Ko Olina Beachfront Penthouse

During a trip to Hawaii, many visitors try to incorporate critical bits of US history by visiting the USS Memorial or National Cemetery of the Pacific.  The National Cemetery is a well preserved open space nestled within a natural crater created by volcanic activity.  The cemetery, located about 30 minutes from Ko Olina Beach Villas, is designed to honor America’s fallen soldiers from many 20th Century conflicts.

Of course, this is a solemn location so all visitors should be respectful of the grounds and other individuals on site.  The cemetery is open to the public daily from 8 am until 5:30 pm (6:30 pm during the summer).  For more information, visit http://www.cem.va.gov/CEMs/nchp/nmcp.asp#gi.

The Arts at Marks Garage, located on Nuuanu Avenue about 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas Resort, will host a screening of the film Solar Mamas on Tuesday, November 6.  The event is co-sponsored by Hawaii Women in Filmmaking and the Hawaii People’s Fund.  The film recounts the tale of a Bedouin woman from rural Jordan who traveled abroad to India to study solar engineering to harness environmentally friendly technology.

The free screening will begin at 6:30 pm, and a post-screening discussion will be led by Teresa Bill and Sierra Dew.  For more information, check out http://www.artsatmarks.com/.

Shangri La, the Honolulu home of Doris Duke, is located just 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas.  Considered one of Hawaii’s most architecturally significant homes, Shangri La features influences from around the world and a large collection of Islamic art.

Guided tours last about 2.5 hours and begin from the Honolulu Museum of Art.  General admission costs $25, and tickets cost $20 for Hawaii residents.  For more information, check out www.shangrilahawaii.org.

Fiber Hawaii: In, Of, or About Fiber, a thirty year annual exhibition, will be hosted from October 25 through November 17 this year at the Honolulu Museum of Art School about 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas Resort.  The exhibit will feature displays from artists who work with a variety of media including fiber in a range of ethnic to contemporary styles.

The exhibition is open from 10 am until 4:30 pm on Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 pm on Sundays.  Admission is free and open to the public.  For more information, visit http://www.hawaiicraftsmen.memberlodge.org/fiber.

Happy Trails Hawaii, a horseback ride operator located just 50 minutes from Ko Olina Beach Villas on Oahu’s North Shore, leads trail rides overlooking Waimea Valley.  Tours led by local area experts are available for an hour and a half or two hours daily beginning from 8 am, and riders of all ages over 6 years old are permitted.  Each tour is designed to allow riders to enjoy the coastline.

Short rides cost $79 and longer rides cost $99 per person.  Reservations can be made online at happytrailshawaii.com or by phone at (808) 638-7433.

Many visitors to Oahu enjoy interacting with aquatic animals, especially dolphins, during their stay.  Dolphin Excursions, Snorkel Adventures offers four part tours to meet Oahu wildlife.  Tours depart from the Waianae Boat Harbor, about 50 minutes from Ko Olina Beach Villas, and begin with a tour to see humpback whales and spinner dolphins.  Later, guests have the opportunity to swim and snorkel with the dolphins before an operator-provided lunch.

Tours leave at 7 am and 10:30 am daily.  Tickets cost $120 for adults and $85 for children between the ages of 4 and 12.  For more information, check out www.dolphinexcursions.com.

Terror at the Tower, an annual haunted experience, will take place through October 31.  Located at Aloha Tower Marketplace, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina Beach Villas Resort, will be hosted by Scare Hawaii.  A total of 29 rooms will feature Halloween inspired ghosts, goblins, and other scary antics.

The Tower is open from 6 pm until 11 pm on weekdays and 1 am on weekends.  Tickets cost $13 for general admission and $20 for a fast track pass to avoid lines.  Guests must be fourteen years or older.  For more information, visit http://www.scarehawaii.com/.

Bellows Field Beach Park in Waimanalo on Oahu’s eastern coast is a family-friendly park about 50 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas.    The park features a calm beach for swimming and bodysurfing as well as an offshore reef.  Many tourists enjoy a picnic lunch from the shore where they can gaze out to the turquoise waters and enjoy some shade.

The park is closed to the public on weekdays, but camping (with a county permit) and general park activities are allowed on weekends.  A lifeguard monitors the area’s safety on weekends and during the summer.  For more information, check out http://www.aloha-hawaii.com/oahu/beaches/bellows-field-beach-park/.

The annual Haunted Lagoon is open through October 31.  Hosted by the Polynesian Cultural Center, just 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas Resort, the Haunted Lagoon allows you to see Lady Laie as she searches for her long lost son.  The spooky event takes place on a canoe ride through the PCC, and milder rides are available for children.

Tickets costs $19.95 for adults and $13.95 for children.  Rides begin at 6:30 pm for children nightly and 7 pm for adults.  For more information or for discounted online booking, visit www.hauntedlagoon.com.

Many visitors to Hawaii enjoy an aerial view of the islands.  Paradise Air Hawaii is an ultralight flight operator based just 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas in Oahu.  Ultralight flying is the navigation of a 1 or 2 seat lightweight aircraft, and it provides a sensation similar to hang gliding that appeals to the same adrenaline-based senses.  Paradise Air requires all guests to participate in a flight lesson to learn basic safety tips and techniques before flying.

For more information, check out http://paradiseairhawaii.com or call (808) 497-6033.