Escape the hectic pace of the city and head to the lush valley of Mānoa, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Honolulu. Known for its serene ambiance and regular rainfall, which creates numerous rainbows, the valley offers a wide variety of businesses and activities to keep you entertained from sunrise to sunset.

 Start your day at Morning Glass Coffee + Café in the heart of the commercial center of Mānoa. Known for its fresh roasted local coffee and tasty food, this charming café won the hearts of diners with its low-key atmosphere blended with high-quality ingredients and service. Best known for their drip coffee, the ethically sourced coffee beans are used for one week to ensure freshness. In addition to their by-the-cup coffee, their talented baristas also offer fantastic espresso drinks like lattes and flat whites and espresso sodas, which blend a double shot of espresso with soda and house-made vanilla syrup. Near the register, be sure to check their “menu of the day,” which highlights available sweet and savory creations. One item to be on the lookout for is their Mac & Cheese Pancakes, filled with elbow macaroni and aged cheddar and served with a side of maple syrup. 

 Just minutes from Morning Glass is another popular breakfast spot with an intriguing history and mission. Waioli Kitchen & Bake Shop is located on the grounds of the historic Wai‘oli Tea Room, which opened in 1922 and served as a vocational training facility for orphans at the Salvation Army Girls Home. The restaurant operated until 2014 and reopened in November 2018 as the Waioli Kitchen & Bake Shop under the ownership of Ross and Stephanie Anderson. The couple honors the mission of the area’s history by running their restaurant as a vocational training facility for graduates of programs for substance abuse disorders and those recently released from incarceration. 

In addition to their stunning house-made pastries, bread and pies, the kitchen offers specials inspired by seasonal ingredients. One dish to try is the Short Rib Loco Moco, which features braised short ribs served on hapa rice, topped with your choice of two eggs and a rich demi-glace. Another delightful option is the Banana Mac Nut Pancakes, consisting of two fluffy banana pancakes topped with toasted macadamia nuts, shredded coconut and house-made coconut syrup.

After fueling up at breakfast, head to the back of the valley and the end of Mānoa Road, where you will find Mānoa Falls Trail, one of the most popular hikes on the island. This family-friendly path takes hikers along a maintained 1.7-mile trail, which ends with views of a spectacular 150-foot waterfall that cascades along the face of a rock wall. To get to the trailhead, drive along Mānoa Road for about 10 minutes from either breakfast location and park in one of the paid parking lots near Rainbow’s End Snack Shop. The start of the hike is within sight of the parking lot. Once on the trail, you will be nearly immediately immersed in a lush rainforest brimming with fragrant eucalyptus, banyan trees and bamboo groves. The out-and-back hike takes about two hours with a 600-foot elevation gain. Once you reach the waterfall, you will find a small pool at the base, but swimming in this water is discouraged because of diseases such as leptospirosis. 

 Within the same area of the Mānoa Falls Trail is the Lyon Arboretum, a marvelous 200-acre arboretum and botanical garden managed by the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and home to over 6,000 species of tropical and sub-tropical plants. To get to the grounds, before you reach the trailhead to Mānoa Falls, veer left, and you will be led to the parking lot for the arboretum. After securing your vehicle, head to the Visitor Center to check-in. You can either roam the grounds taking in the vast property, which includes seven miles of hiking trails and a plethora of botanical species, or opt for their self-guided tour, which will explain the trails, birds and gardens found there.

The arboretum was founded in 1918 by the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association (HSPA) as a setting to demonstrate watershed restoration and collection of living plants. In 1953, the HSPA turned over the grounds to the University, and it was named in honor of the first director, Dr. Harold Lyon, who planted almost 2,000 species at the site. Today, the arboretum is an essential site for botanical research and conservation with nearly 50,000 visitors annually. Two highlights of the arboretum include their Native Hawaiian gardens, which identify each species, and their ‘Aihualama Falls, located in the back of the arboretum at the end of a 1.2-mile out-and-back trail. 

Ask any local for a lunch recommendation in Mānoa, and you will surely get a lot of suggestions pointing you to Andy’s Sandwiches & Smoothies. An institution of the valley for decades, Andy’s opened in 1977 as a health store selling vitamins. Over the years, they began offering hearty, healthy sandwiches and have since evolved into a mainstay of the community for their sandwiches loaded with fresh ingredients, soups and salads—all at affordable prices.

