Ko Olina Beachfront Penthouse

This weekend, August 25 and 26, the Ala Moana Park about 30 minutes from Ko Olina will host the annual Greek Festival.  In addition to traditional Greek food and drink, such as gyros, baklava, and ouzo, the festival will including Greek dance and musical performances.

The festival will last from noon to 8 pm and 9 pm on Saturday and Sunday respectively.  Admission costs $3 for adults.  Children under 12 and active military are admitted for free.  For more information and a performance schedule, check out www.greekfestivalhawaii.com.

House Without A Key, the informal outdoor lounge at the Halekulani Hotel and Resort, is located just 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  This casual space serves as a gathering spot for visitors and locals to enjoy a leisurely breakfast, lunch, dinner, or cocktail hour as they watch the ocean’s waves cascade into the shore.  The signature mai tai is especially popular at the House Without a Key and pairs nicely with a summer sunset and live local music.

The restaurant is open from 7 am to 9 pm.  For more information or to check out a menu, visit www.halekulani.com/living/dining/house_without_a_key/.

Marks Garage in downtown Honolulu, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina, is hosting the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival through September 2.  Henry VIII is playing through August 24 and will be followed by performances of Richard III.  The annual festival is designed to celebrate the magic of Shakespeare’s poetry and prose and engage community theater with several classic plays.

Tickets vary from $10 to $20 depending on the day of the show and can be purchased online at http://www.hawaiishakes.org/.  Check out the website for showtimes and details.

Oahu is home to many beautiful beaches, and one of the most recognized is Sandy Beach.  Sandy Beach is located near Halona Blowhole about thirty minutes from Ko Olina and is open to the public year round.  This beach is famous for strong winds and waves, so swimmers and snorkelers need to be careful and stay wary of the current.  However, the shoreline is wide, so this is an ideal beach for spending the afternoon, sunbathing, people watching, and general socializing.

Sandy Beach Park can be accessed from Kalanianaole Highway.

Every Monday, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina, hosts a Royal Luau.  The festivities are designed to commemorate Helumoa, the recreational area that belonged to Hawaiian royalty.  The modern vignette dinner show includes a “Aha ‘Aina” feast, luau, and hula performance.  With Waikiki beach in the background of each performance, the weekly show is scenic and celebratory.

Tickets cost $169 for non-guest adults and $159 for guest adults.  Children’s tickets cost $97 for non-guests and $89 for guests.  For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.royal-hawaiian.com/dining/ahaaina/.

Sam Choy’s, Breakfast, Lunch, & Crab features island favorites and all-American dishes.  Located near Honolulu International Airport, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina, the menu includes hearty signature breakfast specials, seafood platters, locally flavored sandwiches and burgers, and a range of creative appetizers.  The restaurant is also a brewery, so locally brewed beers are available.

To check out the menus and restaurant hours, visit www.samchoyhawaii.com.  The website’s events page also details upcoming, themed dinners, such as A Night int he Philippines or the Brewer’s Dinner.

Men in Grey Suits, a surf rock band, will perform live at Anna O’Brien’s on Beretania Street, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  The relatively young band is based in Honolulu and hopes to record their first original album this year.  Their performance is part of the Tuesdays ‘surf rock series’.

Admission costs $5, and the event is only open to those 21 years old or older. The two story bar is designed to let music enthusiasts enjoy live performances while also having a quieter, relaxing space available.

Lanikai Beach, located on Oahu’s Windward Coast about 40 minutes from Ko Olina, translates to “heavenly sea” in Hawaiian.  It’s a popular hangout destination for tourists due to its clear waters, white sandy beaches, and gentle breeze.  It’s a good area for swimming and snorkeling due to the gentle slope of the beach and calmer waves than those found on Oahu’s North Shore.

Lanikai Beach is easy to access from the town Kailua and is open to visitors year-round.

A series of films about skating in Hawaii will be shown every evening from August 1 through August 6 at the Doris Duke Theatre  at the Honolulu Museum of Art.  Just 30 minutes from Ko Olina, the film series will include “Upper Case with Hindsight” and “Defcon HI”.  In addition to film viewing, visitors on opening night, August 1, will enjoy food from Downbeat Diner.

Screenings begin each evening at 7:30 pm, and the opening night kick-off dinner will begin at 6:15 pm.  Tickets cost $10 for museum members and $12 for general admission.  For more information or to reserve a seat, check out www.honolulumuseum.org/373-doris_duke_theatre.

Luau, the art of rhythmic storytelling through movement, is an age-old cultural tradition in Hawaii.  Several luau packages are available at Paradise Cove, home to some of the largest luau shows on Oahu.  Just a fifteen minute walk from Ko Olina, Paradise Cove luau packages include day snorkeling, Mai Tais on arrival, and a full buffet during the show.

Prices range from $86 to $182 per adult and $66 to $138 per child.  For more information about specific packages or to book a reservation, check out www.paradisecovehawaii.com.