Ko Olina Beachfront Penthouse

Downbeat Lounge will host True Tone Tuesdays every Tuesday beginning April 15 and ending May 27.  The Tuesday event will feature several singer-songwriters from 8 to 10 pm.

Featured singer-songwriters include Jim Hubbard and James McCarthy to open the series, as well as names such as Stevie Space Kadet, Maggie McCain and Caroline Pond, and several others.  The lounge and diner will offer $4 beer specials as well as their standard American diner menu, including vegan and vegetarian options.  Downbeat Lounge is located on Hotel Street in Honolulu, just thirty minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas.

For more information, to see a menu, or for a complete performance schedule, check out their website http://downbeatdiner.com/home/ or call (808) 533-2328.

Atlantis Submarine Adventures offers submarine tours of the waters of Waikiki, Maui, and Kona.  The Waikiki based operator is located just 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort.

The tours traverse the coast, providing guests a first hand glimpse of sunken ships and airplane wreckage, as well as a clear view of Hawaii’s vibrant reefs teeming with aquatic life.  The eco-friendly tours are safe and well-maintained, and each submarine is navigated by an experienced guide.  The Waikiki post offers several submarine tour options, including the standard tour, premium tour, sunset dinner cruise, whale watching, and other combination options.

Prices begin at $43 for children and $114 for adults.  For more information or to purchase tickets online, check out http://www.atlantisadventures.com/.

Five-O Bar, located on Kalakaua Avenue in Honolulu about 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort, offers free salsa and bachata lessons every Tuesday evening beginning at 8 pm and ending as dancers fall tired.

Five-O Bar and Lounge is designed to epitomize the island look and feel by providing guests with a laid back and comfortable environment.  Its drink menu includes a signature Five Ono cocktail, in addition to other Hawaiian favorites such as the Blue Hawaiian, Mai Tai, Ginger Cosmo, and Mango Margarita.

For more information or to check out a drink or food menu, visit http://www.five-o-bar.com/ or call (808) 922-0550.

Located in Kaneohe, Oahu, about 45 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas, Haleiwa Joe’s is a widely acclaimed casual restaurant.  It’s open air setting in the middle of the Haiku Gardens creates an authentic Hawaiian scene filled with gentle breezes and natural decor, as well as a mountain backdrop.

The restaurant menu features American and seafood dishes, with popular choices including the macadamia nut hummus, ginger peanut chicken salad, and blue ahi.  Brunch is a popular alternative.

Haleiwa Joe’s does not take reservations but does fill up quickly.  For more information or to see a menu, check out their website at http://haleiwajoes.com/.

Located on Kamehameha Highway along Oahu’s northern coast, about 50 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort, Kualoa Ranch offers several tour packages to visitors looking for a rustic Oahu experience.

Several popular tours offered by Kualoa Ranch include horseback and ATV tours, a jungle expedition tour, a visit to one of Oahu’s secret beaches seldom touched by tourists, and a visit to several sites featured in Hollywood films.

Prices range per each tour package, and value packages are available which include a full day at Kualoa Ranch.  The full day pass costs $99 for adults and $59 for children ages 3 through 12.  For more information, check out http://www.kualoa.com/ or call (808) 237-7321.

The Hawaii Opera Theater, located in Honolulu just thirty minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort, will host I Pagliacci Carmina Burana from March 28 through April 1.

The dramatic opera tells the story of love, jealousy, and death through the eyes of a young married couple.  The performance features operatic actors from Hawaii and is sung in Italian, Latin, and German.  All performances will take place in the Blaisdell Concert Hall.

Tickets range in price from $34 to $125 according to the seats and can be purchased online.  Performances will take place on Friday, March 28 at 8:00 pm, Sunday, March 30 at 4:00 pm, and Tuesday, April 1 at 7:00 pm.  For more information, check out http://www.hawaiiopera.org or call (808) 596-7858.

The Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens are located in Kaneohe, Hawaii, just thirty-five minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort.  The botanical gardens were initially constructed by the US Army Corps of Engineers to act as a layer of flood protection for the Kaneohe Valley area but have since blossomed into a popular tourist attraction.

In addition to the gardens themselves, Hoomaluhia includes facilities such as a botanical library, exhibition hall, and workshop space.  The gardens are also designed for camping, hiking, fishing, and general outdoor family fun.

The park is open to the public from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily, and guided nature hikes are led at 10:00 am on Saturdays and 1:00 pm each Sunday.  For more information, check out http://www1.honolulu.gov/parks/hbg/hmbg.htm or call the Visitor Center at (808) 233-7323.

The Bishop Museum, located in Honolulu just thirty minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas, is currently hosting an exhibit titled “Ni’ihau Shell Lei: Ocean Origins, Living Traditions”.  The exhibit features sixty lei made of Ni’ihau shells.  Additionally, the exhibit shares detailed information about the manufacturing process and the craftsmen responsible for designing and producing the lei.

The private collection of lei is currently featured in museum’s Long Gallery.

The Bishop Museum is open to the public Wednesday through Monday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.  Admission costs $19.95 for adults, $16.95 for seniors, and $14.95 for youth.  For more information, check out the museum’s webpage, www.bishopmuseum.org or call (808) 847-3511.

Beach Sunset Yoga Hawaii is a yoga and wellness studio located in Honolulu, just thirty minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort.

Beach Sunset Yoga hosts frequent yoga classes ranging from sunset yoga to zen meditation exercises to early morning beach yoga, all designed to improve flexibility, core strength training, and mindfulness.  Additionally, Beach Sunset Yoga offers jungle yoga wellness tours in which students hike through Oahu’s jungle in conjunction with yoga practice.  Lastly, the yoga studio also includes a spa for a complete wellness package.

Prices per class range from $18 for a drop-in group class to $59 for a jungle tour, and multi-class passes are available.  For more information, check out sunsetyogahawaii.com or call (808) 321-3297.

The Hawaii Water Sports Center, located near Koko Head Park about 45 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort, offers guests the chance to participate in a wide range of water sports activities, including kayaking, bumper tube rides, scuba diving, and water skiing.

Among the activities is the banana boat ride, in which guests in groups of up to six people strap into an inflatable boat shaped like a banana.  The boats are then towed by a US Coast Guard Captain through the marina as guests splash about along the wake.

Tickets for this experience cost $35 each and can be purchased online.  Boats depart throughout the day beginning at 8:30 am and ending at 3:00 pm.  For more information, check out http://www.hawaiiwatersportscenter.com/index.html.