That said:
Transportation on O'ahu
If you decide that you want to rent a car and you're staying in Waikiki or Honolulu, know that parking at hotels runs anywhere from $7 / day for an unguaranteed outside lot to $18 - $20 / day for a spot in a parkade or a hotel parking lot. Make sure you add that expense to your hotel stay and make sure that you inform the front desk that you have a car and will be parking it so they don't tow it away like they did a poor couple at our hotel.
The same day we met with the officer that was taking care of our claim, there was a couple in the lobby who barely spoke English, wondering why their vehicle had been towed and where could they get it. The clerk explained to them the parking policy and told them they'd have to spend another $150 to get it out of the impound. It was then that I realized that something always goes wrong on O'ahu. Now I understand the premise of LOST so much better. The "Island" is trying to tell you something...
There are loads of possibilities for transportation throughout the island. If
you're planning on sticking to Honolulu or Waikiki, you can rent bicycles or mopeds, or even motorcycles everywhere. Another option is to get a 3 day bus pass that will take you to the majority of the tourist spots that are closer around town that you want to go. Then if you want to travel to North Shore or someplace a little off the beaten path, you can get a car for a day or two and save yourself a few hundred bucks. You can also foot it if you're planning on staying in Waikiki for your entire stay (though I wouldn't recommend it).
Another great option for sight seeing is to sign up with a tourist group. We saw loads of these on our way to
North Shore area. They truck you around in a limo or a large bus and show you all the main shopping and viewing and tourist spots along with a brief explanation of what you're seeing. Eventually we caught on and stopped when we saw a bus of people knowing it was a great place to stop and enjoy the view.
Lastly, parking around Waikiki is horrendous. Driving in Waikiki is horrendous. Driving during rush hour on O'ahu to Honolulu is worse than horrendous. If you rent a car, plan your day so that you know you will be able to park without fees.
And just a word to the wise, don't, I repeat DON'T leave your valuables, purse, camera, phone, iPod, wallet anything in your car. The locals search cars-not beaches-for valuables while non expectant tourists enjoy their day at the beach. That said, leave your wallet and anything you DON'T NEED in the hotel lockbox when you go to the beach. I ended up with a swimsuit bra pad full of credit cards, drivers licenses and hotel room keys while at the beach because my husband brought his wallet. But that's for another blog entry. :)
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