What an experience!! Highly recommend! Lopaka is a great guide and story teller…read more The tour is engaging and mysterious. We started off sitting on the steps of the bandstand in Waikiki. Walked over to Kapiolani park, then the tennis courts. Lopaka told us stories throughout the entire tour. You do get to participate, I don't want to give too much away. You'll walk away with memories and stories to share. There is walking involved on this tour. Bring a jacket. Park at Waikiki Shell or the metered parking between the bandstand and the tennis courts (Kalākaua Ave). I can't wait to go on the next tour!

What a fun thing to do, whether your visiting or a local. A great guide and even if you don't…read morebelieve in Night Marcher's of spirits, there is a lot of history related in the tour. Allow about 90 minutes, come a little early for parking if needed. Can't say much more as I don't want to ruin the tour. Great guide with 30 years experience.

Not a tour. This is a talk in the courtyard. Guide had a lot of knowledge and information, but we…read morestarted about 10 mins late and then spent 45 minutes standing in the courtyard (not touring the property). If you like learning about history, and not seeing it - this would be great for you. If you were hoping to see the hotel itself and walk through parts - you either will not get it with this tour or all touring is somehow done in the last 10 minutes (we ended up leaving early)

This tour was amazing! It is extremely informative. Yes, the first part is pretty lengthy and…read morestationary, but after that, the entire property is toured, with a lot of nooks and crannies visited that a typical person might not normally encounter. Kehaulani was an incredible guide and is a wealth of knowledge with over 50 years of experience. It was advertised as an hour but ended up being almost 2.5 hours long. Highly recommended, especially for history buffs!

Wow! This home is a gem. Our docent, Judie was very knowledgeable and such a wonderful story…read moreteller. We learned so much about the Liljestrand family and about how they lived in this very special home designed by architect Vladimir Ossipoff.

Loved the tour, history and the house. It was amazing. But…read moreas someone who is regular weight and height, but struggling with infertility, to be asked by the docent whether I was pregnant, is hugely hurtful and shows lack of interpersonal interactions. Specially as she was a woman, or even it it were a man, that is unacceptable. I am not expecting. We are going through IVF. I thought everyone from a young age was asked not to ask that kind of question. I loved our visit, but now it's on a sour feeling. Would not recommend bc of conduct of the docent. Otherwise, it's spectacular

Just took this tour today and it was awesome!!! I've lived here for over 20 years and learned so…read moremuch that I had never heard. Carter really gives you the inside stories and then some. Whether you are a local or a tourist you should definitely take this tour!!

Interesting, informative, poignant, thought provoking.... Just some of the words I could use to…read moredescribe today's tour. Our guide, Carter, was friendly, funny, warm and very knowledgeable. She didn't swamp you with her knowledge, but shared it. Her passion for history and in particular Queen Liliukalani was evident. The tour was perfect in length - a touch under 2 hours - with plenty of time for questions all the way through. It required a little walking - but not much - and there were opportunities to sit down, or at least get out of the sun throughout. I would recommend this tour to anyone who has even a passing interest in history, or the history of these islands. Fascinating! And a great way to spend a couple of hours.

Made a reservation for our family of 7 to tour Pearl Harbor. Realized the time required for the…read moretour exceeded our available time. Contacted the company to request a cancellation the following day and it was granted. Were told our payment would be refunded in 2-4 business days Our trip to Hawai'i has come and gone and we are still awaiting our refund Recommend caution when considering Pearl Harbor Tours

Excellent Pearl Harbor Tour Experience!…read more We had an amazing time on our Pearl Harbor tour! Our guide Jeff picked us up right from our hotel, which made everything super convenient. From the moment we got on the shuttle, he was friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely excited to share the history of Pearl Harbor. Not only did he explain everything we needed to know beforehand, he also shared tons of fun facts about Hawaii, local culture, and even pointed out some great spots to check out during our trip. You could tell he really loves what he does. Overall, he was a pretty cool guy and made the whole experience smooth, educational, and enjoyable. Highly recommend this tour -- especially if you're lucky enough to have him as your guide!

