Military and Kama’aina): $16.99 • Child (Military and Kama’aina): $8.99
The USS Bowfin and the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum are located on the north side of the Pearl Harbor National Memorial area.
After you go through the main entrance, you will head to the right to make your way to the submarine.
The USS Bowfin is a submarine that was launched one year after the Pearl Harbor attack and earned the nickname of the “Pearl Harbor Avenger.”
In World War II, the USS Bowfin conducted nine war patrols between 1943 and 1945 and most of her patrols were in the South China Sea, Celebes Sea, off the East coast of Japan, and into the Sea of Japan.
She is considered one of the best preserved submarines from World War II.
You can walk her main deck and explore the different compartments while doing a self-guided tour and if you’d like you can also use an audio guide.
The submarine area opens up at 7am so it’s a perfect attraction to head to first when you arrive at Pearl Harbor.
We explored it around 7am and were able to have the entire submarine to ourselves, which was one of the coolest experiences we had in Hawaii.
Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum
Once you exit the submarine, you can check out the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum. This museum consists of two parts with one part focusing on World War II and the other on more modern times including the Cold War.
There’s a lot of interactive exhibits and you’ll learn a ton about what life was like on a submarine.
The museum was also recently renovated so it has a very modern feel to it and I would highly recommend you allocate some time to check it out.
Outdoor artifacts
There are also a number of outdoor artifacts located outside the museum worth checking out like the conning tower from the USS Parche and a Mark 14 torpedo. It’s also pretty fun to try out one of the periscopes.
USS Arizona sites
At Pearl Harbor, there are several sites related to the USS Arizona and it sort of feels like the entire area revolves around the USS Arizona, which is understandable.
So here are a few tips on how to make the most of your USS Arizona visit.
Two Galleries (“Road to War” and “Attack”)
Before you visit the ship, there are a few things you might want to check out to give you a little bit more insight into what was going on at the time of the attack and all of the events leading up to that time.
For that reason, I’d recommend checking out the two galleries that are near the check-in area for the USS Arizona. Both of these galleries “Road to War” and “Attack” are free and can be visited relatively quickly.
They put on some nice exhibits that give you some insight into the history but also provide details that can make your visit to the USS Arizona more impactful.
23 minute film
There’s also a video that you can watch that is highly recommended by a lot of people.
Usually, this video would be played inside the Pearl Harbor Memorial Theater but due to the pandemic they currently play it outside.
It’s on a continuous loop so you just need to wait for it to begin and then take a seat but it is recommended to watch this before you head out to the USS Arizona.
Right next to the area where the film is playing, you can also partake in one of the VR sessions.
This is one of the newer attractions and you can choose from several different sessions that will take you back to the time of the attacks.
Finally, you may also prefer to purchase one of the audio guides, which you can use when touring the USS Arizona Memorial and on the boat ride over.
USS Arizona Memorial
For the majority of people, the main attraction at Pearl Harbor is probably the USS Arizona Memorial.
This memorial resides on top of the sunken USS Arizona which was the ship that suffered the most fatalities during the attack. A total of 1,177 Marines and sailors lost their life.
In order to visit the USS Arizona Memorial you must board a shuttle boat.
While the shuttle boat ride itself is free there is a one dollar reservation fee and you definitely want to make reservations as far in advance as possible to ensure that you have a seat. Reservations can be made at recreation.gov.
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is not confined to a single building but it essentially makes up the entire outdoor plaza at Pearl Harbor.
There’s a bookstore, bathrooms, information desks, and quite a few different places to explore around the visitor center grounds.
Here are the sites that you do not want to miss.
Waterfront Memorial
Beginning on the side closest to the USS Bowfin, you can check out the Waterfront Memorial — a tribute to all of the lost submariners who are said to be on “eternal patrol.”
If you’re unaware, submarines played a major role in World War II and after a shaky start they became very successful in decimating many Japanese vessels including a lot of merchant ships who were transporting valuable resources for the Japanese military.
This memorial pays tribute to around 4,000 submariners who gave their life with most of those lost lives occurring during World War II.
Lone Sailor Statue
Be sure to also stop by some of the other memorial sites including the Lone Sailor Statue. This is an iconic statue meant to represent the United States Navy Memorial’s mission to:
“Honor, Recognize, and Celebrate the men and women of the Sea Services, past, present, and future; and Inform the public about their service.”
