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Pair Rum and Chocolate at House of Mana Up

The giant display of rum bottles in Mana Up’s latest location at Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikīkī means we’re in the right place. Reservations for tastings of Mānoa Chocolate and Kō Hana Hawaiian Agricole Rum, which last about 30 minutes, can be made online, but walk-ins are welcome if it’s not too busy. The reservations are available every half hour between 11 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Once at the bar, you choose whether to go with straight rum or ready-to-drink cocktails. We choose cocktails, all made with Kō Hana’s Kea, or white rum. Our knowledgeable guide explains the history of both local companies before giving us a small pour of the Classic Daiquiri to try on its own, followed by the Liliko‘i Daiquiri and a small triangle of Mānoa’s liliko‘i chocolate.

SEE ALSO: Waikīkī’s New Rum-and-Chocolate Tasting Pairs Two ‘Ono Local Brands

In all, we try six cocktails (the others were the Hemingway Daiquiri, 1944-style Mai Tai, Pineapple Daiquiri and Blue Hawaiian), paired with five chocolates (single-origin Nīnole, banana, sea salt and a collab Kō Hana rum bar, along with the liliko‘i chocolate), plus rum-barrel-aged honey from Mānoa Honey & Mead, a sip of Kō Hana’s Kokoleka chocolate rum and a small piece of rum cake. It’s the perfect post-dinner treat and a great deal—only $30 for kama‘āina ($40 general). Each tasting also comes with a $5 coupon and commemorative tasting glass. —Katrina Valcourt

2201 Kalākaua Ave., Suite A112, houseofmanaup.com, @houseofmanaup

Bar Hop at Halekūlani Hotel

Spend a bougie night at one of Waikīkī’s swankiest locales—without a hotel room. We start with heavy pūpū (including hamachi crudo, ‘ahi tataki and hoisin coconut ribs) and a hula show at House Without a Key. Its bar, Earl’s, recently changed its menu; now, it features only local beers and new cocktails, but you can still expect signature drinks such as the coconut cake martini or mai tai. I love the open-air seating, and if you’re there for sunset, even better.

After dinner, we step farther from the beach into tucked-away L’Aperitif, the upstairs bar of La Mer. Bartender Henry Kawaiaea is a wellspring of cocktail knowledge—tell him what you like, and he’ll guide you toward one of the bar’s unique concoctions. Expect ingredients you don’t typically see: black garlic shrub, house-made pistachio syrup, macerated kumquats. He’ll even make you a classic 1944 mai tai to compare to the one you just had downstairs.

End the night with jazz, drinks and the hotel’s famous coconut cake at Lewers Lounge. Sipping a jazz-inspired cocktail (the delicate Paper Doll comes in a teacup) while listening to the stylings of Maggie Herron and Dean Taba on Friday nights, you’ll think, I could get used to this. —Katrina Valcourt

2199 Kālia Road, halekulani.com, @halekulanihotel

Make Korean Rice Cakes with Rice Blossoms

Typically found at Korean supermarkets, songpyeon rice cakes are traditionally eaten during Chuseok, Korea’s autumn harvest festival. But Rice Blossoms has made them year-round treats that can be gifted or enjoyed at celebrations or just because. Even better, you can make them yourself in Shana Lee’s pop-up classes around the island.

I’ve been a fan of Lee’s cabochon-like songpyeon, though I doubted whether I could make them as beautifully as she does. Yet it was surprisingly easy. During one of her classes, she showed us how to mix in colored powders derived from foods like kabocha and matcha, then to shape the rice cake dough into cute little fruits, similar to working with air-dry clay. The rice cakes admittedly looked a bit rough, but steaming smoothed them out and made them shine. Gluten-free and filled with a mixture of honey and sesame seeds, they were satisfyingly chewy and not too sweet. We enjoyed Korean refreshments while learning about songpyeon’s history and cultural significance.

