My friend and I had visited Honolulu about a week ago. I had been there once and she had never been so we decided to take Kevin's tour. I'd heard about his tour from another friend of mine who had visited and raved about Kevin's tour and thought he sounded fun. I was SO right. Kevin showed up at our hotel right on time with the famous Leanord's bakery malasadas and a cooler of water. That was on our list of things to check out and he beat us to it! He ended up giving us a ton of history about the island and lots of facts about where things were filmed such as Lost, 50 first dates, Jurrasic Park, etc. He took us to all of the spots we were hoping to see and even some secret spots while maintaining a fun and hilarious tour. Kevin really is a great tour guide. You can tell that he loves his job and that made the tour that much more enjoyable. He customized our tour to what we wanted and really delivered. He also took lots of really good high quality photos of us and he sent them to us after the tour. I have some incredible photos of my once in a lifetime trip!! Now, I've been on tours before and when it's over, it's over. Not with Kevin. He told us (and was actually genuine about it) that if we needed any help with directions, advice on where to eat, good happy hours, or ANYTHING to call him anytime during our visit to Hawaii. That really surprised me because usually people take your money and are done with you. I usually never leave reviews but Kevin had to be commented on. He's a really nice, funny, genuine guy and he's a family man. He kept talking about his wife and kids (who are beautiful!) and you can tell that he is a hard-working husband. I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting whether you're just with a friend like me or your family. I cannot stress enough how glad I am that we did NOT take a bus tour with 25 other random tourists. This tour really allowed my friend and I to see the real Hawaii. You really do escape Waikiki when you take Kevin's tour. It is worth every penny! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. THANK YOU KEVIN!!!! read more

An Unforgettable Experience with Escape Waikiki Tours! July 2025 Escape Waikiki Tours exceeded all of our expectations! From start to finish, the entire experience was seamless, fun, and incredibly well organized. Kevin, the owner and guide was not only knowledgeable about the island's history and culture but also super friendly and enthusiastic -- it really felt like we were exploring paradise with a friend! The tour itself was perfectly paced, a great mix of sightseeing and local insights. The hidden gems he took us to were amazing -- places we never would have found on our own! It's clear Kevin genuinely wants everyone on his tours to have the best experience possible, even changing the planned itinerary on the fly after learning my 14year old son is a Hawaii Five O and Magnum PI fan. The memory of seeing cousin Flipper @ Steve McGarrett's house whilst Kevin was whistling the theme song will not be forgotten; it brought a whole new level of excitement to our tour! We're also glad we booked a tour early in our stay as Kevin shared some great photography tips along the way, helping us capture postcard-perfect shots whilst on the tour that then used for the rest our stay. Panoramic shots are now used for every moment captured If you're visiting Waikiki and want a unique, personalised adventure that takes you beyond the usual tourist spots, Escape Waikiki Tours is a must. But book sooner rather than later so as not to miss out! We can't recommend Kevin @ Escape Waikiki Tours highly enough -- we'll definitely be booking again next time we're on the island. Not to mention it'll save the infighting from doing our own self drive tour trying to navigate driving on the opposite side of the car and road, potentially putting our 20 year wedding anniversary trip in jeopardy Mahalo read more

Escape Waikiki Tours is definitely a must! My sister & I went on a private customized tour today and it is the highlight of our vacation here in Oahu. Kevin is awesome! His vibe is more of a friend showing you around the island rather than a tour guide. He is passionate about what he does, down to earth, and knows his stuff! When he picked us up from the hotel we had a list of things we wanted to do and he knew exactly where to go to make sure everything on our list was saftisfied. It was so exciting to see areas other than the Waikiki area. We ate breakfast on the beach of a resort that had dolphins, turtles, & sting rays, visited several beautiful beaches & scenic areas, visited fruit stands, a couple of farms, & enjoyed lunch in a relaxing environment with a great ambiance. We felt like a local today and we cherished every moment. The tour may seem pricey, but it is truly worth every penny! He does not rush you. The day is laid-back and he will take pictures for you. The tour really is about YOU and what you want to experience. This is a great service that he is offering and I am so thankful to have come across it through a Google search. We actually had an all day zip line activity planned for today originally, but decided to change it during a last min search. We are so glad we did. It's not every day you can explore an island like a local, with your own wish list, and without other tourists. When the day was over we felt as if Kevin was our new friend (haha). I will be recommending this tour to everyone I come across that is planning a trip to Oahu! read more

