RENTING A CAR IN HAWAII: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW IN 2023

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RENTING A CAR IN HAWAII: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW IN 2023


Renting a automotive in Hawaii is the right option to expertise all the finest seashores, hikes, waterfalls, and hidden gems all through the islands. With winding roads that supply breathtaking views of the shoreline and wonderful mountain landscapes, renting a automotive offers you the liberty to discover every island at your personal tempo. Renting a automotive in Hawaii is a handy and reasonably priced option to uncover new locations every day and all the things the Hawaiian Islands have to supply.

First and foremost, most vacationers wish to learn about the most effective place to rent a automotive in Hawaii. When I lease a automotive in Hawaii, I like to recommend and I all the time use Discover Cars, and you’ll see why beneath.

a silver suv parked on the side of a road.

BEST RENTAL CAR COMPANY IN HAWAII

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When you e-book your Hawaii Rental Car on-line, I personally advocate and all the time use Discover Cars. They seek for each native and worldwide firms, so that you get the most effective deal!

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO RENTING A CAR IN HAWAII

The better part about Discover Cars? You can add full protection insurance coverage for under about $11 per day.

By the tip of this weblog put up, you’re going to really feel snug with all the Hawai automotive rental course of and have some useful tips on driving a rental automotive in Hawaii that can increase your confidence with driving in Hawaii.

a road lined with palm trees on both sides of it.

WHERE TO BOOK A RENTAL CAR ON MADEIRA

When contemplating the place to e-book your rental from inside Hawaii, there are a number of choices.

  • Pre-book on-line earlier than your arrival and decide up the automotive on the airport
  • Pre-book on-line earlier than your arrival however decide up the automotive downtown akin to in Honolulu on Oahu (typically cheaper)
  • Organize with a vendor in Waikiki or at your lodge (the most costly choice)

The smartest choice is to pre-book your automotive rental and decide it up from the airport. The taxi from the airport to Waikiki as of 2022 is about $50. That is nearly the worth for 2 days of a automotive rental when reserving on-line with Discover Cars.

I’ve picked up rental vehicles from the airport and close to Waikiki on Oahu and my expertise has all the time been higher on the airport the place the workers may be very environment friendly and it’s a fast course of.

Regardless of the situation you select, I like to recommend and personally use Discover Cars when hiring a automotive in Hawaii.

I’ve discovered Discover Cars has the most cost effective Hawaii Car leases, in addition to the most cost effective Hawaii driving insurance coverage at lower than $11 per day. The key’s to e-book no less than 2-3 weeks prematurely for his or her tremendous low charges. If you e-book the day earlier than it will likely be way more costly.

a black jeep is parked on the beach.

TOP 3 PLACES TO STAY ON OAHU

  • Ultimate Luxury: Lotus Honolulu – Diamond Head View, Great Waikiki Location
  • My Favorite: Aston Waikiki Beach – Best worth in Waikiki & Great location
  • Value Hotel Waikiki: Surfjack Hotel is definitely the most effective worth (luxurious) lodge in Waikiki

BOOK YOUR HAWAII CAR RENTAL IN ADVANCE

I’ve discovered that when you e-book your Hawaii automotive rental greater than two weeks prematurely, the offers you will discover are of fantastic worth. Once it’s lower than every week till you arrive in Hawaii, the costs go up dramatically. Sites like Discover Cars provide free cancellation up till a few days earlier than so it is best to e-book the rental as quickly as you’ve your flights and you’ll all the time change your thoughts later and cancel the reserving. This manner you lock within the low-cost costs prematurely.

a scenic view of the ocean from a highway.

TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN HAWAII

  • Make certain to take photographs of all scratches and dents on the automotive. It solely takes a couple of minutes of your time and also you by no means know what proof you have to on the finish of the rental. Do the identical for the automotive’s inside on the lookout for any stains or rips.
  • Take the identical photographs and movies if you drop the automotive off on the finish of the rental.
  • You will want your reference quantity and reserving prepared if you decide up the automotive.
  • Book prematurely by no less than 2 weeks with Discover Cars to save lots of as much as 50%.
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DO YOU NEED A RENTAL CAR OR IS UBER ENOUGH?

