Question: Some city parks have swimming pools, and I’ve seen adults swimming laps. Do any of these pools offer swimming lessons for adults, or are the lessons only for children?
Answer: Free swimming lessons for adults (as well as for children) are available at some public swimming pools on Oahu. Registration is set to begin in January for swimming lessons and other recreational activities offered through Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation’s 2025 Spring Program.
To see the possibilities, go to pros.hnl.info, click on “Activities” and set search criteria or browse all activities. You could, for example, set a keyword search for “swim” and filter it by age and park district. Or filter by category, in your case “aquatics.” We searched both ways and found numerous free swim lessons for adults across the island.
Other classes and activities being offered include kupuna clubs, arts and crafts, archery, sewing, gardening and many others. They’re described on the PROS website, which stands for Parks and Recreation Online System. There are fees for some classes, but many are free. Registration will be conducted mainly online, on the following schedule, based on where the activity will be held:
>> Honolulu Botanical Gardens, Jan. 6, beginning 9 a.m. For more information, see the PROS website or call 808-768-7139.
>> District 1 Parks (Ka Iwi to Waikiki), Jan. 13, beginning 5 p.m. 808-768-8944
>> District 2 Parks (Makiki to Aiea), Jan. 14. beginning 5 p.m. 808-768-9292
>> District 3 Parks (Waipahu to Makaha), Jan. 15 beginning 5 p.m. 808-768-6889
>> District 4 Parks (Mokuleia to Makapuu), Jan. 16 beginning 5 p.m. 808-768-8980
>> District 5 Parks (Pearl City to Whitmore), Jan. 17 beginning 5 p.m. 808-768-6940
People unable to access the PROS website can register in person from 5 to 7 p.m. at the applicable park district office on the dates mentioned. If you don’t know your park district, check bit.ly/OahuParkMap.
When fees apply, only Visa or MasterCard credit or debit cards will be accepted for online payment, while cash or check will be accepted for in-person registration, according to DPR.
Q: We will have winter guests coming in after Christmas. What is the site you have mentioned about getting high-surf warnings etc.? We want something easy to read for our friends who have never lived near the ocean. Watching the news and seeing reports of tourists drowning makes us think we need to arm our guests with reliable information.
A: You may be recalling HawaiiBeachSafety.com, which in 2023 merged with SafeBeachDay.com. You can check either site for updated reports about conditions at Hawaii beaches, which are searchable by island.
Q: As a part-time resident in Hawaii, is it possible to have a out-of-state license and a state of Hawaii Real ID?
A: No, not lawfully, according to Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services. Applicants are supposed to surrender their driver’s license from another U.S. state when they obtain a federally compliant Hawaii driver’s license or state ID. The DMV checks a national database to see whether the applicant has a valid license from any other state.
MAHALO
Thank you to all the good Samaritans who came to my aid when I fell down at the intersection of Ala Lilikoi and Likini streets at 11:45 a.m. Dec. 13. A local woman came quickly with her car, stopped and called 911 and talked to them about what to do. A young couple stopped their car, and the girl came running down and brought a box of Kleenex and made a compress for my chin, which was bleeding a lot, and kept holding it until the ambulance arrived. A security guard came down the block from a nearby condo and waved the ambulance over. Mahalo to everyone who helped.
— Grateful 83-year-old woman
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