Escape Waikiki offers customized tours of Oahu, ideal for anyone who wants to see the beauty of the island and to avoid the crowds, without the hassle of renting a car and hunting for hidden gems yourself. Owner and tour guide Kevin asked our preferences and designed an itinerary to provide exactly what we wanted: a half-day overview of some of the most scenic spots in Hawaii. Because we were not interested in swimming, Kevin used the extra time to add sights to our list, expanding the original south/east tour to include spots on the north shore, with "take all the time you want" stops at some magnificent places. We experienced isolated beaches and breathtaking vistas, plus lunch featuring the much-sought-after garlic shrimp in a farm setting far nicer than the typical food truck awning. Because we got an early start, we were able to hit some of the popular sights long before the tour buses arrived, enabling us to enjoy the scenery in complete privacy. All the while, we conversed with Kevin about life on the island, the tourism industry, and all the other things that come up when you're making a new friend. A master of the iPhone panoramic setting, he took many great photos of us amid jaw-dropping scenery, then air-dropped them directly to our phones. I recommend Escape Waikiki for newcomers, frequent visitors to Oahu, and everyone in between; Kevin will show you what you're missing. read more

Escape Waikiki Tours, was amazing!!! The tour was everything we expected, and then much, much more. Kevin was very laid back, easy going, very open to either allowing us to choose what we wanted to do, or allowing him to choose the tour for us. We chose for him to pick the stops to make. He chose totally hidden gems, which left us in awe of the absolutely gorgeous views. We wouldn't have ever found the places on our own, so it was totally worth the time, and money. For what he offers, it was money well spent, and taking a private tour with Kevin is the way to go. From the start of our tour to the very end, it was an equal balance of endless conversations, as well as peaceful times to just take in the views, and appreciate how beautiful O'ahu really is. And the photos taken and given to us free were just some of the amazing time we had on this perfect day. We actually even asked about a second tour by him before our first tour ended...it was that amazing!!! If you're ever wondering what to do on a special day, Kevin will definitely make your adventure as amazing as could possibly be! He started as a complete stranger, and ended a good friend. Much, much appreciated! read more

This personalized tour that we received from Kevin was the HIGHLIGHT of our trip. We asked for sights that were customized to our likes and interests and Kevin went above and beyond to ensure that we had a great time. He was on-time (with HOT pastries from Leonard's Bakery). He provided drinks as well. Kevin also did a fantastic job taking all of our photos. Seriously there is no need to bring a selfie-stick, he even emailed and texted the photos periodically that he was taking throughout the tour to ensure that we were satisfied. Due to a personal matter, we had to end our tour an hour earlier than expected. Kevin is awesome. He came back the following day and finished showing us the last two spots that we were unable to see the previous day, due to the unexpected personal matter that came up. Kevin even included another surprise stop. We know that he didn't have to do it, but he went out of his way and that speaks volumes about his character. We ended our continued tour with Baskin Robbins ice cream from a famous spot. You will not be disappointed. In my opinion, he knows every hidden Gem on the Island of Oahu. read more

November 2nd 2016 After reading the great reviews about Kevin's private tours our preference was to book with him. We are so glad we did! Definitely our highlight while in Oahu. Kevin's great personality, knowledge, and experience made for a fun day. We didn't expect to see such beautiful hidden gems tucked away in the southern part of the island. Early morning we started with a scenic overlook, then ate amazing donuts on a secluded hotel beach, followed by watching dolphins in the hotels lagoon. And that was just within the first 45 minutes! The day flew by with visiting Kevin's secret hideaways not accessible by large bus tours. We enjoyed lunch at one of the last original TIKI bars overlooking a marina. Here we enjoyed the best Mai tai's. Kevin was also our private photographer taking great photos so we could take in the moment and enjoy the sights. Kevin exceeded our expectations! We highly recommend Escape Wakiki Tours if you want to experience the hidden jems of Oahu. Thank you Kevin for a perfect day and your recommendations for Maui. Netta and Bruce Burlington, Ontario Canada. read more

