I'm absolutely thrilled that I had the experience of working with Jesse. It helped me so much to…read morefinally get my U.S. driver's license. I have a license from another country, but it is not convertible to American driving license, so I had to basically go through the entire process again. I honestly thought it wouldn't be a big problem... until I faced the reality. There were so many technicalities on the driving test that I couldn't pass it. To the point that I started to doubt myself and developed driving anxiety. That's when I realized I needed to try something different. I needed help from a professional. And that's how I found Hoku Driving School. That was one of the best decisions I've made. Jesse is everything in one person. Super positive, encouraging, and also very informative. After just the first lesson, I felt a big shift in my confidence. I stopped doubting myself. And it wasn't just feel-good talk -- he gave me very practical, helpful info that actually made me a better driver. But what really made the difference were all the little tips and tricks on how to pass the test. On top of that, he's just a great person to spend time with in the car. We talked about different things, he kept my nerves down. He was cheering me on till the day I had a test. I really felt like someone was on my side, rooting for me. It was absolutely worth the investment, and now I'm recommending him to anyone who's going through this process. Don't struggle alone. Just hire a professional and save yourself the tears and the stress.

This man was illegally parked in my neighborhood, so giving him the benefit of the doubt, I asked…read morehim if he knew he was illegally parked. His response to me was to mind my own business...I told him that my neighborhood is my business and pointed at the sign he should've read. As most petty people do, he tried to change the subject and told me to pick up after my dog, who I was walking at the time...so I showed him the bags I always keep in the pockets of all my shorts & pants, and then asked him, "what happened to minding one's business?" All he had to do was say, "oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize." and I would've told him, "mahalo" and we'd both go on with our days. I have never left a Yelp review, but it just didn't sit right with me that this man, while in the course of his job (he had a student in his car) where he's supposed to be teaching a student how to navigate Hawaiʻi's roadways, yet ¹ parks illegally, ² doesn't read posted signs, ³ and feels that the rules don't apply to him. I had a driving instructor year ago, and she made me abide by every single law you could think of, everything was by the book, and in the few times that she was wrong about something, she wasn't too proud to admit it and would correct herself. In case anyone is wondering, we live a couple hundred feet from a school and an adjacent public park...so we have kids running around all the time, and illegally parking often limits what drivers can see on the road. You'd think that a driving instructor would understand that, but clearly Hoku doesn't...or maybe he does, he just doesn't care? I don't know, I just know that I wouldn't want my kid to be learning how to drive from someone who can't even abide by posted signage himself, and when made aware of his infraction, responds poorly and in a petty manner.

Jacob is excellent!…read more Life is busy, and we thought it would be extremely difficult to get our 16-year-old licensed--especially with all the Honolulu Graduated Driver Licensing Program requirements, which felt intimidating to us as newbies. Thanks to Jacob, the entire process was smooth and stress-free. He was responsive, patient, and an excellent communicator, guiding us step-by-step through exactly what needed to be done. Our daughter attended six consecutive Sunday classroom sessions and, despite some initial apprehension, ended up really enjoying herself. Jacob made the classes fun and engaging with group assignments, skits, videos, and friendly competitions. He even bought boba for the winners--which alone would have won our daughter over! As an added bonus, she got to know students from other schools. The one-on-one behind-the-wheel sessions were just as wonderful. Jacob's car has a passenger-side brake, which eased a lot of our fear and helped our daughter progress much faster. Over the course of the required 50 hours of parent-child driving practice, we noticed a clear boost in her confidence after every session with Jacob. It was also incredibly helpful that he took her on the actual test route the day before her exam, which made her feel fully prepared. Our daughter "passed first crack," and we couldn't be happier! To top it off, Jacob highlights his students' accomplishments on Instagram, which is fun and motivating. We were so fortunate to have found him--Jacob is truly the best!

Excellent class and on the road. My daughter was very comfortable with Mr. Wong. Passed on the…read morefirst try. Thank you Mr. Wong!

I was looking for a driving instructor for my teen and saw all the positive Yelp reviews for Hawaii…read moreDriving Academy. Jay was a wonderful teacher! He has a "can do" positive attitude. He was extremely responsive and answered all my questions over the phone before the first lesson. He is very patient, always came on time and had a face mask on for every lesson. After each lesson, he would message me on my teens progress. Jay was very easy to work with and I felt he and I were able to work together to achieve our goals. It was also very easy and convenient to pay for our lessons via payment app. Our teen passed on the first try!!!

