Booking choice: The self-guided driving app, from $20 per vehicle. Check dates Tour details
Driving the loop yourself gives you what a bus cannot: time. You can swim, skip a stop or stay two hours at a beach. The cost is the planning, the parking and the fact that someone has to drive all day.
The self-guided GPS audio tour on Viator turns a rental car into a narrated circle island tour, and it is priced per vehicle, not per person.
The quick answer
Yes, you can drive around Oahu in a day. The self-guided GPS audio tour is $20 per vehicle (one purchase covers everyone in the car) and its full route with optional stops runs 11 to 12 hours. You also pay for the car and gas, $7 per vehicle (non-residents) to park at the Pali Lookout, and entry at places like Byodo-In and Waimea Valley.
Can you drive around Oahu in one day?
Yes: the self-guided app's full route takes 11 to 12 hours with all its optional stops, and you can skip any of them.
One user wrote that they did the tour in 6 to 7 hours without getting in the water, and that it takes longer if you swim. Start early, and download everything before you set off.
Driving yourself? One app purchase covers everyone in the car.
Check dates for the self-guided driving appWhat does the self-guided app cost and include?
$20 per vehicle for turn-by-turn GPS audio that plays automatically as you drive, with stories, history and local tips.
- One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle
- Offline map and audio after download
- Tour access does not expire
- Flexible route: pause, skip or stay longer anywhere
Not included: the car, a guide in person, food and any entry or parking fees along the way.
Where does the self-guided route stop?
Eighteen suggested stops, from Leonard's Bakery and Byodo-In Temple up the windward coast to the North Shore and back via Dole Plantation.
The route includes Byodo-In Temple, Tropical Farms, Mokoli'i, Kahana Bay, Laie Point, Kahuku, Ted's Bakery, Sunset Beach, Banzai Pipeline, Shark's Cove (1 hour), Pu'u O Mahuka Heiau, Waimea Valley (2 hours), Waimea Bay, Laniakea Beach, Haleiwa (1 hour), Matsumoto Shave Ice and Dole Plantation.
What extra costs do drivers pay?
The car, gas, $7 per vehicle at the Pali Lookout for non-residents, and entry at paid stops such as Byodo-In and Waimea Valley.
| Cost | Driving with the app | Grand Circle full day |
|---|---|---|
| Tour price | $20 per vehicle | From $140 per person |
| Car and gas | Yours to pay | Included (deluxe bus) |
| Nuuanu Pali parking | $7 per vehicle (non-residents) | Listed as free |
| Byodo-In Temple | Admission not included | Listed as free admission |
| Waimea Valley | Admission from $26 per adult | Not on the route |
| Dole train and maze | Paid ($15 / $10 adult) | Paid ($15 / $10 adult) |
| Lunch | Yours | Yours |
When is a guided tour better than driving?
When nobody wants to drive all day, when parking worries you, or when you want a guide's stories without looking at a phone.
One shuttle guest wrote that "some of the stops had very limited parking so it was nice to be dropped off". On the Grand Circle Island tour there is also a restroom on the bus, and the driver-guide narrates the whole loop.
Rather nobody has to drive? The full day covers the Pali, Byodo-In, Haleiwa and Dole with a narrating driver-guide.
Explore the Grand Circle Island tour Tour detailsWhat do app users say?
It rates 4.5 from 41 reviews: users love the freedom and the stories, and the complaints are about getting started.
One user wrote that "the software will not direct you to the starting point": you have to drive to one of the route's starting points before the audio begins. A few older reviews mention trouble loading or starting the app. Download the tour on strong Wi-Fi, bring a car charger, and test it the night before.
Is driving cheaper for a family?
Usually, on the tour price alone: the app is one price per car, while bus tours charge per person, with discounted child rates.
Add the rental car, gas and entry fees before you compare. One app user who did the drive with her husband wrote that their kids would not have enjoyed it as much, with "lots of sitting in the car". See the circle island tour with kids for family options.
Can you mix a tour with your own drive?
Yes, and many guests recommend it: take a guided loop early in the trip, then drive back to the places you liked.
Guests on several tours suggest doing a circle island tour at the start of your stay to pick the places to revisit. For a cheap North Shore day without a car, the Dole and Haleiwa shuttle is $50 per person. See what the circle island tour costs for the bus options.
Just want Dole and Haleiwa without driving? The shuttle includes two hours at Dole.
Check dates for the Dole and Haleiwa shuttleFrequently asked questions
Do I need to buy the driving app for each person?
No. One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle.
Does the Oahu driving app work offline?
Yes, once downloaded: the listing says the audio and map work offline after you download the tour on Wi-Fi.
Is a rental car included with the self-guided tour?
No. Transportation and a driver are not included; you use your own car.
How long does it take to drive around Oahu?
The app's full route with optional stops is listed at 11 to 12 hours. One user did it in 6 to 7 hours without swimming.
Ready to book
Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Self-Guided GPS Audio Driving Tour
An audio app for your rental car, at your own pace
Grand Circle Island & Haleiwa Town Tour
- Full day (from $140): Halona Blowhole, Nuuanu Pali, Byodo-In Temple, Tropical Farms, Haleiwa and Dole Plantation
- Half day (from $100): Dole Plantation and Haleiwa Town only
- Deluxe bus with a restroom on board and a narrating driver-guide
Shuttle to Dole Plantation & Haleiwa
Transport only: two hours at Dole, one in Haleiwa