I am SO glad that my husband and I decided to go with Escape Waikiki Tours. Kevin is hilarious and super friendly and is so knowledgeable about Hawaii. We had such a wonderful time and saw SO much of Hawaii! Kevin took us to places we would have never got to see on a big tourist bus. We really benefited from seeing the island by a local and by having the tour be more intimate. Not to mention that Kevin took TONS of amazing photos of my husband and I in all of the beautiful places that we stopped! I am a photo freak- so getting this photos (included in the price) was a HUGE bonus for me. There were so many framable photos, that I could just relax the rest of the trip instead of trying to take a bunch of photos! Thanks for being our personal photographer, Kevin- and having the patience for all our "re-do's!" :P No matter where my husband and I travel to next, we are definitely leaving the buses behind and doing another private tour. Unbeatable & Unforgettable! Thanks again Kevin for an amazing experience. You rock! read more

My wife and I recently spent 6 days in Oahu in the Waikiki Beach area and spending a 6+ hours with Kevin as he guided us around the north shores of Oahu was the highlight of our trip! The photos Kevin takes of you are amazing, his knowledge of the island is great, his passion for providing tour guides is awesome, his van is clean, new and safe! Needless to say we will be visiting Oahu again and using Kevin as our tour guide while also referring family and friends to Kevin. The donuts you get on this trip are amazing so do not pass them up. Kevin provided many great recommendations for the rest of our trip like great restaurants, spas, etc... and we used a lot of them and were very happy. Kevin spent extra time with us, picking us up early and staying out late with us to ensure we had a memorable trip. You get a lot of perks using this private tour vs the bus companies as Kevin is able to go a lot of places the buses are not able to access. Tons of private beautiful beaches! read more

We have just got home from our holiday to Oahu, it's the second time we have toured with Kevin and it was just as good as the first time. After a quick catch up and recap of what we did last time (Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens, Makai Research Pier, Tantalus, Waimanalo Beach and lots of secret spots inbetween we headed to the North Shore. The great thing about touring with Kevin is the tour is 100% yours, it's private and tailored made covering the areas you want to see. You don't pay anything upfront and he takes epic pictures throughout the day. The only thing on our list was to visit a beach where the Green Sea Turtles like to hang out. The day of our tour the conditions were a bit on the rough side but we got really lucky to see a turtle hanging out at a secret spot. We loved our day out with Kevin and ended it with some sweet treats from Liliha Bakery. Make sure you book in advance you don't want to miss out on this opportunity. Thank you for the wonderful memories :) read more

BOOK A TOUR WITH KEVIN! YOU WILL HAVE THE BEST TIME EVER!!! When my husband and I travel, we always look for private tours and going with Kevin was so much fun that if we visit again, he will be our first call! It was like a super fun day with an old friend! (and now, of course, we will always consider him one!) He took us out on two different days to all the sights and locations we could get to, took tons of photos of us and just made everything just right! This was a special trip we took our niece on and after our first tour with Kevin, we were all looking forward to our second one. We laughed and joked so much and had such a very good time AND enjoyed the beautiful island of Oahu! Whether you are planning your first trip to the island or are a regular visitor, DO NOT miss the chance to have Kevin take you around! Aloha my friend -- and big Texas "hello"!! read more

Booking this day with Kevin was the best decision that we made while in Hawaii! He dedicated a full day to showing us around the island. We definitely saw so much more with him than we would have on our own. We started the day off early with a scenic overlook, followed by amazing pastries on the beach, watching dolphins. And that was just within the first 30 minutes! The day flew by and we didn't want it to end. We ate amazing food, drank good beer, and saw some breathtaking sights, all while in the presence of great company. Also, my fiancé and I got engaged the night before, so Kevin took extra care to take some really special photos for us. His level of dedication for his guests goes above and beyond expectations! This tour is suitable for young and old, singles and couples, and families too! Could easily be tailored for foodies and picture/camera junkies. read more

