Travel Tips

Off the Brochure Travel Guide: Honolulu, Hawaii

Locations in this article:  Honolulu, HI

hawaii-palm.jpgHawaii has made its fortune by selling images of grass-skirted hula dancers, hanging ten on white sandy beaches, and pig-roasting luaus. In fact, in 2006, there were more than 4 million visitors to the island of Oahu (that’s a lot of leis!), the vast majority of which were there for pleasure, not business. While you certainly don’t need to skip the touristed spots and traditional activities to be a card-carrying contrarian traveler, there are plenty of ways to capture the spirit of aloha by seeking out the local action. Chances are, you’ll walk away with your own special memories–ones that aren’t replicated in millions of photo albums across the world.Just ask them to hold the pig.

Each week, Hawaiians flock to the Farmer’s Market at Kapiolani Community College. This is where farmers and ranchers come together to sell their fresh products to the locals. Got a craving for Hawaii’s famous Kona coffee? There’s plenty of it here. There are also chef demonstrations, tables bursting with island flowers, lunch plates of stir-fried vegetables and platters of sushi, and locally made goods like honeys and jams.
808-848-2074, https://www.hfbf.org/FarmersMarketKCC.html

Honolulu Fish MarketIf the Farmer’s Market inspires you, you can go really native and head to the Honolulu Fish Auction at the United Fishing Agency. While everyone else sleeps late, get up early — very early — and get to the auction by 5:30 a.m. (Monday through Saturday) to watch buyers bidding on hundreds of thousands of fish — it’s a spectacle like no other, and you’ll have to hold yourself back from joining the fun and bidding on newly-caught mahi-mahi and opakapaka. 808-536-2148

On the first Friday of each month, the locals head downtown for Chinatown’s First Friday. Museums, art galleries, studios, and restaurants open their doors from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. This is where you can check out Hawaiian artists, catch some Polynesian spoken word and performance art, and even have a picnic where you can sketch and paint alongside the locals. 808-521-2903, https://www.firstfridayhawaii.com/

You might be surprised to learn that Hawaii has a thriving theater scene, and nowhere does this come more alive than at the Hawaii Theatre in downtown Honolulu. Deemed the “Pride of the Pacific,” this 1922 building was recognized as a historic theater in 1986, just hours before the wrecking ball struck. The theater is now home to Hawaiian and Asian-inspired music, dance and performance, and every Tuesday visitors can take an hour-long tour of the theater to experience the historic building’s architecture and design. 808-528-0506, https://www.hawaiitheatre.com/

Honolulu Ala Wai CanalTo zip around town like some of the more modern natives, take advantage of the island’s new Segway Tours. A Honolulu History and Culture Tour kicks off at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort on Waikiki Beach, and you’ll glide past the Ala Wai Canal, Ala Moana Beach Park, through downtown and to the Circle Iolani palace. These two-wheeled transporters require no experience and allow you to explore the city quickly and easily. 808-941-3151, https://www.segwayofhawaii.com

Did you know that ghosts haunt the islands? Oahu Ghost Tours offers a walking and driving tour of some of the most haunted places on the island. According to tour guides, the development of Oahu has desecrated ancient sacred grounds and burial grounds–tours take you through spots of reported supernatural activity, as well as visits to existing sacred areas such as the dwelling places of Hawaiian gods and sites thought to have been built by the island’s legendary “little people.” 877-597-7325, https://www.oahughosttours.com

Honolulu Spam JamIt’s no myth that Hawaiians love Spam. So “celebrate” — if you can — at the annual Spam Jam in April. If meat in a can isn’t your thing, how about a Sake Festival? Every July, brewers from Japan join together with sake lovers to experience more than 250 sakes. If that’s not enough to tempt you, then head to the island in September for the Home-Grown Products and Garlic Festival…this family-friendly event has cooking demonstrations, eating contests (don’t kiss anyone afterward!) and arts and crafts.

For a really quirky experience, head to what is perhaps the only Lawn Sprinkler Museum in the world. Actually, according owner Bob Bosley, he carries a “sprinkling of antiques.” We’re talking sprinklers dating back to the 1920s, an 1895 bathtub, a pinball machine from the 1950s, a horse and buggy, and the steel gates from a tombstone from a Hawaiian king’s gated tombstone. Don’t go up to the second floor though… Bob reserves that for ballroom dancing with his wife. 808-591-1122

For more cities, check out our Off the Brochure Travel Guide Series

By Sarika Chawla for PeterGreenberg.com