Best of HONOLULU 2025: Entertainment & Leisure on O‘ahu
The best new attraction, free hobbies, adult art classes and more of the best ways to have fun on O‘ahu.
EDITOR PICK
New Attraction
Some things are worth hopping on a plane for (national forests, snow, theme parks!), but a world-class acrobatics show no longer has to be on that list. If you haven’t seen Cirque du Soleil: ‘Auana, know that it stands up to other Cirque productions, with the same breathtaking human feats, but also with Hawaiian stories and some local cast members. The 80-minute show will make you gasp, holler, laugh and even cry, regardless of where you sit (with fewer than 800 seats in the theater, even the last row offers a great view).
The show opens in riveting fashion, with a swing representing Polynesian navigation propelling cast members into a giant net. More thrilling spectacles follow: On a tiny platform, two roller skaters representing the legend of Naupaka hold hands and spin in a circle, setting the stage for some seemingly impossible feats. Like when one of the performers lifts her feet off the ground, then lets go of her partner’s hands and starts twirling faster and faster while orbiting around him, the pair connected by nothing more than a strap around their necks to keep her from being flung into the audience. First I gasped, then I shrieked.
In another act, a surfer balances higher and higher on precariously stacked cylinders. I wanted to look away—but couldn’t. What makes the show particularly resonant is that the death-defying acts are tempered with humor and layered with Hawaiian themes and stories, and live music performed behind the main stage adds to the show’s drama. It’s a must-see for both residents and visitors.
Kama‘āina get 30% off tickets. —KV
Outrigger Waikīkī Beachcomber Hotel, 2300 Kalākaua Ave., Waikīkī, (877) 773-6470, cirquedusoleil.com, @auana.cirquedusoleil
EDITOR PICK
Way to Find a New Hobby for Free
If you’ve wanted to try archery, ‘ukulele, botanical art painting, K-pop dance, aqua Zumba or aikido, more than a thousand classes are available through the City & County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation. An added incentive: Many of them are free for keiki and adults at parks around the island. Registration for the fall session of weekly classes begins Aug. 18 and fills up fast, so be sure to check the deadline for your district and create an account ahead of time. —KV
pros.hnl.info, click on “Activities,” @honolulu_parks
READER PICK
Hotel for a Staycation & Place to Hold a Celebration
With distinguished past guests such as Queen Elizabeth II, the Dalai Lama, Elizabeth Taylor and the Rolling Stones, The Kāhala Hotel & Resort may seem out of reach for most locals. But despite being one of our island’s most luxurious (and celebrity-filled) resorts, the beachfront property offers some of the steepest kama‘āina discounts—40% off!—with half off valet or self-parking. As such, it’s become a staycation destination, with locals enjoying posh accommodations, spa services and multiple dining options, such as Hale ‘Aina-winning Arancino, Hōkū’s and Plumeria Beach House. The Kāhala is also a coveted venue for celebrations, with an expansive ballroom, private gardens and other event spaces alongside the beach. —KV
5000 Kāhala Ave., Kāhala, (866) 318-4579, kahalaresort.com, @kahala_resort
EDITOR PICK
Adult Art Classes
Limited to about 10–12 people, Downtown Art Center’s classes and workshops are small enough that students receive personal attention but not so small they’re impossible to get into. The offerings are also vast, with lessons on everything from painting to woodworking to lei making and calligraphy. And along with intro classes for art newbies are more advanced ones for those looking to further their skills. Most classes cost between $30 and $50 per week for four- to six-week sessions, which is more affordable than other classes around town. Bonus: You can drop into weekly uninstructed sessions for as little as $15, or try a popular “Making Art for Art’s Sake” session taught by different instructors every Saturday for $20. —KV
1041 Nu‘uanu Ave., second floor, Downtown, (808) 773-7339, downtownarthi.org, @downtownartcenter
The Rest of the Best: Reader Picks
Best Club for Dancing
Winner: Scarlet Honolulu
Downtown, @scarlethnl
Finalist: The District
Ala Moana, @thedistricthi
Best Community Theater
Winner: Diamond Head Theatre
Kaimukī, @diamondheadtheatre
Finalist: Mānoa Valley Theatre
Mānoa, @manoavalleytheatre
Best Escape Room
Winner: The Escape Game Honolulu
Ala Moana, @theescapegame
Finalist: Breakout Waikīkī
Waikīkī, @breakoutwaikiki
Best Hotel for a Staycation
Finalist: Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa
Ko Olina, @disneyaulani
Best LGBTQIA+ Bar/Club
Winner: Scarlet Honolulu
Downtown, @scarlethnl
Finalist: Hula’s Bar & Lei Stand
Waikīkī, @hulaswaikiki
Best Live Music Venue
Winner: Blue Note Hawai‘i
Waikīkī, @bluenotehawaii
Finalist: The Republik
Ala Moana, @jointherepublik
Best Movie Theater
Winner: Consolidated Theatres Ward
Kaka‘ako, @consolidatedhi
Finalist: Consolidated Theatres Kāhala
Kāhala, @consolidatedhi
Best Place to Celebrate an Anniversary
Winner: Hy’s Steak House
Waikīkī, @hyshawaii
Finalist: The Kāhala Hotel & Resort
Kāhala, @kahala_resort
Best Place to Hold a Celebration
Finalist: Natsunoya Tea House
Kapālama, @natsunoyateahouse
Best Place to Pau Hana
Winner: Moku Kitchen
Kaka‘ako, @mokukitchen
Finalist: Merriman’s
Kaka‘ako, @merrimanshonolulu
Best Place to Play Tourist
Winner: Kualoa Ranch
Kāne‘ohe, @kualoaranch
Finalist: Polynesian Cultural Center
Lā‘ie, @polynesianculturalctr
Best Place to See Art
Winner: Honolulu Museum of Art
Makiki, @honolulumuseum
Finalist: Capitol Modern
Downtown, @capitolmodern
Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners
Winner: Polynesian Cultural Center
Lā‘ie, @polynesianculturalctr
Finalist: Kualoa Ranch
Kāne‘ohe, @kualoaranch
