5-Star Reviews

Reviewed June 20, 2018

What a fun experience!!

Such a wonderful experience! It’s a very low key activity to do with your family especially when you’ve been in the sun all day! Something you will remember for sure!!

Reviewed May 15, 2018

Stargazing in Hawaii.

My girlfriend and I had a wonderful experience. We went on a Tuesday and surprisingly nobody else was there except us and Greg. Which was nice because we got it all to ourselves. Greg was extremely knowledgeable and answered any of our questions. We saw a variety of stars, planets, and constellations. We were still amazed at what we saw. Would absolutely recommend if you’re in the area and interested in astronomy.

Reviewed July 28, 2017

A must do

My husband loves astronomy so we booked this tour we discovered via google. We were not sure what to expect but it wasn’t that expensive so we weren’t too worried about it. Greg is so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about his work. We had a fantastic time and were able to see the moon, Jupiter, Saturn and many other things in the sky. This would also be great for school age kids and teenagers. We would definitely do it again!

Reviewed July 8, 2017

For Locals too

Best event of the summer. 5 year old grandchild loves the Bishop Museum’s Planetarium shows but this was the best — outdoors, at night, real time large views of the full moon and the stars over KO’OLINA. Incredible telescope effortless viewing — steady and easy to see for a kid or a grandparent! Too bad not advertised to locals better — it should not be only for tourist. We will do this again!

Reviewed June 23, 2017

Loved the star show!

My wife and I actually did the star show with Stars Above Hawaii about two years ago, and we loved it so much we decided to do it again when we came back to Hawaii! We both loved the show, and we could tell the guy running the show, Greg, was super enthusiastic and knowledgeable about everything star related. Just a warning that your experience is contingent on cloud coverage (it was more cloudy our second time around) but even then he almost always can find some stars, galaxies, and planets to show to you. Thanks!

Reviewed June 15, 2017

Absolutely amazing!

What a fantastic activity. We went to the 9pm show at the Marriott Ko Olina on a Monday night. The stars and planets we viewed through the huge telescope were so crisp and clear it was as if they were right in front of us not millions of miles away. We saw Saturn and the rings, Jupiter with several moons, and so many indescribable things. Greg was so knowledgeable and entertaining and he truly made this one of the best things we did on our Hawaii trip. The things we were able to see up in the night sky will be treasured memories for all of us. Thank you for such an amazing evening!

Reviewed April 21, 2017

Great evening activity in Ko Olina

Our family of three decided to check out this star show and we were not disappointed. A real expert on stars, our host was informative and enthusiastic. My son has studied astronomy as a hobby and he chatted and shared his knowledge and thoughts throughout. Pretty engaging for a teenager!

This doesn’t get much advertising which is a shame. It was a lot of fun and not too expensive. He runs the activity regardless of how many people sign up; we were the only 3 in our time slot so, it is very personal and casual. I highly recommend this laid back evening activity for anyone interested in our solar system.

Reviewed February 2, 2017

One of the most interesting hours we’ve ever had!

We heard about SAH through a family member who had done it and decided to give it a go. Greg met us out by the beach with a boss telescope that showed us a lot more than we’ve ever realized was visible! Over an hour he took us through a journey from old stars, to new stars, to collections, to planets – in the winter Venus was setting over the ocean and was beautiful!

He talks a bit about the name of the star, it’s location, how it was of significance in the past, and then sprinkled some little fun tid bits into the conversation. He’s super chill, knowledgeable and very approachable. We discussed everything from how cosmic lengths are measured to who wayfarers used the constellations and even a bit about how science and religion overlap. Highly recommend the event, it’s an hour well spent!

Reviewed January 26, 2017

A unique and fun activity

Greg is a great presenter and is able to show you planets and stars in a beautiful beach setting in Ko Olina. It’s a fun and educational activity. As an added bonus, I discovered that we went to the same college.

Reviewed November 9, 2016

Awesome!

This is an awesome experience! My husband and I attended this event and loved it. We took in every word as we looked at stars, planets, constellations and more. Beautiful! The final was sighting was the moon which was so bright that you could make out the craters and the crisp edges. This is a must see for any one visiting Oahu.

Reviewed November 2, 2016

Pleasant evening of star gazing

Instead of entertaining costumed neighbors on Halloween night, we took a visitor to Ko Olina Beach Club for an evening of star gazing with Greg McCartney of “Stars Above Hawaii.” Greg is a wonderful ambassador for Hawaii and Ko Olina. His friendly and interesting explanations of the planets, stars, galaxies and mysteries were entertaining and informative.

We enjoyed it!

Reviewed November 2, 2016

Very enjoyable and educational

We were very lucky to have a nice clear sky and a great night to watch some miracles of the universe. Greg the owner is very knowledgeable and patient and did a terrific job of quickly moving the telescope to numerous interesting things to observe. This is appropriate for all ages. We were staying at the Marriott Vacation Club KoOlina and Greg set the telescope up out near the lagoon. The hour went by quickly and I lost track of how many things we looked at. Very enjoyable.

