I feel sorry for the thousands of visitors who came to our great state last month seeking sun, sand and ocean sports.

Instead, tourists joined us in the adventure of weathering torrential rains, thunderstorms and even a flood or two.

Visitors arriving at the tail end of the deluge were advised against entering the ocean, because more than 40 million gallons of sewage were released into the ocean, closing beaches from Point Panic to the end of Waikiki.

Without the stereotypical attractions that lure visitors to our island, many holed up in bars, hotel rooms and movie theaters. It's the time-tested, Mainland response to bad weather: hunker down, pull out a book, swill booze, or watch TV.

I would suggest an alternative that I can get behind, as a guy who grew up here. How about soaking up some of Hawai'i's culture and learning a bit of our history? Learn about the most culturally diverse place on the planet.

Start at Hawai'i's Plantation Village in Waipahu. Here, you can tour a reconstructed village that tells the story of how nearly 400,000 Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and Korean immigrants made their way to the Islands between 1852 and 1946. The ways locals live, the foods we eat, and the values we share are rooted in these immigrants' experience. Visitors can see, upclose, what it was like to live as a migrant worker.

Or, consider dining at Natsunoya Tea House in 'Alewa Heights.

Natsunoya, which means "Summer House," requires reservations, but its panaromic view of Honolulu, authentic Japanese cuisine and deep history are well worth the advance planning.

According to Natsunoya's Web site, a spy from the Japanese Consulate in Hono-lulu would drink beer and tea there during the months leading up to World War II. When he would tire, the house's owner would let him sleep in a room upstairs, where a telescope was set up for the owner's children. Apparently, the consular official used the telescope to track ship movements.

Over the years, John Wayne shot a movie scene in the house, Japanese sumotori have lunched there and various notables from Japan have taken their tea at Natsunoya.

My tip for sports fans is the Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame, inside the Bishop Museum, in Kalihi. Browse exhibits honoring Hawai'i's professional and world-class athletes. Learn about how a surfer boy turned the Olympics on its ear at the turn of the century or how a southpaw from Kaiser High School was a big name in the Big Apple.

Beaches, sun and umbrella drinks can be found else-where in the world. But rain or shine, learning more about Hawai'i makes it worth the trip.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.