SEE ALSO: Rice Blossoms Brings Korean Desserts With a Modern Twist

The classes, which vary in price, are intimate and family-friendly for ages 6 and up. Public workshops are typically held monthly, so check Rice Blossoms’ Instagram for the dates. The next will be on Sunday, May 10, and also include wine glass painting. —Andrea Lee

riceblossoms.com/honolulu, @riceblossoms_hi

Load Up at a Cookie Buffet at MW Restaurant

When James Beard pastry chef finalist Michelle Karr-Ueoka offers an all-you-can-load cookie buffet, you don’t think practically about whether you really need or should eat a bunch of cookies. You just go, like I did last year, to haul as many delightful treats from the celebrated sweets queen of MW Restaurant and Artizen as you can.

This year’s event is on July 4, and here’s how it works. Pick either a small container or a large one (set price for each not available yet), then fill it with everything from Karr-Ueoka’s famous MW chocolate chip cookies to snickerdoodles, macarons, mini muffins, chocolate chunk cookies, matcha swirl cupcakes, brownies and more.

Along with being able to sample a wide variety of delectable baked goodies, the event in and of itself is fun. Some make it a challenge to see how many treats they can stack into their containers without them toppling over. While my modest haul was only a few inches taller than the container, I saw others balancing foot-high towers of sugary selections. —Diane Seo

888 Kapi‘olani Blvd., Suite 201, mwrestaurant.com, @mwrestaurant

Reset With a Lymphatic Massage at Seven Senses Spa

Illustrations: Getty Images

First put into practice in France in the 1930s, lymphatic drainage massage has been hugely popular in Asia for years and has become trendy in this country too for its numerous health and aesthetic benefits. If you’re not familiar, the lymphatic system is a network of vessels, nodes and organs responsible for balancing fluids in the body, transporting immune cells and getting rid of waste. A healthy lymphatic system means fewer toxins, better circulation and quicker healing. It can also provide a slimmer appearance.

So I was thrilled that Seven Senses Spa, one of my favorite wellness spots, had added it to its services. The 75-minute treatment starts with dry body brushing, in which a natural-bristle brush is run in gentle downward strokes across the skin to exfoliate and clear areas of stagnant fluid. Then the deep tissues of the body are addressed with a mixture of kneading and sweeping motions that move fluid from the deeper layers of muscle upward to the lymph node regions—the neck, armpits, abdomen and groin.

It was relaxing, for sure, but what I really liked was that it left me feeling lighter and a bit energized, and not tired or drained the way some massages do. I also really loved that I got to keep the dry brush, so that I could incorporate the techniques into my shower routine at home. —Brie Thalmann

Multiple locations, sevensensesspa.net, @sevensensesspahawaii

Heal with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Lava Wellness

I had long wanted to try this wellness therapy, touted to reduce inflammation, boost the brain and supercharge the immune system among other benefits—and what an introduction I got. It was in the Starlight Deluxe hyperbaric oxygen chamber at the swanky new Lava Wellness at South King and Pi‘ikoi streets. Instead of being squeezed into a claustrophobic device like I imagined, I lounged on a comfy, reclined seat, gazing at colorful twinkling “stars” on the ceiling, while being infused with oxygen.

I could’ve watched Netflix on the built-in TV or turned on the AC, but opted out of both. I just relaxed and listened to music on my phone while breathing in O2 flowing through my oxygen mask and throughout the chamber. I did some breathwork during the hour session and found that I could inhale more deeply than normal. At the time, I was recovering from the flu, but after my session, I felt calm and energized.

While the experience isn’t cheap—$175 per person in the Starlight Deluxe, which can fit up to four people—there are less expensive options. A smaller Deluxe chamber ($150 per person for up to two people) is also available, along with an individual vessel ($100). It’s less expensive if you purchase packages or if you add a guest to your session, and you can also sign up for a membership, which provides access to yoga and fitness classes, time in the sauna and cold plunge, red light therapy and more. —Diane Seo

1155 S. King St., lavawellness.com, @lavawellness

Learn Jujitsu at VSSL Union

I was nervous. I had never done jujitsu or any type of martial arts, and I couldn’t help but worry I would hurt myself, especially my sensitive neck. But I was locked in, committed to getting out of my comfort zone and shaking things up in 2026.

