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Air adventures at Dillingham Airfield include gliding, skydiving, and scenic flights. Choose from a 20-minute single-person glider flight to long scenic flights and lessons.

Hundreds of visitors a day experience the thrill of parasailing – sitting, strapped in a harness attached to a parachute, pulled along by a boat high above the waves off Waikīkī.

Every variety and description of spa is available on O’ahu from European-style hydrotherapy to Balinese flower soaking tubs and beauty-oriented treatments. (see Spas and Fitness Centers)

Jet-powered personal watercraft are a noisy – and some would say environmentally unsound – but enjoyable way to skim over the water with the feeling of flying. By law, jet skis are restricted to weekday, daytime hours. Ask about ski/parasailing combo packages.

Locals favor kayaking along the Windward Coast, where small islets offer interesting scenery, and there’s a popular sandbar in Kāne’ohe Bay. But many of the islets are bird sanctuaries where landing is prohibited.

Three non-profit groups, the Sierra Club (538 6616), the Nature Conservancy (587 6220), and Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club (674 1459), offer frequent hikes with the last group definitely on the hardier side.

Regular walking tours of downtown, Chinatown, the Capitol District, Waikīkī, and the University campus are offered by various non-profit groups (see Honolulu Walking Tours). A free map, the Honolulu Historic Trail , offers a self-guided tour.

Polo came to Hawai’i with the moneyed elite, and two polo grounds continue to operate on O’ahu. Matches are held at 2pm on Sundays.

To experience an authentic Hawaiian feast (lū’au ), you have to find a family giving one. If that’s not possible, try the Polynesian Cultural Center or other commercial operations.

Some of the most wonderful shops in the city are missed by many visitors. Head along South King Street in the 2700 block in Mo’ili’ili and on Wai’alae Avenue from 9th to 13th Streets in Kaimukī to discover everything from sophisticated hand-printed dresses to Hawaiian instruments and craft supplies.