#1 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu HI ~0.37 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to University of Hawaii at Manoa The University of Hawaii at Manoa is a public, co-educational university and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawaii system. The school is located in Manoa, an urban neighborhood community of Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, approximately three miles east and inland from downtown Honolulu and one mile (1.6 km) from Ala Moana and Waikiki. The campus occupies the eastern half of the mouth of the greater Manoa Valley. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and is governed by the Hawai?i State Legislature and a semi-autonomous Board of Regents, which in turn hires a president to be administrator. | #2 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Abhasa Waikiki Spa 2259 Kalakaua Ave # 1A Honolulu HI - 808-922-8200 ~0.92 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Abhasa Waikiki Spa Abhasa is noted for being the only spa on Oahu that offers luxurious spa treatments in a serene tropical garden setting, while being located in the heart of Waikiki; inside the world famous Royal Hawaiian Hotel. | #3 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Hawaii Visitors and Convention Center 2270 Kalakaua Avenue Honolulu HI ~0.99 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Hawaii Visitors and Convention Center The Hawaii Convention Center is located in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii. The Convention Center offers a variety of banquet halls and meeting rooms perfect for any occasion.The history of Hawaii goes back centuries earlier. More than 1500 years ago, Polynesians from the Marquesas Islands first set foot on Hawaii's Big Island. With only the stars to guide them, they miraculously sailed over 2000 miles in canoes to migrate to the Islands.500 years later, settlers from Tahiti arrived, bringing their beliefs in gods and demi-gods and instituting a strict social hierarchy based on a kapu (taboo) system. Hawaiian culture flourished over the centuries, but land division conflicts between ruling chieftains were common. In 1778, Captain James Cook, landed on Kauai at Waimea Bay. Naming the... | #4 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Waikiki Beach Honolulu HI ~1.01 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Waikiki Beach Waikiki or Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City & County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikiki.The name means spouting fresh water in the Hawaiian language, for springs and streams that fed wetlands that once separated Waikiki from the interior.The neighborhood extends from the Ala Wai Canal (a channel dug to drain former wetlands) on the west and north, to Diamond Head (Le?ahi) on the east. Waikiki Beach is noted for its views of the Diamond Head tuff cone, its usually warm and cloud-free climate and its surf break.The Waikiki skyline is now dotted with an abundance of both high-rises and resort hotels. The beach is actually fairly short, with half of it marked off for surfers. For some distan... | #5 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu International Market Place Oahu Island HI ~1.05 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to International Market Place A huge 100-year-old banyan tree sits in the middle of this open-air shopping mall in Waikiki. It opened in 1956 and is still a popular shopping stop. Shops sell Aloha shirts, diamonds, pearls, woodcarvings, gold, kites, tapestries and surf equipment. You can find some interesting things at a reasonable cost at this reasonable place. There's an international food court on the premises. On the second level you'll also find a surprisingly good Hawaiian art co-op gallery. Live Hawaiian entertainment is presented free of charge every Friday and Saturday evening. | #6 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Waikiki Oahu Island HI ~1.17 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Waikiki Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City & County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikiki.The name means spouting fresh water in the Hawaiian language, for springs and streams that fed wetlands that once separated Waikiki from the interior.The neighborhood extends from the Ala Wai Canal (a channel dug to drain former wetlands) on the west and north, to Diamond Head (Leahi) on the east. Waikiki Beach is noted for its views of the Diamond Head tuff cone, its usually warm and cloud-free climate and its surf break.The Waikiki skyline is now dotted with an abundance of both high-rises and resort hotels. The beach is actually fairly short, with half of it marked off for surfers. For some distance into the ... | #7 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Waikiki Aquarium 2777 Kalakaua Ave Honolulu HI - 808-923-9741 ~1.40 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Waikiki Aquarium The Waikiki Aquarium is a marine science institution in the City and County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii. Founded in 1904, this marine aquarium is the third oldest public aquarium in the United States. Since 1919, the Waikiki Aquarium has been an institution of the University of Hawaii System.Built near a living coral reef on the Waikiki shoreline, the Waikiki Aquarium is home to more than 3,055 organisms of 464 species of marine plants and animals. Each year, over 350,000 people visit. The Waikiki Aquarium was designated a Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center of the Coastal America Partnership federal program. | #8 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Honolulu Zoo 151 Kapahulu Avenue Honolulu HI ~1.40 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Honolulu Zoo Founded in 1969 as the Zoo Hui, the Honolulu Zoo Society of today is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and employs a permanent staff of ten. Membership