VSSL Union is a recently opened jujitsu and yoga studio near University Avenue and South King Street, owned by longtime jujitsu instructor Jason Aquino and equally experienced yoga teacher Juri Ko, whom I knew. Ko recommended I take the women’s class. First off, I loved the space, with its high ceilings and hip, urban and industrial vibe. Wearing a borrowed gi (jacket, pants and belt), I followed the group warmup, jogging forward, sideways, backward then rolling.

During the hourlong class, taught by Ocean Hay, we learned two moves, one referred to as “Mission Impossible.” With Ko as my partner, we took turns flipping each other, following Hay’s clear instructions. I was surprised I could easily do it. Then we sparred, using the same technique, but this time, we applied our body weight to resist being flipped. Ko didn’t budge, but I didn’t either when it was her turn to try. It was fun, exhilarating and empowering. “You did more than I thought you would,” Hay told me at the end of class. I was thinking the same thing. —Diane Seo

2615 S. King St., vsslunion.com, @vsslunion

Take a Plunge at Plunge & Barrel

Cold plunging followed by time in a sauna is all the rage, globally and in Honolulu. Several local businesses offering this practice (known as “contrast therapy”) have opened in recent years, one of the newest being Plunge & Barrel in Kaka‘ako. Although the benefits are widely known—inflammation reduction, improved circulation, mood boosting and more—many are hesitant to try it because of the discomfort of being submerged in icy water.

The key is to engage in breathwork, which is exactly what you’ll learn in this class. Operations manager Amanda Coppes started by explaining the contrast therapy benefits, then led us in Wim Hof breathwork, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth in a rapid, circular fashion.

Then it was showtime. The water in the outdoor cold plunge was a chilly 47 degrees, while the sauna was hitting 200 degrees. The three of us in the class took turns first in the cold plunge for a minute each, with Coppes coaching us to breathe the way we practiced but with extended exhales. Hitting a minute in the cold plunge was exhilarating, and settling into the sauna felt like being wrapped in a warm blanket. We then did another round in the cold plunge, and during this second try, I fully dunked my head in the water, accomplishing something I had been hesitant to try in the past. Having Coppes there to encourage me made the difference.

I felt awesome for the rest of the day. Relaxed, invigorated, energetic. I would recommend this class for anyone curious about cold plunging but needing a little emotional support to give it a go. —Diane Seo

956 Kawaiaha‘o St., plungeandbarrel.com, @plunge.and.barrel

Shop for Vintage Sports Gear at Old Queen Street Stadium

An embroidered 1995 Pro Bowl cap. An ’80s green and gold Leilehua Mules track tank. A Hilo Stars baseball jersey in classic pinstripe. If you’re looking to immerse yourself in a bit of Hawai‘i sports history, there’s no better place than Old Queen Street Stadium. Half museum, half vintage boutique, it’s become one of my favorite places to snag one-of-a-kind fashions—the UH baseball warmup henley and Leeward Bowl bowling shirt I got there I rock on repeat.

The business is the brainchild of friends Kevin Faller, Chester Sebastian and Kevin Sebastian who opened the shop in 2021 fueled by a shared love of old-school wares. A move in 2025 took the boutique from Kaka‘ako to Downtown Honolulu.

Along with shoppable apparel and accessories, the place also boasts a slew of local sports memorabilia—from game day programs and trading cards to equipment, collectible tchotchkes and photos—that are a kick to look through and that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. The trio has also started making throwback-inspired merchandise, including custom jerseys and graphic-print tees destined to become cool collector’s items for future generations. —Brie Thalmann

79 Merchant St., hawaiisportsmuseum.com, @hawaiisportsmuseum

Get a Color Analysis with Elizabeth Kosich

“Color can evoke feeling, emotions and moods,” Elizabeth Kosich says. “It’s energy that travels in frequencies and vibrations. It’s not frivolous.”

I’m seated near a window in her live-work loft space in Chinatown, fabric swatches draped across my chest. A fashion stylist-designer, Kosich has been helping people find their ideal palettes for decades, boasting an image analysis degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology and accreditations from the Association of Image Consultants International and the Image Resource Center of New York.

