How Bad is a Vacation in Hawaii in 2021?

A lot of people are wondering: How bad is a vacation in Hawaii in 2021? Many of us have gotten tired of being cooped up during the past year due to COVID-19 and are wanting a chance to enjoy some sunshine in the Aloha State. So, let’s discuss what a visit to Hawaii means right now.

First Things First: COVID-19 Business

Hawaii has opened up to anyone who can provide a negative COVID test that has been taken within the last 72 hours. This test is your ticket to bypass quarantine and enjoy your vacation.

Please wear your mask (get one on Amazon) when you visit the islands. It’s vitally important that you comply with this request. Hawaii is set up on a tiered system, which means that as COVID numbers go down, more activities open up.

However, if the COVID numbers climb too high, it is possible this will move Hawaii to a different tier, which would restrict visitation and close down tours, bars, and other fun activities. If we all pitch in, we can prevent this from happening. So please, wear your mask while you’re here! For more information about the different tiers, please visit OneOahu.org.

Patience Please

Right now, there are long waits at bars and restaurants — especially those in popular places like Waikiki. A lot of people are excited to enjoy the food and drink that we here pride ourselves on, but since restaurants are not at full capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions, this means that diners may be asked to wait for a table.

Visitors should expect to wait in line between 45 minutes and 2 hours. Yes, it is a long time to wait. But the hospitality business is doing their utmost to serve visitors and create an enjoyable experience for patrons. How bad is a vacation in Hawaii in 2021? Not so bad, as long as you remember to be patient and expect a wait sometimes.

Book Tours and Activities Early

As they say, the early bird gets the worm. If you visit Hawaii and you’re hoping to attend a luau, tour the Jurassic Park film location at Kualoa Ranch, or even take a Circle Island tour, you will want to book those activities weeks in advance.

Book your flight and grab your tours as early as possible to ensure that there is room for your party for the activities that excite you. Make sure you reserve a spot for each of the activities you want to do ahead of time. Unfortunately, you may miss out if you wait too long to reserve. How bad is a vacation in Hawaii in 2021? It’s only bad if you don’t prepare ahead of time.

No Rental Cars Available

The global pandemic has changed a lot of things on the islands. For example, rental car companies downsized their vehicle inventory back when Hawaii was closed to visitors. This is a problem now that people are back visiting, because car rental companies don’t have enough vehicles to supply tourist demand.

That’s why you may find it difficult to book a rental car for your visit. You may even find that available cars are being rented out at exorbitant prices, such as $500 or even $1,000 per day!

How bad is a vacation in Hawaii in 2021? Not bad, if you find alternative ways of getting around and don’t rely on a rental car. One idea is to take a tour around your island early on in your trip. Then you can take public transportation or one of many other options to get where you want to go.