Escape to a Utopian Paradise with Kevin! My wife and I wanted a private experience to enjoy a great day on Oahu without all the crowds and loud buses that you get on large excursions. Escape Waikiki Tours was PERFECT! Kevin's level of personalization was second to none! His level of communication even months before was on point and his level of time awareness from start to finish was amazing! The sites we saw and the food we ate was the best from our entire week long vacation! Kevin made sure we saw things that regular tourists would never know to see and ate food that normal tours cant take you to. Kevin made our anniversary vacation sublime and If you travel to Waikiki, you must book this tour! The price for this experience was more than worth it! Get away from crowds and have your amazing personalized experience with Kevin at Escape Waikiki Tours! read more

We took a 6 hour tour of the north shore of Oahu with Kevin of Escape Waikiki Tours. We wanted to see some of the secluded beauty of Oahu after spending a few days at Waikiki Beach. Kevin is friendly, engaging and knowledgeable about the sights and culture of Oahu. We especially liked the fact that we had a personal, customizable tour in a vehicle instead of a bus - that way we were able to access some of the hidden gems and beaches. We started with malasadas from Leonard's and ended with lunch at a great restaurant on the north shore before driving back through the pineapple fields. Kevin took great photographs of the whole trip and gave them to us at the end of the tour. We can't wait to return to Oahu - and we'll definitely book another tour with Kevin. It was like touring with a friend or family member! read more

Krazy Kousin Kevin - that was my name for him by the end of our tour. Kevin was a treat. High energy and a wealth of information. While my only disappointment was that he didn't pick us up in a vintage VW van... some things can be forgotten:) So, how will you know a tour is great? When we talked to locals about where all he took us, there were two responses: 1) I have no idea where that is! 2) Oh wow - yeah, that's a great spot. The man hiked to the Lankai pillbox in stinking flip flops, ya'll!!!! He's here for the team and whatever you can dream up. Truly, though, he shared some really great spots with us and tips for "next time." He catered to what we wanted to see and we went from there. I would definitely say that no two tours will be the same with him. Highly recommend. read more

We were not sure what to expect when we took the tour with Kevin. My Wife and I were hoping to see some of the Island and experience first hand the beauty it had to offer. We initially chose Escape Waikiki Tours because of all the outstanding reviews Kevin had received. I can tell you we were not disappointed and this experience exceeded all our expectations. Kevin's attention to detail and concern for our well being made this trip memorable. His considerate planning taking into account what WE wanted to do versus some "canned" presentation made this a most exciting and adventurous day. We saw all the beautiful sites we wanted to and many others we couldn't have dreamed existed. Well done Kevin!...and thanks again for making this the best tour we've ever taken! read more

If I could I would give Kevin 10 stars. Awesome experience. We were in Hawaii to run the Spartan Races when Hurricane Lane came and cancelled all our fun. We ran into Kevin at the local Safeway store. He was wearing a spartan shirt and we started up a conversation thinking he was just another Spartan racer who was disappointed in the cancellation of the races. We were pleasantly surprised to find out he owns and operates Escape Waikiki Tours. He recommended a few place that are not the typical tourist places. And they were simply breathtaking. He turned our Hawaiian vacation from a wash out to an exciting adventure. We will definitely be back next year for not only the Spartan races but for more of the beautiful sights that Hawaii has to offer. read more

My boyfriend and I hired Kevin to provide us a private tour of the island. Kevin was available the last day of our vacation but we decided it was still worth it to see a more local view of the island instead of just all the touristy spots. Kevin picked us up at Aulani and we chose his Secret Oahu tour with stops on the south and east side of the island. Some events happening at home caused us to have a stressful morning but Kevin instantly put us at ease. His stories mixed with the gorgeous views of the island made for a relaxing and wonderful day. We cannot wait to come back to take Kevin's North Shore Tour. Both my boyfriend and I agree that this was our favorite thing we did the whole vacation so I highly recommend. You will not regret it. read more

We had the absolute best time with Kevin at Escape Waikīkī Tours! From start to finish, the day was filled with hidden gems, stunning views, and experiences we never would have found without his local knowledge. Kevin made the whole trip feel effortless and fun--he knew all the right stops, from incredible food spots to quiet beaches and even a beautiful stop at Kahala. We honestly can't decide what the highlight was--everything from the food, the beaches, the sights, and Kevin's non-stop entertainment made it unforgettable. If you want more than just a tour and instead want a true local experience filled with laughs, stories, and amazing memories, Kevin is the one to book with. Highly, highly recommend! read more