These symbolic statues can be found in various places around the US and a few abroad. The one here in Pearl Harbor is special as a plaque reads: “The Base of This Statue Contains Steel from the USS Arizona.”
USS Arizona anchor
Right next to the statue is the anchor from the USS Arizona.
USS Arizona bell
You can also find one of the bells from the USS Arizona near the check-in area for the USS Arizona shuttle boat. It’s also where people wait in line for standby tickets.
The other USS Arizona bell is currently housed in a clock tower at the University of Arizona, where there is also a well done USS Arizona memorial.
Remembrance Circle
You’ll definitely want to check out the Remembrance Circle which pays tribute to all of the 2,403 Americans who were lost during the Pearl Harbor attacks, including some civilians.
Inside the circular memorial you’ll find a pedestal with a topographical map of Oahu marking various locations around the island that were struck on the morning of the attack. It’s a good reminder that it wasn’t just Pearl Harbor that took hits on December 7, 1941.
There’s another circular structure that is known as Contemplation Circle and it’s just meant for you to reflect on all of the events of Pearl Harbor.
You’ll also find interpretive panels located along the pathway that will shed some light into the events that took place during the attacks. These will help you really get a sense of what Battleship Row looked like on the day of the attacks.
Ford Island sites
You’ll need to board a shuttle bus and take the ride over to Ford Island in order to visit the USS Missouri, USS Oklahoma Memorial, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
There is also a special memorial for the USS Nevada but it is not open to the public.
The shuttle bus is free and it only takes about 10 minutes to get over to that area.
The shuttle bus runs in a one-way loop and first stops at the USS Missouri/USS Oklahoma and then makes another stop at the Aviation Museum before heading back to the visitor center.
For this reason, if you plan on visiting both the USS Missouri and the Aviation Museum then you need to first to get off at the USS Missouri.
The USS Missouri (aka Mighty Mo) is the last battleship commissioned by the US and it is where the Japanese officially surrendered during World War II.
You can walk up to the exact spot where the Japanese surrender happened and also learn about some of the history and the events that took place that day.
Other interesting sites include kamikaze deck and just exploring all of the different corridors of the ship. It’s amazing how these ships were essentially floating cities.
If you’ve never been on a battleship before, you’ll likely be in awe at the size of the 16″ gun barrels which are the largest the US ever created on a battleship.
USS Oklahoma Memorial
Before (or after) you head to the USS Missouri, I would recommend you to check out the USS Oklahoma Memorial.
It’s a small memorial but does a great job of paying tribute to all of the lost Sailors and Marines from the Oklahoma which was the ship that had the second highest amount of deaths from the attack.
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
After that, you can head back to the shuttle bus and then make your way over to the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
You can buy tickets for the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum online or in-person at the following rates:
Adults: $25.99
Children: $15.99 (ages 4-12)
Some people skip out on the Aviation Museum but I think that’s a major mistake.
It has some very interesting exhibits and it’s one of the only places in the world where you’ll see a Japanese Kate bomber plane.
In addition to that, you can see a Japanese Zero which was the main type of fighter plane used by the Japanese.
They also have the remnants from the Zero plane that crashed on the island of Niihau which is one of the most fascinating and under-told stories from World War II.
Another must see at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is all of the bullet holes that you can still find in the windows from the attacks.
Soon the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum will be finished with the renovations of the control tower and you’ll be able to head up to where the first radio broadcast was made signaling the attack.
Punch Bowl cemetery
The final site that you may want to add is the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific also known as the Punchbowl Cemetery.
This site is not located at Pearl Harbor but is about 18 minutes away and is found in the famous Punchbowl Crater.
It has a close connection to Pearl Harbor as many of those who died in Pearl Harbor (and survived) were buried in the cemetery. It also pays special tribute to thousands of military members whose remains were never recovered. You can read about our experience visiting here.
Final word
Visiting Pearl Harbor is definitely a memorable experience. But there is a lot to see here so it really helps to do some research before you arrive. Hopefully, this guide will help you figure out all of the sites you’ll want to visit.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Honolulu Punchbowl Cemetery | National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific Guide
The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (aka the Punchbowl Cemetery) is one of the most popular attractions in Oahu, Hawaii.
You can check out the beautiful scenery while paying respects to tens of thousands of US veterans but before you visit, it helps to have a sense of what you’ll find here.
Below, I’ll give you a guide on what to expect when you visit the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
What is the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific?
