20 Helpful Hawaiʻi Travel Apps

DaBus2 app (Apple/Google) is a helpful Hawaiʻi travel app if you’re planning to ride TheBus, Oʻahu’s island-wide public bus system.

The functionality is not perfect, but this phone app is useful for locating nearby bus stops and exploring bus routes and timetables.

It also has the ability to track any local bus in real-time, providing the best estimated arrival time for the next bus.

Download the KHON2 WX app (Apple/Google) for quick and convenient Hawaiʻi weather updates at your fingertips.

Click the temperature panel in the app for an accurate hour-by-hour daily forecast, and overview of the week ahead.

You can easily switch the temperature settings between Fahrenheit and Celsius. The app also streams the latest TV weather segments.

Yelp app (Apple/Google) helps people find great local businesses thanks to users who provide reviews, photos and handy tips.

This phone app is very popular in Hawaiʻi, it’s particularly helpful when looking for nearby, highly-rated cafés, restaurants or bars.

You can also use Yelp’s bookmark feature to save restaurants, attractions and shops for easy reference during your vacation.

Open Table app (Apple/Google) is your go-to tool for securing restaurant and bar reservations in Hawaiʻi with ease.

Most of Oʻahu’s eateries are on the app, making it easy to book a table, and subsequently change the time or cancel a table should plans change.

Note, Hawaiʻi restaurants do allow walk-in patrons (but expect to wait) and bar seats at restaurants are always open seating.

The Shaka Guide app offers incredible GPS-based audio tours, to help you explore the Hawaiian Islands like a local.

Choose from various Oʻahu drive itineraries, and let the app provide turn-by-turn directions to must-see points of interest.

They also offer a self-guided Heart of Waikīkī Walking Tour, plus drive itineraries on the islands of Maui, Hawaiʻi and Kauaʻi.

International visitors to Hawaiʻi will benefit greatly from having this Tip Calculator % Gold app (Apple/Google) downloaded on their phone.

Let the app work out the tipping math for you, split bills with ease and save money by tipping an exact amount or use the rounding feature.

Most hospitality staff on your Hawaiʻi holiday depend on tips for their living so it’s important to get it right.

The Instacart app offers same-day grocery delivery in Honolulu or lets you schedule deliveries up to six days ahead.

Connect with a Personal Shopper to have groceries from nearly 30 Oʻahu stores shopped for and delivered right to your door.

Airbnb app (Apple/Google) is an excellent resource for researching accommodations across the Hawaiian Islands.

You’ll find plenty of vacation rental properties (including our Airbnb listings), along with some hotels that also use this platform.

The Airbnb Experiences section lets you book guided activities with locals — like cultural workshops and cooking classes.

Uber app (Apple/Google) makes getting around Hawaiʻi effortless, offering cashless rides conveniently billed to your credit card.

It can take you to and from the major island airports and around the main towns on Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island and Kauaʻi.

To use the app, drop a pin for your pick-up location, select your drop-off destination, and GPS track your driver in real-time.

Lyft app (Apple/Google) is a competitor to Uber and serves as an alternative rideshare option on Hawaiʻi’s main islands.

In our experience, Uber vehicles tend to be slightly nicer than Lyft vehicles, but both will reliably get you from A to B.

To use the app, drop a pin for your pick-up location, select your drop-off destination, and GPS track your driver in real-time.

Holoholo app (Apple/Google) is Hawaiʻi’s local rideshare option, celebrated for its “fair pricing” and providing a community-focused alternative.

They don’t use surge pricing, so fares stay consistent, unlike Uber and Lyft, which increase prices during high-demand times.

With Holoholo, you can request HV Assist for special assistance, Green for eco-friendly vehicles, or MiniVan service, among others.

Turo app (Apple/Google) is a peer-to-peer car-sharing program available on Oʻahu, Maui, Big Island and Kauaʻi – it’s like Airbnb but for cars.

Touted as the world’s largest car sharing marketplace, this app allows you to search and rent a vast selection of locally-owned cars.

When booking a car on Turo, make sure to select an insurance protection plan that fits your needs — so you can drive with confidence.

Hui Car Share app (Apple/Google) is a convenient, round-trip, station-based car share program in Honolulu.

You can reserve a car 24/7 by the hour or day and unlock it with your phone. Hui offers over 170 cars across 70 stations on Oʻahu.

For locals it provides all the benefits of having a car without the hassle of owning one. For visitors it ensures instant car rentals are nearby.

Biki‘s PBSC app (Apple/Google) is your gateway to Hawaiʻi’s bicycle-sharing program, offering a easy way to explore the islands on two wheels.

Biki has over 130 stations across Honolulu. It’s an easy way to take trips along Waikīkī Beach, Diamond Head, Kakaʻako and beyond.

It’s $5 for a one-way ride, $45 for an unlimited number of rides for three days or $55 for a bank of 300-minutes.

Uber Eats app (Apple/Google) utilizes the Uber ride-share driver network to pick up and deliver predominantly food items.

It’s an easy way to have local Hawaiʻi restaurant meals, groceries and gifts (like edible arrangements) delivered to your Oʻahu address.

DoorDash app (Apple/Google) holds the title as America’s #1 food and drink app, making it a trusted choice for meal and grocery delivery.

It stands out by offering on-demand delivery or pick-up not only from restaurants but also from nearby grocery, convenience and retail stores.

Surfline app (Apple/Google) is a trusted surf report, forecast and coastal weather tool you can use in Hawaiʻi.

Check daily updates on popular Oʻahu beaches, including Waikīkī surf breaks, with ratings and details on surf height, swell, tide and wind.

The app also features live video cams for real-time conditions, offering both free and premium versions to suit your needs.

Hawaiʻi stands out as the only U.S. state with two official languages: Hawaiian and English.

Drops app (Apple/Google) makes learning Hawaiian fun with interactive lessons designed to gradually build your vocabulary.

Travelers will find the Food & Drink, Travel & Vehicles and Local Hawaiian Words lessons particularly useful for learning practical phrases.

Hawaiʻi stands out as the only U.S. state with two official languages: Hawaiian and English.

Duolingo app (Apple/Google) offers a science-based language learning experience designed to prepare you for real conversations.

For those serious about speaking, reading, listening and writing in Hawaiian, the Duolingo app is a must-have.

Hawaiʻi Revealed apps (Apple/Google) are a digital companion to the Hawaiʻi Revealed guidebooks.

They provide anonymous reviews of everything Hawaiʻi has to offer, delivering unbiased, no-nonsense opinions.

It’s a great investment for discovering local beaches, attractions and must-see sights, while also providing insightful hotel reviews.