Top Hawaii Cooking Classes

This hands-on cooking class showcases the historical and cultural significance of 4 much-loved dishes enjoyed by Hawaii's locals. You get hands-on training from a professional, local chef. Guests learn to cut fresh fish for poke, make perfect rice, and balance flavors for four local sauces. We discuss the important differences between local dishes and Hawaiian dishes.

For travelers seeking more than surface-level activities, this immersive, small-group cacao farm experience at Honoli‘i Orchards offers a rare opportunity to go beyond the typical tasting tour and truly understand Hawaiian chocolate from the ground up. Led by a craft chocolate expert, this guided experience walks you through every step of the process—from harvest to fermentation to drying—answering all your questions along the way. It culminates in the most extensive craft chocolate tasting in the state, featuring 10 or more of Hawai‘i’s best single-origin bars, including award-winning selections. It's an authentic, educational, and flavorful way to connect with Hawaiian agriculture.

Enjoy an immersive and educational culinary experience on Maui with this small-group farm-to-table cooking class. Learn about sustainable farming practices, pick your own ingredients from the farm, and get hands-on cooking training from the chef, and make a variety of vegetarian tacos to enjoy afterwards.

Discover how cacao is grown and chocolate is made on this immersive tour of Lydgate Farms in Kauai. Go on a guided tour of their botanical gardens to sample award-winning honey, vanilla beans, and lush tropical fruit. You will also learn all about cacao, see how it’s grown, taste its ripe fruit, and discover how to turn raw cacao seeds into delicious chocolate. Over the course of the experience, you’ll taste items like chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, apple bananas, and dark chocolate.

Get a different perspective on Kauai, away from the beaches, with a small-group tour of a tropical farm on the island's east side. Learn about the history of beekeeping in the Hawaiian Islands, don a bee suit and see inside an active beehive, and taste fresh honey from the comb.

Discover and savor Hawaiian grown and produced craft chocolate on the Big Island of Hawaii. Taste fresh cacao fruit and nectar, learn how cacao is grown and chocolate is produced from the seed, sample more than 10 different single-origin chocolate bars. Honoli‘i Orchards’ open-air tasting room has scenic views of the Honolii River Valley and Pacific Ocean to enjoy while you learn all about chocolate.

This Hawaii-meets-Germany cooking class is a three-in-one experience: You’ll leave with a new skill, a new flavor experience, and new knowledge. In a garden-like setting, you’ll bake a baumstriezel, aka chimney cake, over an open campfire. Learning about Hawaii’s relationship with Germany as the baumstriezels rise, you’ll bust out the butter and cinnamon-sugar to feast on your creations—an only-in-Hawaii experience.

If you’re looking for a fun experience that fuses fresh food and the passion of farm-to-fork practices, this Hilo Farm-to-Table Half-Day Cooking Class at Kulaniapia Falls is easy to fit into any day during your trip. Harvest your own food from the area’s grounds, and then prepare your meal in a barn overlooking Hilo Bay and Mauna Kea. Then, sit down to lunch and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Explore the world of coffee flavors in an interactive cupping workshop at Hala Tree. This engaging session invites you to smell, taste, and compare a variety of freshly brewed coffees, guided by our knowledgeable team. Discover how factors like roast level and origin influence unique flavor profiles, allowing you to identify the tasting notes that resonate with your preferences. By the end of the workshop, you'll have the skills to select beans that transform every cup into a delightful experience.

Discover three unique sides of Oʻahu in one convenient adventure from Waikīkī. Visit the iconic Dole Plantation, sample handcrafted spirits at Kō Hana Distillers, and soar through the jungle on a guided 3-zipline adventure at Coral Crater Adventure Park. The zipline course features three lines ranging from 300 to 1,000 feet in length, along with a state-of-the-art braking system that allows you to focus on the excitement and scenery while experienced guides handle the rest. With transportation included and a thoughtfully planned itinerary, this activity offers a fun and easy way to experience Oʻahu’s flavors, history, and outdoor adventure in a single day.

Stop wasting money on expensive cafe drinks or settling for mediocre home brews. With this hands-on workshop at a working coffee farm, you'll learn to make professional-quality coffee at home with minimal equipment. An experienced barista teaches you three different brewing methods using the same beans, so you'll taste the dramatic differences technique makes. At the end, you'll walk away brewing better coffee than your local shop.

Savor Oʻahu beyond the beaches on a journey through the island’s scenic countryside. Begin at the legendary Dole Plantation, where you can stroll tropical gardens, snap photos, and indulge in iconic pineapple treats like fresh fruit and Dole Whip. Continue to Kō Hana Distillers for an inside look at Hawaii’s only cane-to-glass rum, crafted from heirloom sugarcane grown onsite. Guests 21 and over can sample premium rum or enjoy a handcrafted cocktail, while younger guests and non-drinkers can treat themselves to Kō Hana’s house-made gelato. The day concludes at Coral Crater Adventure Park, where you can unwind, browse the shop, and take in the atmosphere of one of Oʻahu’s premier outdoor adventure destinations. Blending local flavors, island history, and scenic countryside views, this activity offers a refreshing look at a different side of Oʻahu.

Oeno Winery is the only winery on Oahu and produces a range of red, white, Sangria, and dessert wines. On this tour learn about the winemaking process and different grapes used. Then, enjoy an expert-led wine tasting and sample six different Oeno wines. This is an ideal pick for wine lovers or anyone interested in Hawaii's wine culture.

Enjoy a traditional lei greeting and experience a luau on Oahu. Hosted by Chief Sielu, Original World Fire Knife Dance Champion, this event provides the ideal opportunity to immerse yourself in island culture. Watch a Polynesian show, learn headband weaving before indulging in a Hawaiian feast, including pineapple glazed chicken and kalua pork. Upgrade to include priority access and convenient pickup, for a hassle-free experience.

Delve into the fascinating world of coconuts with The CocoMon™ in Kailua-Kona. This interactive experience teaches you everything from selecting the perfect coconut to slicing it open and tasting fresh coconut water. Led by Khali, a coconut survival expert, this session reveals the science behind this tropical fruit and its many uses in island life. You’ll also explore products like coir and coconut milk, gaining practical tips that transform your appreciation for this versatile fruit. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, this fun and educational adventure is a must.

At Temple of Dreams, a hidden sanctuary of tea, beauty, and celebration, thoughtful hospitality, handcrafted ceremonial teaware, and exceptional teas from revered tea-growing regions, including Hawaiʻi, are woven together to create a dream come true experience. Hosted by Sephira, Kauaʻi-born tea ceremonialist and founder of Temple of Dreams, each ceremony is inspired by Cha Dao, the Way of Tea, and unfolds through intentionality, silence, and stillness. Guests are welcomed into an intimate atmosphere where tea becomes a doorway to presence, beauty, and connection. From the moment guests arrive to the final reflections, Sephira guides the experience, creating a journey that gently returns guests to the beauty of the present moment. Rather than doing another activity, guests are invited to simply be and experience the beauty of Kauaʻi from a deeper sense of presence and connection, extending far beyond the tea table and into the rest of their time on the island.