She leans in close then steps back and cocks her head to the side, studying every nook and cranny of my face as she switches out swatches. “Interesting,” she murmurs, flipping over my wrists to inspect my veins and tugging at my socks for a glance at my ankles. “I get all up in your personal space,” she had warned me earlier, while going over an extensive questionnaire that touched on everything from my ethnic background and childhood hair color to my propensity for sunburns.

Kosich utilizes a 16-color method, with four core seasons and three sub-seasons, to analyze hair, skin and eyes for temperature, value (light versus dark), chroma (vibrancy) and contrast. The right colors create harmony between these elements. “Lips look pinker, eyes appear brighter, we look fresh and well-rested with a healthy glow,” she says. The wrong ones can emphasize dark circles, make skin appear dull or splotchy, and cast unflattering hues.

Kosich decides that I am a cool winter and I receive both a cardboard swatch with my palette and a color fan, detailing my best hues for wardrobe, jewelry and makeup. She also gives me an assignment—to go home and reevaluate my closet with new eyes. “Wardrobe is really visual messaging,” Kosich says. “It’s a tool to leverage. And color is the first stop.” —Brie Thalmann

elizabethkosichstyling.com, @elizabethkosich

Indulge in a Korean Facial at K Beauty Lab

With Korean beauty part of the current cultural zeitgeist, it was time to try the much-TikTokked Korean facial, or “K-facial” as it’s commonly called. While many in search of the holy grail of “glass skin” head to South Korea for aesthetic treatments, I haven’t been able to swing a trip. Instead, I booked an appointment at K Beauty Lab in ‘Ewa Beach, which came recommended by friends. Because of the popularity of this Korean skin care clinic, I had to wait two months for my facial.

The K-Signature basic facial ($145) started with an analysis of my skin, using a high-tech scanning machine. The verdict: oily skin that lacks moisture, with wrinkles around my eyes and nose. Koreans (me included) can be direct, so this was delivered matter-of-factly by a staff member.

While European-style facials typically entail cleaning, steaming, extracting, exfoliating, simple massaging and masking, half of my K-Signature facial involved massaging my face, neck and shoulders with firm, gliding strokes, which I enjoyed. My aesthetician then ran a metal cooling device over my face, before painting it with a mask that eventually turned thick and rubbery. “Better,” she said, after she peeled it off, patting my refreshed skin. While in the changing room, I looked closely at my face in a mirror. It was distinctly better—smooth, soft and dare I say glass-like! —Diane Seo 

91-3575 Iwikuamo‘o St., Unit 404, kbeautylabhawaii.com, @kbeautylab808

Make a Ring at El Dorado Casting Lab

You don’t need metalsmithing experience to join El Dorado Casting Lab’s three-hour couples/BFFs workshop ($400 for two people), where you shape, carve and alter wax that will be used to create custom rings from scratch. I grab a friend and meet founder James Friedman at his Downtown studio, which has been around since 2020. El Dorado offers casting services, training and support for entrepreneurs in addition to multisession classes and one-day workshops like this.

We begin by sawing off a small piece of hollow wax tube, then use a tool to widen it to our desired ring size. After lightly scoring our center lines, we use metal files to evenly round the edges. My friend and I both have ambitious designs, but Friedman patiently shows us how to use different files, carving tools, drill bits and more to achieve what we want. It’s a slow process for us, but every detail shows up in the final product, so we aim for that balance between perfection and going too far. After a quick sanding to buff out scratches and round the edges, I lightly wipe the green wax with orange oil to remove any last residue and hand my ring to Friedman, who takes it from there. A few days later, I pick up our designs, now cast in shiny sterling silver. —Katrina Valcourt

1130 Bishop St., #3, eldoradocastinglab.com, @eldoradocastinglab

Decorate a Turkish Mosaic Lamp at KraftStories

On a dreary winter evening in Chinatown, folks peer through the window of KraftStories, lit from the soft glow of Turkish mosaic lamps. We’re already inside, having been greeted with chewy cubes of Turkish delight, admiring bowls of colorful diamond-shaped tiles.

Each of us has a kit that includes a glass globe, LED bulb, lamp base and top (we went with the standard lamp, $89), and plaster. Though you can order the kit online and work from home, those kits come with limited tile and bead color options. At KraftStories, the hands-on instruction, additional colors and camaraderie with other participants make this worth doing in person.

