Our Guide: Polynesian Cultural Center

This popular attraction is not just for tourists. Here are tips for exploring this Lā‘ie theme park.

Where: Polynesian Cultural Center, the 42-acre theme park in Lā‘ie that introduces visitors to the cultures of seven island nations of Polynesia.

Who: Two adults and two 8-year-old girls.

When: From 1 to 6 p.m. on Labor Day. Give yourselves at least four hours to visit the center.

How: A 60-minute car ride from downtown Honolulu.

Lā‘ie, a seaside town on O‘ahu’s North Shore, is like a quiet next-door-neighbor with a wild streak. Lā‘ie’s community is anchored by Brigham Young University Hawai‘i, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. What many folks don’t realize is that the church also runs the Polynesian Cultural Center, a visitor attraction that draws hundreds of tour buses to Lā‘ie each month. 

Photo: By Cathy Cruz-George

That’s where the wild streak begins. Behind PCC’s manicured entrance is a theme park with fire knife dancers and warriors, comedians dressed in native garb, and a movie theater that mists the crowds with water and perfume. The majority of cast members and performers are college kids who work part-time to offset BYU tuition.

Fun? Heck, yeah!

This past summer also marked the launch of “Huki: One ‘Ohana Sharing Aloha,” a musical production of dancers, singers and storytellers on canoes. The main attraction at PCC, however, is a series of villages showcasing the Polynesian islands of Fiji, Hawai‘i, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Samoa, Tahiti and Tonga.

As a family-friendly venue, PCC is priceless. Think of it as an opportunity to teach kids geography, culture, ethnic diversity and tolerance. For kids, it’s a theme park with friendly costumed people who play games and paddle canoes. Although it is a popular attraction for tourists, the size of the park ensures that you never feel crowded.

Ready for a family road trip to Lā‘ie? Here are our tips for visiting PCC:

Our 7 Tips

1. Research, research, research. On the morning of our visit, we used our daughter’s Little Passports world map to show her the Polynesian islands, then we used PCC’s website polynesia.com to talk about the cultures of each region and mention friends who were from the various islands. This built up her excitement and helped her make connections between Hawai’i and the rest of Polynesia.

2. Plan your visit around the “Island Presentations.” From 12:30 to 5 p.m., each village hosts its own show and activities, such as spear throwing, fire-making and poi-ball twirling. Also, we recommend seeing the 15-minute film Hawaiian Journey, a sensory experience involving water droplets and sweet scents. The kids loved this! To decide which shows and activities are best for your family, use the visitor guide map at the park’s entrance to check for show times. You also can download the PCC app or click here for an online map and schedule. 

3. Don’t miss these shows. The most entertaining show is in the Samoan village, hosted by comedic entertainer Kap Tafiti, who has his own website. Tafiti and his fellowmen climb coconut trees and poke fun at one another–while teaching the audience about Samoan culture. The most dramatic show happens in the village of Aotearoa, where fierce-looking Maori warriors show off the haka, an ancient ritual. The drum show in the village of Tonga always is entertaining when members are pulled from the crowd to participate. In the village of Tahiti, you can watch a wedding re-enactment or a “fashion show” that makes the audience laugh.

4. Find seats early in the shade. The 2:30 p.m. performance of “Huki” is a must-see for its contemporary music and beautiful choreography. Visitors start claiming seats along the lagoon as early as 1:30 p.m. Lucky ones with special passes can sit in the VIP area. If you don’t have passes, here’s an idea: Designate a grownup in your group to find seats under a tree or awning starting at 2 p.m., while the rest of the group buys snacks to eat for the half-hour show. But leave your hands free to dance along with the crowd in the final production number. 

Photo: By Cathy Cruz-George

Photo: By Cathy Cruz-George

5. Go fishing and canoeing. As kids wind down and village presentations come to an end, pile your family into a canoe for a leisurely ride past villages and waterfalls. Your tour guide/paddler will share interesting facts about the place and warn your group to duck whenever the canoe passes one of PCC’s half-dozen bridges. Check the schedule to see when the next canoe departs. Outside the village of Tahiti is a hut, where kids can cast poles into the water to feed fish. The kids in our group squealed and laughed when the fish tugged on the poles and swam away–with bait. The friendly women inside the hut allow the kids to use the poles multiple times, and for free.

6. Take a spin through Hukilau Marketplace. Inspired by pioneer families who settled in Lā‘ie at the turn of the century, Hukilau Marketplace is a retail-dining venue that our family visits every time we’re in the neighborhood. There is no admission fee for the open-air shopping center. Visitors here can rent motorized scooters, storage lockers, strollers and wheelchairs. There also are plenty of shopping and dining options open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Make sure to ask for the kama‘āina discount, which was 10 percent off store purchases when we visited. 

7. Make your own Pounders pizza. The first time we visited Pounders restaurant at Hukilau Marketplace in 2015, the food and service were subpar. We’ve eaten at Pounders about five times since then, and the improvements are obvious. There is even a pizza-making station! The 8-year-old girls in our group joined three boys at the kitchen counter to top their own pizzas before the pies went into the oven.

Photo: By Cathy Cruz-George

Points for the male employee behind the counter–he was extremely helpful and great with kids. Both of the girls enjoyed their pizzas, which came with salad and rice. For dessert (or to eat on the ride home), head to Auntie Emily’s Polynesian Bakery for huge (more like monstrous!) cookies and pastries priced between $3 and $9. 

Overall pros: Hands-on activities and multiple performances are exciting for kids. Admission is free for kids 3 and younger. Families will appreciate Hawai‘i’s ethnic diversity and walk away with an understanding of the Pacific regions and its practices. The PCC staff is friendly and helpful.

Overall cons: The road trip to Lā‘ie can be long for some keiki. Although the general admission rate is $64.95 for adults and $51.96 for children ages 4 to 11, local residents can join the ‘Ohana Club that significantly reduces fees. See below for ʻOhana Club details.

Polynesian Cultural Center

• 55-370 Kamehameha Highway, Lā‘ie, 96762
• polynesia.com
• 1-800-367-7060
• Hours: Monday through Saturday, noon to 9 p.m. Closed Sundays.
• Kamaʻāina with valid ID are encouraged to sign up for the free ‘Ohana Club, which reduces the general admission rate to $19 per person (for children and adults). ʻOhana Club membership comes with exclusive offers and deals at PCC and Hukilau Marketplace.

There is also a Kama‘āina Annual Pass that gives members unlimited general admission for one year.