ESMy plans 0Good plans. Local discoveries. A little more to look forward to.
Five plans we think deserve a place in your weekend. Make them your own.
01Maui-made finds, local flavors and a Saturday worth taking slowly. Choose the festival day that fits your budget.
Friday $36 · Saturday $9 · children’s Saturday entry free
02Archival film, mele and live hula come together for a thoughtful evening honoring Mary Kawena Pukui.
$25 · ages 13 and under free
Read the full plan
03Opening-weekend lanterns, coffee and village discoveries. Pick a session in West Hawaii and make it your own.
$10 button for many programs · some charges extra
Read the full plan
04A palace morning for Hawaii residents, with culture, local vendors and a limited complimentary tour allocation.
First 500 resident audio tours free · ID required
Read the full plan
05Mountain scenery, tropical collections and a garden walk at your own pace. Our quieter Windward Oahu choice.
Free garden admission
Read the full planA waterfront walk, a market morning, or an island escape.
121 local plans
Archival Honolulu theatre photograph · screening venues not pictured
Make a night of cinema from Hawaii, the Pacific and around the world, with festival screenings across Oʻahu.
Archival location photograph
Follow the shoreline for changing views of surf, sand and Diamond Head without buying a tour.
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Hear Rachmaninoff and Copland live with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
Archival location photograph
Celebrate Queen Emma through Hawaiian music, hula and island dress.
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Slow down among temple architecture, ponds and the dramatic Koʻolau backdrop.
College archive · KCC Farmers’ Market; current vendors may differ
Build a breakfast from local stalls before exploring the Diamond Head side of town.
Organizer culinary photograph · session not pictured
Chefs, local ingredients and a long weekend of tastings put Hawaii’s food scene in the spotlight.
Archival Bishop Museum street-art exhibition · opening night not pictured
Meet street art, music and breaking on the museum lawns.
Archival location photograph
Meet Hawaii makers on the lawns of the historic houses.
Archival Hana landscape · market not pictured
Make a market afternoon of Hawaiian music, hula and craft demonstrations.
Archival location photograph
Trade downtown traffic for towering tropical trees and a compact botanical escape.
Archival location photograph
A dinosaur documentary and a live introduction to the night sky.
Archival Kapolei sunset · holiday lights not pictured
West Oahu glows with holiday lights and a community celebration.
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A short walk beneath the green walls of a historic valley.
Photo: Amy Phillips / U.S. Army · 2023 Hilo Veterans Day Parade; not the 2026 event
Join Hilo’s community parade celebrating service and veterans.
Archival location photograph
Walk into a valley of living plants and Hawaiian knowledge.
Illustrative Oahu market photograph · Koolau Night Market not pictured
Food trucks and local makers turn Friday into an evening out.
Archival location photograph
Downtown glows for the holidays with the city tree and festive displays around Honolulu Hale.
Archival Maui Nui Botanical Gardens photograph · expo not pictured
Browse a garden expo and celebrate trees with the community.
Waimea Valley cultural photograph · festival not pictured
Hawaiian games, hula and hands-on cultural activities.
Archival location photograph
A landscape that makes the island’s volcanic story tangible.
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Bring a picnic and listen to Hawaii’s historic band.
Archival location photograph
Browse produce and prepared food across a lively Saturday market in Kakaʻako.
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A Hawaiian setting gives a holiday ballet a local twist.
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Discover contemporary Hawaii through galleries and a sculpture garden in the Capitol District.
Archival location photograph
Follow garden paths into Mānoa’s lush plant collections for a slower green morning.
Archival location photograph
Trade the beach for volcanic landscapes above the clouds.
Archival Merrie Monarch photograph · 2027 event not pictured
Begin the Merrie Monarch week with a free celebration of hula performed by local hālau.
Organizer archival festival photograph
A spring celebration of cultural exchange brings performances and community programs to Honolulu.
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Hear a community conversation about Kahoʻolawe, responsibility to the land and the generations carrying this work forward.
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Gather on the Great Lawn for music inspired by Kahoʻolawe and five decades of aloha ʻāina.
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Turn a coconut shell into your own cup while learning about niu with artisan Mahi La Pierre.
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Bring an ʻukulele or borrow one for a relaxed morning of shared music at Bishop Museum.
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Explore Hawaiian celestial navigation inside Bishop Museum’s planetarium.
Archival Hawaii Theatre photograph · upcoming performance not pictured
A theatrical evening of comedy and magic with Carisa Hendrix.
Archival Hawaii Theatre photograph · upcoming performance not pictured
Make a downtown night out around Josh Johnson’s two-night comedy engagement.
Archival Hawaii Theatre photograph · upcoming performance not pictured
Atsuko brings her comedy tour to the historic downtown stage.
Archival Hawaii Theatre photograph · upcoming performance not pictured
Hawaiian music and seasonal spirit meet in Ei Nei’s Christmas concert.
Archival Hawaii Theatre photograph · upcoming performance not pictured
Make room for a little wonder with a live magic show downtown.
Archival Hawaii Theatre photograph · upcoming performance not pictured
A holiday-season concert at Honolulu’s ornate Hawaii Theatre.
Archival Hawaii Theatre photograph · upcoming performance not pictured
Celebrate the season with Hawaiian music and Kalani Peʻa.