Four of us meticulously place hand-cut glass tiles onto template cards that show different geometric patterns, then glue them one by one onto the globe. It’s very meditative. Once the tiles are set, we sprinkle small glass beads between the larger patterns.

It takes a few hours for the glue to fully dry, so the two-hour workshop ends there; I wait another day before mixing the little bowl of plaster to cover the entire globe, filling the empty space between beads and tiles. After five minutes, I use the provided sponge to wipe away the excess and let the lamp dry for half an hour before assembling. It’s a beautiful, one-of-a-kind addition to my desk. —Katrina Valcourt

15 N. Pauahi St., kraftstories.com, @kraftstoriesofficial

Create a Blind Box Keychain at HouseMart Ben Franklin Crafts

The Blind Box DIY Keychain workshop at HouseMart Ben Franklin Crafts hits all the right notes for those who love all things cute (definitely me). At the Market City store, the $38 class is limited to up to four people, while other locations accommodate more. We chose a blind box containing a mystery figure from the vast under $20 selection, making it unlikely we’d end up with the same figure as someone else.

After opening the boxes, we strung beads on wire to form the keychain straps, matching the colors to our figures. Our instructor helped us make small UV resin charms to further accessorize our chains and assemble them. The result: so kawaii and unique.

The two-hour workshop allows time to carefully select a blind box and beads, but we finished earlier. I would do the class again. A fellow attendee had done it six times and made a different keychain on each visit. You can also bring your own figure and drill a hole into its head, if it’s hard enough. Plus, we got a 10% off coupon to use on craft supplies so we could continue the fun at home. —Andrea Lee

Multiple locations, benfranklinhawaii.com, @bfcrafts

Take a Class at Glass Fusion Collective

The table at the Okinawan Festival stopped me in my tracks. It held bowls and plates made of glass—fused glass, the colorful pieces and patterns merged by the heat of a kiln. Whoever heard of fused glass? Stained glass and blown glass get all the glory. But unlike stained glass, which produces flat decorative pieces, or blown glass, which requires a lot more than a kiln, fused glass can easily become functional things. Like plates and bowls—the only things (aside from scarves) I love shopping for. Now the Glass Fusion Collective could teach me to make my own! I signed up as soon as I could.

Classes at the nonprofit’s Nu‘uanu workshop are mellow. The Thursday evening all-levels session guides newbies like me through the basics of scoring and cutting glass, adding decorative elements like glass strings and colored powders, and using grinders, sand blasters, saws and drills. My classmates have made Christmas ornaments, a three-tiered photo frame and a 24-inch panorama of the Ko‘olau Mountains. I’ve lost count of all the fruit bowls and pickle plates I’ve made and given away. I’m still there most Thursday nights. I absolutely love it. —Mari Taketa

glassfusioncollective.com, @glassfusioncollective

Restore a Native Bee Habitat with 808 Cleanups

It takes something special to get me out of the house before 9 a.m. on Saturdays, which is when most outdoor volunteer opportunities seem to take place. That’s why I was delighted to come across 808 Cleanups’ weekly restoration of Kaiwi and Wāwāmalu in East Honolulu.

Every Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m., volunteers help remove invasive species and litter from the coastline and surrounding area to protect the habitat of the endangered nalo meli maoli, or yellow-faced bee. I drive over a rocky path to join five other volunteers and site leader Michael Loftin, who points out native ʻōhai, naupaka, ‘ilima, pā‘ū-o-Hi‘iaka and naio growing along the trail, along with the invasives: California grass, buffel grass, koa haole and kiawe. The good news, Loftin tells us, is that the native plants in the area tend to fill in the empty spaces easily; we just need to clear the way for them.

I like that this volunteer assignment has a low barrier to entry: It’s only two hours, and supplies are provided. So now I know—next time I have a rough day at work, I can grab a pickax and do something productive. —Katrina Valcourt

Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline, 808cleanups.org, @808cleanups

Attend Cemetery Pūpū Theatre at O‘ahu Cemetery

White tents in a graveyard? If you see them at O‘ahu Cemetery on a June evening, they’re not for people being laid to rest. The tents are part of the Hawaiian Mission Houses’ Cemetery Pūpū Theatre, an annual event that brings to figurative life historic characters who tell their stories to audiences at their gravesites. Add in a cocktail hour on the chapel lānai to kick things off, and what history buff can resist?