consists of over 8,000 people representing families and individuals from across the State of Hawaii and the continental U.S.The Honolulu Zoo is the principal zoological institution of research of Hawai?i in the City & County of Honolulu. It is the only zoo in the United States to be established by grants made by a sovereign monarch. Built on part of a 300 acre (1.2 km²) royal park in Waikiki known as Queen Kapi?olani Park, the Honolulu Zoo now features over 1,230 animals in specially designed habitats.Over 750,000 people visit the zoo annually. The institution is administered by the Honolulu Zoo Society, a non-profit organiz... http://www.honoluluzoo.org/ | #9 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Contemporary Museum Oahu Island HI ~1.57 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Contemporary Museum Looking for a respite from the sand, sea and palm trees? The Contemporary Museum on Oahu is a Hidden Place where you can happily spend an hour or a day.Located on Honolulu’s scenic Makiki Heights, The Contemporary Museum combines exhibitions of contemporary art with terraced gardens and spectacular views. The museum’s satellite gallery, The Contemporary Museum at First Hawaiian Center in downtown Honolulu, features rotating exhibitions of the work of Hawaii artists.The Contemporary Museum (TCM) is the only museum in the state of Hawaii devoted exclusively to contemporary art in a beautifully preserved structure that maintains a subtle blending of Asian and island features. The collections present contemporary art from the 1940s in rotating exhibits. Artists represented include Jose... | #10 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Ala Moana Beach Park Oahu Island HI ~1.62 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Ala Moana Beach Park
| #11 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Kapiolani Park/Zoo Honolulu HI ~1.64 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Kapiolani Park/Zoo Kapi?olani Regional Park is the largest and oldest public park in Hawai?i, located in Honolulu, Hawai?i on the east end of Waikiki. The 300-acre (1.2 km2) park, named after Queen Kapi?olani, the queen consort of King David Kalakaua, is home to the Waikiki Shell and the Honolulu Zoo.The park was created in 1876 when the Kapi?olani Park Association leased the land from King Kalakaua for $1 per year. After the overthrow of the monarchy, the land was conveyed to the Republic of Hawai?i and managed by the Honolulu Park Commission. The legislation provided that the park be set aside permanently as a free public park and recreation ground, forbade the sale or lease of land in the park, and prohibited charging of any entrance fees. Since 1913, the park has been maintained by the City and County ... | #12 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Honolulu Convention Center Honolulu HI ~1.74 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Honolulu Convention Center The Honolulu Convention Center is located in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii. The Convention Center offers a variety of banquet halls and meeting rooms perfect for any occasion.This Convention Center, the home of the Hawaii Tourist Hawaii Tourism Authority, is essentially for tourists arriving in the enticing city of Honolulu. Be it restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions or recreational activities, it keeps you updated and plugged in with the latest information and happenings on the island. You will be amazed to see the wonderful exteriors of the building complex that comprises a rooftop tropical garden and surfboard shaped facades. Various events are also held in the premises. Check out the website for the latest events and tourist packages. | #13 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Honolulu Academy of Arts Oahu Island HI ~1.94 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Honolulu Academy of Arts The Honolulu Academy of Arts was chartered in 1922 by Anna Rice Cooke (Mrs. Charles Montague Cooke), who desired to share her love for the arts with the children of Honolulu and Hawai?i. Since the doors opened April 8, 1927, the Academy has steadily grown to become Hawai?i’s largest private presenter of visual arts programs, boasting a permanent collection of over 40,000 works of art from cultures around the world.The Academy is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is also registered as a National and State Historical site. In 1990, the Academy Art Center was opened to provide a program of studio art classes and workshops. In 2001, the Academy opened the new Henry R. Luce Pavilion Complex with the new Pavilion Café, Academy Shop, and the Henry R. Luce Wing with 8,000 squ... | #14 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Hawaii Opera Theater Oahu Island HI ~2.00 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Hawaii Opera Theater The Hawai?i Opera Theatre, or HOT is Hawai?i's opera theatre. This company puts on three productions during the "Grand Opera Season", every February and March. It also shows a summer production, often a "lighter" production (like a musical or operetta).In addition, HOT has several programs, most notably its "Opera For Everyone" (OFE) program. OFE allows students to participate in all aspects of an opera production from technical crew to performing to simply watching an opera. The final dress rehearsal is opened up to students for a reduced price, usually on a Wednesday night. Other aspects of the show are assisted by OFE participants who can help in such aspects as set building, costuming and makeup, or performance. This is a rare opportunity offered to students who may pursue careers in... | #15 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Neal S. Blaisdell Center Oahu Island HI ~2.01 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Neal S. Blaisdell Center The Neal S. Blaisdell Center in downtown Honolulu, Honolulu CDP is a community center for the City & County of Honolulu.