Hula Planet:What To Do In Hawaii

Waikiki & Honolulu 2011/2012 New Year’s Eve Fireworks, Dinners & Events

Waikiki and Honolulu will be an exciting places to celebrate New Year’s Eve this year with fireworks, fine dining  and dancing! Tropical weather and being near the surf, sand and palm trees will only enhance your celebration. What a great place to bid a fond farewell to 2011 and welcome in 2012 with aloha! After many hours of emails, phone calls and searches, I’ve  compiled this list of the top things to do this New Year’s Eve. You’ll surely find something that will suit your interests.  Here’s what’s going on this December 31, 2011. New Year’s Eve Fireworks & Cruises with Fireworks Views * From multiple sources, I’ve confirmed that the night sky will light up with fireworks on Waikiki Beach at midnight. * Honolulu’s Aloha Tower Marketplace will hold their big block party again this year. They’ll have live music and DJs across seven different stages. At midnight, you’ll find the biggest fireworks show on Oahu. This event is open to guests ages 21 and older. New Year’s Eve 2012 Block Party tickets start at $20 and can be ordered online via TicketMaster or by phone at 800-745-3000. For more information, call 808-306-3079. *  Star of Honolulu offers several different cruise packages for cocktails, pupus, dinner and entertainment. See this link for their options. These cruises will offer views of the huge fireworks show from Aloha Tower Marketplace. Pricing starts at $70 per person. Note that convenient round-trip transportation from Waikiki can be added for $11 per person. * If you’re in the area on December 30, don’t miss the Friday night fireworks from the Hilton Hawaiian Village at 7:45pm. New Year’s Eve Waikiki Parties, Clubs and Concerts Want to do a little dancing on New Year’s Eve? Here’s a list of some great venues with parties going on in Waikiki Beach. Note that most of them have great views of the midnight Waikiki fireworks. * Tiki’s Grill & Bar will have live bands, DJ, drink specials for their Tiki Drop 2012 and a view of Waikiki fireworks at midnight. For more information, see this link for the festivity details. (Also check out their special prix fixe four course New Year’s Eve dinner for $59.) *  RumFire transforms into an oceanfront Times Square with a special New Year’s Eve party and view of the Waikiki Beach fireworks at midnight. Presale tickets start at $40. Tickets purchased the day of the event are $50. You must be 21 or older. See this link for more information. * Beachhouse at Moana Surfrider hosts a beachfront “Pre-Resolution Party” giving you one last chance to eat, drink and be merry before your resolutions. This party will be at the Banyan Courtyard with good views of the Waikiki fireworks at midnight. A dessert buffet, party favors, and a live band playing to 40’s music are included. A pupu menu and cash bar will be available. Tickets for the “Pre-Resolution Party” are $100 for adults and $50 for children ages 6 to 12. Ticket prices are inclusive of tax. Tickets are available on the December 31 in the Moana Surfrider lobby from noon to 6pm. (Note that pre-sale tickets will be available in the lobby from December 28 through December 30 in the lobby from noon to 8pm at a discount.) * The Royal Hawaiian , also known as the Pink Palace, hosts a New Year’s Eve Pink Party from 9pm until 12:30am. The party includes a live band with a DJ during band breaks. A pupu menu and cash bar will be available. General admission is $50 per person. Reserved tables are $100 per person. Admission includes tax. For more information and reservations, call (808) 921-4600 or email tdrc.hawaii@starwoodshotels.com * Hilton Hawaiian Village’s New Year’s Eve Celebration and Concert features the Local Divas this year. You have the option of seeing the show only or adding dinner plus the show. See this link for more information. * I’ve confirmed that there will be a special New Year’s Eve party at Addiction Nightclub and Beachclub (formerly known as the Crazybox) in The Modern Honolulu . Details coming soon. * Though not necessarily New Year’s Eve-ish, Bill Maher will be performing at the Waikiki Shell at 7:30pm. Lawn tickets start at $29.50. See this link for more information. New Year’s Eve Waikiki Dining * Romantic Hau Tree Lanai at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel offers a New Year’s five-course prix-fixe menu for $87 per person. Located oceanfront, Hau Tree Lanai is about a 15 minute beach side stroll from the heart of Waikiki. Call 808-921-7066 for reservations or book online . * Tiki’s Grill & Bar will offer a special four course prix fixe dinner in a casual atmosphere with