Cheap parking neat Waikiki (price, shopping center, sushi)

[WaikikiBoy]

Rent the car and pay for the parking. At $85 for 4 days (3 nights) you're paying about $21 per day. Parking should likely run about $25 for overnight parking. That would be 3 nights. So that should be $75 for the parking. So the cost to rent the car with parking ends up about $40 per day for the 4 days / 3 nights.

You will find it much more convenient to jump in the car with your stuff and go whereever you want to go. It will save you time and trouble. And you can easily add things into your trip on short notice with the car.

Renting a car by the day from a rental car agency in Waikiki normally costs much more than just the cost of renting a car at the airport and paying for parking. It will likely cost you $60 per day or more to rent by the day from a Waikiki car rental agency.

The Bus works, but it can be crowded, it can take quite a while to get where you're going and it can be unpleasant if you are bringing stuff with you ... like a camera, backpack, snorkel gear, etc. And using a cab or Uber will cost you a lot in a hurry. You won't be taking a cab to the Dole plantation or North Shore for a shave ice that's for certain.

In the end, you'll be glad to have the car at your convenience to get out and leisurely sightsee ... especially if this is your first time to Oahu.

[Mr. Ryu]

There's a lot of tour companies that offer round-trip shuttle from waikiki to tour spot.

When i visited Oahu, I didn't rent a car.

[pj737]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Having taken uber at least 30 times, I'd disagree - I've never had a surge fare, but then again, I'm not doing uber at 8pm on a Friday night.

Anyway, the Sheraton Waikiki is 10.5 miles to Koko Head.

Uber base fare is $2.15 + $1.40 mile = $16.85. They charge .30 minute, so lets say 24 minutes (since I'm not doing Koko Head at rush hour and that is what google maps says, although I can personally drive it faster) $24.05

A taxi is $3.50 base fare + $3.60 mile (ouch) - I'm already at $41.30 and haven't used .45 cents of waiting time per 45 seconds.

Even if I had no waiting time, Uber is 42% cheaper than a taxi.

Even at 1.5x surge, Uber is still 13% cheaper than a taxi. Hint: during surge pricing, wait 10 minutes, try again - surge is likely over.

I've ridden uber much more than 30 times.

You missed the Safe Rider fee of $1.00. That takes us to $25.05. 24 minutes is not a realistic commute time for that particular commute during the day. You might be able to get that trip accomplished at 3 a.m. and speeding but typically that commute is a solid 30 minutes. I hike that trail at least once a month and live in town - so I'm a pretty reliable source. So add another $1.80. Which takes us to $26.85.

$26.85 is closer to $30 than $20. And this is not taking into account ANY accidents, stalled vehicles, or being inside or close to the rush hour. And that is with ZERO surge pricing. So factor any one of those and you're right at $30. And your tip, by the way, doesn't always work. You are just as likely to see the surge pricing INCREASE if you decide to reset the app 10 minutes later. You roll the dice on that. Surge pricing can happen any time of the day - not just 8 p.m. on a Friday night.

And we are talking about the commute from Waikiki to Koko Head... traffic flows much better out of Waikiki than into it (just as it flows better going to Hawaii Kai on Kal Hwy vs from Hawaii Kai). The OP's fare will undoubtedly be very close to $30 (likely more) coming back into Waikiki. Definitely not $20 each way as you stated in your post.

Finally, the easiest way to prove your $20 estimate wrong, just pull up your phone and enter the Sheraton address and Koko Crater hike into the uber app. Estimate right now? $28-$33.

Don't get me wrong, I think uber is FAR superior to cabs. But your $20 estimate for the OP's requested commute is unrealistic.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by pj737

Which takes us to $26.85.

$26.85 is closer to $30 than $20. And this is not taking into account ANY accidents, stalled vehicles, or being inside or close to the rush hour. And that is with ZERO surge pricing. So factor any one of those and you're right at $30. And your tip, by the way, doesn't always work. You are just as likely to see the surge pricing INCREASE if you decide to reset the app 10 minutes later. You roll the dice on that. Surge pricing can happen any time of the day - not just 8 p.m. on a Friday night.

At a minimum, the taxi is $41 with no traffic. With no traffic whatsoever, Uber is at least 35% cheaper by your math. Far superior than 20%. And, you'll get to pay with credit card, don't have to tip, probably have AC in the car.

Add traffic - and Uber clears even more distance. That .45 cents per 45 seconds adds up fast versus .30 cents a minute on Uber.

(As I turn on my uber app at 852 am, guess what.....no surge. And unlikely to be any surge until 1100am when people head to the airport for the early afternoon mainland flights all at the same time.

