Travel tips

• Travel minimally! Reduce fuel emissions by lightening your check-in and carry-on.
• Purchase food on-board as a few airlines have committed to locally sourced food and beverage service.

• There is a 36% chance of rain during the conference days in Honolulu, O’ahu Island. Be prepared, so you can enjoy the showers!

Airfare Discounts

The following airlines have discounts in place for the 4S 2023 Honolulu Meeting:

Visa Information

Non-U.S. citizens and residents will need a visa to go to the conference. If you are a citizen or national of a country in the visa waiver program, you will need to apply for an ESTA online (it is valid for two years). If your country is not in the waiver program, you probably need a B1/B2 Visitor Visa. Wait times for interviews can vary greatly. For those in India, the wait time for an appointment to apply for a visa is currently over a year. Although this will hopefully improve across the year, the US Embassy has suggested traveling to a third country to apply for a Visa.

Conference Venue

The conference will be held at the Hawai’i Convention Center located on Kalākaua Avenue (main strip of Hawai’i). The convention center is about 8.5 miles from the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL). It is also adjacent to District Waikīkī, the Place of Spouting Waters, that today houses 30,000 hotels and resorts. We encourage the conference participants to stay at unionized discounted hotels provided at the bottom of this page. 

The conference (including registration) will be primarily held on level 3. The Wednesday reception will be held in the rooftop garden.

Accessibility Information

• The HCC is equipped with assistive listening systems; reservations can be made through the AV office by calling 808 943-3041. 
• Service or guide animals are allowed in the HCC facility on a leash or harness.
• All floors of the HCC are accessible by elevator, located in the lobby and from the Ala Wai Promenade.
• The HCC offers a private nursing pod at the Lobby Level near Exhibit Hall 1. It is accessible through the Mamava app or using an access code provided by staff upon request.
• Please contact meeting@4sonline.org with any accessibility requests or questions.

Tourism and Housing Crisis in Hawai’i

Hawai’i has the highest share of income spent on rent at 42%; about 1.8% of Native Hawaiians face homelessness on a single night and there has been a 19% increase among Native Hawaiians experiencing homelessness between 2020-2022, according to national estimates.

Hawai’i residents highlight that short-term rentals have contributed to the ongoing affordable housing crisis in the islands. The housing crisis in Hawai’i has been highlighted in Associated Press (here and here) and in Honolulu CivilBeat (here).

In-step with the conference theme, it is critical that the conference engage in solidarity with Hawai’i endangered ecologies. What are some of the ways to conference in Hawai’i and remain critical of reproducing tourist relations?

Stay:

• You are encouraged to find accommodations in the below unionized hotels, available at discounted price for conference participants (bottom of this page). Thanks to UNITE5 for their excellent resources on unionized hotels.
• If you were to choose other and more affordable options,
• Please find short term rentals in resort areas (Waikiki area, and the Ala Moana Blvd) and business districts.
  • Make sure you ask your host if they are approved for short-term rentals as there are many illegal short-term rentals operating on the island. Ordinance 19-18, passed in August 2018, allows short term rentals in Waikiki, Ko Olina, Turtle Bay and only a handful outside these areas.
• Avoid residential towers and AirBnB hosts with multiple listings.
  
  

Local Travel:

• Stay within walking or biking distance from the convention center to lessen the traffic on Honolulu’s roads.
  • Biki offers bike sharing options across Honolulu.
    • Download Biki app here.
    • You will find the most updated list of Biki Stations here.
    • On google maps, Biki stations are represented as a human.
• If you like to take the bus, check for updates here.
•  Detour Honolulu, Hawai’i! Visit the critical sites of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Aloha Aina--Mālama ‘Āina (take care of land)! Give back!

• Support BIPOC owned businesses (lists compiled by Pua Mohala, here and here)
• Join beach and community clean-ups by SurfRider O’ahu chapter and Our Kaka'ako.
• Check out ocean friendly restaurants compiled by the SurfRider Foundation.
• Donations for housing crisis:
  • More infrastructure: https://www.hawaiisfuture.org/
  • To support disincentivizing real estate investment Hawai’i:
• Other donation options: Hawai’i People’s Fund; Hawai’i Alliance for Progressive Action

Hotel Discounted Rates

All three hotels included here are within walking distance (6-11 minutes one-way) of the Hawai’i Convention Center. For more information about walkability and accessibility, please visit the Conference Headquarters page. Please note that all hotel rooms associated with these prices are being offered through a limited inventory. 

Directions (Map; also see below)

Walking distance from Waikīkī hotels:

• Ala Moana Hotel: 5-7 min. walk (0.3 miles/0.5 km)
  • Discounted Room Rates:
    • Kona Tower: 1 Queen Bed Room for $194
    • Waikīkī Tower: Choice of 1 King Bed Room or 2 Queen Bed Room for $220 (if room is occupied by more than 2 guests, the room rate is $270)
    • Single Bedroom Suites: $329
    • Discounts valid for bookings made for 11/7/23-11/12/23.
  • Reservation Process: Please use the following link: https://book.passkey.com/e/50526653 Rooms must be reserved before 10/7/23.
    
    
• Hotel Ramada (tax included): 10-12 min. walk (0.5 miles/0.8 km) - SOLD OUT

  • Discounted Room Rates: Single/double occupancy rooms for $171.04. For any additional occupants, there is an additional $30 per person.

  • Reservation Process: Guests must call individually to book rooms; rooms will be based on availability. Guests can call the Reservation’s Office at (808) 744-7561. Please indicate that you are calling in regard to the Society for the Social Studies of Science Conference. Rooms must be reserved before 10/4/23. Discounts valid for bookings made for 11/4/23-11/17/23.
    
    

• The Modern Honolulu (tax not included): 10-15 min. walk (0.5 miles/0.8 km)
  • Discounted Room Rates for:
    • 15% off of the best available rate (between November 8 – 11, 2023
    • City View King (sleeps 2) $199.00 + 17.962% tax (nightly rate)
    • City View Double (sleeps 4) $225.00 + 17.962% tax (nightly rate)
    • Partial Ocean/Marina View Double (sleeps 4) $239.00 + 17.962% tax
      *Rates do not include nightly 17.962% tax, $35.00+ tax resort fee, or the $200 refundable incidental deposit (collected at check-in).
    • Check-in is at 4pm and check-out is at 10am. If any guest requires a guaranteed early check in, they must also book the day before their expected arrival.
    • Discounts valid for bookings made for 11/7/23-11/13/23.
  • Reservation Process: 
    • Personalized booking link: https://www.diamondresortsandhotels.com/Resorts/The-Modern-Honolulu/?MKC=GSFSSOS23 
    • Reservation Department: 1-800-438-2929
      • Property: The Modern Honolulu Resort
      • Group Name is: Society for Social Studies of Science
      • Group Code is: GSFSSOS23
      • Last Day to Reserve Rooms: August 1, 2023
      • Group Rates: see below.
      • Guests may email groups@hgv.com to confirm total or request a new confirmation email.

Hotel discount for conference participants (table)

*Queen Bed
**Choice of King or Two Double bed per room
 ⁺Taxes included

Map