Jay is an amazing instructor for both beginners and experienced drivers…read more I had to take the drivers road test after having a drivers license in the US for 26 yrs in 3 States (NJ HI CA ) , during COVID my CA license expired so the quickest way to get a HI license was to retake both written and practical tests all over again I was shocked I failed the 1st time I took the driving test in Kapolei . Since I was desperate to get a drivers license ASAP since I needed a 2nd form of govt issued ID for passport renewal so I was referred to to Jay and only spent 1 (90min) session with him to give me tips on how to pass and took me to the exact route where I was testing in Sheridan (2021) and passed ! I actually learned a lot from him despite being a licensed driver since I was 16yo (took HI drivers test at age 49) My daughter recently passed her drivers test as well and Jay made her drive confidently having had a PTSD/ fear of driving due to a car accident we had years ago when she was in 3rd grade which stopped her from wanting to learn how to drive and Jay was very patient in teaching her and now drives safely, confidently and very courteous driver on the road ! Awesome job Jay! You're very good and patient instructor ! I have highly recommended you to all my friends!

My son just finished his classroom instruction for driving school. It has prepared him to take the…read morewritten test for his permit. I'm so happy I found this school for my kids. The instructor was the BEST!! She was patient, kind, and took the time to really explain everything. My son has more confidence in driving and is excited and ready for his written exam.

From the owner: We offer you as much individual attention as possible to ensure safe and skilled driving in the…read morefuture. Our primary goal is to help students pass official driving tests and become safe, licensed drivers.

I got my license after sessions!!! Super helpful and prepared me well! Thank you so muchread more

My son took this course drivers ed 101 as a requirement to get a drivers license. Jeff was his…read moreinstructor. It was a tiring 6 weeks and getting him to the driving one on one lessons. However my son passed his road test on the first try. Thanks Jeff for doing an awesome job. Ill definitely recommend people to you.

We are incredibly grateful for Keku's Driving Academy and especially for Scott Keku. Years ago, we…read morepurchased their driving course for our daughter when she was still in high school. The program included both a classroom component and a behind-the-wheel component. At the time, she was able to complete the classroom portion, which helped her successfully obtain her learner's permit. Unfortunately, due to timing and life transitions, she never had the opportunity to use the hands-on driving portion before graduating high school and moving on to college. Fast forward a few years--my daughter has been struggling to pass her driving exam, so I reached out to Scott to explain our situation and simply ask if there was any way he might be willing to help. Scott went above and beyond anything we expected. He graciously offered my daughter a complimentary driving session, even though years had passed since we originally purchased the course. During that session, Scott was outstanding. He took my daughter through the actual exam route, explained exactly what examiners look for, and gave her clear, practical feedback on what she needs to improve. He even ran the lesson as if it were a real driving test--playing the role of the examiner and scoring her--so she could truly understand the expectations and feel prepared. His knowledge of the DMV testing process is impressive, and his ability to explain things calmly and clearly made a huge difference in my daughter's confidence. Scott is the definition of a true professional: compassionate, patient, extremely knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in helping students succeed. My daughter walked away from that session feeling informed, empowered, and confident that she now has the tools she needs to pass her driving exam. We are so thankful for Scott's kindness and generosity, and we cannot recommend Keku's Driving Academy highly enough. If you have a child who needs to learn the rules of the road, build confidence behind the wheel, and be truly prepared for their driving test, this is the driving school you want. Mahalo, Scott--you made a real difference for our family.

After 40 years of not driving, I knew lessons were going to be key so I reached out to all the…read moredifferent driving schools and Keku's was the most responsive, by far. They're flexible and they had me scheduled quickly and were patient with my nervousness, but also great at bolstering my confidence. Jimmy was a great instructor and fun to chat with during lessons (1.5 hours in a car is a lot of driving!). Passed the road test on the first try! On a complete sidenote, they're also both just super nice. When we were there for my road test (I was using their car), another person taking their road test found out that someone stole the safety inspection sticker, which meant they couldn't use her car. Jimmy offered to let her use their company car, which def saved the day!