The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is a special cemetery located in the Honolulu Punchbowl that honors men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces, especially those who have given their lives in doing so.
Where is the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific?
The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is located at: 2177 Puowaina Dr, Honolulu, HI 96813.
The cemetery is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
As you approach the cemetery you’ll first come across the visitor center and administration building but if you don’t have any reason to visit that building, just keep going and you’ll eventually see the entrance gates to the cemetery. Once you are on Puowaina Dr, it’s impossible to miss.
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (brief) history
Efforts to place a cemetery here first began in the 1890s but locals were not big on the idea of having a city of the dead hovering above a city of the living.
However, later on in the 1940s deaths of US soldiers were adding up and there needed to be a place to properly lay the fallen to rest.
It wouldn’t be until two years after the end of WWII in 1947 that pressure mounted for the military to find a permanent burial site for the remains of thousands of servicemen from World War II, mostly from the island of Guam.
Then, in February of 1948 construction of the cemetery began and the first internment took place on January 4, 1949.
At the time, the cemetery was marked with white wooden crosses and the Stars of David just like other cemeteries located abroad.
But those were only temporary markers and in 1951, after a lot of public outcry and controversy, they were replaced with permanent flat granite grave markers.
Quartermaster General to Senator Paul Douglas in December 1952, explained that religious emblems are not customary for markers in national cemeteries:
Crosses do not mark the graves of the dead of our country in other national cemeteries. No cross marks the burial of our revered Unknown Soldier. From Arlington to Golden Gate, from Puerto Rico to Hawaii, the Government’s markers in national cemeteries for all our hero—dead are of the traditional designs…[s]ome are upright and some are flat. None is in the form of a religious emblem
Eventually, over 13,000 soldiers and sailors who died during World War II were laid to rest here at the Punch Bowl. And it’s estimated that in total approximately 53,000 World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War soldiers are interred here.
With very limited plot space, the vast majority of remains that now enter the cemetery are cremated remains.
As for eligibility who can be buried here, it’s not as strict as Arlington National Cemetery and is open to all members of the armed forces who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable
Punchbowl Cemetery
There are a handful of different areas you’ll probably want to check out when you arrive, including:
Mall Drive
Honolulu Memorial
Chapel
Memorial Walkway
Two overlooks
I recommend taking a look at this map to give you an overview of what there is and where it’s located.
There are different ways to explore the Punch Bowl cemetery.
We decided to drive in and park near the main entrance, near Columbaria Court 13.
It’s a small parking lot so it might fill up but we were able to find a spot and then make the walk along the main mall on Mail Dr N.
There’s a sidewalk and it’s pretty well shaded as you walk through the mall.
It’s a beautiful and peaceful setting and it reminded me a lot of our visit to Arlington Cemetery in Washington DC.
If you’re looking for specific graves you can use this tool to help you locate where they are. It will also give you some information about certain individuals including their background and the war they served in.
One of the most moving sites you’ll see will be the gravestones for the unknown.
Thankfully, these are becoming less common to see.
Recent advancements in DNA technology have allowed the military to identify many of the remains that previously were unknown.
In August 2001, many of the grave markers that previously said unknown were replaced with markers that included “USS Arizona” after it was determined they perished on the USS Arizona.
Also, remains of nearly 400 unknowns from the USS Oklahoma who were killed at Pearl Harbor were dug up and most of them have been identified.
One can only imagine the amount of closure that families feel when unknown remains like that are identified.
Honolulu Memorial at the National Memorial Cemetery
In 1964, the American Battle Monuments Commission erected the Honolulu Memorial, which is the large structure that stands at the end of the mall. As you approach the monument be prepared for goosebumps.
Initially, the monument was designed to honor the sacrifices of those in the Pacific during World War II and in the Korean War but it was eventually expanded to include the Vietnam war.
It reads:
IN THESE GARDENS ARE RECORDED
THE NAMES OF AMERICANS
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY
AND WHOSE EARTHLY RESTING PLACE
IS KNOWN ONLY TO GOD
In this memorial, within the marble slabs of the Courts of the Missing which flank the side of the memorial, you can find 28,788 military personal names who are missing in action or who were lost or buried at sea during these different wars.
If the remains of a missing service man or woman are eventually identified, a rosette is placed by their name.
Each court is organized by the war and branch of service involved in the war.
Once you approach the top of the memorial, you’ll see the 30-foot Lady Columbia, also known as Lady Liberty, standing on top of a Navy carrier’s prow holding a laurel branch.
