Getting Around
TheBus (Oahu transit) runs throughout the island for $3 per ride — Bus 19 or 20 from downtown to Waikiki takes 20 minutes. Rideshare from Aloha Tower to Waikiki: $15–20, 10–15 minutes. Rental cars are the right choice for the East Side (Hanauma Bay, Lanikai, Kailua) — buses run there but slowly. The Biki bike-share operates downtown and in Waikiki ($4.50 per 30 minutes). Pearl Harbor is 8 miles west of downtown: $25–35 by rideshare, or Bus 20 (45 minutes).
Tipping and Currency
USD. Hawaii norms: 18–20% at restaurants. Hawaii has the highest cost of living of any US state — restaurant prices reflect this. Cash is useful at farmers' markets and shave ice stands. Luau pricing starts at $100/person and is worth comparing: Paradise Cove and Germaine's are the most consistent at a lower price point than the resort luaus.
What to Eat
Leonard's Bakery in Kaimuki (20 minutes by bus) is the malasada (Portuguese fried doughnut) institution — the original recipe, consistently fresh. Rainbow Drive-In on Kapahulu is a local plate lunch institution: two scoops of white rice, macaroni salad, and your choice of protein. For serious food: Senia in Chinatown (James Beard-nominated, creative Hawaii regional), Sushi Sasabune on King Street (omakase, no soy sauce on the rice, follow the rules). Shave ice from Waiola Shave Ice or Shimazu Store is better than Matsumoto's on the North Shore (longer line, similar quality). Acai bowls are everywhere and genuinely a meal.
Pearl Harbor, Iolani Palace, Diamond Head
Pearl Harbor ($28, boat tour to the Arizona Memorial, advance timed-entry required — books out weeks ahead in summer) is the most significant American historical site in the Pacific. The Battleship Missouri, the Pacific Aviation Museum, and the USS Bowfin Submarine are also on Ford Island — allow a full morning. Iolani Palace (downtown, 10 minutes' walk from Aloha Tower) was the home of Hawaii's last monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, and tells the story of the kingdom's overthrow. Diamond Head State Monument ($25 per car or $5 per pedestrian) is a 45-minute hike to a crater rim with 360-degree views.
Waikiki and Beyond
Waikiki is a 2-mile beach in front of a line of hotels — the sand is soft, the water is swimmable, the sunsets are real. It's also very crowded. Hanauma Bay (25 minutes east by car, timed entry reservation required at $25/person) is a marine preserve with excellent snorkeling in calm, protected water. Lanikai Beach on the Windward Coast (40 minutes by car) is among the best uncrowded beaches in Hawaii. The North Shore (an hour by car) has the legendary surf beaches (Sunset, Pipeline) — swimming at Pipeline in winter is suicidal; the rest of the year it's swimmable.