We spent 6 days on the glorious island of Oahu, and can't wait to return. The best way to see the island up close and personal is to rent a car and drive the perimeter. The car rental agencies give you a magazine with your car rental that has great maps for navigating the island, with point-of-interest stops as you go. Be prepared to spend, at the very least, one whole day, if not more, discovering Oahu.
If you rent a convertible, be prepared to slather on the sunscreen, as the sun is fierce, even on cloudy days. We saw many a person with severe sunburns from driving about in convertibles. We made the mistake of having made reservations for a show the evening that we drove around the island. The result was a fast and furious trip. As such, we missed quite a few sights and side trips. So be sure not to have anything else planned that can interfere with your excursion.
And be sure before you leave the rental car agency that the car you have has good brakes. We got a humdinger from Dollar the first time, and had to take it back. They gave us another after some waiting, as they were very busy, with only one attendant in the office.
Quick Tips:
Before you exit the airport, pick up a couple copies of the free catalogs and magazines on the racks beside the doors and info desk. They have a great many coupons and helpful ideas in them that will save you several bucks on the expenses.
And we learned firsthand why not to schedule too much to do. Do not schedule activities for every minute of the day and night. You will exhaust yourself and feel very rushed. At the very least, you will feel shortchanged because you didn't stop and smell the flowers.
Rent a car for a couple of days, and take the bus some, and then take a taxi some. Experience it all, and gain your own sense of Honolulu from all angles.
Best Way To Get Around:
Taxis are great and plentiful, but when first arriving, we found out that if you can get hotel transfers included with your trip, it will save you lots of frustration and expense. The taxi drivers are all very nice and helpful, but say very little. So if you have questions, you don't get many answers. There was one taxi driver that we were lucky enough to get one night that was great. An old Greek gentleman named George. He was very informative and knowledgable, and extremely funny. We always tried to get him when we looked for a taxi.