Oahu Entertainment

Best Cheap Date: Every Friday night, the Hilton Hawaiian Village (2005 Kalia Rd.; tel. 808/949-4321) presents the King's Jubilee and Fireworks. The event includes Polynesian music and dance, a parade, ceremonies, and a fireworks show on the beach. If you sit inside the event's roped area, you'll need to buy a drink but sitting just outside of it to see the fireworks is free.

Best Free Concert: Honolulu has America's only official royal state residence. Iolani Palace (364 S. King St.; tel. 808/538-1470) offers a variety of activities which are either free -- these include strolling the royal grounds and listening to the Royal Hawaiian Band's weekly concerts -- or inexpensive (gallery tours start at $6).

Best Cultural Experience: The Chinese New Year celebration, held downtown in January or February each year, showcases one of America's most vibrant Chinese urban populations putting on a colorful cultural spectacle. It's free to attend. If you're not in Chinatown that early in the year, head there on the first Friday of each month, when the district comes alive with open museums and galleries (most with free admission) and street music and vendors.

Best Way to Catch a Flick: Saturday and Sunday evenings are best spent on Waikiki's Queen's Beach (tel. 808/523-2489). During "Sunset on the Beach," top films play on a 30-foot screen in a world-class outdoor surrounding. It's free to attend.

Best Challenge: The Dole Plantation (64-1550 Kamehameha Hwy.; tel. 808/621-8408) encases almost 2.5 miles of shrubbery that, taken together, forms the world's largest maze. For $6 ($4 children; $5 military), you can attempt it; if you get to the endpoint fast enough, your name will be among those top five listed at the starting point.