Oahu: Sightseeing Tours

Oahu is the third largest of the Hawaiian islands. This volcanic island, with its tropical landscape and some of the world’s most beautiful beaches offers a multitude of sightseeing activities.

From the warm oceans, lush rainforests, fertile farmlands and modern cities, Oahu is a wonderful vacation destination.

Whether you are hoping for a romantic getaway or wanting a fun or family-friendly vacation, there are sightseeing tours that cater to just about everyone.

It can be difficult to decide what to do there are so many options. Here are some of the most popular sightseeing tours in Oahu to help guide your planning:

Oahu city tours

A tour to the city of Honolulu goes hand in hand with a stop at historically significant Pearl Harbor. On a coach tour, small group tour or private excursion you can expect a Honolulu City tour to include a Pearl Harbor experience where you can explore the museums and grounds of the Pearl Harbor Visitor Centre. Your tour may include a stop at the USS Arizona Memorial and maybe some time aboard the USS Missouri.

Heading to downtown Honolulu you will see attractions like the King Kamehameha Statue, Iolai Palace and the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl Cemetery). Your guide will tell you more about Hawaii’s compelling history.

Diamond Head Crater trips

Diamond Head, known locally as Lē‘ahi is a dormant volcanic cone and forms part of the Honolulu Volcanic Series. The Crater is a defining feature of the Waikiki landscape and you can choose to include a visit there on a guided tour, self-guided hike, from the ocean on a boat tour, or while on a bicycle, e-bike or segway tour.

If you hike to the top of the dormant volcano you will have a magnificent view and great photo opportunities.

Photo tours in Oahu

A photo tour of Oahu in the company of a professional photographer-guide ensures that you see the best the island has to offer, and at the best times for that perfect shot. If you are hoping for a glorious sunrise, book a tour that starts with sunrise at Sandy Beach, where the Halona Blow and morning sun combine for a great image. A photo tour that includes the sunset will see you standing on eastern tip of Oahu, capturing the sun setting along the sea cliff walls.

Other notable spots on your photo tour might include the B’yodo-In Temple, Waimea Valley and the Ko’olau Mountains. Other sites like the Kalapawai Market, Kawela Bay, Banzai Pipeline and Shark Caves may appear on your itinerary for the day.

Private tours can be tailored to your own photographic check-list.

Guided Kailua tours in Oahu

A tour to Kailua, the “world’s biggest little beach town”, is ideal if you are looking for a family friendly canoeing or kayaking experience. You can paddle to Mokulua Islands, explore tide pools and enjoy the sandy Kailua Beach.

You can also explore Kailua Bay from the water, sailing with local watermen on a Wa’a (canoe) or a stand up paddleboard (SUP) lesson. No visit to Kailua is complete without a stop in town to explore the restaurants, cafés and antique stores. If you don’t want to join a scheduled tour, you can book a return shuttle from your hotel in Waikiki.

Go Oahu Pass

The Go Oahu pass in an all-inclusive pass that gives you discounted access to over 40 of Oahu’s top attractions. The pass not only saves you money, it helps you beat the queues and plan your itinerary. To make the most of the pass, make sure you have enough time for excursions. If you want to organise a trip jam packed with activities, a Go Oahu pass offers you great value.

As an added bonus, your pass can be stored on your phone to ensure hassle-free, cash-free entry to your chosen activities. With a pass for 3 days or longer, you also gain discounted access to one of the island’s premium attractions.

Oahu hop-on hop-off bus tours

The Waikiki Trolley has four lines with over 30 stops between them, and is the perfect hop-on hop-off bus tour in Oahu. The trolleys and double decker buses run along fixed routes and you can hop-off at your chosen stop and catch one of the next buses when you’re ready.

You can travel on the bus for as long as your ticket is valid and can choose between single or multi-day and one or multi-route passes. From sightseeing to shopping to cultural experiences, there is a hop-on hop-off bus route right for you.

Polynesian Cultural Centre visits

Hawaii has a rich cultural heritage which you can explore on a tour to the Polynesian Cultural Center. Here you can spend the day wandering the 42-acre grounds participating in traditional hands-on activities. Learn about aspects of Polynesian culture including history, construction, dance and food. At the center you can experience a meal at an authentic Polynesian luau and enjoy a spectacular show.

You can also combine a visit to the Polynesian Cultural Centre with a tour of the historic Oahu Dole Pineapple plantation and the Garden Maze.

Segway tours in Oahu

A segway tour is a fast and fun way of exploring Oahu. After a safety briefing and riding lesson for first-timers, you can discover the best of Waikiki on tours designed to showcase the history, sights and culture of this unique destination.

Some tours provide you with a wireless audio receiver so that you can learn more about Oahu as you go. Sites on your route may include Kapiolani Park, Diamond Head, the Waikiki War Memorial and Kaimana Beach.

If you’ve already seen these attractions, join a segway tour that takes you to West Waikiki, Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island.

A guide, your segway and a helmet are all part of the package

Oahu walking tours

If you’d like the opportunity to stretch your legs, you can book a walking tour on Oahu. You can join a free walking tour of Honolulu – with no booking fee, but a tip for your guide after the tour. Walking through downtown Honolulu you learn more about Hawaii’s history, passed down orally through generations dating back to ancient tribal times.

For a tour that explores the supernatural, you can join a ghost or dark history walking tour. More traditional walking tours take in the beauty and history of Oahu, or book a Friday night fireworks tour where your guide ensures that you have a great viewing spot for this weekly highlight.

Scavenger games in Oahu

A scavenger hunt is a fun, interactive way to explore Honolulu or Waikiki. With the app loaded onto your smartphone, you will spend two hours solving clues and discovering the cities hidden gems and top landmarks.

If you feel you’d need a bit of help with this excursion, you can choose an option that includes a remote live host to help you along the way.

Oahu street art tours

If you’re looking to see Oahu’s giant street art murals and popular Instagram spots, then book a guided street art tour. This small group tour travels through neighborhood of Kaka’ako to see murals and the scenic waterfront boardwalk before heading to Ala Moana, Magic Island and the Ala Wai yacht harbor.

For an Instagram-ready tour join no more than six participants and visit a few other insta-worthy sights before heading to the Kaka’ako street art.

Scooter tours of Oahu

Zip along the gold coast of Waikiki with your guide on a 2-hour tour by scooter or cycleboard. Travel along the panoramic boardwalk with Diamond Head in the distance. You have a chance to see some of Kaka’ako unique murals, Ala Moana beach park and the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon. Some tours pass Fort DeRussy beach park before heading to Magic Island and back to the starting point.

If you have a scooter or motorcycle license, you can spend a day or two exploring Oahu on a 170cc Hooligan scooter. You can spend one day exploring Waikiki, another travelling through the middle of the island to visit the North Shore where in the winter you can see whales breaching.

All scooter hire includes helmets and with a motorized scooter you also get a lock and custom tour maps.