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Oahu Culture & history

Our most recommended Oahu Culture & history

Honolulu: Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona, and City Tour

1. Honolulu: Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona, and City Tour

Spend the day visiting the most important historical sites and landmarks of Honolulu, Hawaii. Visit Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona Memorial, Iolani Palace, Kawaiahao Church, the Hawaii State Capitol, Honolulu City Hall, and more. Begin your tour with a visit to Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. Enjoy the exhibits, galleries, and displays before boarding a Navy boat shuttle for a tour of the harbor along “Battleship Row.” Step off the boat to explore the USS Arizona Memorial, then continue to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl Crater. See the historical landmark against a backdrop of rolling hills and lush foliage. Wrap up your experience with a narrated tour of downtown Honolulu. Spot the impressive state buildings and learn about the Iolani Palace, the official residence of Hawaii’s last reigning monarch and the only royal palace in the United States. Make your way to the Hawaii State Capitol grounds. See the Eternal Flame, Korean and Vietnam War Memorials, Liberty Bell, the majestic statue of King Kamehameha, and Kawaiahao Church.

From Hawaii: Historical Dinner Cruise Tour to Kealakekua Bay

2. From Hawaii: Historical Dinner Cruise Tour to Kealakekua Bay

Step aboard and step back in time. Hop aboard a sunset dinner cruise in Kona for an enchanting Hawaiian history lesson from the experts. This family adventure departs from the Kailua Pier and is narrated by a local historian tour guide, who will reveal secrets, tell stories, and share legends related to the numerous landmarks along the 12 miles of magnificent Kona coastline. Unwind while you admire Captain Cook’s Monument at Historical Kealakekua Bay (only accessible by boat or hiking) with a complimentary cocktail from a fully stocked, premium bar. Begin your delicious dinner starting with an appetizer of Mauna Loa Big Island Macadamia Nuts (Vegan/GF). Then, enjoy a salad starter of Kealaola Farm mixed salad greens, Waimea grape tomatoes, Japanese cucumber, and red onion (Vegan/GF), served with house-made Maui Onion vinaigrette dressing (Vegan/GF). For your main course, choose the Thai coconut curry with Hamakua sweet potatoes, Hawaiian breadfruit, carrots, and bell peppers (Vegan/GF). Or, opt for steamed jasmine rice (Vegan/GF) with Kiawe mango barbecue pork short ribs served with papaya salsa (GF) and island-baked coconut dinner rolls served with butter (Vegetarian). Your dessert is a cheesecake with a local Lilikoi glaze (Vegetarian). Keep an eye out for dolphins, turtles, manta rays, and seasonal humpback whales throughout the evening. Enjoy live music from some of the Big Island's best entertainers performing slack-key Hawaiian Style music. Catch the sunset on the water and make sure to look for the famous Green Flash, a fleeting glimmer of intense emerald light that appears on the horizon just after sunset. Other highlights include the Ahu’ena Heiau, the Holua Slide, and the famous Kuamo’o Battlefield, just to name a few.

Honolulu: USS Arizona Memorial & Battleship Missouri Visit

3. Honolulu: USS Arizona Memorial & Battleship Missouri Visit

Visit Pearl Harbor and discover what really happened on that fateful day in 1941. Benefit from guaranteed access to the USS Arizona Memorial and board the Battleship Missouri on Ford Island. Start with a convenient pickup from Waikiki and travel in the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle to reach Pearl Harbor. Once there, your guide will escort you into the Pearl Harbor Visitor's Center and give you specific instructions on how to make the best of your visit. Explore the visitor center and the accompanying “Road to War” and “Attack” exhibit galleries that display pictures and recovered items from the events which transpired at Pearl Harbor and WWII. Then, watch a short film explaining the fateful day and its significance. Followed by a boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial, the final resting place of the ship's 1,177 crewmen. Take a short break for lunch and grab some refreshments from the snack shop or food truck, then set out to discover the USS Battleship Missouri. Visit the battleship lovingly known as "Mighty Mo". After fighting in the last year of the war with Japan, Mighty Mo served as the location where Japan would sign the official surrender documents. It also offers a glimpse into what life at sea was like aboard a battleship. On the way back to Waikiki, enjoy a quick drive through the city to check out the National Cemetery of the Pacific and Historic Honolulu City.