beach views for $59 per person. See this link for the menu. You can reserve a table at Tiki’s online . Also note that they’ll have a midnight Tiki Drop if you’d like to transition from the dining areas to the celebration. * At the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Bali Steak & Seafood presents a special four course set menu with a variety of choices available. The price is $160 at the first seating and $190 for the second seating. A children’s menu will also available for $80. (To see the adult and children menus use this link and scroll to the Bali menus.) For reservations, call 808-941-BALI (2254). * Beachhouse at Moana Surfrider offers a couple of special New Year’s Eve dinner options and seatings. The second seating option from 8:30pm to 10:30pm  is $185 per person for a five-course menu which also includes admission to their beachfront “Pre-Resolution Party” (also sold separately) that goes on until 1am. See more details and booking information here . For more information and reservations, call (808) 921-4600 or email tdrc.hawaii@starwoodshotels.com * How about a luau for New Year’s Eve? Hilton Hawaiian Village will host their Waikiki Starlight Luau on their Great Lawn for this special evening. Pricing is $98 for adults and $49 for children ages 4 to 11 years old. Lei greeting, dinner buffet, two complimentary select beverages and Polynesian show are included. Upgrade options are available. For reservations, call (808)941-5828. * Kai Market at the Sheraton Waikiki will offer a New Year’s Eve dinner buffet with two separate seatings. Adult buffet pricing ranges from $90 in the first seating to $120 in the second seating. The second seating is more expensive because it also includes entry to the countdown celebration for guests 21 and old. Buffet pricing for children ages 4 to 12 is $29. See this link for more details .  For more information and reservations, call (808) 921-4600 or email tdrc.hawaii@starwoodshotels.com * The Royal Hawaiian will host a special New Year’s Eve Pink Luau Dinner buffet in the Monarch Room from 6pm to 9pm. Entertainment including a fire knife dancer, complimentary welcome cocktail and luau buffet are included in the admission. Pricing is as follows: Adults $209; Children 5-12 years $109(Special Rates for Guests of The Royal Hawaiian and Kama’aina: Adults $189; Children 5-12 years $99). Price includes access to the New Years Eve Pink Party (see details below) that  continues the festivities until 12:30am.  For more information and reservations, call (808) 921-4600 or email tdrc.hawaii@starwoodshotels.com * The Royal Hawaiian , also known as the Pink Palace, hosts a New Year’s Eve Pink Party from 9pm until 12:30am. The party includes a live band with a DJ during band breaks. A pupu menu and cash bar will be available. General admission is $50 per person. Reserved tables are $100 per person. Admission includes tax. For more information and reservations, call (808) 921-4600 or email tdrc.hawaii@starwoodshotels.com * Azure at the Royal Hawaiian will serve a five course New Year’s Eve dinner from 5:30pm to 9pm for $175 per person. (See menu .) Pricing includes access to the New Year’s Eve Pink Part that’s described above. A children’s menu will also be available for kids ages 5 to 12 years for $40. For more information and reservations, call (808) 921-4600 or email tdrc.hawaii@starwoodshotels.com *  Rainbow Lanai at the Hilton Hawaiian Village will present a New Year’s Eve Buffet from 5pm to 9:30pm. (Use this link and scroll down to the Rainbow Lanai section to see the buffet menu.) Pricing is $59 per adult $55 and $29 for children (12 and under). For more information, call (808) 949-4321 —- As you’re making your Waikiki and Honolulu New Year’s Eve plans and reviewing this list of great things to do, please note the following: I recommend you make reservations, order tickets, etc. as soon as possible to secure the place and time you like. Unless otherwise stated, you can assume that taxes and gratuities are not included in the listed prices. All pricing, schedules and plans were accurate at the time of publishing. Most Waikiki Beach hotel-based restaurants will be open on New Year’s Eve. Check directly with the concierge of your accommodations for their special meals and events. As New Year’s Eve approaches, most likely, I’ll be adding more events, so do check back. So, pack your bags and start practicing how to say Happy New Year in Hawaii: Hau’oli Makahiki Hou ! © Go Visit Hawaii – Republication of this entire post is prohibited without prior permission. Using extracts of less than 100 words are permitted with full attribution and link back to GoVisitHawaii.com .

