Oahu Tourist Passes Compared: Go City or the Pearl Harbor Passport?
Oahu's best things are often free: Waikīkī, the Diamond Head views, North Shore beaches. A pass only pays when your week includes boat trips, island tours, a luau or Pearl Harbor's museums.
Types of tourist pass
Day pass
2-7 calendar days of unlimited Go City activities, used within 2 weeks, with one luau included: the Aloha Kai or the Ka Moana.
In Honolulu: Oahu Go City Pass
Pick-your-own pass
3-7 choices from 41 activities, used over 30 days. Best spent on the Circle Island tour, a catamaran sail or the Polynesian Cultural Center.
In Honolulu: Oahu Go City Explorer Pass
Combo ticket
The official combo ticket: the Battleship Missouri, the Bowfin submarine and the Aviation Museum, plus the multimedia tour and VR, over 1-2 days.
In Honolulu: Passport to Pearl Harbor
Which pass for your trip?
Oahu Go City Pass
- A week with a catamaran sail, the Circle Island tour and a luau. The luau comes with every All-Inclusive pass.
Oahu Go City Explorer Pass
- Mostly beach days, plus the Polynesian Cultural Center and two boat trips. Three big choices spread over 30 days.
Passport to Pearl Harbor
- One morning at Pearl Harbor, the rest at the beach. $99.99 for the three paid museums.
No pass needed
- Waikīkī, Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay and hikes. All cheap or free. Book Hanauma Bay and the Diamond Head entry directly.
The passes compared
Oahu Go City Pass
- Attractions
- 43
- Price
- From $219
- Time to use
- 2-7 days in 2 weeks
- Best for
- Activity-packed days and a luau
- One luau included
- Boats, tours and Pearl Harbor museums
- Beach days waste nothing but pass days need planning
- Most boats and tours need booking
Oahu Go City Explorer Pass
- Attractions
- 41
- Price
- From $169
- Time to use
- 30 days
- Best for
- A slow week with a few big tours
- Polynesian Cultural Center on the list
- 30 relaxed days
- No luau
- Wasted on cheap museums
Passport to Pearl Harbor
- Attractions
- 3 museums
- Price
- $99.99
- Time to use
- 1-2 consecutive days
- Best for
- A Pearl Harbor day
- Official ticket
- Cheaper than the three museums separately
- USS Arizona booked separately
- Pearl Harbor only
Which big sights are on which pass?
| Sight | All-Inclusive | Explorer | Pearl Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ka Moana or Aloha Kai Luau | Premium pick: one luau per All-Inclusive pass | Not included | Not included |
| Battleship Missouri | Included | Included | Included |
| Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum | Included | Included | Included |
| USS Arizona Memorial | Not included | Not included | Not included |
| Polynesian Cultural Center | Included | Included | Not included |
| Makani Catamaran Sail | Included, book a slot | Included, book a slot | Not included |
| Bishop Museum | Included | Included | Not included |
| Diamond Head | Included, book a slot | Included, book a slot | Not included |
Worth knowing before you buy
The luau is the All-Inclusive's big win
Go City lists the Aloha Kai Luau at up to $194 and the Ka Moana at up to $169. Every All-Inclusive pass includes one; the Explorer includes neither.
The USS Arizona is free
No pass sells it. Book the free timed slot on recreation.gov, then add the paid museums around it.
Leave beach days off the pass
The All-Inclusive's 2-7 days can be spread over 2 weeks, so activity days and beach days can alternate.
No car? The tours do the driving
The Circle Island tour and the Grand Tour reach the North Shore and the windward coast without a hire car.
Before heading to Pearl Harbor or Diamond Head, check how busy they are right now on beatthecrowd.co. Early mornings are calmer at both.
Check live crowds in Honolulu →How pass companies make money
Here's how sellers of Oahu Go City Pass, Oahu Go City Explorer Pass and Passport to Pearl Harbor earn, and what it means for your Honolulu trip.
Ka Moana or Aloha Kai Luau and the other attractions sell entry to pass companies below the gate price.
Plenty of buyers never use everything they paid for. That gap is the seller's margin.
Longer passes and premium extras in Honolulu raise the price faster than the value.
Other ways to save
- Go City Oahu Essentials
$119 for 3 activities chosen from 10, like the Makani sail and Waimea Valley, used over 30 days.
FAQs
Which Oahu pass is best?
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The All-Inclusive for packed activity days and a luau, the Explorer for a few big tours over a slow week, and the Passport to Pearl Harbor if Pearl Harbor is your only paid plan.
Is there a pass that includes Hanauma Bay?
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No. Book Hanauma Bay's entry reservation directly.
Which Oahu pass includes a luau?
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Only the Go City All-Inclusive: one premium luau per pass, the Aloha Kai or the Ka Moana.
Is the Go City Oahu pass better than the Pearl Harbor Passport?
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Only if you'll use it for more than Pearl Harbor. Both cover the three paid museums; the Passport is $99.99, the All-Inclusive from $219.
Do I need a car to use an Oahu pass?
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Not for most of it. Waikīkī activities are walkable, Pearl Harbor has buses and tours, and the island tours include transport.