Holidays in Hawaii: 2019

Post by Joseph Mains
Photo by: @vacay_mood

December 2019

Holidays in Hawaii: 2019

We’re centering ourselves and our loves as we head into the holidays and the new year here in Honolulu. We’re constantly humbled by the amazing year it’s been at ‘Alohilani. As we gather with family and friends, there are so many events and celebrations happening this year, so we’re taking this opportunity to share some of our favorite things to do over the holidays (and into the new year!) in Honolulu and Oahu.

Winter Wishes Festival
November 29 – December 24
The Hawaii Convention Center has transformed their 56,000 square foot exhibition center into an epic holiday wonderland through Christmas Eve. You can go ice skating, build gingerbread houses, visit a Christmas tree grove to find and decorate your own tree. Santa and his elves are there for photos with the keiki, there’s festive food and drinks, music and enough merriment to visit several times over the season and not repeat activities.

Royal Hawaiian Center Christmas tree and Santa Marty
December 2–24
Take a short walk on Waikiki from ‘Alohilani to the Royal Hawaiian Center to visit their 34-foot-tall tree and holiday display. On Monday and Wednesday evenings, Santa Marty will be sitting at the base of the tree for photos with the young and young-at-heart (bring your own camera, or use your phone). On Fridays through Christmas Eve, you can find him at Santa’s Hale.

Breakfast with Santa
December 21
We’re in full swing all holiday season at ‘Alohilani, celebrating time-honored traditions and creating some new ones to share with our guests and neighbors as well. This year we are hosting our inaugural Breakfast with Santa, a magical new tradition filled with cookie decorating and hot cocoa bar, holiday music, festive films and a bouncy castle to boot. Old Saint Nick will be there with his helpers for photos and to join in on creating new memories with your family. Saturday, December 21, seating from 7–11am. $50 adult / $20 keiki.  (Prices include taxes and gratuity)

Charlie Brown Christmas Jazz
December 24–25
Just down the beach from ‘Alohilani is Blue Note, host of internationally-loved jazz and other musicians in a beautiful, newly-renovated concert space. This year at Christmas, Hawaii-based jazzmasters Mike Lewis and crew will play numbers from Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas. Tickets start at $25 and the twice-nightly performances tend to sell out, so plan ahead.

NYE at ‘Alohilani
December 31
There’s something special about ringing in the new year on our Swell Bar & Pool deck above Waikiki as we set our intentions for 2020. We’re sending off this year of joy and magic with Midnight Mirage, our shimmering, Arabian-themed NYE soirée filled with dancing and libations under the stars. The party spans several locations throughout the resort, with musicians and DJs including the revolutionary Ravi Drums bringing his own force of nature to ‘Alohilani.

Catch a big wave surf competition
December 13 – February 28
The most famous waves in the world land on Oahu’s North Shore in wintertime, and we love catching the show from the shore (so much, that we covered it more in-depth last year). Pipe Masters, “The Eddie” and Volcom Pipe Pro — Surfing’s Triple Crown — all take place between mid-December and February. You can visit the beaches and watch the best surfers on earth ride the legendary waves that have inspired countless songs and spawned surf culture. Then you can head back to ‘Alohilani and watch the sunset on Waikiki, the original home of modern surfing.