If you are headed to the Island of Hawaii for a vacation, you’ll have lots of amazing things to see and do on the Big Island. But, perhaps you might be wondering if it’s possible to take a day trip, island hop over to Oahu to see Pearl Harbor. The good news is yes, it is very possible!
A visit to Pearl Harbor is on most visitors’ bucket list of things to see when they travel to Hawaii. We’ve been to Pearl Harbor numerous times and can say that it is indeed worthy of your time and budget. It’s both educational and emotional to learn the history of Pearl Harbor.
Logistically, it is possible to plan your own flights, rent a car, and make your own reservations to visit the historic sites within Pearl Harbor. I will say that it is a lot of work coordinating those plans on your own. I’ve done it myself and it’s stressful and very time consuming to do the research and planning. But, stay tuned….there is an easier option we’ll get to below…
When most people generally think of Pearl Harbor, their thoughts tend to go to the USS Arizona Memorial, which is the sunken battleship with the hovering memorial structure. That’s what most people have highest on their list of places to see. These days, visiting the USS Arizona Memorial requires reservations that are timed and limited to a certain number per day. So, it can be tricky to secure reservations. For this reason, we recommend a tour package for a day trip to Oahu.
Companies that offer packaged, day-trip tours from the Big Island to/from Oahu
There are limited options for tour packages from Kona to Pearl Harbor. They all include flights, reservations, tickets, and ground transportation on Oahu. Here are the options that we have either used ourselves or that we know have have great reputation:
Aloha Sunshine Tours
Aloha Sunshine tours offers some convenient day tours to Pearl Harbor. Aloha Sunshine Tours has outstanding TripAdvisor reviews/ratings. Here are the tours they offer to Pearl Harbor from the Big Island:
Battleships of WWII at Pearl Harbor Tour from the Big Island includes tours of the Arizona Memorial, the Missouri Battleship, a scenic drive through Honolulu, and a drive through Punchbowl. This tour hits the top Pearl Harbor highlights and if I were booking a tour for myself today, this tour is the one I’d choose based on what’s included and the price, which slightly less expensive than Polynesian Adventures. To check availability and pricing see this link. The expected duration of this tour is between nine and ten hours.
Arizona Memorial Pearl Harbor & Historic Honolulu Tour: Aloha Sunshine Tours offers a nice day-trip tour from Kona to Pearl Harbor. Their tour is also the least expensive option. It includes the Arizona Memorial, a sightseeing tour of downtown Honolulu, and a drive through Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery.
Complete Pear Harbor Experience departing from the Big Island includes all four of the top Pearl Harbor attractions, plus some Honolulu sightseeing and a drive through Punchbowl. This tour is a great option for those who want a more immersive tour of Pearl Harbor. The expected duration of this tour is between 10 and 11 hours.
Polynesian Adventure
Polynesian Adventure is the company we booked on our first Hawaii vacation for a day trip to Oahu. Polynesian Adventure has offered tours for decades and they’ve earned excellent TripAdvisor reviews across the many tours they offer in the Hawaiian Islands. Here are the Pearl Harbor tours from Kona that Polynesian Adventures offer:
Big Island Kona day trip to Oahu: World War II Deluxe Pearl Harbor Tour. This tour includes all four (USS Arizona Memorial, Battleship Missouri Memorial, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, and Bow Fin Museum) Pearl Harbor attractions, plus a scenic drive past the top downtown Honolulu spots. This tour is best for those who want to know all about Pearl Harbor and who have a greater interest in the history.
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These tours are not cheap, but all things considered, there’s value in the low stress involved in making sure you have reservations and tickets and everything timed exactly right. Additionally, it’s nice to have someone else doing the driving on Honolulu’s busy streets. We once paid a high price with a packaged tour, too. Looking back on it, we don’t regret spending that money for such a memorable day.