If you’re pondering of spending most of your time on the resort or in Waikiki, don’t lease a automotive. It’s truly robust to get parking and most resorts cost $30-50 per evening to park your automotive. The most suitable choice is to only catch a number of Ubers round when you want, use the Waikiki Trolley service or lease a automotive by means of your lodge for 1-2 ays of your trip as an alternative of the entire journey.

If you intend to discover the island and are a bit extra adventurous, you won’t have the ability to discover an Uber to take you dwelling, even when a driver has dropped you off. Most of the hikes on the island are most likely a bit far to contemplate an Uber as a sensible choice. So when you’re planning a visit that takes you distant from a significant vacationer hub like Waikiki, Uber won’t be your best choice for getting round and I’d counsel a rental automotive. Even when you did a helicopter tour or shark-diving tour, they don’t embody transport and you’ll have to pay for an Uber, so in that case would counsel reserving a rental automotive with Discover Cars.

a row of yellow taxi cabs on a city street.

SHOULD YOU PURCHASE FULL-COVERAGE INSURANCE

When renting a automotive in Hawaii, some of the essential choices you’ll must make is whether or not or to not buy full-coverage insurance coverage. It’s essential to contemplate the potential dangers concerned in driving on unfamiliar roads in another country. With the street situations on Oahu and the chaotic highways, I wouldn’t threat it on the Hawaiian Islands to not add on the full-coverage insurance coverage. It is often simply $10 additional per day with Discover Cars and might present peace of thoughts and shield you from sudden prices within the occasion of an accident, theft, or injury to the automobile.

a jeep parked on a rocky shore next to a body of water.

HOW TO GET A CHEAP RENTAL CAR IN HAWAII

If you’re wanting to economize on automotive rental in Hawaii, there are a number of issues you are able to do:

  1. Book early: The earlier you e-book, the higher the offers you’ll discover. Booking prematurely on Discover Cars can prevent as much as 50% on rental prices.
  2. Return the automotive the place you picked it up: Dropping off the automotive at a special location can incur extra charges, so it’s finest to return the automotive to the identical location the place you picked it up.
  3. Book a smaller automotive: Smaller vehicles are typically cheaper to lease and likewise extra fuel-efficient, which might prevent cash on gasoline.
  4. Pay consideration to pick-up and drop-off instances: Car rental firms usually cost per 24-hour interval, so returning the automotive later than the designated time may end up in extra fees. Make certain you recognize the precise pick-up and drop-off instances to keep away from any additional prices.
  5. Choose a rental with restricted cancellation or with out cancellation: Some rental choices on Discover Cars provide free cancellation, however these could be costlier. If you’re certain about your journey plans, selecting a rental with restricted or no cancellation can prevent cash.
  6. Check costs for a week-long rental: Sometimes, rental firms provide reductions for week-long leases, even when you solely want the automotive for six days. It’s value checking to see if that is so.
  7. Book with restricted mileage: If you don’t plan on driving an excessive amount of, selecting a rental with restricted mileage can prevent cash. Just be sure to don’t go over the mileage restrict, as this may end up in extra charges.
a street lined with palm trees next to a lush green field.

SHOULD YOU RENT A CONVERTABLE IN HAWAII?

While they might be an ideal prop for an iconic picture, a convertible is definitely very impractical in Hawaii for 2 primary causes.

  1. Firstly, the climate modifications in a short time in Oahu, and out of nowhere, your sunny day can flip right into a storm. The wind is commonly fairly sturdy on the coastal roads as properly. In addition, most of your driving in Hawaii might be on massive highways, which aren’t the most effective place to have the highest down. They can be fairly harmful and unsafe on highways when you have been to be in a crash.
  2. Secondly, automotive theft is sort of a problem in Hawaii and a convertible is significantly much less safe in comparison with an everyday automobile.

I counsel reserving an everyday automobile on Discover Cars and never getting sucked into the concept of a top-down, tropical, convertible automotive in Hawaii.

a red sports car parked on the side of the road.

DO I NEED A CREDIT CARD TO RENT A CAR IN HAWAII?

