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Traveling to O’ahu, Hawaii During COVID-19: What You Need to Know Before You Go
Here's everything you should expect when traveling to O'ahu during COVID-19.
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Drew and I just returned from a five-day trip to O’ahu, Hawaii where we explored the bustling capital city of Honolulu and visited a handful of the more than 120 beaches scattered along the coastline. We had a great time…but it wasn’t without it’s frustrations.
Hawaii is one of the strictest places in the United States regarding COVID-19 restrictions. And while the entire state follows “Safe Travels” guidelines, each major island also has its own COVID-19 safety protocols policies in place — which can be confusing for travelers.
Here’s everything you should expect when traveling to O’ahu during COVID-19 .
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Have Poof of Vaccination or Negative COVID-19 Test Results Ready
We’re now in year three of COVID-19 and as the virus mutates and spreads, Hawaii’s rules for safe travel change as well.
In the week that we’ve been back from Hawaii, the state has already implemented new rules — and, as I mentioned before, there are island specific rules that make things more confusing.
To enter O’ahu — or any of Hawaii’s islands — you must show:
- Proof of vaccination or
- A negative COVID-19 test from one of Hawaii’s trusted testing partners (here is a list of Hawaii’s trusted testing partners)
Without one of these two things you will be required to quarantine for five days upon arrival (this has recently been reduced from 14 days).
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And they are serious about their quarantining! We happened upon a family quarantining at our hotel in Honolulu. The wife was at the front desk trying to get help for something that the hotel hadn’t responded to and they yelled — literally yelled — at her to get back to her room.
Last year, government officials conducted “proactive compliance checks” for travelers quarantining in Waikiki hotels.
Those caught breaking quarantine could face a fine of $5,000 and jail time.
Before you depart, you must submit your trip information on Hawaii’s Safe Travels platform. You’ll receive a QR code via email that you will show to agents when you land in Hawaii.
This whole process is straightforward and easy to follow. And, even though we were in the back of the plane, we didn’t experience too long of a wait to get through the COVID-19 QR code check process. Just have your state issued ID or passport ready to go.
When you’re done, you’ll receive a tiny paper ticket that you show to exit the checkpoint area and head to baggage claim. Hold onto it though, because you’ll need it again.
Recommended Tours Near North Shore, O’ahu
Be prepared to show that tiny, unassuming ticket to get your car / get out of the airport. We weren’t told that we’d need to show the ticket for anything other than getting out of the QR code checkpoint, so I’m glad I held onto it.
Also, stay logged into the Safe Travels site (you can easily access your docs via the email they send you) because you’ll need to show your QR code as well as other travel and vaccine /test result information at the car rental agency and your hotel.
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What You Need to Know About Dining Out on O'ahu
Dining out on O’ahu was by far the most frustrating thing we experienced during our travels. We were constantly met with closures, restrictions, and long lines.
O’ahu requires proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to visit all restaurants and bars where food or beverages are served.
Maui recently updated its requirements for dining to include proof not only of vaccination — but now also proof of a booster shot. So keep a look out for O’ahu to follow suit and do the same.
We had our proof of vaccination uploaded into the Clear app but it seemed confusing for many restaurants. Some also required seeing a physical photo ID along with the vaccination record — even though the Clear app uses facial recognition to confirm users’ identities and includes a photo.
Is it hard to do this? No. But it does get really tiresome to do this every single time you want something to eat.
We also noticed that some restaurants just don’t even do indoor dining at the moment. Whether it’s because they’re concerned about COVID-19, don’t have the capacity to check vaccine passports, or are simply short staffed, it poses a real problems for travelers.
To add to the frustrations, there were several restaurants we tried to visit but couldn’t because they were only offering take away.
Take away is particularly problematic for tourists. Near North Shore we wanted to eat at this (potentially) amazing pancake restaurant — but they only offered take away, and it was 20 minutes back to our hotel.
In Honolulu, not only are hotel rooms typically small (so you’ll be eating on your bed) but the parks are filled with homeless people and scattered trash.
I’m not sure if this is COVID-19 related or just the way it is near North Shore, but be prepared for restaurants to close early. After we lazily checked into our hotel we searched around for somewhere to eat. We had to rush back out to get a bite before the last remaining restaurants closed…at 7pm.
Incidentally, this was probably the best meal we had while we were on O’ahu! I highly recommend visiting Aloha Shrimp if you’re near North Shore. We ordered the Garlic Shrimp and the Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp — and both were delicious!
Visiting Honolulu Requires Patience
As with the rest of the island, be prepared to show your vaccine card or your negative COVID-19 test everywhere in Honolulu. From museums and bowling alleys to movie theaters and gyms — you’ll need to show proof and ID before you enter.
Make sure you check (or just always be prepared) online for specific requirements before you head out. We visited Iolani Palace and needed to show proof of vaccination. But we also visited Pearl Harbor (where there are indoor spaces as well) and it wasn’t required.
My Disappointment in Honolulu
While the rest of the island might feel like a tropical paradise, make no mistake about it — Honolulu is a buzzing capital city home to nearly 400,000 people.
We stayed in Waikiki and ventured out into the ‘burbs to hike and explore local breweries and restaurants…and hit some of the touristy spots like Kalakaua Avenue (the Las Vegas Strip of Hawaii), Pearl Harbor, and Chinatown.
I knew that homelessness was an issue for Hawaii prior to COVID-19 but I was entirely unprepared for the amount of and acceptance of homelessness in Honolulu.
Homeless encampments saturated all the city parks we passed, places like Chinatown smelled overpoweringly of urine, and trash littered sidewalks and drainage ditches.
Many of the homeless we saw seemed to have severe mental problems as they were having loud and aggressive conversations with no one else around. This is heartbreaking — and obviously intimidating — to those passing by, and doesn’t exactly put tourists in the right frame of mind to relax with a Mai Tai on the beach.
If you’re interested in reading more of my thoughts on the homeless situation in Honolulu, check out this blog post.
Overall Thoughts On Traveling to O'ahu During COVID-19
If you’re considering a vacation O’ahu to seek out some warmer weather, I recommend visiting other locations that are more reasonable with COVID-19 restrictions. Drew and I visited Belize and Costa Rica in 2021 and found the restrictions to be much more agreeable.
You could also consider Albania — which is just as beautiful as Greece…for half the cost. It’s a real undiscovered gem of a country that I wish more people would explore.
If O’ahu is the only place that will cut it, structure your time so you spend most of your vacation up around the North Shore outdoors enjoying hikes and the ocean! If you’re spending five days on O’ahu, budget one and a half days to Honolulu. (And please don’t skip Pearl Harbor!)
Tips to Stay Safe and Healthy When Traveling
About Sarah
Sarah hails from the land of fried chicken, sweet tea, buttered biscuits, and the friendliest people you’ll ever meet…Alabama! She loves exploring undertouristed locations and sharing them with you.
Outfit Ideas
Keep cool and stay stylish when you visit O’ahu, Hawaii with these outfit ideas.
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Resources to Help Your Travels
As always, everything on this site is completely free. If you found this post (or anything on YouFoundSarah.com) useful, I’d be grateful if you considered using the affiliate links below. I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. These are the services Drew and I love to use ourselves when we plan our travels. Thanks for your support!
— Sarah
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