NOV 17
2013
Sea Life Park – Hawaii is an educational park with reefs, lagoons, and pools filled with aquatic life. Located in Waimanalo just off Kalanianaole Highway, about 50 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas, Sea Life Park has a range of activities that appeal to the whole family.
Popular attractions include Sea Life Park’s new shark tank, dolphin cove, sea bird sanctuary, and ocean theatre. The park also offers several participatory activities, including swimming with dolphins, sharks, or sea lions, and a ray encounter.
General park admission costs $29.99 for adults and $19.99 for children, and tickets can be purchased online. Pricing details for additional activities can be found on the park’s website, www.sealifeparkhawaii.com. The park is open daily from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm.
NOV 13
2013
The Honolulu Zoo, located between Diamond Head and Waikiki just 40 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort, is home to 905 different animals. Spread over 42 acres, the zoo’s grounds also include extensive, colorful gardens featuring native and exotic flora. The zoo hosts a series of family friendly educational programs and events, including an animal photography contest, twilight tours to observe animal behaviors after zoo hours, and a dinner safari.
The zoo is open daily from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Admission costs $14 for adults and $6 for children ages 3 to 12. Parking is available on Kapahulu Avenue. For more information or to plan your visit, check out www.honoluluzoo.org or call (808) 971-7171.
NOV 9
2013
The Honolulu Museum of Art, located just 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas, is currently hosting an exhibit featuring the works of 11 native Hawaiian artists. The art covers a wide range of media, including sculpture, painting, ceramics, photography, and other artistic variations.
This exhibit is designed to showcase the best of Hawaii, featuring artists such as John Ferdico, Drew Broderick, and Yumiko Glover. All works presented were created specifically for the exhibit were created. Artists were selected through a competitive process, and finalists were chosen by a panel of contemporary art curators and other museum officials.
The museum is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 am to 4:30 pm and Sundays from 1 pm to 5 pm. Admission costs $10 for adults and is free for children 17 and under. For more information, check out honolulumuseum.org or call (808) 532-8700.
NOV 5
2013
The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, located in Waikiki just thirty minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort, is hosting an exibit about the Waikiki Beach Boys through December 31. The exhibit presents a collection of rare photographs taken of Oahu’s surfing community from 1920 – 1940 and a series of vintage posters of the surfers. The collection includes several photographs of renowned surfer and Hawaiian legend, Duke Kahanamoku, as well as other iconic beach boys including Tom Blake, Panama Dave, and Curly Cornwell.
The exhibit is free and open to the public every Monday and Tuesday through the end of the year. For more information, check out http://www.royal-hawaiian.com/resort/waikiki-beach-boys-photo-exhibit or call (808) 923-7311.
SEP 2
2013
The Andrew Rose Gallery, located in Bishop Square in Honolulu, just thirty minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort, is currently hosting an exhibition titled “On Paper II”. This exhibition features the work of several Andrew Rose Gallery artists, including (but not limited to) Wayne Levin, Russell Lowrey, and Debbie Young, who have prepared contemporary works on paper rather than through other media.
The gallery aims to highlight discerning works of both contemporary and vintage art within the Honolulu community and connect individual artists to art enthusiasts, relevant institutions, and a wide network.
The exhibition is free and open to the public on Mondays through Fridays from 11 am to 5 pm. For more information, visit andrewrosegallery.com or call (808) 559-4400.
AUG 30
2013
Rainbow Watersports Adventures offers group and individual paddle boarding lessons on Oahu’s North Shore, just fifty minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort.
Paddle boarding lessons include all necessary equipment and begin in stable water. The qualified instructors teach each participant to control their movements and maintain balance while standing atop the paddle board.
Lessons cost $79 per participant for groups of three or more, $89 per participant for couples, and $99 for individuals. For more information or to make reservations, check out http://www.rainbowwatersports.com/ or call (808) 372-9304. Participants must be at least 7 years old and are requested to bring a swimsuit and sunscreen.
AUG 26
2013
Located just off Kamehameha Highway in Haleiwa, about 40 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas, Blue Water Shrimp and Seafood Co. is one of Oahu’s most acclaimed food trucks. This food truck serves a range of seafood and non-seafood dishes, including shrimp of course, as well as sirloin steak and pork chops. Blue Water can also be accessed through back roads leading directly to Waikiki.
Dishes typically cost about $10. Blue Water is open from 7 am to 10 pm. Blue Water also offers catering services upon request. For more information, call (808) 688-8891.
AUG 22
2013
.jpg)
Makapu’u Meadows, located at Sea Life Park about 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort, hosts a grand Chief’s Luau every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
The luau lasts for 4.5 hours and includes a full buffet dinner service, two drinks, and a series of hands-on family-friendly activities, including coconut husking, fire making, and even traditional tattoos. Additionally, all guests can participate in an opening lei ceremony as well as an imu and ava ceremony. The dinner menu includes traditional Hawaiian foods, including seasonal fruit, grilled island fish topped with a papaya marmalade, chicken yakitori, and pineapple cake.
Tickets cost $102 for adults, $92 for teenagers, and $75 for children. Admission is free for children ages four and under. Guests also have the option of purchasing transportation from their Waikiki hotel to the luau for an additional $13. Tickets may be purchased from a number of different tour operators online.
AUG 18
2013
The Pearlridge Farmer’s Market, located at Pearlridge Shopping Center just thirty minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas, will continue to operate once a week on Saturdays through the end of September. The market provides shoppers with an opportunity to purchase fresh, locally produced fruits and vegetables, as well as house and garden plants, baked bread, and other assorted goodies. Many farmers present will share and exchange recipes as well as gardening tips or other relevant advice.
Live music featuring notable Hawaiian influences is played each morning to add an additional element of local culture.
The market opens at 8 am each Saturday and closes around noon, though popular items tend to sell out quickly.
AUG 14
2013
Sunset Lanai Lounge is located at Camp Smith, just 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas and Resort. Sunset Lanai serves evening cocktails from 5 pm to 8 pm every night and 3:30 pm to 9 pm on Fridays and is located adjacent to the Hau Tree Lanai restaurant at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel.
From Sunset Lanai, guests have a view overlooking Pearl Harbor. Typically, musical guests perform during prime cocktail hours on weekends.
The most popular cocktail is the Mai Tai, but the lounge also serves $2 Pilsner drafts and free pupus on the last Friday of each month. For more information, check out http://mccshawaii.com/sunsetlanai/.