Honolulu: Skip-the-Line USS Arizona Memorial & Downtown Tour

4. Honolulu: Skip-the-Line USS Arizona Memorial & Downtown Tour

Come see the remarkable Pearl Harbor Memorial on this guided tour with hotel pickup and drop-off in Honolulu. A trip to Hawaii isn’t complete without a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial, so save time with skip-the-line access. Board the Navy launch boats to view the USS Arizona Memorial and explore the harbor side displays and historic exhibits at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. After your time at Pearl Harbor, savor a fantastic lunch curtesy of the tasty southern food restaurant, Hughley’s Southern Cuisine. Once you’re done with lunch be whisked you away on a tour of the historic downtown City. Discover sites like the Punch Bowl Cemetery, the State Capital, Washington Palace, Iolani Palace, the King Kamehameha Statue, and the Aloha Tower.

Honolulu: Pearl Harbor, Arizona Memorial & City Tour

5. Honolulu: Pearl Harbor, Arizona Memorial & City Tour

Hear fascinating stories on this tour of Pearl Harbor and downtown Honolulu. Witness the key sites and memorials to the 1941 attack, and experience the island's wartime history. Begin this tour with pickup in Waikiki. Travel first to Pearl Harbor and ride the navy launch to the USS Arizona Memorial. Visit the sombre monument above a sunken battleship from the day of the attack. Explore the memorials to the many groups who lost their lives, and pause to reflect at the wall of remembrance. Return to your waiting van for a historic tour of downtown Honolulu. Your expert guide will explain what it was like to live on the island during wartime. See sights including Iolani Palace, the State Capitol, King Kamehameha Statue and Aloha Tower as you learn about the fascinating history of this historic place.

Honolulu: Pearl Harbor Tour with USS Arizona Memorial

6. Honolulu: Pearl Harbor Tour with USS Arizona Memorial

Learn about Pearl Harbor and the events of December 7, 1941 on this day trip from Waikiki. Take a boat ride to visit the Arizona Memorial, see exhibits related to the attack, and take a tour of the Battleship Missouri. After pickup in Waikiki, explore World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. See museum exhibits, footage from the attack, and other park monuments. Experience a boat ride to visit the USS Arizona Memorial over the sunken battleship. Head over the Admiral Clarey Bridge and drive by the USS Oklahoma Memorial on your way to the Battleship Missouri. Enjoy a guided tour of the ship, led by an expert docent.  You’ll be dropped off back in downtown Waikiki at the end of the tour.

Honolulu: Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona, Might Mo, and City Tour

7. Honolulu: Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona, Might Mo, and City Tour

Experience the legacy of Pearl Harbor with a guided tour in Honolulu. Enter Pearl Harbor to explore the Battleship Missouri and listen to an audio-guided tour of the USS Arizona Memorial. Pass by iconic sites in Honolulu including the King Kamehameha Statue and City Hall. Be picked up from a select number of locations in Honolulu and spend the day exploring a part of US history in Honolulu. See Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona, Battleship Missouri, and Honolulu. Arrive at Pearl Harbor and be transported back in time with an audio guide tour of the USS Arizona Memorial. See footage and memorabilia from the attack on Pearl Harbor as you admire the final resting place of the sunken ship. See Mighty Mo, the Battleship Missouri, up close, and walk the decks while you listen to its storied history from your guide. Visit the Battleship Missouri, also known as Mighty Mo, and walk the decks of the battleship. Learn about the history of the ship and its role in ending WWII. From Pearl Harbor, head to Honolulu. Pass Hawaii icons like the King Kamehameha Statue, the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific Punchbowl, the Hawaii State Capitol, City Hall, and Kawaiahao Church.