Post-pandemic, the pūpū have turned into bentos with drink tickets, but plastic cup of chardonnay in hand, I’m always primed for the performances. As night falls over Nu‘uanu Valley, I’ve watched actors in period costumes deliver theatrical monologues as Margaret “Mother” Waldron, who taught children born out of wedlock in the early 1900s, and Edna Allyn, who opened the Honolulu Library and Reading Room (now the Hawai‘i State Library).

This summer’s event is June 11–13 and 18–20 with the theme “Caring for Community.” Actors will portray figures including James A. Rath, a pivotal social worker at Pālama Settlement, and Dr. Mori Iga, a founding doctor of the Japanese Charity Hospital (now Kuakini Medical Center). The unorthodox shows are dynamic and captivating, using stories taken from characters’ letters and journals to illuminate personal corners of Hawai‘i history. They always sell out, so get your tickets early. —Mari Taketa

2162 Nu‘uanu Ave., missionhouses.org, @hawaiian_mission_houses

Buy Native Hawaiian Plants at Various Nurseries

My interest in native plants started with the desire to make lei out of pickings from my garden. And once I began researching O‘ahu’s offerings, it became easier to choose native when rounding out an assortment. I was also pleasantly surprised to find a good number of nurseries that stocked them, perpetuating Hawaiian culture within our landscape. A little-known bonus—native plants, grown in their proper zones, require less water, fertilization and pruning than exotic species, making them easier to maintain and better for the environment. —Brie Thalmann

Hui Kū Maoli Ola

Boasting 100-plus native plant species, this Kāne‘ohe nursery has an abundance of options and easily the biggest variety. Along with all of the commonly available varieties, Hui Kū Maoli Ola offers a large assortment of hard-to-find plants, including endangered ‘ihi, hō‘awa, koa, kalo, ‘ohai and more.

46-403 Ha‘ikū Road, hawaiiannativeplants.com, @hui_ku_maoli_ola

Mari’s Gardens

Native plants are carried at both the Mililani and Kailua locations, but Kailua tends to have a wider array. Snap up ‘a‘ali‘i trees; ground covers such as nanea, neke and ‘ākulikuli; and hedges, including pōhinahina and alahe‘e. Native hibiscus can be found in five colors. Kupukupu, palapalai, pe‘ahi and laua‘e iki ferns are also available.

Multiple locations, marisgardens.com, @maris_gardens, @maris_kailua

Ko‘olau Farmers

With locations in Kāne‘ohe and McCully, the nursery offers trees such as koa, hala, ‘ōhi‘a ‘ai and ‘ōhi‘a lehua, and ferns such as hāpu‘u, pe‘ahi and kupukupu. You’ll also find nice landscaping options—‘ākulikuli and naupaka ground covers, ‘ākia and pōhinahina shrubs and pili grass.

Multiple locations, koolaufarmers.com, @koolaufarmers

Kapolei Greenz

Frequently stocked are hau, ‘ōhi‘a ‘ai and nā‘ū trees, naupaka ground cover, pe‘ahi ferns and ‘ūlei shrubs.

92-582 Welo St., takenakalandscaping.net, @kcf_kgnursery

City Mill

All of the hardware store’s nurseries carry an assortment of native plants, usually smaller varieties. You can often snap up naupaka, kalo, pōhinahina, ‘a‘ali‘i and kupukupu.

Multiple locations, citymill.com, @citymill

Enjoy the View on the Kualoa Grown Tour

When I moved to Honolulu for college from Albuquerque, New Mexico, I wasn’t well-versed in the history or culture of Hawai‘i. But a tour at Kualoa Ranch gave me the perfect opportunity to learn about the place I now call home.

Our sweet guide on the Kualoa Grown Tour, Uncle Ioane, led us on an hour-and-a-half trolley tour of the ranch, exuding cheery energy that kept me engaged the entire time. He explained the history and sustainability of Kualoa’s agricultural industries and showed us locations where iconic films like Jurassic World and 50 First Dates were shot. Every time we passed a new tree or plant, he told us about its origins as well as a fun fact.