You must have a bank card when selecting up the automotive so the corporate can put a maintain on the deposit quantity, which is often about $1000-2000. Some firms akin to Budget have accepted my debit card however often, a bank card is required. They often don’t truly deduct this quantity, however simply put a maintain on it so it’s only ever charged when you trigger any injury or have any extra charges.

a red jeep parked on top of a dirt hill.

DO I NEED AN INTERNATIONAL DRIVER’S LICENSE TO RENT A CAR IN HAWAII?

You don’t want an International Driver’s License. You do want to indicate your official driver’s license from your property nation if you decide up the rental automotive. Some international locations like Japan or Italy require a world driver’s license to lease a automotive however this isn’t the case in Hawaii and your common driver’s license will do exactly wonderful.

a dirt path leading to a beach with palm trees.

THE FOUR MOST POPULAR OAHU TOURS

WHICH COMPANIES ARE RELIABLE FOR RENTING A CAR IN HAWAII

I’ve rented a automotive in Hawaii greater than ten instances. My expertise is just that, my expertise isn’t essentially consultant of how good every firm is. However, I can say that I used to be very impressed by Budget and Avis. They have been skilled, had good techniques and vehicles have been comparatively new and in good situation. However, I discovered that reserving with them instantly was very costly and I’ve all the time booked with them by means of Discover Cars. Sometimes this gave me as much as 50% off in comparison with reserving with them instantly.

a line of cars parked on the side of a road.

A GUIDE TO DRIVING A CAR IN HAWAII

In this part of the article, I’ll share my expertise and provides recommendation on navigating the roads whereas driving a automotive in Hawaii. It isn’t your common driving vacation spot and could be fairly tough at instances.

a curved road surrounded by trees and vines.

IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE ON MADEIRA’S ROADS

Hawaii is a comparatively secure place to drive general. The highways are most likely probably the most intense side of driving on the islands, particularly on Oahu. The freeway infrastructure wasn’t deliberate all of sudden so most of the on-ramps and off-ramps are too brief and the secondary turns can usually be not possible to merge into except you knew they have been coming. On the highways, chances are you’ll discover that the left lane is sort of quick, and with no mounted velocity cameras on the island, many drivers push it to the restrict. However, the correct lane is your pal whereas getting used to the roads in Hawaii.

The steep roads throughout the island are most likely probably the most difficult side on the subject of driving in Hawaii. Often you’ll discover your self on a street with a really steep grade, as you may hear your automotive working time beyond regulation to chug itself to the highest. Generally, that is easy till you must cease or park. The key’s to drive slowly and be ready for fast stops on slim roads. Don’t lower corners and by no means be in a rush on this island, you’re on trip.

The high quality of the roads is common and there are sometimes obstacles, potholes, and injury to the roads. Don’t get distracted by the gorgeous views as you cruise across the mountain roads and coastal highways of Hawaii.

a wet road in the middle of a jungle.

MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC CAR RENTAL IN HAWAII

While having a handbook could make it somewhat simpler to rise up and down the steep hills, I’ve personally discovered that automated leases are greater than succesful on the steepest hills in Hawaii. Unlike in Europe, the roads are fairly broad within the metropolis and it’s extra frequent to have an automated. You can test the automated rental automotive choices by filtering the search on Discover Cars. There are a number of fashions of automated vehicles which have the choice to change to a ‘basic’ handbook strategy. These vehicles are sometimes referred to as ‘semi-automatic’ and is usually a good choice for Hawaii in my view.

two cars parked on the side of the road

TYPICAL JOURNEY LENGTH IN HAWAII

On the preferred Island of Oahu, the drive from Waikiki to the North Shore takes about 45 minutes. To the West Side, seashores are about an hour. However, to most locations within the south or east, the journey must be 45 minutes or much less. Keep in thoughts, visitors throughout peak hour can get very dense and it’s not unusual so as to add plenty of stationary time within the automotive to a journey.

On islands like Kauai or Big Island, there may be much less visitors however crossing the island can nonetheless take fairly a while. Most islands have a significant street across the perimeter and never many roads lower by means of the island because of the mountains. Oahu does have a number of tunnels by means of the middle, which cuts down the driving time.

a red truck parked on top of a sandy beach.