[1] Constructed in 1964 on the historic Ward Estate and originally called the Hawai?i International Center, the center was renamed after Mayor of Honolulu Neal S. Blaisdell. The multi-purpose complex is composed of an internationally renowned arena, concert hall, conference rooms, galleria and exhibition hall. It was remodeled and expanded in 1994. It is also the home of the Hawaii Basketball League Honolulu Bandits. | #16 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific Oahu Island HI ~2.03 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (also Punchbowl National Cemetery) is a cemetery located in Honolulu, Hawaii that serves a memorial to those men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces. It is administered by the National Cemetery Administration of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Thousands of visitors visit the cemetery each year, and it is one of the more popular tourist attractions in Hawaii. | #17 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Diamond Head Honolulu HI ~2.23 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Diamond Head Diamond Head is the name of a volcanic tuff cone on the Hawaiian island of O?ahu and known to Hawaiians as Le?ahi, most likely from lae 'browridge, promontory' plus ?ahi 'tuna' because the shape of the ridgeline resembles the shape of a tuna's dorsal fin.[1] Its English name was given by British sailors in the 19th century, who mistook calcite crystals embedded in the rock for diamonds. | #18 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Diamond Head State Monument Oahu Island HI ~2.27 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Diamond Head State Monument The unique profile of Diamond Head (Le'ahi) sits prominently near the eastern edge of Waikiki's coastline. Hawaii's most recognized landmark is known for its historic hiking trail, stunning coastal views, and military history. Diamond Head State Monument encompasses over 475 acres, including the interior and outer slopes of the crater.This broad, saucer-shaped crater was formed about 300,000 years ago during a single, explosive eruption that sent ash and fine particles in the air. As these materials settled, they cemented together into a rock called tuff, creating the crater, and which is visible from the trail in the park. Most of the vegetation and birds were introduced in the late 1800s to early 1900s.The trail to the summit of Le'ahi was built in 1908 as part of O'ahu's coastal... | #19 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Hawaii State Capitol Oahu Island HI ~2.53 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Hawaii State Capitol The Hawaii State Capitol is the official statehouse or capitol building of Hawaii in the United States. From its chambers, the executive and legislative branches administer their duties in the governance of the state. The Hawaii State Legislature—composed of the twenty-five member Hawaii State Senate led by the President of the Senate and the fifty-one member Hawaii State House of Representatives led by the Speaker of the House—convenes in the building. Its principal tenants are the Governor of Hawaii and Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, as well as all legislative offices.Located in downtown Honolulu, the Hawaii State Capitol was commissioned and dedicated by John A. Burns, second Governor of Hawaii. It opened on March 15, 1969 and replaced the former statehouse, 'Iolani Palace. | #20 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Iolani Palace Oahu Island HI ~2.60 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Iolani Palace ?Iolani Palace, situated in the capitol district of downtown Honolulu in the U.S. state of Hawai?i, is the only royal palace used as an official residence by a reigning monarch in the United States and is a National Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Two monarchs governed from ?Iolani Palace: King David Kalakaua and Queen Lili?uokalani. After the monarchy was overthrown in 1893, the building was used as the capitol building for the Provisional Government, Republic, Territory, and State of Hawai?i until 1969. The palace was opened to the public as a museum in 1978. | #21 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Downtown Honolulu (Neighborhood) Honolulu HI ~2.65 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Downtown Honolulu
| #22 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Hawaii State Art Museum Oahu Island HI ~2.66 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Hawaii State Art Museum The Hawai?i State Art Museum is operated by the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, and is located on the second floor of the No. 1 Capitol District Building, 250 South Hotel Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed Sunday, Monday and all state and federal holidays. The museum is also open for First Friday, the downtown gallery walk held on the first Friday of every month, from 5-9 p.m. Admission is free at all times.The museum consists of three galleries. In addition to changing temporary exhibitions, there is a permanent display of the art of Hawaii. It reflects a mix of Hawaii's ethnic and cultural traditions through 132 works of art by 105 artists. In a wide variety of artistic styles, movements, and med... | #23 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Kahala Oahu Island HI ~2.67 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Kahala Kahala, Honolulu, Hawaii is a neighborhood located alongside Kaimuki and Waialae, featuring many beachfront properties. This small neighborhood has some of the most expensive real estate in the city of Honolulu and the state of Hawaii.Kahala is also home of the Kahala Resort and Hotel, formerly the Kahala Mandarin Oriental, which was the former Kahala Hilton, along with many other homes averaging at least $3 million (2006) and expanding at least 10,000 square feet (930 m2) of land. Also located along the borders are Kahala