A must-try item is their famous Turkey, Avocado, Tomato and Cheese sandwich, featuring moist turkey roasted fresh daily. In addition to deli staples like Tuna Melts and Hot Pastrami sandwiches, Andy’s is also known for its fantastic smoothies made with fresh fruits. Popular choices include the Strawberries & Crème Smoothie, which combines strawberries, bananas and coconut milk, and the Guava Smoothie, a blend of strawberries, bananas and papaya.

Located just two doors down from Andy’s, Off The Hook Poke is a newer establishment that has generated a lot of buzz for its innovative and delicious poke bowls. Founded in 2018 by friends JP Lam and Tomoki Ito, their goal is to serve the freshest and best poke in Hawai‘i. Achieving this begins hours before the shop opens, as they visit the Honolulu Fish Auction to source hundreds of pounds of fish for their kitchen.

Visitors to their cozy shop can choose from a variety of freshly made poke, including their signature Cold Ginger Ahi, which is topped with their famous ginger scallion sauce, and the Japan Deluxe, flavored with sweet miso (fermented soybean paste) and shiso (perilla) leaf. For those who can’t decide among the many outstanding options, a nine-choice sampler allows you to taste all the flavors created by this talented duo.

 As your day transitions into the afternoon, head to the Mānoa Heritage Center for an immersive experience learning about Hawaiian culture and the history of Mānoa. Now a 3.5-acre living classroom, the area Mānoa Heritage Center sits on what was originally the home of Charles Montague Cooke and his wife, Lila Lefferts Cooke. The couple received the 30-acre parcel as a wedding gift from Charles’s parents and moved into their stately home, Kūali‘i, in 1912. After the couple’s death, their son, Sam Cooke, and his wife, Mary, converted the house and surrounding area into the learning center, which welcomes over 2,000 visitors annually. 

Public tours are available by reservation and take guests through gardens featuring Native Hawaiian and Polynesian-introduced plants. Visitors will also have the opportunity to view Kūka‘ō‘ō Heiau, the oldest intact heiau within the ahupua‘a (Hawaiian land division) of Waikīkī. The tour includes a stop at Kūali‘i, the Tudor-style home of the Cooke family, where guests can view valuable paintings, drawings and prints from their art collection.

In addition to the tours, the staff at Mānoa Heritage Center offers various programs, including classes on the art of paper-making and weaving. Participants leave with handmade items, such as earrings made from lauhala (the leaves of the hala tree).

Spend some time in the early afternoon walking around Mānoa Marketplace, an open-air shopping center in the valley's center. You will find an array of locally owned shops and services throughout this two-level marketplace. Opened in 1978, Kay’s Crackseed is the oldest crackseed store in Honolulu, specializing in the local delicacy of preserved fruits that are dried, candied or pickled. The shop is filled with goodies that both young and old adore, such as their Super Sweet Soft Seedless Lihing Mui, made from dried, pitted plums coated with a sugared li hing mui powder. In addition to its vast selection of crackseed, the store also offers dried fruits, dried fish, Japanese rice cakes, slushy drinks and contemporary candies. 

Above Kay’s is the Allison Izu showroom, which features the designer’s collection of elevated basics tailored specifically for petites, by petites. This modern clothing brand focuses on addressing the challenges faced by its customers and creating clothing pieces that solve these issues. Each item is designed to complement other pieces in the collection, resulting in effortlessly chic outfits. Among the popular items are those made from their buttery soft knit fabric, including elegant blouses, versatile cover-ups and flattering pants.

Uncle Paul’s Corner Store is a new shop in Mānoa Marketplace operated by a talented team of sommeliers, bartenders and chefs. The carefully curated selections at Uncle Paul’s include a wide range of offerings, from delicious tinned fish to fine wine glasses and various books focused on food and beverages. Whether you’re looking for an exquisite bottle of wine or a quick hostess gift, Uncle Paul’s Corner has everything you need—and even things you didn’t know you needed.

