It isn't possible to drive to Hawaii from the mainland United States. The only way to get your car there is by shipping it. Fortunately, it's incredibly easy and cost effective to fly to the islands and rent a car there, saving you time and money.
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The best ways to ship your car to HawaiiYou could ship your car the entire way by plane or you could drive your car to the port yourself and go with a regular freight company, however, we highly recommend that you use an Auto Transport company such as Hawaii Car Transport.
You can take a cruise ship, with all the trappings, from various points along the west coast of North America. It is about 4.5 days at sea each way, and include daily stops at some of the major ports. The problem is that you cannot choose your own schedule or stay in Hawaii or on one island as long as you want.
If you've considered driving to Hawaii, you probably want to know exactly how long the journey will take. Here's a quick answer: driving from Los Angeles to Honolulu would take around 40-45 hours of nonstop driving time. Driving from San Francisco would add another 6-8 hours.
No, you cannot drive to Hawaii – from the US mainland or any nation. The most obvious reason for this is that the islands of Hawaii are located nearly 3,800 kilometres away from the US, settled amid the Pacific Ocean.
You can ship a car from California to Hawaii by getting car shipping quotes online or by taking advantage of roll-on/roll-off (RORO) shipping services. RORO shipping is when your car gets driven straight onto a Hawaii-bound cargo ship and is both cheaper and riskier than using standard car shipping services.
At present, there are no public ferry services that operate directly between California and Hawaii. This is mainly due to the long distance and logistical challenges involved in such a voyage.
Why is there no bridge from Hawaii to the USA? Apparently you do not realize that Hawaii is about 2500 miles from the USA. No bridges between the islands either - too far and too deep between the islands.
The closest country to Hawaii is technically the United States itself, as Hawaii is an integral part of the United States and is located in the Pacific Ocean, about 2,400 miles (3,900 kilometers) southwest of California. However, if you're looking for the closest foreign country to Hawaii, that would be Japan.
With convenient roundtrip cruise departures from Los Angeles, San Francisco or Vancouver, it's easy to cruise to Hawaii in style and avoid the hassle of a long, boring plane flight to paradise. And if you're on the West Coast, it's even easier to sail — local residents can drive in and sail on the same day!
Taking a cruise is far cheaper overall than flying into the islands and booking a hotel stay. Not only do you get the already paid for food from the cruise ship, but you also get to see all the islands.
When shipping a car to Hawaii, it's important to remember that personal belongings are not allowed in the vehicle during transport. Shipping companies are not licensed to transport personal belongings, and strict regulations prohibit the shipment of household goods or personal items in a car being shipped to Hawaii.
If you do want to sightsee, it will be much easier with a car. One major benefit is you'll be able to do things at your own pace. Oahu isn't big; without stops, you can drive around the island in about two hours. That said, there are things you might want to see and do that aren't accessible by public transportation.
What is the requirement to drive in Hawaii using my valid foreign license? Countries that ratified the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (1949), may use their foreign national driver's license along with their valid passport to legally drive in Hawaii.
Even the paved roads aren't in the best condition, so be prepared for some rough driving. The traffic in Hawaii can also be surprisingly heavy, especially on O'ahu. In fact, the traffic conditions in Honolulu rank among the worst in the nation, competing with famously gridlocked cities like Los Angeles and New York.
Home to the tourist mecca of Honolulu, Oahu's roads are the busiest and as such you'll find several freeways here as well as the most developed roads in Hawaii. Just like in mainland America, Hawaiians drive on the right hand side of the road and speed limits are expressed in miles per hour.
Hawaii cruises range from seven nights to 18 nights or longer, depending on the itinerary. A cruise only within the Hawaiian Islands sailing round trip Honolulu is the shortest (and only) seven night option, while any cruise from California to Hawaii will take at least 15 nights due to the islands' remote location.