Reviewed September 23, 2016

Had a great time

Went to this with my husband, we both enjoyed the experience. The owner, Greg, is very friendly and he clearly is an expert in Astronomy. He provides a lot of interesting information and we were able to see beautiful planets and galaxies. Highly recommended this for all ages!

Reviewed August 17, 2016

Professional with good commication

The booking process was easy, the guide communicated with us in a timely and professional manner. Unfortunately the night of our scheduled meeting the skies were very cloudy, so our Stars above Hawaii was cancelled. We were issued a prompt refund. Next time we visit we will sign up again!

Reviewed July 10, 2016

Wonderful star observation in Ko Olina

The guide is very knowledgeable about the planets and stars. The highlight of the evening was the view of Saturn. ..

Reviewed June 17, 2016

Stars and planets were incredible

Excellent time! Views were amazing and informational. Greg did an awesome job and very knowledgable.

Reviewed May 2, 2016

Star gazing experience with lots of knowledge

What a great experience. Seeing things on the Internet and tv are no where near the first person view. I was completely awed by the sheer wonder that lays beyond our planet and Galaxy. Absolutely amazing. I would recommend Stars Above Hawaii to anyone I know visiting the area. Thank you for the education and first hand views of our amazing universe.

Reviewed April 22, 2016

Amazing Experience

My family did this and it was an incredible experience. Not only did we get to see baby stars, moon and Jupiter but he answered all questions including my 6 year old. He was amazing and patient. We all had a blast! One of the best events we did in Hawaii and will do it again.

Reviewed April 17, 2016

Adventure under the stars

We had a great time. I recommend this for the young and old alike. Greg is very knowledgeable. Mahalo Greg!

Reviewed April 17, 2016

Fun and educational

Greg is an outstanding teacher / presenter as a NASA ambassador. He’s very knowledgeable about the heavens he introduces you through an excellent electronically controlled telescope. He throws in stories of the ancient Hawaiians who navigated by the stars to reach this island paradise and the names they gave to collections of stars. Take your kids for sure.

Reviewed March 15, 2016

Awesome experience

We were the only two to show up, but that means it’s even better. It was an awesome experience seeing the moon up close, seeing far away nebulae and even getting a glimpse of Jupiter! It was completely worth it, and a great ending to our trip.

Reviewed January 23, 2016

Outstanding experience

Just a wonderful evening. My wife and I were the only attendees for our session, so we were somewhat spoiled by the amount of time we were able to use the telescope. Greg’s knowledge and enthusiasm really added the evening. Seeing things like gas clouds and another galaxy were things that I never dreamed of being able to do.

Reviewed November 14, 2015

Fun evening, new to astronomy

Online booking was a breeze. Since we were coming out from Honolulu, Greg texted us to confirm skies are clear an hour before our time slot. He also provided tips for free parking (3rd lagoon) with the directions. Apparently Fridays and Saturdays are slow so we had Greg and the telescope all to ourselves! Greg is friendly, knowledgeable and energetic to tell us about the stars, their life cycle as well as how Polynesians navigated using the stars and the star’s Hawaiian names. It was a fun evening, definitely something different.

Reviewed May 19, 2015

Amazing Experience

We had an amazing time at Stars above Hawaii. We booked online in advance, and made our way to the resort via car. If you’re not staying at the resort then public transport isn’t a great option. There were only three of us on our session, which was great for us as we got to ask loads of questions and see much more. The entire ‘show’ seemed tailored to us and the evening, everything we were shown was breathtaking.  Highly recommended for everyone!

Reviewed March 2, 2015

Amazing Views

This was the one thing our teenage girls wanted to do. My husband and I did it to appease them and were happily surprised at how much fun we had. Greg is super knowledgeable and his telescope is out of this world. Literally. The night we went the skies were clear and our views were spectacular. We were there along with a family from Japan that spoke little English. He was able to communicate and everyone had an enjoyable and educational experience. I hight recommend adding this to your itinerary!

Reviewed January 17, 2015

Nice Educational Experience

This is an on property event where a NASA ambassador comes to the Marriott Ko ‘Olina property and does a viewing tour of the night sky. Very informative and breathtaking views of the stars with his equipment. He does an excellent job of explaining what you are seeing through his scope.

Reviewed December 30, 2014

Seeing stars in a whole new way!!

Great way to see the stats through a NASA telescope with a knowledgable guide. We were very impressed.

Reviewed November 22, 2014

Awesome

The whole presentation is put on in a very friendly and professional manner. Everything from greek mythology/hawaiian mythology to specific physics stats were at the tip of his tongue when we had questions. Very simple yet extremely knowledgeable. Far surpassed any expectiations.

Reviewed November 4, 2014

AWESOME!