She’s meant to represent all of the grieving mothers who have lost a loved one during these wars.
Quite fittingly, below her is a quote from Abraham Lincoln’s letter of condolence delivered to Lydia Bixby on November 25, 1864.
Bixby lost five sons in the Civil War.
The quote reads:
“THE SOLEMN PRIDE THAT MUST BE YOURS TO HAVE LAID SO COSTLY A SACRIFICE UPON THE ALTAR OF FREEDOM”
There are different mosaics on the walls that give you very detailed operations maps which tell the story of different wars and battles where America triumphed.
You’ll also find detailed descriptions of the battles that highlight the achievements of the American armed forces in the central and south Pacific regions and in Korea.
Chapel
Inside the memorial you find a small devotional chapel where you can leave your own remarks about the memorial. Chapels like this are also found in other World War II memorials in Europe and in the Philippines.
If you need to find a restroom, you can find them in the area behind the chapel.
Punchbowl Scenic Lookout
One of the highlights of your trip will be to the Punchbowl Scenic Lookout.
You’ll take a paved walkway that takes you up to a beautiful overlook area with multiple views looking out to Honolulu.
On your way up, you’ll walk up memorial walkway that consists of a series of different memorials.
As you make your way to the rim, it really is a pretty breathtaking view of Honolulu.
The view of the interior of the crater is beautiful as well.
It’s estimated that the crater was formed between 75,000 and 100,000 years ago during the Honolulu period of secondary volcanic activity.
History indicates that the crater was once used as an altar where “Hawaiians offered human sacrifices to pagan gods and the killed violators of the many taboos.”
In more recent history, during the reign of Kamehameha the Great, two cannons were mounted at the rim of the crater to “salute distinguished arrivals and signify important occasions.”
Before you leave, be sure to check out the small memorial at the overlook dedicated to the POWs who were forced to work on the Siam-Burma death railway.
Final word
For the longest time I avoided cemeteries.
They always made me feel uneasy and uncomfortable. Perhaps because I always felt just a little bit too close to death.
I realized that they actually can be quite beautiful and peaceful settings.
The National Cemetery of the Pacific only reinforced this view and I would strongly recommend to take a visit here.
I thought it was perfect that this visit came at the end of our Hawaii trip after we had already seen all of the Pearl Harbor sites.
It sort of provided a bit of closure to that experience of paying respects for all of those who lost their life to preserve our freedom and left me with a sense of gratitude as we made our way back to the mainland.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort Review [2022]
On a recent trip to Hawaii, we stayed at six different hotels and got a nice taste of what each one had offer. The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort was probably one of my favorite hotels we stayed at.
It offers some beautiful views from spacious balconies in its different towers but there is a lot going on at this resort so you definitely want to have a good overview of what to expect before you arrive.
In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know before heading to this resort. I’ll show you a breakdown of the different restaurants, shops, and give you a sense of what a room looks like in the Rainbow Tower.
Booking Hilton Hawaiian Village
We made this booking with a combination of a Hilton free night certificate and Hilton points. With all of the different taxes, we would’ve paid about $1,000 for two nights for the room we were put in.
Getting around $500 in value for a free night certificate is always a solid redemption so I felt very good about this award stay.
Resort fees
Initially, when I booked on the phone I was told that I would not have to pay the $50 resort fee for the free night certificate night but I would have to pay it for the night booked with points.
However, when I checked in they told me that I would not have to pay a resort fee for any night.
So I ended up avoiding $100 in resort fees which was very nice!
Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!
Location: The Hawaiian Village
The Hawaiian Village campus is quite huge and one of the largest resorts in the world.
The resort was constructed in the 1950s by Henry J. Kaiser, the same man who built the Hoover Dam. Within a couple of years of opening, new towers were added like the Ocean Tower in 1957.
After Hilton acquired the property in 1961 it quickly grew in fame with Elvis Presley staying at the hotel while filming Blue Hawaii. In 1968, the resort’s iconic Rainbow Tower opened, showcasing the world’s largest and tallest ceramic tile mosaic.
Today, the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel is a vast complex covering over 22 acres and including over twenty-two restaurants and over 90 shops.
Forget “village,” it’s really more of a city.
The Hilton Hawaiian Village is a true resort meaning that there’s enough to keep you occupied so that you don’t have to leave the premises for pretty much anything.
