Thingstodo in Oahu

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• Dave & Buster's

  Honolulu, Oahu

  Dave & Buster's Hawaii offers up drinks, food, and fun in a relaxed environment, providing the perfect location for a birthday party or event, or the ideal end to a long day of exploring Oahu. The first floor features extensive dining room seating, a special events room, and a bar, the second floor features an arcade game oasis as well as a bar and dining tables, and

• Koko Head Botanical Garden

  Hawaii Kai, Oahu

  Koko Head Botanical Garden is one of those places that has to be seen to be believed. Nestled in the basin of an ancient volcanic crater, the huge garden is a desert-like oasis that is home to a plethora of plants and over 200 types of trees hailing from Africa, the Americas, Madagascar, and Hawaii. With colorful, fragrant plumeria groves, sprawling cacti beds, and ample collections of rare trees, this botanical garden is a nature lover's paradise. AT A GLAN

• North Shore Soap Factory

  Waialua, Oahu

  Located at the historic Waialua Sugar Mill just a few miles from Haleiwa, the North Shore Soap Factory offers a unique experience, heavenly scents, and a wide array of bath, body, and home products. All of their materials are locally sourced and have a special island flare, with scents such as pineapple, coconut cream, kukui nut, mango, and Hawaiian coffee. AT A GLANCE:

• Hans Hedemann Surf School

  Waikiki, Oahu

  No visit to Hawaii is complete without a surf lesson. Featuring some of the best waves in the world, Oahu is the perfect place to paddle out whether you're a beginner or a wanna-be pro. Founded in 1995 by Hans Hedemann, a local surf legend and pro, the school is one of the most popular on the island with locations in Waikiki, Kahala, and North Shore. The school offers stand-up paddle board lessons, in addition to surf classes. AT A GLANCE:

• Queen Emma's Summer Palace

  Honolulu, Oahu

  Take a step back into the rich, colorful history of Hawaii's royal families with a visit to Queen Emma's Summer Palace, a gorgeous property that served as a peaceful oasis for Emma, her husband, King Kamehameha IV, and their son, Prince Albert Edward, in the 1800s. Located along the Pali Highway, the palace was just a short distance from the royal court in Honolulu and offered a much-desired reprieve from the hot and crowded city life with all of its royal demands.&am

• Foster Botanical Garden

  Honolulu, Oahu

  Tucked right in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Honolulu, Foster Botanical Garden offers 14 acres of gorgeously landscaped land with an array of both native and non-native plants, flowers, and trees in a peaceful setting that feels a world away from the city buzz. AT A GLANCE:HIGHLIGHTS: This is the oldest of Oahu's botanical gardens, and it was started in the

• Chief's Luau at Sea Life Park

  Waimanalo, Oahu

  Intrinsically Hawaiian and one of the highest-rated island activities, luau's are near the top of most Hawaiian visitors' to-do lists. Like with any other popular tourist activity, there are a huge number of luau's on Oahu to pick from. Chief's Luau is one of the best-ranked on Trip Advisor and conveniently located at the beautiful Sea Life Park, just a short drive from Waikiki.HIGHLIGHTS: The Chief, internationally-acclaimed en

• Germaine's Luau

  Kapolei, Oahu

  One of the more authentic luaus on Oahu, Germaine's Luau takes guests back to Old Hawaii the way it was a century ago, inviting them to join the Germaine Ohana (family) for an evening of ceremony, fun, story telling, dance, and feasting. The luau is located right on the sand on the island's leeward coast, providing visitors with a distinctly Hawaiian tropical beach setting and picture-perfect sunsets. AT A GLANCE: Germ

• Royal Hawaiian Luau Aha'aina

  Waikiki, Oahu

  Celebrate an ancient Hawaiian tradition in a decadent, tropical setting with the Royal Hawaiian Luau the Aha'aina. The majestic hotel is a Waikiki landmark fronting the beach and the Helumoa, legendary playground of the ancient Hawaiian court. The Helumoa, now called the Ocean Lawn, is the location of the Royal Hawaiian's weekly aha'aina. AT A GLANCE:The Royal Hawaiian's twist on the traditional and well-known Hawaiian Luau is the Aha'ai

• National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

  Honolulu, Oahu

  The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is located in the scenic Punchbowl Crater, just north of Honolulu, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The memorial honors the sacrifices of America's military and, particularly, the lives lost during the Pearl Harbor attack. AT A GLANCE:This spacious cemetery encompasses 112 acres and features a large memorial, as well as ten 'Courts of the Missing' with the names of 29,000 military me