SAFETY FOR YOUR RENTAL CAR IN HAWAII

The largest drawback with renting a automotive in Hawaii just isn’t truly a problem with driving it. Break-ins by way of a smashed window are extremely frequent in Hawaii. At virtually each mountaineering trailhead parking zone, you will note smashed glass on the bottom. What you are able to do to attenuate your threat is to actually depart nothing in your automotive. I’ve had buddies depart passports, wallets, computer systems, and extra of their automotive pondering it was secure when hidden beneath a blanket.

The primary threat areas are standard vacationer spots, mountaineering trailheads, and areas on the west aspect of Oahu.

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PARKING YOUR RENTAL CAR IN HAWAII

Parking in Hawaii is definitely fairly robust. Well, to be particular, it’s robust on Oahu in Waikiki and Honolulu areas. If you lease a automotive and keep in Waikiki, anticipate to pay a minimal of $40 to park your automotive every evening at your lodge.

There may be very restricted avenue parking and it’s restricted by hours or sure instances of the day. Even within the surrounding suburbs, numerous parking restrictions apply because of the overpopulation of the island. On the opposite islands akin to Kauai, Big Island, and Maui parking isn’t such a problem on account of a decrease inhabitants density.

a line of parked cars in a parking lot

PUBLIC TRANSPORT OR RENTAL CAR IN HAWAII?

For these eager on exploring the extra secluded areas of Hawaii, like hikes and different vacationer websites, public transportation might not all the time be the optimum selection, regardless of its affordability. The bus system, Da Bus, could be poor when it comes to each frequency and routes, inflicting it to be difficult to entry sure locations. Furthermore, a number of the extra standard vacationer websites might not be simply reachable by way of public transportation, which means there might be a number of transfers and lengthy ready instances.

In such circumstances, renting a automobile with Discover Cars is a sensible and expedient various to those restrictions. With a rented automobile, vacationers have the liberty and suppleness to find the island at their leisure, with out having to be involved with the constraints of public transport schedules and routes. They can effortlessly attain distant areas and uncover hidden gems that aren’t usually frequented by vacationers. Even although the price of renting a automotive could also be larger than that of public transportation, the added comfort and suppleness make it a worthwhile funding, significantly for many who want to take advantage of their time on the island.

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HOW CLOSE IS THE HONOLULU AIRPORT TO WAIKIKI?

The Honolulu International Airport is located roughly 9 miles to the west of Waikiki, the primary city of Oahu. By non-public automotive or taxi, the journey from the airport to the town middle will merely take about 20 to 25 minutes. Furthermore, there are shuttles that run frequently between the airport and Waikiki, proffering a handy and cheaper technique of transportation to and from the airport.

an airplane is flying in the sky at sunset.

IS IT USEFUL TO HAVE A 4WD/SUV IN HAWAII?

It could be helpful to have a automotive with off-road capabilities in Hawaii. There are some choices to go off-roading nonetheless, the rental automotive firms gained’t cowl off-roading with insurance coverage in lots of circumstances, so test your coverage. If you actually do desire a 4WD or a Jeep, you may filter this if you search on Discover Cars.

a jeep driving through a muddy road in the woods.

WHERE TO STAY ON OAHU

  • Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort (Overall Favorite): In the guts of Waikiki, this high-end resort is correct on the seashore with a personal lagoon.
  • Sheraton Waikiki (Luxury): A luxurious resort with probably the most wonderful infinity pool on the island, which overlooks the seashore.
  • Ewa Hotel Waikiki: (Value): Ewa Hotel is only one block again from the seashore and is simply over $150 USD.
  • Waikiki Beachside Hostel (Budget Choice): A finances various, which continues to be in an incredible location.
  • Disney Aulani Resort (Family Choice): This is a resort your children will always remember. It actually looks like you’re dwelling in a theme park.

MORE OAHU BLOG POSTS

I lived on Oahu for 2 years and liked adventuring from the seashores to the mountains to the waterfalls! These are my hottest weblog put up and guides from the gorgeous island of Oahu that can assist you plan your journey!

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