Things to Do in Wai'anae

Rylan Lizares learned Brazilian jujitsu at the hands of Professor Pedro Sauer, and it's Sauer's instruction method that Lizares now shares through his studio, Gracie Technics Jiu-Jitsu Academy. Lizares focuses on providing students with the exact same education in grappling that he had, teaching everything from the basics of combat to the most advanced submission holds. Professional UFC fighter Max Halloway supplements this education with kickboxing classes, teaching students effective combinations of strikes known to make punching bags grow eyes for the express purpose of crying.

When educator Nicole Kealoha set out to enrich her community, she harnessed the vibrant power of hip-hop and urban culture to captivate young people. Her nonprofit Diverse Art Center, launched in 2008, seeks to foster connections between youths and the community via enriching and engaging instruction from professional artists. The accomplished teachers and artists—including leading local art figure Shaun Castro and award-winning dancer Josh Skittle—strive to instill positive values and self-esteem in their pupils as they shepherd them through the many mediums that comprise hip-hop culture, including dance, music, and the visual arts. No fewer than five area schools participate in the center's fitness-focused Healthy Hip-Hop program, and daily urban art instruction includes tutorials in hip-hop lettering, break dancing, and beatboxing with inner-city kangaroos.

Friendly drivers steer AlohaBus's fleet of double-decker buses through Honolulu streets, chaperoning tourists and intrigued locals to scenic and historic locations and allowing riders to disembark or climb aboard at any point. Vehicles arrive every 30–45 minutes at each stop, and riders can enjoy fresh ocean breezes from the open-top vehicles. The buses make eight continuous loops from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., including the daytime historic loop that explores Diamondhead, Waikiki, the Pearl Harbor express loop, and the nighttime loop that meanders through shopping and dining destinations. Complimentary earbuds play music and a GPS-activated narrative whispers fun facts in five languages, including English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and GPS's native binary. Guests can hop off at stops to get an up-close look at areas of interest or to refill the bus's gas tank with coconut milk.

For Yoga Loft Hawaii’s founder, Lisa Sochocki, yoga isn’t just a way to stretch and strengthen the body. It’s a tried-and-true method of ridding the mind of clutter such as worries, anger, and unsolved calculus problems. Without such distractions, students can listen to the wisdom their hearts contain. To build classes that pursue this goal, Lisa and her team of instructors draw upon 400 hours of teacher training and more than a decade of posing practice. Vibrant Vinyasa flow sessions explore sun salutations, arm balances, and backbends amid soothing turquoise walls and a soundtrack of vibrant music. Here, yogis of all levels learn to link poses with deep, relaxing breaths, forming a strong foundation for challenging classes such as power Vinyasa. Yin routines highlight yoga’s power to calm through lengthy poses that flex the body’s connective tissue and unblock its energy pathways. The loft also hosts classes that teach kids aged 4–6 how to melt stress and potty-mouthed snow angels during classes filled with playful poses and relaxation techniques.

Marksmen weave in and out of buildings clustered on Kapolei Airsoft's barricade- and obstacle-littered fields, an expansive urban terrain that accommodates up to two indoor and outdoor bouts at a time. Under the watchful eye of trained field officials, participants clad in face protection commence contests that simulate military scenarios, urban combat, and armed square dancing. Before firing off 6mm BBs fashioned from ABS plastic at opposing teams, players run through safety instructions at pre-game briefings. Visitors can join new rounds of combat––lasting until midnight every Friday and Saturday––during walk-on contests, via membership outings, or through one of Kapolei Airsoft's party packages.

Honolulu’s azure beaches and lush mountain ranges beckon eyes downward as passengers team up with a commercially rated and FAA-certified pilot to cut through the air on glider tours offered year-round. Seated snugly in a bubble-topped glider plane, passengers and pilots survey panoramic views from up to 3,000 feet above the island's famously scenic North Shore. Surfers wave from the surging whitecaps far below and, on clear days, one can view distant landmarks such as the Kaena Point satellite-tracking station, the volcanic tuff cone known as Diamond Head, and the lava dam that stands between Honolulu and certain destruction. Known for their aerobatic prowess, pilots sometimes offer upside-down views of these and other sights as they guide their gliders through a series of loops and turns. A team of technicians tends to gliders and tow planes as soon as they land, ensuring that each remains safe and ready for the next flight.