Ko Olina

[WMOLLOY]

My wife and I are currently in Waikiki and going to Ko Olina next week. A couple of questions; will we need a car in Ko Olina or will the resort (which we haven’t stayed at before) meet most of our needs, primarily for some light food shopping? Also can anyone recommend a tour company for the North part of the island or for the whole island? Thank you, hope I am not repeating a past thread!

 

[dioxide45]

Perhaps consider renting a car for the first couple days of the trip? This way you can stop at a grocery store along the way to checkin and the next day take a tour through the north shore on your own. There is a Costco, Safeway and Walmart in Kapolei. Also stop in at Don Don Donki for some fun stuff. For tours, check out Shaka Guides (mobile app) as they have some good audio tours. Then after you drop off the car you can probably make do without by dining at the onsite restaurants and also places down the street at the small plaza.

 

[chinh9]

We rented a car for our entire 9 night stay and it was nice. Depends on the things you want to do. The north shore, Waikiki, Pearl harbor, and other parts of the island are amazing. That being said, If you hanging at the resort is how you and your wife like to do things, then I'd say the restaurant at the hotel is very good (but also very expensive) and there is a little shopping plaza with a few restaurants that are good and an Island Gourmet Market which is walkable. It's not super close but close enough (my guess is a 15 minute walk). The grocery stores nearby are about a 15 minute drive. There are other restaurants at other resorts which are close'ish too.

Can't help with tours as we tend to explore ourselves. Was just there in February so you I'll help anyway I can with questions.

 

[echino]

Now that there is a Skyline station in Kapolei, and the airport station is now open, perhaps it will be easier to get to the airport from Ko Olina without a car?

 

[sea&ski]

Now that there is a Skyline station in Kapolei, and the airport station is now open, perhaps it will be easier to get to the airport from Ko Olina without a car?

Please post if you discover this to be true! The drive is not fun, for sure.

 

[Dean]

My wife and I are currently in Waikiki and going to Ko Olina next week. A couple of questions; will we need a car in Ko Olina or will the resort (which we haven’t stayed at before) meet most of our needs, primarily for some light food shopping? Also can anyone recommend a tour company for the North part of the island or for the whole island? Thank you, hope I am not repeating a past thread!

If you want to hang out on the beach and eat nearby, then you likely will not need a car. If you want to get out and explore (North Shore, Polynesian Cult Center) then you will want a car. You could see what the prices are and that should help you decide.

 

[rthib]

Just got back. If you do drive, highly recommend get Guide along GPS tour. Lots of good info, sites and history. And the Narrator's voice is so soothing. https://guidealong.com/

As for the North Shore, driving is a mess. Construction has areas down to one lane so lot and lots of sitting in traffic not moving. We gave up this trip because we had already been, after sitting in traffic forever and not getting much past Turtle Beach after visiting our friends in Haleiwa

Some other things I recomend not in Ko Olina area.
If you are going to be by Jurrasic Park ranch area, Get some Huli Huli Chicken. You will see the smoke out front as the turn the chickens.

Yummy Huli Huli Chicken | Savor Authentic Huli Huli

Discover delicious, locally owned Huli Huli Chicken in the heart of Hakipuʻu at Coral Kingdom Shopping Center. Open daily with friendly service.

yummyhuli.com

Waiahole Poi Factory 48-140 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744
Place that looks like it is going to fall down and huge line of locals
We took a bunch of folks for a Chocolate Tour so if you want to try Chocolate from the North Pole of Chocolate - Oahu is technically too far north for Chocolate, so the Chocolate compensates by producing more Cocoa butter so the taste is amazing.

Places you can Tour
Near Waikiki - Lonahana https://lonohana.com/
Near Kaneohe (amazing Farm tour) - 21 Degrees https://21degreesestate.com/
We also did the Chocolate and Wine at Manoa in Kailua

And while you are near Ko Olina do the Rum Tasting at https://www.kohanarum.com/

 

[WMOLLOY]

We thank everyone for their suggestions and knowledge of the area. We got here in Ko Olina a couple of days ago. Public transportation won’t have worked so we did rent a car leaving Waikīkī…leaving about noon the drive was good about 30 minutes. I understand late afternoon takes a lot longer. Having the car we were able to avail ourselves to the town of Kapolei which basically has everything as outlined by Dioxide45! Before leaving Waikiki (we were there with two other couples) we did a private tour of the N and E Shore for eight hours for one hundred each…worked out great. It included the “Temple” and “Dole” as well. As indicated, the N Shore has heavy traffic and still impacted by floods last month so driving is interrupted by some one lane traffic on occasion. Attached is the Current Skyline Stations. Thanks again for your invaluable input!

 

[hangloose]

Sure would be nice to take the Skyline to Ko Olina from the airport. Looks like it drops in Kapolei, then one would have to grab a bus (40?) and then walk a bit. Or grab short Uber from Kapolei drop-off?

With luggage, this might be still a bit much. Others thoughts who are here more often and/or local?

 

[MabelP]

Has anyone done this?

 

[Kapolei]

The last stop on skyline is quite a ways to Koolina. It doesn’t even make to the mall where it was originally intended to go. I wouldn’t make part of any plan to come to and from the airport. You could ride it for the novelty of it. But it doesn’t even end in town.

 

[MabelP]

Ty!