Hawaii · TICKETS
Good tickets & entry passes fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Spend about 3.5 hours at the Royal Hawaiian Center with a Mai Tai, hula lesson, Hawaiian buffet, and live entertainment. Select packages add the 80-minute Rock-A-Hula show, while VIP and Green Room upgrades bring better seats and backstage access.
“Beautiful show great experience a must do great experience for when you are in Hawaii. The Elvis was great”
At 7:15 pm, you’ll watch Rock-A-Hula’s Hawaiian Journey at the Royal Hawaiian Theater in Waikiki. A live band, hula dancers, fire knife performers, and Elvis and Michael Jackson tribute acts trace Hawaii’s music from the 1920s to today. General seating and a cast meet and greet are included.
“That’s is awesome entertainment and loved the story of how music changed in Hawaii. Every one was so talented and put loved doing it! It showed in their performance.”
Spend one to eight hours exploring Bishop Museum’s Hawaiian Hall, Pacific Hall, planetarium, science center, and changing exhibits. General admission covers the museum, while planetarium shows, parking, and special exhibits cost extra. Plan at least half a day for a thorough visit.
“Loved it all. Especially the feathered Kahili room, and the sweet story of stone Kaneikokokala now 'staying warm'. He seems very happy.”
Spend about six hours at Oahu’s North Shore Polynesian Cultural Center, where six village areas present seven Polynesian cultures through music, crafts, cooking, games, canoe rides, and demonstrations. Your ticket includes a three-day village pass. Dinner, the Ha: Breath of Life show, and hotel transport require an upgrade or separate package.
“Reserve electric cart prior to going if you have trouble walking. Very well laid out. Nice presentations.”
Ride from Waikiki to Diamond Head with entry reservations included, then hike independently to the summit. Expect a 25 to 40 minute uphill walk, stairs, uneven ground, and a narrow tunnel before wide views of Waikiki and Honolulu. Drivers such as Matthew add local context.
“The hike was very enjoyable but the vendor didn't take into account that an MLK parade that was scheduled well in advance disrupted traffic and left us waiting to be picked up for over an hour. There was no effort on the part of the vendor to communicate this to us.”
Start around 5:30 a.m. with hotel pickup, then hike Diamond Head’s 1.5-mile trail before the heat. Your entry reservation is arranged, and drivers such as Jonah, John, and Stephanie provide local context, water, and flashlights. You get roughly two hours at the monument before returning.
“Diamond Head is a great experience and everyone can participate - kids to seniors. Stephanie our driver picked us up at our hotels and along the way give us a little background about Diamond Head. She left us and picked us up 2 hours later. The hike is moderate, and I recommend bringing water. It helps to do the hike early in the morning, to avoid the heat. The park opens at 6 AM and is usually busy all day. I recommend this company for their friendliness and professionalism.”
Spend five hours exploring Hawaii, Aotearoa, Fiji, Tahiti, Tonga, and Samoa at the Polynesian Cultural Center. You set your pace, then join scheduled presentations for hula, haka, canoeing, spear throwing, coconut work, traditional food, and more. Luaus and evening shows cost extra.
Reserve your Hanauma Bay entry and collect a mask, snorkel, fins, and flotation belt in Waikiki. You choose your admission time, arrange your own transportation, and return the gear to the Watumull Building after exploring Oahu’s protected volcanic bay.
“Costó mucho encontrar el sitio donde alquilaban el equipo de snorkel. Las instucciones no eran claras”
Take the shuttle to Ford Island for a self-guided visit to Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. See more than 50 aircraft in Hangars 37 and 79, watch the East Wind Rain documentary, and add a guided climb of the historic Control Tower for wide Pearl Harbor views.
Visit Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum in two hangars that survived the 1941 attack. Your $29.99 ticket includes shuttle service, priority entry, and an audio tour in six languages, with aircraft, veteran stories, WWII footage, and MiG Alley.
“I'm an aviation enthusiast and love looking at aircraft, even different entities of the same model. It was a great experience talking to the team and getting a few inside stories about 'Swamp Ghost'.”
Spend an evening at Waikiki’s Royal Hawaiian Theater for a 90-minute stage show covering Hawaiian music and dance from the 1920s to today. Choose show-only seating or add an all-you-can-eat buffet with luau pork, roast beef, poke, vegetarian dishes, desserts, and Kona coffee.
“It’s so bad that almost funny. It’s not the traditional hula show not a musical. Elvis and micheal Jackson lookalike - and unfortunately not really good. People around seemed to have fun. I didn’t enjoy it. It was tacky and cringey.”
Spend a full day at Bishop Museum, Hawaii’s State Museum of Natural and Cultural History. See royal heirlooms in Hawaiian Hall, Pacific artifacts, native species, and hands-on science exhibits with lava pour demonstrations. Public Hawaiian Hall tours may run at 10 and 11 a.m., subject to docent availability.
“Friendly welcome and Lanakila Seniors really enjoyed their visit. Thanks so very much!”
Spend a full day at Pearl Harbor with hotel pickup, a Navy ferry ride to the USS Arizona Memorial, and visits to the USS Missouri, USS Bowfin, and Aviation Museum. Guides including Bill and Will lead the English-language tour, followed by downtown Honolulu and Punchbowl.
“The whole day was excellent. Bill was a great guide very knowledgeable.”
Spend about 2.5 hours at Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii, riding Shaka, Tornado, Lil Kahuna Beach, and Hawaiian Waters. Air-conditioned transport from Waikiki, admission, and onboard WiFi are included. Driver Joe has earned praise for punctual service and useful island tips, though pickup timing can feel restrictive.
“The water park is great but you can easily book you own tour. Malama - the transport provider - was extremely disappointing. They were late initially (apparently according to a car breakdown) but I had to call to find that out. Then the replacement car took some time and was waiting around the corner from the stated pick up location (and the driver didn't bother to call). The pick up was worse. We were told it had to be at 3pm because the driver had another job at 345 (we assumed back in Waikiki etc). But instead we then drove to the marina and waited 45 minutes to pick up…”
Fly from Oahu to Maui, then ride a small air-conditioned bus along the 52-mile Road to Hana. The day includes waterfalls, Ke‘anae Point, Wai‘anapanapa’s black sand beach, sea turtle viewing, snacks, lunch, and a return flight. The route is scenic, long, and often winding.
“The tour guide was very nice. Our actual tour was around 6 hours. There were about 3stops with 2 other bathroom stops. The stops were around 10-20min. If you don’t like hiking and prefer most of your time spent on the bus, this is for you. If you get motion sickness or car sick easily, this may not be for you. Dramamine helped but I still felt sick. Overall decent safe tour.”
Pick a coast, a reef or a ridge.
