Question on going to Pearl Harbour and then airport

[jbeltz]

We are only staying at Aulani for one night (as most of our holiday is on Kauai). On last morning (Friday) we want to go see Pearl Harbour before heading to airport. Our flight leaves at 7:30 pm. Trying to figure out if we check out but leave our luggage at Aulani, go to PH, and then return for our luggage before heading to airport. Seems like a lot of taxi time. Or does anyone have a suggestion for something to do with our luggage while at Pear Harbour? We are a party of 8 so we have quite a bit.

Appreciate any suggestions? And no I haven't figured out how to purchase PH tickets ahead of time yet either

 

[KristieGriggs]

http://www.recreation.gov/showPage....&contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72369&page=memorial
Here is the link to purchase PH tickets.
Good question about your luggage. It would be a lot of driving back and forth to leave your luggage at Aulani. We ended up parking right across the street from PH, and lots of people around, so I'd feel like your luggage would be safe if you could park there. I noticed all of the cars at Alamo were hatch backs. So all of our luggage was visible when parked anywhere. So we didn't stop on the way and left our luggage at hotels before stopping anywhere. I didn't want to risk it. Sorry I'm not much help!

 

[cmph]

We are only staying at Aulani for one night (as most of our holiday is on Kauai). On last morning (Friday) we want to go see Pearl Harbour before heading to airport. Our flight leaves at 7:30 pm. Trying to figure out if we check out but leave our luggage at Aulani, go to PH, and then return for our luggage before heading to airport. Seems like a lot of taxi time. Or does anyone have a suggestion for something to do with our luggage while at Pear Harbour? We are a party of 8 so we have quite a bit.

Appreciate any suggestions? And no I haven't figured out how to purchase PH tickets ahead of time yet either

I tossed around the same notion, b/c PH is essentially on the way to the airport. You're right that it's a lot of taxi time and back and forth. We had a rental car, but didn't want to do all the back and forth either. You can leave your luggage at Aulani, but it's a pretty big waste of time to go back and forth. And on a Friday - you're going to be stuck in a LOT of traffic driving around. It's probably not an exaggeration by much to tell you to allow about 4 hours of travel time for Aulani->PH->Aulani->airport. They have a bag check at PH, but it's for small bags, no way they'll be happy to have luggage for 8 roll up!

I called our airline to see how early we were allowed to check luggage, and they said 2h30min, no earlier, so that wasn't going to work either (and we had carry-ons anyway). With car break-ins being a huge issue, we didn't want to keep our luggage in the car either. Ultimately, it was clear the only logical option for us was to go to PH on a different day. That doesn't help you much, I'm afraid, but at least saves you some research time.

 

[buffettgirl]

On a friday afternoon there is no way in hell you want to be doing the west bound drive from the pearl harbor area to Aulani. You could easily be in that traffic for 2 hours or more. You'll be smack in the middle of the worst of the rush our traffic. And then you'd have to turn around and head in traffic again heading to the airport because it gets backed up heading into town at rush hour, not as bad as the AM commute, but it's still bad on a friday. I think your best bet would be to just keep the luggage in your rental car. The lot at the memorial is on govt land, and it's patrolled so the chances of a car break in there are pretty slim.

 

[jbeltz]

Unfortunately that day we are flying out is our only option We will be on Kauai the whole trip and not arriving on Oahu until 1pm the day before. It seems like out 2 options are:
1) use SpeediShuttle to/from airport and for PH use a tour agency that picks up at Aulani at 6:30 would be back by 11 (https://pearlharboroahu.com/tour/pearl-harbor-excursion-from-koolina-aulani/). Then maybe kids could swim / relax couple hours even though we would have already had to check out of our rooms
2) store luggage at airport overnight and just keep 2 between all of us (bit of organization nightmare). use rental car instead of SpeediShuttle and drive ourselves to Aulani Thursday, to PH Friday morning and then airport from there

Option 1 has us driving around a LOT. Option 2 has us shuffling stuff in suitcases, driving ourselves around, and possibly having a lot of time to kill between going to PH and the airport

Thank goodness this is my last trip dilemma to figure out. But obvious why I haven't tackled it yet. Starting to second guess my Aulani decision, maybe should have just stayed in Waikiki but it looks so pretty at Aulani.

 

[jbeltz]

If that's my choice I hate to take a gamble trying to get tickets morning of, but we won't need hotel pick-up. Any suggestion on tour companies?

 

[margot31]

When we went to PH we just drove up ourselves if you get there early enough and was able to get tickets. The tickets to actual PH for the arizona are free. Its the other spots like the sub and the air station that are not.

 

[cmph]

If that's my choice I hate to take a gamble trying to get tickets morning of, but we won't need hotel pick-up. Any suggestion on tour companies?

You might try asking the concierge at Aulani. I know there are excursions listed on the Aulani site, too, not sure that comprises their entire selection though.

Truthfully, neither option seems great! If you think you may go back to Hawaii on a future trip, I wouldn't attempt any excursions when you only have a one night stay, even Pearl Harbor, unless you have literally no interest in anything Aulani has to offer (which seems doubtful if you booked it to begin with!). It's not a cheap place to stay, and you won't get much out of it if you spend half your time elsewhere. I think the PPs and I really can't stress enough how awful the traffic is going to be, and I wouldn't want that to be your final vacation memory.

 

[buffettgirl]

I would rent a car, go to PH the day you arrive. You'll probably be able to walk up and get tickets late in the afternoon. If there aren't tickets, then go the next day with the rental or just skip PH. Like pp said, if you've only got that one day at Aulani, and you're set on staying there, it just isn't in a great location for also doing PH unless you do it right before your airport, with a rental, leaving the bags in your car.