The trolley stopped at three locations, allowing us to explore and taste locally grown cacao and pineapple and fresh-made poi. During breaks, I chatted with Uncle Ioane and he shared with me the mo‘olelo of Kualoa Valley. I’ve seen many beautiful things in Hawai‘i, but the gorgeous views on this tour—especially the lush Koʻolau Mountains overlooking a loʻi, with a glistening fishpond on the horizon—took my breath away. Before I knew it, the experience was over, but I left with a much more grounded understanding of traditional Hawaiian values and practices. It was the kind of experience I would hold on to, long after the trolley’s last stop. —Esmé Betsch

$59.95 for adults, $39.95 for kids, with a 15% kama‘āina discount, 49-560 Kamehameha Highway, kualoa.com, @kualoaranch

Become an Escape Master at Chambers VR

Since I was a kid, I’ve loved playing games. Puzzles, video games, board games—you name it, I played it. So, I knew I would have to check out the virtual reality escape rooms at Chambers VR. I spent weeks anticipating the experience, and I was not disappointed.

Note, however, it’s not easy to get to. It’s at Schofield Barracks, which has strict entrance rules, and although open to the public, it’s important to read the visiting requirements on the base’s website.

Once we passed that barrier to entry, my group decided to play the Manor of Escape map, one of many game options. We were each given high-tech backpacks, connected to headsets, and owner Devin Otto coached us throughout the session, offering tips through our headphones.

Soon, we were transported to a digital world of wonders, where I existed only as a pair of gloves and a doctor’s mask. The game dimensions matched the space in the room, allowing for free movement as I looked for clues to stop the evil Malum from completing a world-ending experiment. From wading through a flooded basement to creeping past a blind monster, it was unlike any other escape room I’ve tried. The impossible became possible.

Prices start at $50 per person for two players, but the cost decreases the more people play, making it an ideal activity for a group of friends. Chambers VR certainly scratched my strong competitive itch, and I look forward to a return visit to become an Escape Master. —Esmé Betsch

Schofield Bowling Center, 557 Burr Place, home.army.mil, chambersvr.com, @chambersvrescape

Rack Your Brain at Howzit Brewing’s Trivia Night

Before attending a weekly trivia night at Howzit Brewing, I thought I’d be amazing at trivia. But as it turns out, I’m not.

Every Sunday, Honolulu Trivia organizes a free night of trivia fun, centered on a specific theme. My friends and I arrived at the bar with plenty of confidence, but quickly realized we were woefully unprepared. We were asked more than 60 questions during the three-hour event, and we got only about a third right. Yet the outing was so fun we just laughed off our poor performance.

Time passed quickly as we racked our brains for band names, obscure historical facts, and details about celebrity relationship drama. Each of the six rounds was challenging, engaging and hilarious. I never stopped laughing. By the evening’s end, we were defeated but still smiling. I’m now on a mission to study up before the next event, driven to one day capture the Trivia Champion title. —Esmé Betsch

330 Kamani St., howzitbrewing.com, @honolulutrivia, @howzitbrewing

Unleash Your Inner Child at Dave & Buster’s Arena

Even though arcades may be geared for kids, you never really age out of them. I have no shame in admitting that the recent Saturday night I spent at the new Dave & Buster’s Arena at Ala Moana Center was the highlight of my week.

There was a line to enter the $25, no-reservation-required experience, and by the time our turn had arrived, I was excited. The Arena splits groups into two teams, each competing for points as they engage in various games for 20 minutes. The space was flooded with interactive lights, and every game was challenging. We spelled words with letters that lit up the room, and memorized pathways on the floor. My favorite game was Pulse Pace, which required acute teamwork and quick reactions as we ran around stomping on lights as they appeared.

People of all ages were having a blast. It could be good for a date, though I wouldn’t recommend it as a first one considering I was dripping sweat by the end. As I left, feeling giddy and victorious, I wanted to do it all over again. —Esmé Betsch

1450 Ala Moana Blvd., daveandbusters.com, @dnbhonolulu