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Honolulu Attractions

Attractions | O'ahu Beyond Honolulu

'Iolani Palace
364 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawai'i; Tel. 808.538.1471
'Iolani Palace, built in 1882 by King David Kaläkaua, is a beautiful blend of European-style architecture and native Hawaiian artistry. The palace served as a royal residence first for Kaläkaua and later for his sister and successor, Queen Lili'uokalani, until she was overthrown by a group of American businessmen in 1893. Afterwards the palace served as the Capitol Building for the Territory, and later State, of Hawai'i, before being restored in the 1970s and opened for docent-guided tours. Today the historic grounds are a focal point for the Native Hawaiian sovereignty movement. Palace tours offer views of period furnishings, artwork and royal artifacts and jewelry, as well as insight into Hawai'i's dramatic history.

Aloha Stadium Flea Market
Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawai'i; Tel. 808.486.9300
Don't be turned off by the name— the Aloha Stadium Flea Market is one of the best places to get quality local Hawaiian arts and crafts, aloha apparal, Hawaiian-print material and the all-important Macadamia nuts at reasonable prices. Parking is free and plentiful (a rarity in Honolulu) and the vendors are friendly and often willing to bargain. Open Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Aloha Tower
1 Aloha Tower Drive, Honolulu, Hawai'i; Tel. 808.528.5700
Located on the shores of Honolulu Harbor, the Aloha Tower (the word "ALOHA" is etched in large letters on each of the tower's four sides) has welcomed arriving cruise passengers to the Hawaiian Islands since 1926. The historic structure now serves as the centerpiece for the Aloha Tower Marketplace, a popular Honolulu mecca for shopping, dining, and Island entertainment.

Bishop Museum
1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96817; Tel. 808.847.3511
Bishop Museum at Kalia: 2005 Kalia Road, Honolulu, HI 96815
The Bishop Museum was founded in 1889 to house the vast collection of royal artifacts belonging to Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendent of the Kamehameha dynasty. Since then the museum has continued to expand and now hosts one of the finest collections of Hawaiian and South Pacific artifacts in the world. Continuing exhibits include an extensive collection of cultural objects spanning the history of Hawai'i—from the earliest Native Hawaiian settlements to items belonging to the more recent European, American, and Asian immigrant cultures—as well as displays on the natural history of the Islands and an outdoor exhibit on Native Hawaiian agriculture. Daily exhibitions of hula, Hawaiian music and storytelling add to the experience. In 2001 the museum opened an extension in Waikïkï's Hilton Hawaiian Village - Kalia Tower. The new Bishop Museum at Kalia features items from the Native Hawaiian collection, as well as hands-on activities including arts and crafts, navigation demonstrations, and an introduction to Hawaiian musical instruments.

Diamond Head
Information: 1151 Punchbowl Street #131, Honolulu, HI 96809; Tel. 808.587.0300
Probably the most recognizable Honolulu landmark, Diamond Head is a volcanic tuff cone overlooking Waikïkï and the wealthy Wai'alae-Kahala neighborhood. Once home to several native Hawaiian heiau, or temples, the crater later became a military defense site and is now a state park. The highlight of a visit to the monument is the steep climb up the switchback trail from the bottom of the crater up to the old gun emplacements on the ocean-facing rim. There, hikers are rewarded by breathtaking views of the south shore of O'ahu, including Waikïkï Beach and downtown Honolulu. The hike is not long, but there is not much shade inside the crater, so sunscreen, hats and drinking water are vital. Also, the trail includes unlighted tunnels and staircases through the walls of the crater, so a flashlight is handy—vendors at the base of the trail lend them out for free.

Honolulu Academy of Arts
900 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96814; Tel. 808.532.8700
Located in a historic building near downtown Honolulu, the Honolulu Academy of Arts features an extensive collection of Asian, Western and Hawaiian artworks. The museum is also home to the Doris Duke at the Academy, an intimate theater that hosts international films, lectures and live music and dance performances.

U.S.S. Arizona Memorial
Information: 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI 96818; Tel. 808.422.0561
Straddling the sunken hull of the Arizona battleship, still eerily visible beneath the water's surface, in Pearl Harbor, the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial immortalizes the 2,390 American casualties from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, half of which were from the battleship Arizona. The Memorial contains assembly rooms, a central observation room, and a shrine room with the names of those killed on the U.S.S. Arizona engraved in marble.

Waikïkï Beach
This world-famous stretch of white sand and blue-green ocean offers something for every visitor. Go for a swim in the bath-temperature water, rent a surfboard and try catching some waves, or take a ride in an outrigger canoe. Or just lounge in the sun-warmed sand and watch tourists from around the world stroll past. Visit early in the morning to avoid the crowds, and remember your sunblock—Hawai'i's tropical sun can burn alarmingly quickly. When you've had your fill of sea 'n' sand, take a stroll along beachfront Kaläkaua Avenue, with its world-class shopping and fine restaurants.

Waikiki Aquarium
2777 Kaläkaua Ave., Honolulu, Hawai'i 96815; Tel. 808.923.9741
The third oldest public aquarium in the United States, the Waikiki Aquarium is home to hundreds of native oceanic species, including reef fish, sharks, corals, and endangered Hawaiian monk seals.