Honolulu
Hawaii鈥檚 version of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, the Bishop Museum showcases a remarkable array of cultural and natural history exhibits鈥
Must-see attractions in Honolulu
Honolulu
No other place evokes a more poignant sense of Hawaii鈥檚 history. The palace was built under King David Kalakaua in 1882. At that time, the Hawaiian鈥
Honolulu
This exceptional fine-arts museum is among the best of its kind anywhere. The collection is effectively a 'best of' summary of major art movements鈥
Honolulu
With its vibrant, thought-provoking collections, this public art museum brings together traditional and contemporary art from Hawaii鈥檚 multiethnic鈥
Honolulu
Tropical plants you鈥檝e only ever read about can be spotted in all their glory at this spectacular botanic garden, which took root in 1850. Among its鈥
Honolulu
The commercial heart of Chinatown revolves around its markets and food shops. Noodle factories, pastry shops and produce stalls line the narrow sidewalks,鈥
Pu驶u 驶Ualaka驶a State Wayside Park
Honolulu
The best free view in Honolulu! At this hillside park, sweeping views extend from Diamond Head on the left, across Waikiki and downtown Honolulu, to the鈥
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Honolulu
Northeast of downtown Honolulu is a bowl-shaped crater, nicknamed the Punchbowl, formed by a long-extinct volcano. Hawaiians called the crater Puowaina (鈥
Honolulu
Beautiful walking trails wind through this highly regarded 200-acre arboretum managed by the University of Hawai驶i. It was originally founded in 1918 by a鈥
Honolulu
Opposite the Ala Moana Center mall, this city park boasts a broad, golden-sand beach nearly a mile long, buffered from passing traffic by shade trees. Ala鈥
Honolulu
Nicknamed 鈥榃estminster Abbey of Hawaii,鈥 O驶ahu鈥檚 oldest church was built on the site where the first missionaries constructed a grass thatch church鈥
Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site
Honolulu
Occupying the original headquarters of the Sandwich Islands mission that forever changed the course of Hawaiian history, this modest museum is鈥
Sand Island State Recreation Area
Honolulu
A barely visited half-mile ribbon of sand hides in plain sight from much of Honolulu. Industrial Sand Island, sitting between the airport and the port, is鈥
Hawaii Children's Discovery Center
Honolulu
On a rainy day when you can't go to the beach, consider dropping by this hands-on museum for families. Opposite Kaka驶ako Waterfront Park, the building was鈥
Honolulu
Embraced by tropical sculpture gardens, this art museum occupies an estate house constructed in 1925 for O驶ahu-born Anna Rice Cooke, a missionary鈥
Honolulu
Built in the architecturally interesting 1960s, Hawaii鈥檚 state capitol is a poster child of conceptual postmodernism: two cone-shaped legislative chambers鈥
Honolulu
In the heat and humidity of summer, Queen Emma (1836鈥85), the wife and royal consort of Kamehameha IV, used to slip away from her formal downtown Honolulu鈥
Honolulu
Formerly the governor鈥檚 residence, this colonial-style mansion was built in 1846 by US sea captain John Dominis. The captain鈥檚 son became the governor of鈥
University of Hawai驶i at Manoa
Honolulu
About 2 miles northeast of Waikiki, the main campus of the statewide university system has a contemporary feel offset by towering, ancient trees. Today,鈥
Honolulu
Standing before the Ali'iolani Hale, a bronze statue of Kamehameha the Great faces 驶Iolani Palace. Often ceremonially draped with layers of flower lei,鈥
Honolulu
Inside this utilitarian mall, covering almost an entire city block, traditional acupuncturists, tailors and calligraphers work alongside travel agencies鈥
Honolulu
Built in 1926, this 10-story landmark was once the city鈥檚 tallest building. In the golden days when all tourists to Hawaii arrived by ship, this pre-WWII鈥
Honolulu
This neoclassical landmark first opened in 1922, when silent films were played to the tunes of a pipe organ. Dubbed the 鈥楶ride of the Pacific,鈥 the鈥
Royal Mausoleum State Monument
Honolulu
Known as Mauna 驶Ala, or Fragrant Hills, in Hawaiian, this is the final resting place of Hawaii's two prominent royal families, the Kamehamehas and the鈥
Honolulu
In front of the capitol is a highly stylized statue of Father Damien, the Belgian priest who lived and worked with victims of Hansen鈥檚 disease (leprosy)鈥
Honolulu
The first major government building ordered by the Hawaiian monarchy in 1874, the 鈥楬ouse of Heavenly Kings鈥 was designed by Australian architect Thomas鈥
Honolulu
Near downtown, Kaka驶ako Park feels far away from the urban jungle, attracting experienced surfers in the morning and picnickers in the afternoon. In-line鈥
Hiroshima to Honolulu Friendship Torii
Honolulu
In a grassy median called the M艒驶ili驶ili Triangle Park sits a symbol of Honolulu's close ties to Japan. This bright red Shint艒 gate is a half-size replica鈥
Honolulu
This Shint艒 shrine was built by Japanese immigrants in 1906. It was confiscated during WWII by the city and wasn鈥檛 returned to the community until the鈥
Honolulu
This 24-acre public park is home to some exceptional trees, including the Hitachi Tree, a massive monkeypod used by Japanese company Hitachi as its鈥
Honolulu
The tomb of King Lunalilo, the short-lived successor to Kamehameha V, is found at the main entrance to the Kawaiaha驶o Church grounds. Lunalilo died from鈥
Honolulu
With its green ceramic-tile roof and bright red columns, this ornate Chinese Buddhist temple is Honolulu鈥檚 oldest. The richly carved interior is filled鈥
Honolulu
Known as the 'Father of the Nation' in the Republic of China and the 'forerunner of democratic revolution' in the People's Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen鈥
Tantalus鈥揜ound Top Scenic Drive
Honolulu
Starting 2 miles above downtown Honolulu, a narrow switchback road cuts its way up into the Makiki Valley's forest reserves and climbs almost to the top鈥
Honolulu
The Keliiponi Hale was erected in front of 驶lolani Palace in 1883 as a pavilion for the coronation of King Kalakaua. As there was no other ranking person鈥
Honolulu
Hidden on a private estate, the centerpiece of this unique site is the ancient, stone-walled K奴ka鈥樑嶁樑 heiau (temple). It's surrounded by beautiful鈥
Honolulu
The Lin Yee Chung Manoa Chinese Cemetery is on a knoll nestled on the eastern slopes of the Manoa Valley. Founded in 1852, with all the design elements of鈥
Honolulu
On the eastern side of the UH campus, the East-West Center aims to promote mutual understanding among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and the US鈥
Honolulu
Pointedly positioned between the state capitol building and 驶Iolani Palace is a life-size bronze statue of Queen Lili驶uokalani, Hawaii鈥檚 last reigning鈥
Honolulu Museum of Art at First Hawaiian Center
Honolulu
First Hawaiian Bank鈥檚 high-rise headquarters on Bishop St is home to the downtown gallery of the Honolulu Museum of Art, featuring fascinating mixed-media鈥