Since we were so busy hitting up different spots in Hawaii this made it a bit difficult to truly appreciate this resort but we still were able to check out a lot of what I had to offer and I’ll break it all down below.
We had a scuba dive coming up at noon and would not be back until later in the evening so we went ahead and gave it a shot to see if we could get early check in.
Checking in early at resorts is usually pretty difficult but they were able to fit us in at 10:30 AM which was amazing, considering that check-in technically did not begin until 4 PM.
We had so much going on in the afternoon that having a room already set up would make our arrival in the evening so much less stressful.
They briefed us on the hotel and also assured us that as Hilton Diamond members we would be receiving a $18 dining credit per night for each of us.
They also have these weird little activities you can do it after check-in to get little perks.
For example, if you present a card to the concierge desk within 24 hours of your arrival, you can get an easy 250 bonus points.
If you present another card to the tours and activities desk within 24 hours of arrival you can get a free tote bag.
After checking in, we immediately parked our vehicle in their large parking garage (more on that later) and then were off to our room.
The room
They bumped us to a King Marina Bay/Ocean View room in the Rainbow Tower.
It’s actually a really beautiful view from this side of the property because you have the ocean to your left, the Duke Lagoon directly below you, and you can look off to the city and distant mountains as well.
Not only are the views great but the balcony itself is spacious and you have some decent privacy on your sides which makes a big difference when you’re just trying to relax in the evening.
The ocean view is nice as well and I got a quick look at what that would be like through one of the windows in the hallway. You really can’t go wrong with either view.
While I think both views are great, I actually liked having a lagoon on our side since that is a pretty unique water feature and we could listen to the sounds of the luau below us at night.
The hotel has an outdoor luau called the “Starlight Luau” and is currently available on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays (weather-permitting) on the Great Lawn.
They also sometimes add additional days so check with the hotel during your stay to see when you can catch the show. Tickets are $170 per adult (12 years and up) and $110 per child.
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach balcony luau set-up.
The King Room felt a little bit bland and maybe a tad outdated although the guest rooms were renovated 10 years ago. One thing I really loved was that the room was extremely spacious.
Because we were coming from the Holiday Inn Express Waikiki which had very small rooms, this bedroom felt massive!
I felt that the bed was comfortable and I got a good night sleep each night. Also, we did not have any issues with room temperature.
On each side of the bed you’ll have a lamp with two power outlets. One side has the alarm clock and the other side has the phone.
There’s a large TV in the middle of the room with a dresser below it. Interestingly, they actually have a PS3 in the room which you can use to watch rented DVDs.
And you also have a little workstation in the corner of the room near the balcony.
The bathroom is pretty standard with a tub/shower, toilet, and sink area all in one room.
The hotel gives you a lot of shampoo/soap/lotion amenities and a good quantity of each of them which is a small touch that I really appreciated.
So overall, I’d say rooms are a little dated but it really is awesome to have such a nice balcony and a great view. I was overall very pleased with the room.
A good place to start is to look at the map that they give you and check out the restaurants located in your tower or area.
The Rainbow Bazaar is where you’ll find the most places where you can find seafood, Italian, New York deli, ice cream, pizza, etc.
In our case, we were staying at the Rainbow Tower and we had the Bali Oceanfront, Paradise Lounge, and surprisingly there also was a Dairy Queen located in the tower!
We decided to try out two of the main restaurants of the hotel and both experiences were fantastic.
The first night we decided to try out Bali Oceanfront for dinner. This is one of the fancier restaurants at the hotel and it just has a really cool vibe to it especially if you dine around sunset. There is no formal dress code; just avoid wearing things like ultra-casual swimming attire.
I really loved my steak and shrimp meal which was one of the specials they were offering.
Brad went with the bone-in New York steak.
I also liked that they had unique menu options like passion fruit crème brûlée.
As for the service, it was fully on point making for a truly memorable dining experience.
For breakfast we tried the Tropics Bar and Grill, which is located in the Ali’ii. That tower also has a Starbucks and a Wiki Wiki Market.
At Tropics Bar and Grill, I went with the avocado toast which was a solid way to start the day and Brad tried out a salmon dish. I enjoyed the breakfast and the prices were close to being covered by the $18 dining credit we each had.
Hilton Hawaiian Village Shops
At the resort, you can also find a ton of different shops for gifts, sundries, jewelry, and clothes.
Once again, simply check out the map because there are just so many places.