As evening approaches, Mānoa Marketplace has various eateries, from Korean BBQ to ramen, to appease your appetite.  Many flock to Little Plum, the newest darling of their dining options, which opened in 2023. Little Plum aims to capture the personality of Mānoa through its selection of small plates and teishoku (Japanese set meals). Start your dinner with a selection from its drink menu, which includes mixologist-created cocktails, wine, beer, sake and non-alcoholic drinks. When it is time to think of food, one delicious, shared plate is the Ume Tomato, consisting of  a bed of whipped tofu garnished with shiso (perilla) leaves and ume (Japanese preserved plum) vinaigrette. For entrees, you can choose from one of their soulful bowls like the Menchi Katsu, which begins with a bed of steamed rice topped with a deep-fried hamburger patty, a soft-boiled onsen egg and a generous serving of savory mushroom gravy. Another popular way to dine at Little Plum is by ordering one of the teishoku meals, which feature an entrée, such as spicy miso eggplant or beef cheek stew, served with miso soup, tsukemono (pickled vegetables), namul (Korean side dishes) and rice. And if you have room for dessert, one must-try item is the Mochi Churros served with an anglaise sauce and a dusting of kinako (roasted soybean) powder. 

Just a stone’s throw from Little Plum is a friendly neighborhood spot proven to be  Mānoa’s go-to restaurant for quality  Italian food. Owned and operated by a husband-and-wife team, Francesco and Taylor, the menu at Aroma Italia offers pizza by the slice,  whole pies, salads, flatbread sandwiches and desserts. A signature pizza is the La Bomba, composed of a mouthwatering tomato sauce topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sliced mushrooms, arugula, burrata cheese, olive oil and a drizzling of balsamic glaze. Another exceptional pizza on the menu is the Pesto Parmigiano, which starts with the signature pesto cream sauce topped with mozzarella, arugula, fresh tomatoes, shaved parmesan and finished with olive oil and balsamic glaze. For those looking for a lighter meal, their salads are loaded with fresh vegetables and bursting with as much flavor as their pizzas. One great salad is their Caprese Italiano. It starts with a bed of mixed greens topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, torn basil, olive oil, balsamic glaze and a delicious vinaigrette dressing. Rounding up their menu is an offering of espresso drinks and gelatos, a sweet way to end a long day.

From day to night, the myriad activities and businesses nestled in the tranquil Mānoa Valley offer many ways to delight in and connect with this charming area of the island.

Morning Glass Coffee + Café; 2955 E. Mānoa Road, Honolulu; (808) 673-0065; morningglasscoffee.com; open Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Brunch is served daily from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Waioli Kitchen & Bake Shop; 2950 Mānoa Road, Honolulu; (808) 744-1619; waiolikitchen.com; open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Mānoa Falls Trail is located at the end of Mānoa Road. 

Lyon Arboretum; 3860 Mānoa Road, Honolulu; (808) 988-0456; manoa.hawaii.edu/lyon/; open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Andy’s Sandwiches & Smoothies; 2904 E. Mānoa Road, Honolulu; (808) 988-6161; andyssandwiches.com; open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Off the Hook Poke Market; 2908 E. Mānoa Road, Honolulu; (808) 800-6865; offthehookpokemarket.com; open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Mānoa Heritage Center; 2856 O‘ahu Avenue, Honolulu; (808) 988-1287; manoaheritagecenter.org; open Monday through Friday, with tours by reservation only. 

Kay’s Crackseed; located in Mānoa Marketplace, 2752 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu; (808) 988-4338; kayscrackseedhawaii.com; open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Allison Izu; located in Mānoa Marketplace, 2752 Woodland Drive, #5-215, Honolulu; (808) 349-1013; allisonizu.com; open Thursday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Uncle Paul’s Corner Store; located in Mānoa Marketplace, 2752 Woodland Drive, #5-100, Honolulu; (808) 888-0878; open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Little Plum; located in Mānoa Marketplace, 2752 Woodlawn Drive, #5-101, Honolulu; (808) 888-0330; open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

Aroma Italia; located in Mānoa Marketplace, 2752 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu: (808) 492-1221; aromaitaliahawaii.com/manoa; open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.