Aloha Reader,

There is a version of a luau where you sit at a long banquet table under fluorescent lights eating mediocre buffet food while someone on a stage performs a show that feels like it was designed for a convention center. And there is a version where you're sitting outside at sunset, the food is actually good, and your kids are completely captivated by the fire knife dancer. The price difference between those two experiences is sometimes almost nothing. The experience difference is enormous.

Here's what I actually recommend by island, and what I'd skip.

Oahu

Oahu has the most luau options and the most variation in quality. The three I send families to are Toa Luau, Mauka Warriors, and Na Lei Aloha. Toa Luau is set in a gorgeous botanical garden in Laie and feels genuinely intimate (smaller group, beautiful setting, food that's actually worth eating). Mauka Warriors is newer and has been getting great reviews from families specifically. Na Lei Aloha is a strong pick if you want something more traditional and a little lower key.

I'd skip Germaine's and the Polynesian Cultural Center luau. Germaine's is large and feels it. The PCC experience is fine but it's more of an attraction than a luau, and I think most families are better served doing the cultural center during the day separately.

Maui

Maui has some of the best luaus in the state. My top picks are the Feast at Mokapu, Old Lahaina Luau, and Drums of the Pacific. Old Lahaina is the one people talk about for a reason (oceanfront setting, strong food, excellent show). It books out faster than almost anything else in Hawaii in summer so if that's the one you want, do not wait. Feast at Mokapu is a newer option that's been getting consistently strong reviews and is easier to get into. Drums of the Pacific at Hyatt is a solid choice if you're staying on the Ka'anapali side and want something convenient without sacrificing quality.

Skip Myths of Maui. It's fine but it's massive and impersonal and it shows.

Big Island

​Voyagers of the Pacific at the Royal Kona Resort is the one I recommend most on the Big Island (oceanfront, great production value, and the setting does a lot of the work). Hawaii Loa is a strong alternative with a more intimate feel that families tend to love.

I'd give Island Breeze a pass. It's one of the more generic options on the island and there are better choices at similar price points.

Kauai

Two good options here. Auli'i Luau is set at the Sheraton in Poipu with ocean views and a well-produced show (it's consistently one of the better luaus on the island for families). Luau Kalamaku is on the grounds of Kilohana Plantation and has a really unique setting that makes it feel different from every other luau you'll do. If you've been to other luaus before, this one feels fresh.

One thing that applies across every island: book before you leave home. Summer luaus, especially the good ones, sell out weeks in advance. The families who end up at the mediocre options are usually the ones who waited until they landed to figure it out.

Talk soon,

Marcie