Things to Do in Honolulu

By foot and by car, Oahu Ghost Tours explores the island's spookiest spots during three unique experiences infused with riveting bits of Hawaiian history. Despite measures to preserve sacred areas, Oahu's growth into a buzzing metropolis has sometimes come at the expense of its ancient past. Buildings stretch skyward atop burial grounds, and roadways weave through caves filled with the remains and cherished stamp collections of beloved ancestors. Through rich storytelling, eyewitness accounts, and expert knowledge in the supernatural, Oahu Ghost Tours' guides lead groups on investigations of those disturbed sites, including the scene of a chilling modern-day murder and the infamous Morgan's Corner.

Green flags set tires squealing inside Podium Raceway Hawaii's 44,000-square-foot facility as up to 12 drivers jockey the emission-free electric karts for a podium finish. Two straightaways send floored pedals toward top speeds of up to 45 miles per hour, and four hairpin turns test karts’ handling and drivers’ ability to steer with their ponytails. Drivers can take to the track during individual races, professionally taught clinics, or as part of a league that doles out prizes to its speediest participants.

Scream Team creates new nightmares by bringing already existing ones to life, drawing upon horror staples such as demonic clowns and decaying zombies for their fully immersive haunted houses. In 2011, a rogue’s gallery of cinematic madmen—from Michael Myers to Freddy Krueger to Nick Nolte—brought hypothermia to the spines of patrons tiptoeing through Hollywood Horror, which ran alongside the blood-spattered carnival of Twisted Fun House. Their houses stay open through the end of October and then, like an office of candy-corn salesmen, vanish after Halloween.

Enchanted by a walking tour of Manhattan he took in 2007, the Honolulu Star Bulletin reports, Casey Hewes decided that his hometown of Honolulu deserved a similar guided trek focused on its rich history and culture. After recruiting former police officer and fellow lifelong history buff Richard Wong, Hewes opened Ohana Walking Tours one year later. Richard meets patrons beneath the Aliiolani Hale archway—situated right behind the King Kamehameha statue—and leads a two-hour jaunt past such attractions and landmarks as the Iolani Palace and the mayor's office. Guests also visit numerous Hawaiian firsts, including the state's first church, police station, and pizzeria, which was formed by a cooling volcano full of ham and pineapple. Throughout the tour, Richard connects rich anecdotes about Honolulu's past with their relevance to contemporary issues affecting the city today.

A birthday girl surrounded by her best friends dances to her favorite song and moves across a glittering black-granite floor to grab a drink at the bar. Overhead, mirrored ceilings reflect the light of fiber-optic stars. A dancing pole invites flashy dance moves or flashier firefighter imitations. The driver turns around to let everyone know they're about to park. What looks and feels like the VIP section of a nightclub is actually the inside of an Oahu Party Bus. The company's fleet of fully equipped vehicles chauffeurs groups of up to 40 people across the island in style, making stops at scenic locations such as Kualoa Ranch or The Valley of the Temples. Drivers can deliver guests to favorite bars or simply cruise for a one-of-a-kind night on the road. Guests can blast their own music over the bus's sound system, play DVDs on flat-screen TVs, or sing karaoke songs to court applause from passing cars.