Honolulu Nightlife & Things to Do

The food was good and plentiful the entertainment was awesome

We had such a wonderful time on our sunset cruise while in Oahu. Lost track of how many whales we saw while out there. And the staff were so incredibly nice. Special shout out to Vivian who spent some extra time with my ... moreson who was feeling very shy. We truly had a lovely night.

We were so disappointed with our Sunset Dinner Cruise this week.
Why oh why, when a company has it just right, do they get greedy and take away the finesse?
Having taken the steak & lobster package last year, we were so ... morelooking forward to repeating the experience - but it failed to live up to expectations.
The singer couldn't sing; we had to queue for our starter (only lettuce plated at the table; the lobster was not prepared, we were provided with lobster crackers and a pick (not what we were expecting, dressed in our best clothes); there was no finger bowl or wet wipe; our steaks were cold and the server came so infrequently we did not get to use two of our drinks vouchers.
Shame on you.

I came to the Rock-a-Hula show as a first-timer to Hawaii to catch a show with my family. It offers a lively, pre-packaged, easy-to-digest introduction to hula, Hawaiian culture, and local history—mixed with plenty of ic... moreonic pop-culture moments that Hawaii has embraced and celebrated over time. The experience is broken into a few different ticket options, and what you pay really affects what you get. Here’s what to know before you go:

1. Ticket options & pricing
You can choose between show-only tickets or a luau buffet paired with the show. Pricing varies quite a bit. I was able to snag a 2-for-1 show-only deal, which came out to about $43 per person, and I also saw a single-ticket promo for around $60. The luau + show packages run $100+ depending on whether you upgrade to VIP. The buffet is definitely better suited for non-vegetarians, but there are some meat-free options.

2. The venue & overall vibe
This is a non-traditional show set in a large, comfortable amphitheater on the top floor of a shopping plaza. The show opens with a short historical video about the land and people of Hawaii set in 1920, which sets the timeline for the rest of the performance. From start to finish, the show runs about 1 hour and 10 minutes—just the right length in my opinion.

3. Show highlights
The pacing starts off a bit slow with traditional hula dancers and singers, then really picks up steam once the show moves into the 1950s. The Elvis segment is the longest and most prominent, and honestly, the performer is impressively spot-on in both voice and movement, covering several of Elvis’s biggest hits.

From there, the show transitions into tributes to the Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson, his dance moves really get the audience excited with high-energy dance numbers. You’ll also see nods to familiar cultural touchstones like Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Moana, and finally, a dramatic flaming poi performance honoring the fire goddess.

I came to the Rock-a-Hula show as a first-timer to Hawaii to catch a show with my family. It offers a lively, pre-packaged, easy-to-digest introduction to hula, Hawaiian culture, and local history—mixed with plenty of ic... moreonic pop-culture moments that Hawaii has embraced and celebrated over time. The experience is broken into a few different ticket options, and what you pay really affects what you get. Here’s what to know before you go:

1. Ticket options & pricing
You can choose between show-only tickets or a luau buffet paired with the show. Pricing varies quite a bit. I was able to snag a 2-for-1 show-only deal, which came out to about $43 per person, and I also saw a single-ticket promo for around $60. The luau + show packages run $100+ depending on whether you upgrade to VIP. The buffet is definitely better suited for non-vegetarians, but there are some meat-free options.

2. The venue & overall vibe
This is a non-traditional show set in a large, comfortable amphitheater on the top floor of a shopping plaza. The show opens with a short historical video about the land and people of Hawaii set in 1920, which sets the timeline for the rest of the performance. From start to finish, the show runs about 1 hour and 10 minutes—just the right length in my opinion.

3. Show highlights
The pacing starts off a bit slow with traditional hula dancers and singers, then really picks up steam once the show moves into the 1950s. The Elvis segment is the longest and most prominent, and honestly, the performer is impressively spot-on in both voice and movement, covering several of Elvis’s biggest hits.

From there, the show transitions into tributes to the Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson, his dance moves really get the audience excited with high-energy dance numbers. You’ll also see nods to familiar cultural touchstones like Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Moana, and finally, a dramatic flaming poi performance honoring the fire goddess.

This was a wonderful few hours to spend at the beach with an amazing sunset. The show was well put together, with interesting history displayed within the story and show. The food was absolutely wonderful. Highly recomme... morend!