Historical building with beautiful architecture and a spacious garden. It was closed today so we…read moreweren't able to enter. This is the Royal palace for King Kamehameha and other royals until 1893. This is an easy walk from the piers if you are on a cruise. The Monkey Pod trees are huge and spacious. The grounds are well kept.

The Iolani Palace is Hawaii's historical landmark, the only official royal palace, visitors must go…read morethrough the self guide audio tour, which can last 30 to 45 minutes depending on your own pace. Despite the underground jewelry room is closed for maintenance, the tour indeed offers a glimpse into Hawaiian history, showcasing the 1st floor staterooms, and the private 2nd floor living spaces where the queen was held under house arrest. I think it should be sufficient planning two hours here, including parking, getting tickets, watching video, and time stamped self guide audio tours, and it costs $28 for adults.

It was a small birthday celebration--just myself, the newly minted 9-year-old grandson, and his…read moremother. The admission to the museum was pricey, even for Kama'aina, so we opted to get the Family Membership instead. The membership was for 2 adults and up to 4 kids, and also has discounts for other exhibits. After a quick sweep through the museum, and a wary observation of the flight simulator, the grandson decided it was time to eat. I got the Blue Angels Burger and he got the kids hot dog meal. I'd say the prices were reasonable, considering how much takeout and restaurant food costs these days. The burger was fat as hell and the dog wasn't Costco sized but definitely satisfied the kid. I didn't get pics of the food because I was too enthralled over the size of the patty! We spent the day also visiting the Mighty Mo, the Virtual Reality tour, and gift shop shopping also.

On Ford island and on an active military base. Which means 1. you cannot drive onto the base unless…read moreyou have a valid ID card. Buses are provided for free to each museum and visitor center. 2. You cannot bring a handbag unless it is clear see through or the size of a checkbook. You need to check it into a "locker" for $7.33. I understand that active military base, but not publishing on the website regarding the bag restrictions and then forcing people to pay it just not right. But oh well. Plan accordingly because while the buses run every 15 minutes, you need to wait. The museum is $30 entry fee but keep in mind 3/4 of the museum is currently closed for renovation. For $30 it is a bit pricey but because of the buses and the amount of employees, i understand the high price tag. 2 stars. The deep history and the significance of this place and the men and women that gave their lives makes this a 5 star must see to show your respect. Museum: very small but well done with restored planes recovered from the war. There was a Blue Angels pilot shared his experience. I was able to catch the last 5 minutes. The employees are very knowledgeable and willing to share stories. I read everything and was done in roughly 45 minutes. The museum is very small - 4 stars. Here is my recommendation: Come the visitor center it is free. Check that out and read everything. See the Submarine from the outside because it is free. Then jump on the bus because it is free. While you are driving to the warship, you pass the Arizona Memorial. Snap a photo and show your respect. Get off at the warship. Walk around the warship it is free. Then jump back on the bus and go to the Aviation museum. Again free. Walk around the outside and see the airplanes it is free. There is a gigantic helicopter it is free. Go to the back and look in the backside to get perspective. Then just back on the bus and go back to the visitor center it is free. If anyone says anything to you, go to the cafe/restaurant across from the Aviation Museum.

We were really disappointed with this experience. The ride is far too long for young children and…read moresimply isn't engaging enough to hold their attention. The advertised ice cream stop is just a stop at a local shopping plaza, where you're directed to buy ice cream from the ABC Store. It didn't feel like a special attraction at all. If you're expecting scenic ocean views, temper your expectations. We only caught two brief glimpses of the water. The majority of the ride passes through overgrown brush, a shopping cart graveyard, and several homeless encampments. Overall, it felt like a waste of both our time and money. Unfortunately, we wouldn't recommend it, especially for families with young children.

First time ride on the Hawaiian Railroad Society's train from Ewa (Kapolei) to Kahe Point (past Ko…read moreOlina) late April 2026. It's a slow-paced easy ride with a narration of the area's past history and current status. Once the train entered onto the Ko Olina property the views were beautiful, especially up the sea cost. Passengers on both sides of the railcars switch seats to provide equal viewing opportunities. The seats are hard wood, so bring cushions. Overall a nice diversion and unique way to see the leeward (west) coastline of Oahu. Good for children especially. Staff very hospitable.

