Pan-Pacific Festival parade road closure

Question

We land in Honolulu shortly before the road closures start for the parade on June 15th. Our plane is scheduled to land at 2:15pm. The website says lane closures start at 3 and the road closures start at 4pm. We are staying at the Sheraton in Waikiki.

I’m a bit worried about being able to get to our hotel before the roads close. Will cabs know alternate routes? What would you recommend to navigate the closures to get to our hotel? I emailed the festival foundation, but all they said is the roads would be closed & didn’t give suggestions on how to navigate. Thank you!

Answer

Arriving in Honolulu on June 15th shortly before the Pan-Pacific Festival parade means you’ll need to plan carefully to avoid traffic delays. With your flight landing at 2:15pm and lane closures starting at 3pm, there is a window of roughly 45 minutes to get from the airport to your hotel before the closures impact the main routes. Sheraton Waikiki is located in a busy area, so timing is key.

Taxi and rideshare options

Most experienced taxi drivers and rideshare drivers (Uber/Lyft) in Honolulu are familiar with major event closures, especially recurring events like the Pan-Pacific Festival.
They will usually know alternate routes to avoid blocked streets and lane closures. However, there may still be some congestion on secondary roads leading into Waikiki, so allow extra time.
Confirm with the driver that they are aware of the parade and lane closures; most drivers monitor traffic updates in real time.

Alternate routes and strategies

The most common route from Honolulu Airport to Waikiki is via H-1 Freeway to Ala Moana Boulevard or Kalakaua Avenue. To avoid closures, drivers may divert to Nimitz Highway and then connect through smaller streets into the hotel area.
Consider using a GPS navigation app with live traffic (Google Maps or Waze) which will automatically reroute around the closed streets and offer real-time updates on delays.
If you have luggage and want a less stressful option, pre-booked airport shuttles sometimes provide guidance for parade days and can plan the route around closures.

Additional tips

Try to land and clear customs quickly; even a 15-20 minute delay can reduce your margin before lane closures.
If possible, request your taxi or rideshare to pick you up immediately after landing rather than waiting in the general queue, as airport traffic may increase closer to 3pm.
Monitor local traffic reports on the day of arrival. Local radio stations and traffic apps often provide updates for event-related closures in real time.

In summary, your best approach is to take a taxi or rideshare and confirm the driver knows about the parade. Use live traffic navigation to adjust your route if needed, and aim to leave the airport promptly to avoid the start of lane closures. With these steps, you should be able to reach Sheraton Waikiki before major road closures affect access.