Felt like I could reach them…seemed so close. The sky overall was to die for OMG..A must see for all who can appreciate the awesome power of nature.

Reviewed October 4, 2014

Wonderful Tour of the Universe

Greg, a NASA-affiliated astronomer from the University of Hawaii, took our little group of eight stargazers on a one-hour tour of the universe. using his GPS-Guided 11-inch telescope (600X), he showed us amazing views of the moon, new stars, old stars, in-between stars, even faraway galaxies. It was a great way to top off our week at Ko Olina. Highly recommended, Both entertaining and educational.

Reviewed September 9, 2014

Lots of fun! Great experience!

I have been visiting my son, lives in Kailua, and had him sign us both up for one of Greg’s presentations. We didn’t consider the phase of the moon (ended up with a full, harvest moon) – but Greg didn’t let that stop him! You really CAN see the rings and moons of Saturn, closeups of Mars, and stars in the Summer Triangle, nebulas (both baby and collapsed) and more. Of course, with the moon so prominent … Greg took full advantage to show the group several views of it as well. It was great! So glad we went. Greg is clearly enthusiastic about the stars and gladly shares his knowledge and joy with his visitors. There is a fee .. but it is quite reasonable.

Reviewed July 19, 2014

Best way to end our trip!!

We were so lucky to get to have this incredible experience. We almost didn’t get to, as the date we picked was two days before we were to leave the island and it turned into a rainy evening so the event was cancelled. Luckily Greg was so nice and kept us in the loop for the next evening’s event and it was clear skies!! I would suggest booking this closer to the beginning of your trip just in case of a weather delay. We had our six year old with us, and even she enjoyed seeing the rings of Saturn as well as the twin stars. There was so much to learn and so much to think about, while outlearning about the universe, that it is almost mind blowing. We all asked Greg several questions and he knew the answers to most, if not all, of them. It was great to see a super nova star and realize I could see the difference in color even after I wasn’t looking through the telescope anymore. It is relaxing, interesting and what better place to see all of this then on the beach!! Perfect way to end our trip. Our group was about ten people and it was just incredible.

Reviewed July 12, 2014

A must see and do when you are in Oahu!!!

My husband and I went and had An amazing, unforgettable night! Not only was Greg from Stars Above Hawaii so knowledgable about the stars and planets, he was passionate about it and it was so nice to be a part of such a beautiful experience! Greg took the time to answer each question the group had for him, and we each got to see every star or planet that was shown to us. We highly recommend Stars Above Hawaii! My husband and I are not huge science buff’s and we enjoyed every minute learning and seeing the solar system! It was truly an amazing experience!!!

Reviewed June 21, 2014

One of the coolest things we’ve done

We were fortunate to be the only two people in our group. Greg is amiable, friendly, and answers questions to suit every level of experience. This was the first time we had ever seen the craters on the moon, the rings around Saturn, the newborn stars, mercury, etc. WITHOUT looking at pictures. It was an amazing feeling to look through the telescope at all these places in our galaxy. You feel a bit small and humbled. There were some kids who walked by, and they remembered their experience from the night before and they were STILL talking about it. The price is very reasonable as well, and every night is a different experience because seasons and how the Earth rotates. So you could do this several times and see something unique each time. We highly recommend it!

Reviewed June 20, 2014

Unique Experience

A small group tour of the stars over the beach in Ko Olina. We met off of the beach and learned about the stars and planets that shone down on us. We looked through a high powered telescope to see Mars, star clusters and the moon. We thoroughly enjoyed this experience!

Reviewed May 30, 2014

Great for kids and adults

Great time learning about the solar system and constellations, let alone being able to see the planets and stars that were once used for navigation.

Reviewed March 19, 2014

The best imaginable tour of the heavens…

For a full hour, a NASA-trained astronomer takes just a few folks each night on a visual tour of the galaxy and discussion of the way stars are born as he takes you to the babies and the geriatric examples in a close up and entertaining way. This was the best money we spent in our 10 day vacation.

Reviewed December 1, 2013

Loved it!

This was our 2nd time viewing the stars at Aulani – because the first time was so great! If you like looking at the stars, just wait until you see them through the powerful telescope under the guidance of a NASA ambassador who is very knowledgable and loves his work!

Reviewed September 3, 2013

Awesome

I was fortunate enough to be the only person who signed up for a 9pm viewing. What a treat- a private guide for a trip through the nighttime skies of Hawaii. The most impressive viewing was Saturn, its rings, and two moons. Plus a tour of celestial celebrities- twin stars, infant stars, dying stars, the Milky Way. I would highly recommend this to anyone with even a casual interest in the stars!

Reviewed June 22, 2013

Most impressive!

What better way to spend your evening than to look at the heavens through a telescope. This was an awesome experience. My husband and I loved it. Greg led our group through an evening of looking at and talking about stars, planets and more. We were just fascinated. I had never seen the the southern cross. The heavens are beautiful and he did a great job of walking us through it.