Oahu Without a Car: Best Ways to Get Around

Are you looking for the best ways to get around Oahu without a car?

That’s what I’ve got for you here. There are a lot of reasons you may not have a car while you’re here.

When I first moved to Oahu there was a time before I bought a car when I had to find my way around. I was excited to be there and I wanted to go everywhere.

And I found great ways to do it. Here I’ll fill you in on your options when it comes to getting around.

Settle on one, or make use of them all – the choice is yours! In a nutshell, you can:

• Take a day or half-day tour
• Use the Hop-On Hop-Off trolley (I love these!)
• Book an activity that includes transportation
• Make use of The Bus (yes, that’s what it’s called 😊)
• Use Uber or The Cab (ditto)
• Find bike share, bike rentals, and loans from your accommodations

See Oahu Without a Car

1. My favourite way to see Oahu without a car is to first take a day tour of the island. There are many to choose from – the absolute best one is the Mahina Hawaii Full-Day Adventure. Get picked up right from your hotel.

You’ll love the guide, and the tour is fully customizable. If you’d like to see all of the beaches, or all of the botanical gardens, for example – your wish is their command.

Or if you want to see hidden cultural gems mixed with great seafood and some snorkelling – just say so, and they’ll show you the best.

Plus you’ll have the chance to pick the brain of your guide and learn about the island through their eyes.

Learn more about this tour in the full review.

2. Second is the Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley in Waikiki. The open-air trolley is a fun way to get around, and there are 3 different lines that will take you to the best parts of the island.

You can buy 1, 4, or 7-day passes, for all 3 routes or just one. Ride around, hop off when you see something interesting, and hop back on when the trolley comes around again.

Or just ride and sightsee – don’t forget your camera! The trolleys have common, easy-to-locate meeting points.

3. Third, remember that there are trips and tours on Oahu for all sorts of activities, ranging from a couple of hours to a half-day. These will often pick you up or are a quick Uber ride away.

You can go snorkelling at Turtle Canyon, where you could see Hawaii’s fish and beautiful sea turtles.

Or take this awesome beginner scuba dive in Magic Island Lagoon.

Choose from several more tours and excursions, and you won’t miss having a car at all.

4. Once you’ve taken a day tour like the one above, you’ll have a good idea of what there is to see. From there, TheBus, as Hawaii’s public bus system is called, is the perfect way to get around.

TheBus goes everywhere on the island and is incredibly affordable. Download the free DaBus2 app, available for Android or Apple, and a map app like Google Maps.

Enter where you want to go in the map app and choose the bus option. It will tell you where the bus stop is and which bus to take.

When you get to the bus stop type in the number that you see on the sign there into the DaBus2 app. You’ll get real-time updates on when the next bus is expected to arrive at that stop.

There’s also a “find a bus stop near me” feature as well as a map with bus stop locations pinpointed. Select a bus stop and the app provides details.

You’ll learn what buses stop there, including their routes, destinations, and actual arrival information.

Pay $3 for a single ride, $7.50 for a full day, $30 for a 7-day pass, or $80 for one month. You can buy passes at locations found on this page or use cash.

TheBus isn’t the fastest way to get around the island, especially to places like the North Shore. But you get to sit back and enjoy the scenery, and NOT have to worry about parking, which is a huge plus.

5. Taxis and Uber are always options. I wouldn’t recommend hiring one for long trips – Waikiki to the North Shore, for example. Expensive!

But they’re always an easy way to get to your tour meeting points, and to different places around where you’re staying.

6. Oahu is the perfect place to explore on a bicycle! Biki is a bike share that has many, many locations around Waikiki and Honolulu in general.

There are also bike rentals at places like Kailua Beach Adventures. The Bike Shop has locations in Honolulu, Aiea, and Kailua. The North Shore has some beautiful bike paths, and North Shore Bike Rentals is in Pupukea – on The Bus route.

There’s even an Official Bike Guide for the islands, so you know the local rules.

Finally

If you’d like to rent a car for just an hour or a day, there are a couple of options. Some hotels and shopping centers Waikiki have car rental desks onsite to book for short periods.

Contact the Hyatt Regency, Royal Hawaiian, International Marketplace & Hilton Hawaiian Village and ask what they have available.

HUI Car Share has owner-share cars parked around city that includes gas, insurance & parking spot for an hour, a couple, or a day.

So you see, nothing can keep you from enjoying Oahu! Not having a car should be no barrier to seeing everything there is to see. And there’s so much 🌸!

Hele hau’oli!

Read more about Oahu:

🚙 Shaka Guide App: What You Need to Know About the App on Oahu
🏖️ Best Areas for Vacation Rentals in Kailua, Oahu in 2025
🌺 Hawaii Luaus: Oahu’s Best in 2025
🐡 Best Oahu Airport Shuttles: How to Get to Your Hotel in 2025