Mall, and Diamond head crater.Residents and owners are a mix of old timers living in older residences (many for more than half a century) and newer arrivals living in large, expensive, mansion-like homes. Many celebrities and business moguls have also bought vacation... | #24 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Hawaii Theater Oahu Island HI ~2.84 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Hawaii Theater 51130 Bethel Street, Honolulu808-528-0506Built in 1922 as a vaudeville house it was complete with orchestra pit and dressing rooms. Later the building became a movie theater. Closed for a number of years, the theater was renovated and reopened in May, 1996, as a 1,400-seat multipurpose performance facility. It is designed to accommodate concerts and musical theater as well as the revered Hawaii International Film Festival. | #25 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Foster Botanical Gardens Oahu Island HI ~2.86 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Foster Botanical Gardens Foster Botanical Garden, measuring 13.5 acres (5.5 ha), is one of three botanical gardens located at 50 North Vineyard Boulevard, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA (near Chinatown at the intersection of Nu'uanu avenue and Vineyard Boulevard). Foster is unique in that it is in a highly urban area with strip malls, schools, and both Buddhist and Methodist religious facilities nearby.The Garden is the oldest botanical garden in Hawaii, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. | #26 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Chinatown Cultural Plaza Center 100 N Beretania St # 304 Honolulu HI - 808-521-4934 ~3.20 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Chinatown Cultural Plaza Center The arrival of the Chinese in Honolulu can be traced to two ships, the Felice and Iphigenia, which set sail from southern China in 1788, and arrived in Hawaii December 6, 1788, and departed March 15, 1789. In the three months these ships were in Hawaii, it is assumed that all crewmen came ashore at one time or another. It is this period, 1789, which Hawaii Chinese historians commemorate as the official arrival of the first Chinese in Hawaii.In the 1800s, Chinatown became a community of family stores where the Chinese sold their wares.First Contract LaborersIt wasn’t until 1852 that the Chinese became the first contract laborers to arrive in the islands. With the growth of the sugar industry, the need for plantation laborers became imperative, and China was selected as the best source o... | #27 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Lyon Arboretum Oahu Island HI ~3.20 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Lyon Arboretum The Lyon Arboretum is a 200-acre (0.8 km2) botanical garden managed by the University of Hawai?i at Manoa located at the upper end of Manoa Valley in Hawai?i. The Arboretum is open to the public on weekdays from 9 AM to 4 PM, and on Saturday from 9 AM to 3 PM; admission is free.Much of the Arboretum's botanical collection consists of an artificial lowland tropical rainforest with numerous trails and small water features. | #28 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Bishop Museum Oahu Island HI ~4.19 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Bishop Museum The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, designated the Hawai?i State Museum of Natural and Cultural History, is a museum of history and science in the historic Kalihi district of Honolulu on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu. Founded in 1889, it is the largest museum in Hawai'i and is home to the world's largest collection of Polynesian cultural and scientific artifacts. Besides the comprehensive exhibits of Hawaiiana, the Bishop Museum has an extensive entomological collection of over 13.5 million specimens, the third largest collection in the United States. The museum is accessible on public transit: TheBus Routes A, B, 1, 2, 7, 10. | #29 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens Oahu Island HI ~6.47 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens The Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden (approximately 400 acres) is a botanical garden located at 45-680 Luluku Road, Kane'ohe, Oahu, Hawaii. It is part of the Honolulu Botanical Gardens, and is open daily, without charge, except for Christmas Day and New Year's Day.The garden was established in 1982, and designed and built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers for flood protection. It is a rainforest garden, with plantings from major tropical regions around the world, grouped into distinct collections that focus on Africa, Hawaii, India and Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Melanesia, the Philippines, Polynesia, and the tropical New World. Special emphasis is placed on conserving plants native to Hawaii and Polynesia, as well as arecaceae, aroids, and heliconias.The garden includes a lake (32 acr... | #30 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve Oahu Island HI ~8.00 miles from Honolulu city center Hotels Close to Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve The snorkeling is spectacular: live coral, many brilliant tropical fish and sea turtles to be experienced up close. This venue is perfect for amateur and experienced snorkelers alike - the bay is protected on three sides by the surrounding cliffs so the water is calm and clear.Get there when the preserve first opens in the morning as parking is limited and once the lot is full, no additional cars are allowed in. This limits crowding and protects the wildlife. There is a snackbar near the parking lot: the food is good but it is pricey, so bring a picnic lunch.Entrance to the bay is down a steep paved hill - easily walkable but wear sturdy footwear. There is a golf-cart type shuttle both down and up the hill - most able bodied people walked down. |
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