Archival Hawaii Theatre photograph · upcoming performance not pictured
A musical tribute adds a mellow finish to Christmas week.
Archival Waikīkī photograph · parade not pictured
Marching bands and military units fill Kalākaua Avenue in a tribute to Pearl Harbor veterans.
Archival location photograph
Explore dryland plants inside a volcanic crater on an unpaved garden loop.
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A small urban garden introduces native Hawaiian plants on land linked to Queen Liliʻuokalani.
Archival location photograph
Climb through the crater’s historic summit route for a broad view over Waikīkī and the coast.
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Try a cultural lesson in Waikīkī, with hula, ʻukulele, lei and weaving among the center’s offerings.
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Pause in the Royal Grove for live Hawaiian music and hula on the center’s current entertainment schedule.
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Make an ʻAiea morning about market stalls, fresh ingredients and something good to eat.
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Pick up a Sunday snack and browse the Windward side’s local market.
Oʻahu market photograph · this market not pictured
Start a central Oʻahu Sunday with produce shopping and a relaxed market wander.
Oʻahu market photograph · this market not pictured
Turn a midweek evening into a food stop at the Blaisdell farmers’ market.
Oʻahu market photograph · this market not pictured
Browse an evening market in town and let the stalls inspire dinner.
Archival location photograph
Get a closer look at Pacific marine life in a compact aquarium beside the ocean.
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Spend an unhurried family outing with wildlife exhibits and tropical grounds at the edge of Waikīkī.
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Explore Pacific military history inside a former coastal defense battery in Waikīkī.
Archival venue photograph
Make a thoughtful visit to the waterfront memorial grounds and learn about December 7, 1941.
Archival location photograph
Pair a waterfront stroll with a picnic and views from the Magic Island peninsula.
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Bring a picnic to the Windward Coast and enjoy a beachside walk at your own pace.
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Find a little breathing room on the lawns below Diamond Head, just beyond busy Waikīkī.
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Pause on the Windward Coast for open lawns and a view toward Mokoliʻi.
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Browse an urban block of local eateries and shops, with art to discover between food stops.
Archival location photograph
Meet the plants that make these islands unlike anywhere else.
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A historic estate where Maui art is still being made.
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Slow down for waterbirds and a different side of Maui.
Archival venue photograph
A gallery-sized dose of inspiration in Kahului.
Archival location photograph
Make time for a place of refuge and Hawaiian history.
Archival location photograph
Coastal paths with Hawaiian history all around.
Archival location photograph
A powerful stop in the story of the Hawaiian kingdom.
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Seabirds, sea cliffs and a lighthouse with a remarkable setting.
Archival location photograph
A coffee stop with a little more story behind the cup.
Archival location photograph
Make Friday night a wander through galleries and local creativity.
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A colorful stop for Kauaʻi-grown picnic ingredients.
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Hear Hapa Holiday Extravaganza live with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
Archival Hawaii Symphony photograph · this concert not pictured
Hear Elf in Concert live with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
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Hear The Sounds of Ravel and Rosalía with Carolina Rial live with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
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Hear Beethoven’s Ode to Joy live with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
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Hear Brahms and the Schumanns live with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
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Hear Firebird and the Phoenix live with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
Archival Hawaii Symphony film concert · 2027 concert not pictured
Hear Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert live with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
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Hear Hapasymphony: Kolohe Kai live with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
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Hear Season Finale: Virtuosity in Motion live with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
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Explore spiritual connections in the museum’s art.
Archival Blaisdell Concert Hall photograph · performance not pictured
Five Japanese immigrant women share a story of memory and belonging.
Archival Blaisdell Concert Hall photograph · performance not pictured
Puccini’s dramatic opera returns in a staged concert production.
Archival location photograph
See handmade ukulele and hear their makers demonstrate the sound.
Archival location photograph
A family day of history, activities and discovery downtown.
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Taste playful island comfort food at Waikiki’s big street festival.
Archival location photograph
A valley day with a special military admission offer.
Archival location photograph
Explore the valley on its resident admission day.
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Mark Hawaiian Independence Day with time in the valley.
Archival Honolulu Marathon weekend · 2026 race not pictured
A one-mile race to start marathon weekend.
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Two Hawaiian stories explore hidden appetites and family bonds.
Organizer archival sustainability fair photograph
Explore electric vehicles and practical ideas for a resilient island.
The 1961 film returns to the historic Hawaii Theatre for its Kupuna Movie Mornings series.
John Cameron Mitchell brings the anniversary movie tour of Hedwig and the Angry Inch to Honolulu.
Make a live theater concert the centerpiece of New Year’s Eve in downtown Honolulu.
Still & Moving’s community retells the Ramayana through Indian classical dance, hula, aerial arts, samba, tango and capoeira.
Improvisation makes the audience part of the material in this touring comedy performance.
Jiaoying Summers brings stand-up about identity, race and gender to Hawaii Theatre.
Start the year with Hasan Minhaj and Ronny Chieng sharing a comedy bill in Honolulu.
A multi-comedian touring show puts local-style humor at the center of a Hawaii Theatre evening.
The music of UNDERTALE becomes a concert outing at Hawaii Theatre.
Free gardens, waterfront walks and a market treat.
A small collection of parks, animals and underwater discoveries.
Choose an island, then make room for a trail or garden.
Art, history and music worth slowing down for.