[pj737]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

At a minimum, the taxi is $41 with no traffic. With no traffic whatsoever, Uber is at least 35% cheaper by your math. Far superior than 20%. And, you'll get to pay with credit card, don't have to tip, probably have AC in the car.

Add traffic - and Uber clears even more distance. That .45 cents per 45 seconds adds up fast versus .30 cents a minute on Uber.

(As I turn on my uber app at 852 am, guess what.....no surge. And unlikely to be any surge until 1100am when people head to the airport for the early afternoon mainland flights all at the same time.

Uber has a significant advantage for long distance commutes. Hopping around town in fairly short drives, however (the typical cab or uber commute), will generally yield a more modest 20-25% price advantage (uber vs cab).

It's not fair to NOT consider surge pricing at all because MOST of the time I actually use uber surge is in effect at a minimum 1.2X. Cabs have no such pricing structure. You can't take uber's best case scenario and compare it to a cab's ALL case scenario. Does that really seem fair to you?

Also, if you really firmly believe uber is literally (on average) HALF the cost of taking a cab, wouldn't uber have taken over most of the ride hailing industry by now? That kind of disruptive pricing would bankrupt established industry.

[Tenzo]

Thanks for the advice.

But as tourist we defiantly like the car even if it's $30 bucks a day in parking.
An average day for us would be like. 7:00 AM head to Koko for the climb (bring backpack, sunscreen and water )
Over to the lagoon for snorkeling, if open. (Trunks, Fins, snorkel, mask, snacks, aqua sunscreen)
Or over to Sandy if the lagoon is too busy. (Board, fins,).
Late lunch at Helina's to rest (change of clothes)
Swap out to hiking gear for a walk (hiking boots, more water, hat)
etc. etc.

Just don't have time or want to bother heading back to the hotel every time I change the venue.
(And I sure as heck am not hauling fins, snorkel, mask and a board up Coco)

If it's an extra $30 a day for parking, it's $30 a day for parking.

[Tenzo]

As for Aiea for Sushi
That is where I used to live. I still like that cheap sushi spot with the conveyor belt sushi. Is there another place that has conveyor belt sushi?

I still have my Hawaii drivers license (Haven't settled down in another city yet) So I can get a nice Kamaaina rate at the hotels.

I'm cheap. I'll take Helenas' over Wongs and know not to eat on any place along the Waikiki beach. I can do a lot of fun stuff for $250 a day for two people.

In Kauai I'll eat at KamuraSaimin over the St. Regis anytime.
You can park your car in at the golf course for free , but then the hotel room will cost more. Kamaaina rats are about 40% less, but then I have always purchased the cheap room and got bumped up a class or two. ( I just doent tell the guy who paid $600 for a room, that I paid $225 for mine.

Anyone know a good sushi place in Kuai?

See you on Friday

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by Tenzo

As for Aiea for Sushi
That is where I used to live. I still like that cheap sushi spot with the conveyor belt sushi. Is there another place that has conveyor belt sushi?

I still have my Hawaii drivers license (Haven't settled down in another city yet) So I can get a nice Kamaaina rate at the hotels.

I'm cheap. I'll take Helenas' over Wongs and know not to eat on any place along the Waikiki beach. I can do a lot of fun stuff for $250 a day for two people.

In Kauai I'll eat at KamuraSaimin over the St. Regis anytime.
You can park your car in at the golf course for free , but then the hotel room will cost more. Kamaaina rats are about 40% less, but then I have always purchased the cheap room and got bumped up a class or two. ( I just doent tell the guy who paid $600 for a room, that I paid $225 for mine.

Anyone know a good sushi place in Kuai?

See you on Friday

Another Sushi spot Genki-Sushi, is on Kam Higway in Pearl City heading west bound, across from Hawaiian Electric (HECO) Waiau Power Plant. But that is where all the construction of the above ground rail is being Built.
Some times a lot of traffic during the day, just depends sometimes!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/genki-sushi-pearl-city

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by ScottStielow

Another Sushi spot Genki-Sushi, is on Kam Higway in Pearl City heading west bound, across from Hawaiian Electric (HECO) Waiau Power Plant. But that is where all the construction of the above ground rail is being Built.

Lots of conveyer belt Genki locations near Waikiki, I've not eaten there so can't tell you if it is good or not. There is a location at Ala Moana and on Kapahulu near the Safeway.

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Lots of conveyer belt Genki locations near Waikiki, I've not eaten there so can't tell you if it is good or not. There is a location at Ala Moana and on Kapahulu near the Safeway.

Really no need to come out of Waikiki or the area downtown to go to a Genki Sushi. Good information!!