This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll earn a small commission if you purchase something through these links. You won't pay any extra; instead, you'll be helping Aloha With Love to thrive. Thank you! Learn more.
--
Learn About Hawaii with your Hands
There are plenty of free classes for all things Hawaiian for those interested in hands-on cultural activities. The best part is that most of these classes are held in the Royal Hawaiian, which is roughly in the middle of the Waikiki strip so it’s easily accessible.
You can check out the Royal Hawaiian’s schedule for these activities here. Several cultural classes are held here on a daily or weekly basis.
Cultural Classes at the Royal Hawaiian
One of the most famous things that Hawaii is known for is the hula. It’s a beautiful dance and has been gaining worldwide popularity for the past several years. Sign up for the adult class to learn the basic and most important hula steps. There’s also a super cute children’s class that you’ll definitely need to bring your camera to!
If you’re interested in massage techniques, the lomi lomi massage class is a unique one that will show you the different movements required for this Hawaiian massage.
Extra Tip: Bring a partner and you’ll not only get to learn the lomi lomi technique, but also receive it!
The lei making is fantastic and fun! Definitely take advantage of this free class because in most other cultural classes in Hawaii, this will be a paid activity.
Local Tip: Each flower generally costs about 5 to 15 cents depending on the flower type so the cost for a lei making class can get quite pricey!
My favorite cultural class at the Royal Hawaiian is the lauhala weaving class! Taught by a 6th generation lauhala weaver, you’ll make your very own beautiful lauhala bracelet that you can keep! The bracelet turns out beautifully and it’s so fun to make something out of such a durable leaf.
Finally, if you’re planning to be in the Waikiki area for awhile, I highly recommend the Hawaiian quilting class for those with nimble fingers. It’s best to take this class more than once since quilting is such a long process. They do provide a starter kit for about $30, which will give you all the materials needed to complete your first quilting project.
Other Classes And Where To Find Them
Need more ukulele lessons? Visit The Ukulele Store on Lewers Street at Waikiki Beach Walk for free lessons held twice a day. Ukulele Puapua at the Sheraton Waikiki also offers free ukulele lessons around 4 PM daily and is a good class if you have no ukulele experience and want to see if it’s for you.
Waikiki Beach Walk also has additional activities (some are paid classes), but you can check them all out on their events page.
Another place to look that’s unexpected is the Waikiki Community Center. On occasion they have hula and even Tahitian dance classes. I’ve also seen a Native Hawaiian plants class as well for you green thumbs out there!