Oahu: 120-Mile Full-Day Circle Island Tour

8. Oahu: 120-Mile Full-Day Circle Island Tour

The popular Circle Island tour takes you on a scenic 120-mile trip around the beautiful island of Oahu. Enjoy a scenic drive along the slopes of Diamond Head and catch a view of some of Oahu’s most impressive homes in the Kahala area. The tour continues along the coastline to the famous Halona Blowhole, Sandy Beach, and Makapu’u Point. Get out that camera to capture the view of Windward Oahu from the scenic Nu’uanu Pali Lookout (subject to availability). Take a tram ride at Waimea Valley and swim in a waterfall-fed pool (weather permitting). A "to go" lunch is included. Visit the Byodo-In Temple in the Valley of the Temples in Kaneohe, set against the majestic Ko’olau Mountains (admission included). Take a moment to meditate and take in the beautiful temple grounds, including traditional Japanese gardens and a koi pond. See the world-famous North Shore beaches of Sunset, Banzai Pipeline, and Waimea Bay, home to big wave surfing and surf competitions like the Vans Triple Crown of Surf. Finally, stop at the Dole Plantation to read the information displays and presentations, as well as browse for gifts at the country store. This is sure to be an unforgettable Hawaiian experience.

Oahu: Official USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Audio Tour

9. Oahu: Official USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Audio Tour

Experience the powerful sensations of the largest visitor destination in Hawaii on a fully-narrated audio tour to the USS Arizona Memorial and Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. Follow in the footsteps of the millions of people who come to see for themselves where World War II began for the United States on December 7, 1941. Approved by the National Park Service, the USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Tour is an award-winning, 2.5-hour audio tour that will take you through 2 world-class museums at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, including the amazing "Attack" and "Road to War" chronicling events leading up to the attack on Oahu and its aftermath. Imagine you have your own Park Ranger to guide you as you look at dramatic photographs, personal memorabilia and much more.   Listen to an informative commentary (available in English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean and Mandarin) as you journey through the facility. It will translate the National Park Services' 23-minute movie documentary into your chosen language. 

From Waikiki: Pearl Harbor with USS Arizona Memorial Ticket

10. From Waikiki: Pearl Harbor with USS Arizona Memorial Ticket

Get to Pearl Harbor with a convenient roundtrip transfer from Waikiki. Watch the Pearl Harbor Documentary, visit the Road to War Museum, see the Attack Gallery, and use your reserved ticket to enter the USS Arizona Memorial Program. Drive by important landmarks along the way. Your day begins with a convenient pickup from a Waikiki hotel. Ride in an air conditioned vehicle and listen to your driver as they tell you stories about Hawaii on the way to the Pearl Harbor. Once you arrive at Pearl Harbor, be personally escorted into the Visitor's Center where you will be given detailed instructions on how to enjoy the grounds. During your time there see the Pearl Harbor Documentary, browse the Road to War Museum, and see the Attack Gallery. Skip the hassle of arranging your own entry by using your reserved ticket to the USS Arizona Memorial Program. Take the boat shuttle and spend time at the memorial. On the way back to Waikiki, enjoy a quick drive through the city to check out the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and Historic Honolulu City.

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What people are saying about Oahu

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 1,135 reviews

Kim was so sweet, full of knowledge and humor, and did an incredible job. This tour was a great use of our time (we only had 2.5 days in Oahu), and maximized our view of the island without having to rent a car. I felt like we spent the right amount of time everywhere, except we could have spent more time at the botanical gardens and less time at Dole (though I know people love Dole). Thank you for everything, Kim!

Pearl Harbor was on my bucket list. This was by far my favorite excursion while we were in Hawaii. It's part of our history and I'm so glad I was finally able to pay my respects to those who sacrificed so much and paid the ultimate price.

Wonderful trip. Tour guide Chris is a wonderful person giving a lot of introduction for attraction places, coordinating schedule well.

Seamless booking and tour experience, our Tourguide Tra’ was awesome and top notch! Highly recommend

Our tour started at 7am, so the lunch wasn’t included. Our tour guide was awesome.