If you want to buy gift/souvenirs you have some good places at the Rainbow Bazaar like the Honolulu Cookie Company, Kona Mountain coffee, and Waikiki Christmas store.
Shopping options are very diverse. For example, you can find places with beach gear but also do some luxury shopping at stores like Louis Vuitton.
There is an ABC store at the Rainbow Bazaar and also another ABC store at the Tapa Tower for everyday needs.
Pools & Lagoon
The resort is home to three different pools plus the Duke Lagoon. Each pool has a restaurant located near it so you can always grab a bite or some drinks pretty easily.
The main pool is known as the Super Pool.
There is also the paradise pool which is at the edge of the property near the Lagoon Tower.
Finally there is the Tapa Pool which is next to the Tapa Tower and Diamond Head Tower but we did not have time to check it out.
I think the Duke Lagoon is one of the most interesting aspects of the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
For one, it just gives you something different from the traditional hotel pool experience.
It can be like your own little private beach.
Plus, you have all sorts of different ways to experience it like these cool aqua cycles and it would be a great place to try paddle boarding if you’ve never done it before.
Some of the rental rates are a little bit pricey, though. For example, to rent a paddle board for one hour it is ~$49. When you’re paying $50 a night for a resort fee, these prices seem a bit steep.
At the rental station near the lagoon you can also sign up for things like catamaran snorkeling trips and surfing lessons.
Tip: If you ever need an ATM each tower has an ATM so it’s very easy to pull cash out. Also, pretty much each tower has its own concierge desk and making it easy to get recommendations on things to do.
Snorkeling
We absolutely love to dive and snorkel so I was excited to try out the snorkeling at Kahanamoku Beach, which is the beach in front of the hotel.
Unfortunately, it was not the best experience.
For one, maybe because it was the winter but the water did seem a little bit rough which made visibility extremely low.
Also, we did not enter at a good spot as it was extremely rocky and one of the most difficult entries and exits I’ve ever done snorkeling.
If you look at the image below where the red arrow is, that entry point will probably allow you to avoid most of the rocks but we did not realize that when we entered.
Ultimately, I’m still not sure this is really a great snorkeling spot but maybe you just have to catch it at the right time?
Atlantis Submarine
One of the coolest attractions that they have which we were not able to try was the Atlantis Submarine.
It’s a little pricey at $143 per adult and $66 per child but it does seem like a unique adventure. It takes you 100 feet under the water’s surface to check out the marine life and interesting sites like undersea wrecks.
While we got to explore the USS Bowfin submarine at Pearl Harbor, I’ve still never ridden in a submarine before so I think this would’ve been a worthwhile attraction. Total trip is two hours long.
Fitness center
Due to our hectic schedule we did not get a chance to check out the fitness center.
But it will be really helpful for you to know that the fitness center is located on the fourth floor of the Kalia Tower. That is also where the Madera spa is found.
That is a little bit of a drawback because that is the tower located at the front of Rainbow Drive so it’s a little inconvenient when staying at the Rainbow Tower. But that type of thing is not uncommon when staying at a large resort.
The Ali’i also has a fitness center and spa located on the second floor but that is exclusive for guests staying at the Ali’i.
Parking
Self-parking is $55 per night and valet parking is $65 per night.
Staying in the Rainbow Tower, the parking garage is pretty close and only requires you to walk from the Rainbow Bazaar area to the property. You’ll walk right past the ABC store which is convenient if you ever need something on the go.
We had some serious issues with the parking garage though.
Our room key was supposed to activate the parking garage and allow us in and out privileges. But it never seemed to work which meant that we had to call in and wait to exit the parking garage every time.
After this happened the third time it was becoming very frustrating but luckily when we voiced this issue the hotel waived the parking fee for one night and then fixed it.
I honestly did not expect them to do that but it was really nice service.
The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort has so much to offer that I was overwhelmed from a travel blogger’s perspective.
Once we pulled up to the lobby, I knew there was no way I’d be able to do a full scale review with just two nights and limited time but from everything we did experience I thought this was a very solid resort.
Dining did not disappoint and I was in love with the view from our hotel room which overlooked the Duke Lagoon. The service here was also some of the best I’ve ever seen from Hilton and it made a big impact on our stay.
If you like staying at large resort areas that have tons of restaurants and shops nearby, this hotel could be the perfect fit for you.
On the other hand, if you’d like to get in and out of a hotel with relative ease the sheer size of this resort and all of the foot traffic make that a bit more difficult.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
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