Brian was my instructor and he was AMAZING. He was very patient and his instructions were clear and…read morethorough. Thanks to him I was able to finally pass my road test. In 2 lessons he helped me adjust my driving habits to be ready for the test and it worked! I'd previously had friends and family work with me but I failed each test I took and their advice didn't seem to help me, so I decided to try Akamai Driving School. I 100% recommend to anyone looking for a teacher or wanting to improve their driving for any reason. Thank you Brian!

He is the best !!! I inquired about the youth driver's license. Although he did not have this…read morecourse, he still patiently explained the entire course in detail on the phone.

Huge shout-out to this driving school and especially Mari! My son was nervous about his…read morebehind-the-wheel test, but Mari was incredibly encouraging. My son officially got his license on the first try and we couldn't be happier. We've sent 2 kids through 5-0. See you in a year for the 3rd kid!

Our 16yo passed on the first try at Kapahulu #iykyk and we couldn't be more happy with this driving…read moreschool. After making contact and getting on their system, the resources and support through their portal and emails provided the right feedback to address what our teen needed to work on, and the result speaks for itself. Melissa was responsive and flexible with our scheduling needs and answered all of our questions. "Auntie Mel" always showed up early to the meeting spot, took her time, and applied the perfect balance of firmness and patience. After their BTW sessions, our boy felt confident and ready for that obstacle course Kaimuki turns into at 3pm on a weekday for his road test. Maholo nui to 5-0 Driving School; you're very much appreciated and highly recommended.

I took both the classroom lessons as well as the adult behind the wheel lessons. In the classroom,…read moreMrs. Beals is very proficient in teaching and going through the lessons, it's easy to understand and it goes by pretty quick. The behind the wheel, my instructor was very very laidback and easy to work with. He never got mad when mistakes were made and he made sure to correct the little things that would've docked points off of the driving test. I'd definitely reccomend taking both lessons as both teachers are very effective and knowledgeable when learning how to drive.

We chose this driving school for my daughter, and she attended class every Sunday until completion…read more The place is on the second floor. Parking is limited in the front and can feel a bit sketchy, so I definitely recommend picking up your kids on time. The classroom was really cold for my daughter, which was her main complaint. Other than that, she said the class itself was fine and easy to follow. One important thing to know: the behind-the-wheel (BTW) driving slots are very limited, so students need to sign up as early as their 3rd week of class. We didn't realize how backed up it was--my daughter's BTW ended up being scheduled about 3 months after the classroom portion ended. They do provide some snacks in the classroom, which was a nice touch. (I think it's for sale -- need to clarify that). One important thing to know: if your child misses even one class, they can't make it up individually. They have to stop and wait to join the next batch because the classes have to be taken continuously. So make sure your schedule is solid before enrolling. Overall, it gets the job done, but definitely plan ahead for parking and behind-the-wheel scheduling.

Such a fun experience and so many things to do for all ages. Definitely recommend and will be back…read morefor sure!

This place is definitely worth going at least once, even as a local! We had more fun than we…read moreexpected. The customer service I experience from registering and setting our visit up over the phone was excellent. Registered for Kama'aina and was given the Memorial Day Buy 2 explorer passes get 1 free! Even more so worth the trip. My only gripe is the surfing experience is EXPENSIVE. As much as I would love for my family and I to get on there. It's just such a rip off for our entire family to take part. They have a good variety of food and drinks offered - way better than the water park. Prices are also reasonable - as expected but not outrageous. The bathrooms are nice and clean. They offer locker rental for $10 with a $5 refund upon returning of the keys. They also have a more "luxury" locker room experience for $20. But you don't need it; they offer showers and changing tents outside, on the side of the coffee bar. Good idea to go before they open the course at 10am so you can check in and snag a good seating area for your group. Our items and wagon were safe even when we were all in he water. The only thing for us is the water...as locals we are not a fan of the fresh water experience. I haven't stopped thinking about how it's treated if so...And my son didn't care much about it while we were there, but once we left he said he didn't wanna go back or have his party there anymore because he thinks the water is dirty. There is fish in there, from small ones too you can see; to some bigger ones out when you do some exploring.