You will see two other companies with similar names to this one, but they are not the same as this…read moreone. Make sure you are booking with Dan! Dan is the guy who runs The Real Hawaii. I found him through TripAdvisor when I was seaching for a private circle tour. We were a group of two, and I wanted something small, custom and personal, over an impersonal group tour. If you are looking for the same, Dan is your man. Booking through the external sites is easy, but I recommend calling Dan and booking through him directly. He is polite and prompt in his service. He has a fleet of three vehicles: two jeeps and a van. We took a tour in one of his Jeeps. We scheduled a pickup at our Waikiki Beach hotel the day before. He picked us up promptly at 7am for our tour on the scheduled day. He was very professional, fun and a great conversationalist. He took us to some very beautiful spots of places with names I have trouble pronouncing. He will point out the spots of simple beauty, but also take you to places you never knew you needed to visit. Every place he goes, he has a story or experience there. He seems to know everyone, which makes your tour very efficient. He also adjusts your tour's pace to you, and you will never feel rushed. Some of the lookouts and beaches were so breathtaking. The Pipeline Beach area is a must. You would think places like that do not exist, but WOW. Even if you are not a surf fan, you will appreciate a stop there. The restaurants he takes you to are great! We stopped at Fumi's and Aoki's and I was impressed by both. The shopping area we went to on the North Shore was nice. Lots of photo ops, and Dan will even show you some filming locations from movies and tv shows. We got lucky and even saw quite a few whales during our tour! Overall, this is probably one of the best private tours I have been on in all my years of traveling. Dan knows his stuff, and we were super happy with our experience. Customer service, excellent. Driving, excellent. Tour stops, excellent. And Dan, excellent. Thank you, Dan!

Shannon who was are driver was awesome. We had a great time and showed us a lot of local things had…read morereal knowledge of the island he is a local and grew up there. Also he did a awesome job of staying ahead of other groups so basically at all our stops we where the only ones around. I booked 3 different activities while I staying in Hawaii and The Real Hawaii by far blew the other groups out of the water. I will recommend this tour group for anyone visiting and I have friends coming soon who I recommend to you. Wish you nothing but the best and hope to see you again. If you are planning on going to the north shore book through this guy and save your self the headaches he knows his stuff. Mahalo my friend.

What is DBIDS? DBIDS stands for Defense Biometric IDentification System. It's a security system…read moreused by the U.S. Department of Defense to manage access to military installations and facilities. It relies on biometric data, such as fingerprints or iris scans, to verify the identity of individuals seeking entry. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam utilizes the Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) for access control. Visitors, contractors, and other non-DOD personnel typically need to register with DBIDS to gain access to the base.

J OINT B ASE P EARL…read moreH ARBOR H ICKAM A IR F ORCE B ASE It's "America's Bridge Across the Pacific." It's also THE BEST of both world's, too. Naval Station Pearl Harbor Base and Hickam Air Force Base merged in 2010 to become what it is today: JBPHH. It is truly the best base I've ever lived on or near just due to its locality and history. There was so much to see, learn, and do! Check out the ITT Office or read the Great Life Hawaii magazine to sign up for one of the historical tours of the base. Some of my favorite experiences on base were visiting International Navy ships during RIMPAC, seeing Air Force One on the flight line during former President Obama's many visits to Oahu, and attending the Rock The Troops concert hosted by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. I had mostly frequented Hickam Commisary (best kept secret!), Pearl Harbor Chapel, Hickam Chapel, Aloha Aina Park (Hickam), Makalapa Clinic, and Hickam Beach. JBPHH is also a fantastic place for a long run or workout outdoors, but they also have two of the nicest Fitness Centers offering great exercise classes. If you're into watching airplanes taking off of the runway, what better way to watch them while standing waist deep in Mamala Bay? The soft, white sand, and the warm, turquoise blue ocean always reminded me to enjoy every minute of this piece of paradise. Aloha!