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Oahu’s July 4th Fireworks & Celebrations 2011

Will you be celebrating July 4th in Oahu this year? If so, you’ll find many options for celebrating the day with games, parades, and of course, outstanding fireworks displays. Here’s what you’ll find across Oahu this July 4th:

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Oahu’s July 4th Fireworks and Events 2010

If you’re making plans to visit Oahu this July 4th, you’ll some excellent ways to celebrate Independence Day with a bang. All the events are family-friendly and free. Whether you’re staying in Waikiki, Honolulu, North Shore or anywhere else on beautiful Oahu, you’ll find a July 4th celebration that’s convenient and fun. After hours of research, I’ve created this list of Oahu’s top July 4th events for 2010: Saturday, July 3rd – Fireworks Display at Aloha Tower One of the Oahu’s bigger July 4th events actually occurs on the 3rd at Aloha Tower Marketplace in Honolulu. This local favorite has traditionally presented an impressive fireworks display. The fireworks show is set to go off from a barge in Honolulu Harbor between Sand Island and the Aloha Tower Marketplace around 8:00pm, but other festivities including food, fun and live music starts at 3pm.  (See this Google Map .) As for getting there to watch the fireworks from Aloha Tower Marketplace parking will be difficult to find. If you decide to drive there, you may want to arrive early to check out other festivities including food, fun and live music starting at 3pm.  See this link for Aloha Tower Marketplace parking options. If you are coming from Waikiki, you might want to consider taking TheBus or the Red Line Trolley to prevent parking and traffic headaches. The address for Aloha Tower Marketplace is 1 Aloha Tower Drive, Honolulu, HI. For more information: See their website or call 808.528.5700. Sunday, July 4th – Ala Moana Center 4th of July Spectacular Ala Moana Center puts on a huge Independence Day celebration that’s been popular with locals and visitors. Their fireworks extravaganza is among the best in the country. Fireworks begin at 8:30pm, but there’s plenty of excellent entertainment starting at noon. See this link for the entertainment line up and a shopping discount. You can watch the fireworks from around the center, at Magic Island (Aina Moana Beach Park), and at Ala Moana Beach Park. See this Google Map to visualize the area. To get there from Waikiki, you can drive, take TheBus or the Ala Moana shopping shuttle. See this link for more information on public transportation options. Also, note if you have Trolley tickets, you can take either the Pink or Red Trolley Lines. If  your up for a good walk and have comfortable walking shoes, then consider walking from Waikiki to Ala Moana Beach Park. You won’t have to worry about traffic and finding a parking space. The closer you’re staying to the western end of Waikiki, the shorter the walk. Ala Moana Center is located at 1450 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu. Their phone number is 808.955.9517. Sunday, July 4th – Schofield Barracks 4th of July Spectacular Hawaii’s largest Army post in Central Oahu will have an Independence Day celebration including games, rides, crafts and live music. They will host a free fireworks display at 8:30pm. For more information on this day long celebration see this flyer . Sunday, July 4th – Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration & Fireworks at Turtle Bay Resort If you are staying in or around Oahu’s North Shore, the celebration and fireworks show at Turtle Bay Resort will be you’re most convenient event. The fireworks show starts “at dark” (around 8pm), but there’s display booths and games for the kids starting at 5:30pm. Admission and parking is free. Turtle Bay Resort is located on Oahu’s North Shore at 57-091 Kamehameha Highway in Kahuku, HI. For more information see this link or call Turtle Bay Resort toll free at  866.827.5327. Sunday, July 4th – Maunalua Bay Independence Day Celebration and Fireworks Show Starting at 1pm, this family-friendly event includes entertainment, food booths, and a fireworks show at 8:00pm. Maunalua Bay is located between Diamond Head and Koko Head on the southeast side of Oahu. For more information see the event’s website . To get there from Waikiki, you’ll need to take TheBus or drive. Be sure and check the event’s website for parking advice. Sunday, July 4th – Kailua Fireworks Plans are in place for a July 4th celebration and evening fireworks show at the East Oahu town of Kailua. See this link for more information. Sunday, July 4th –  First Annual Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Waikiki Beach Walk Okay, so this isn’t a July 4th celebration per se, but it’s a celebration being held on July 4th, and it’s free. You’ll be able to listen to some exceptionally talented Hawaiian steel guitarists from 2pm until 6pm. Afterwards, you’ll still be able to catch one of the evening fireworks shows. This festival will be held at the Plaza Stage of the Waikiki Beach Walk . Sunday, July 4th – Military’s July 4th Fireworks Spectacular This event is specifically for all military affiliated personnel including active duty, reserve, retirees, DoD, family members and sponsored guests. It’s a day-long Independence Day celebration with games, food, concerts and fireworks at Ward Field, Naval Station Pearl Harbor. For more information on this event, see this link. ——- After reviewing this list, I’m sure you’ll agree, Oahu is definitely going to be a great place to celebrate July 4th this year!  I wish you a very happy and safe Independence Day! © Go Visit Hawaii – Republication of this entire post is prohibited without prior permission. Using extracts of less than 100 words are permitted with full attribution and link back to GoVisitHawaii.com .

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