Hanalei
While not as slick as the resort equivalents elsewhere on Kaua‘i, the North Shore’s one weekly luau is everything a Hawaiian luau should be. Housed in a…
Must-see entertainment in Hawaii
Kuhio Beach Torchlighting & Hula Show
Waikiki
It all begins at the Duke Kahanamoku statue with the sounding of a conch shell and the lighting of torches after sunset. At the nearby hula mound, enjoy a…
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Lahaina
From the warm greeting to the feast and hula dances, everything here is premium (including the drinks). No other luau on Maui comes close to matching this…
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Honolulu
The Doris Duke Theatre shows an array of experimental, alternative, retro-classic and art-house films, especially groundbreaking documentaries, inside the…
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Waikiki
The Kapiʻolani Park Bandstand is the perfect venue for this time-honored troupe that performs classics from the Hawaiian monarchy era. It’s a…
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Hilton Hawaiian Village Fireworks
Waikiki
Every Friday night, the Hilton Hawaiian Village stages a booming 10-minute fireworks show. Although it's done in conjunction with a touristy luau …
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Honolulu
Beautifully restored, this architecturally significant historic theater is a major venue for dance, music and theater. Performances include top Hawaii…
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Honolulu
Founded in 1836 by King Kamehameha III, the Royal Hawaiian Band is the only band in the US with a royal legacy, and is the only full-time municipal band…
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Honolulu
In the restored 1871 Kamehameha V Post Office building, this little 100-seat treasure is dedicated to premiering works by Hawaii’s playwrights. Themes…
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Waikiki
It’s worth navigating through the gargantuan Hilton resort complex to this Polynesian-themed open-air bar just to see some of the best traditional and…
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Waikiki
Named after a 1925 Charlie Chan novel set in Honolulu, this genteel open-air hotel lounge sprawls beneath a waterfront century-old kiawe tree (that's…
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Waikiki
Inside this historic beachfront hotel bar, soak up the sounds of classical and contemporary Hawaiian musicians playing underneath the old banyan tree…
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Honolulu
Right above Hank’s Cafe in Chinatown, this laid-back hideaway with a sedate vibe and lots of funky stylized masks on the walls and mirrors hosts a…
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Honolulu
In the Kaimuki neighborhood, east of the UH Manoa campus, watch classics, foreign flicks and indie films – including some Hawaii premieres – in a tiny…
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Waikiki
Once happy hour ends, the Outrigger’s poolside bar sets the scene for some of the most laid-back live-music shows of any of Waikiki’s beachfront hotels,…
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Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Concerts
Hanalei
Veteran local musicians Doug and Sandy McMaster perform Hawaiian-style slack-key guitar and ukulele year-round in a refreshingly relaxed informal…
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Hilo
This historic theater is Hilo's cultural crown jewel. Its eclectic programming includes art-house and silent films (accompanied by the house organ), music…
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Waikiki
This oceanfront dinner show is like a three-act musical play narrating the history of Hawaiian mele (songs) and hula. The buffet features good renditions…
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Honolulu
Founded and hosted by Kealoha (the Poet Laureate of Hawai`i), HawaiiSlam is the largest registered poetry slam in the world. International wordsmiths,…
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Lahaina
Food takes center stage at this intimate three-hour Polynesian luau on the beach. Dance performances in Hawaiian, Maori, Tahitian and Samoan styles are…
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Honolulu
The 500-person Crossroads Concert Hall here sees acts of all kinds, especially blues, soul and rock. It's also home to the HawaiiSlam, and there are pool…
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Oʻahu
Opened in 1915 and known as 'the Broadway of the Pacific,' this lovely old theater is the third-oldest continuously running community theater in the USA…
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Honolulu
On the cutting edge of the Chinatown arts scene, this artist-run, nonprofit community arts center, gallery and performance space puts on a variety of live…
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Kona Coast
This shopping mall has a hula show performed by local dance troupes in the center courtyard on Friday evenings. The dance troupes are local and feature…
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Waikiki
With Diamond Head as a backdrop, this outdoor amphitheater in Kapiʻolani Regional Park sporadically stages hula troupes and twilight shows by megastars…
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Honolulu
Honolulu's most intimate concert hall for touring and local acts – indie rockers, punk and metal bands, even ukulele players – has a graffiti-bomb vibe…
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Honolulu
The second-oldest orchestra in the USA west of the Rocky Mountains, the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1900. It plays at the Neal S Blaisdell…
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Waikiki
Enthusiastic pan-Polynesian show, with buffet meal, outdoor seating at a rooftop venue, Samoan fire dancing and hapa haole (literally, ‘half foreign’)…
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Honolulu
Hidden back off the street, this brick-walled lounge with an almost speakeasy ambience pulls in top island talent – fusion jazz, funk, bebop, hip-hop,…
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Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
As part of the park's ongoing celebration of Hawaiian culture and history, the bi-monthly Nā Leo Manu concerts bring talent from across the islands for an…
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Lahaina
This Cirque du Soleil–style extravaganza has its home at the 680-seat Maui Theatre. The theme is Hawaiian history and storytelling; the medium is modern…
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Honolulu
A cultural linchpin, this modern performing-arts complex stages symphony and chamber-music concerts, opera performances and ballet recitals, prestigious…
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Waikiki
If you’re in a mellow mood, come for sunset happy-hour drinks at this family-friendly, poolside bar, just a lei’s throw from Kuhio Beach. Slack key…
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Honolulu
A college dive bar, part roadhouse and part art house, this Irish-themed bar has a club upstairs with live music by local bands. Acts include reggae, alt…
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Waikiki
This shopping mall’s open-air stage may lack oceanfront views, but Hawaiian music and hula performances by top island talent happen here most evenings…
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Hilo
This historic bandstand holds occasional hula shows, band concerts, political rallies and other gatherings. Check the bandstand's Facebook page or local…
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Honolulu
This small community 150-seat theater puts on plays and musicals from mainstream to off-Broadway. It was formed in 1969 by UH Theatre Department grads…
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Waikiki
A sophisticated music venue that draws top acts performing blues, jazz, pop, rock, reggae and Hawaiian. There's a dinner option that includes banquet fare…
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Hilo
At the lobby bar at the Grand Naniloa Resort, enjoy live music, a full-service bar, and gorgeous views of Hilo Bay.
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Kailua-Kona
Hula lessons, complimentary mai tais, roast pig, waterfront views and graceful dancers are all part of the show.
