Free activities around Waikiki offer the best of the Hawaiian islands
Hilton Hawaiian Village Fireworks: Friday evenings mean oceanside fireworks at this Hilton. For more free entertainment here, watch wildlife experts feed penguins and turtles on the hotel’s grounds.
Royal Hawaiian Center: Take classes in hula, ukulele, quilt making, lei weaving, and more at the center, or enjoy live music and hula shows most evenings.
Aloha Friday at Hyatt Regency Waikiki: Every Friday afternoon at this hotel, there is a Polynesian show complete with performances of hula and Samoan fire knife dancing, as well as hands-on demonstrations of lei making and Polynesian art tattooing.
Kuhio Beach Torchlighting and Hula: Four nights a week a sunset, travelers gather at the Kuhio Beach hula mound near Waikiki’s statue of Duke Kahanamoku to see a traditional torchlighting ceremony and an hour of hula dancing.
Royal Hawaiian Band: Hear songs of the islands from this musical ensemble each Sunday afternoon at the bandstand in Kapiolani Park. Then stay to enjoy the 500-acre park itself.
Movies on the Beach: About once every other month, family-friendly movies are shown on a 30-foot screen at Waikiki Beach. The free show kicks off with live entertainment in the afternoon.
Waikiki Historic Trail: Take this self-guided tour to visit 21 surfboard makers in significant locations, complete with legends and lore of the area.
History Tours: At Hawaii’s oldest hotel, the 1901 Moana Surfrider, visitors can see fascinating memorabilia, while historian-led tours of the classic Royal Hawaiian are another option for turning back the clock.
