#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.
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#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.
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#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 archipelago the "Sandwich Islands" in honor of the Earl of Sandwich, Cook opened the doors to the west. Cook was killed only a year later in Kealakekua Bay on Hawaii's Big island.
In 1791, Kohala born Kamehameha united the warring factions of the Big Island and went on to unify all of the Hawaiian Islands into one royal kingdom in 1810. In 1819, less than a year after King Kamehameha's death, his son, Liholiho, abolished the ancient kapu system.
In 1820, the first Protestant missionaries arrived on the Big Island filling the void left after the end of the kapu system. Hawaii became a port for seamen, traders, and whalers. Throughout these years of growth, western disease took a heavy toll on the native Hawaiian population.
Western influence continued to grow and in 1893, American Colonists who controlled much of Hawaii's economy overthrew the Hawaiian Kingdom in a peaceful, yet still controversial coup. In 1898, Hawaii became a territory of the United States.
In the 20th century, sugar and pineapple plantations fueled Hawaii's economy bringing an influx of Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and Portuguese immigrants. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on Oahu. Four years later, on September 2, 1945, Japan signed its unconditional surrender on the USS Battleship Missouri, which still rests in Pearl Harbor today.
In 1959, Hawaii became the 50th State of the United States. Beyond the sun and surf of the islands, we urge you to discover the rich cultural history of the Islands of Aloha to add even more depth to your visit.
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#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 distance into the ocean the water is quite shallow, although there are numerous rocks on the bottom. As with most ocean beaches the waves can have some force, particularly on windy days. The surf at Waikiki is known for its long rolling break, making it ideal for long boarding, tandem surfing and beginners.
The area was a retreat for Hawaiian royalty in the 1800s. Much like the locals and tourists of today, Hawaiian royalty enjoyed surfing at Waikiki on early forms of longboards. A few small hotels opened in the 1880s. In 1893, Greek-American George Lycurgus leased the guest house of Allen Herbert and renamed it the "Sans Souci" (French for "without care") creating one of the first beach resorts. Later that year Robert Louis Stevenson stayed at the resort; subsequently it became a popular destination for tourists from the mainland. The area at coordinates 21°15'49?N 157°49'17?W is still called "Sans Souci Beach".
Today, the area is filled with hotels like the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Halekulani hotel, the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, the Sheraton Waikiki, and historic hotels dating back to the early 20th century (such as the Moana Surfrider Hotel and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The beach hosts many events a year, including surf competitions, outdoor performances, hula dancing and outrigger canoe races. Over time, Waikiki beach has had its problems with erosion, leading to the construction of groins and beach replenishment projects. For example, in the 1920s and 1930s sand was imported from Manhattan Beach, California, via ship and barges to Waikiki. The importing of sand is said to have stopped in the 1970s and officials are looking for ways to sustain the existing sand by eliminating loss due to tide flow. Subject to necessary government permits, Waikiki Beach will be undergoing a partial restoration in early 2011. The proposed project would import sand from nearby shoals and would widen the 1,700-foot-long beach by about 37 feet between the Royal Hawaiian Hotel concrete groin and the Kuhio Beach crib wall. The project will restore the beach to its 1985 shoreline.
Waikiki is home to public places of note, including Kapiolani Park, Fort de Russy Military Reservation, Kahanamoku Lagoon, Kuhio Beach Park, and Ala Wai Harbor. Since 2001, there have been free movies on the beach. Many tourists from around the world can view a movie on an outdoor 30 foot screen. This particular free movie event in Waikiki is called "Sunset on the Beach".
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#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.
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#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 ocean the water is quite shallow, although there are numerous rocks on the bottom. As with most ocean beaches the waves can have some force, particularly on windy days. The surf at Waikiki is known for its long rolling break, making it ideal for long boarding, tandem surfing and beginners.
The area was a retreat for Hawaiian royalty in the 1800s. Much like the locals and tourists of today, Hawaiian royalty enjoyed surfing at Waikiki on early forms of longboards. A few small hotels opened in the 1880s. In 1893, Greek-American George Lycurgus leased the guest house of Allen Herbert and renamed it the "Sans Souci" (French for "without care") creating one of the first beach resorts. Later that year Robert Louis Stevenson stayed at the resort; subsequently it became a popular destination for tourists from the mainland. The area at coordinates 21°15'49?N 157°49'17?W is still called "Sans Souci Beach".
Today, the area is filled with hotels like the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Halekulani hotel, the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, the Sheraton Waikiki, and historic hotels dating back to the early 20th century (such as the Moana Surfrider Hotel and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The beach hosts many events a year, including surf competitions, outdoor performances, hula dancing and outrigger canoe races. Over time, Waikiki beach has had its problems with erosion, leading to the construction of groins and beach replenishment projects. For example, in the 1920s and 1930s sand was imported from Manhattan Beach, California, via ship and barges to Waikiki. The importing of sand is said to have stopped in the 1970s and officials are looking for ways to sustain the existing sand by eliminating loss due to tide flow. Subject to necessary government permits, Waikiki Beach will be undergoing a partial restoration in early 2011. The proposed project would import sand from nearby shoals and would widen the 1,700-foot-long beach by about 37 feet between the Royal Hawaiian Hotel concrete groin and the Kuhio Beach crib wall. The project will restore the beach to its 1985 shoreline.
Waikiki is home to public places of note, including Kapi?olani Park, Fort de Russy Military Reservation, Kahanamoku Lagoon, Kuhio Beach Park, and Ala Wai Harbor. Since 2001, there have been free movies on the beach. Many tourists from around the world can view a movie on an outdoor 30 foot screen. This particular free movie event in Waikiki is called "Sunset on the Beach".
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#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.
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#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 organization, and is maintained by a corps of volunteers. The zoo is owned by the City & County of Honolulu through the Auditoriums Department.
http://www.honoluluzoo.org/
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#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 Josef Albers, Jennifer Bartlett, Jasper Johns, Robert Motherwell, Louise Nevelson, Masami Teraoka, and Andy Warhol. There are permanent, temporary and traveling exhibitions, one-man and group shows, gallery talks by artists and curators, performances, and daily docent tours. Exhibitions offer interaction with art and artists in a unique island environment. The Makiki Heights location also includes a a garden café that presents several changing exhibitions each year‚ an eclectic museum shop, and a library.
The gardens at TCM's Makiki Heights are a destination in themselves. Completed between 1928 and 1941 by Reverend K.H. Inagaki, a local minister with a love for landscape architecture, the gardens were designed to provide a place to retreat, meditate and experience the harmony of nature. The gardens include wide expanses of lawn, reflecting pools, a sun-drenched tropical terrace garden, views of Diamond Head, walking paths, and places to sit. The garden is open to the public during museum hours and is a natural setting for viewing art works as well as a quiet place for contemplation and renewal.
The Contemporary Museum also has a site in the corporate headquarters of First Hawaiian Bank in downtown Honolulu. The venue provides a convenient downtown location to view art by resident artists, former residents of Hawaii, or artists who have created a body of work in the Islands. Flanked by a dramatic art-glass wall consisting of 185 prisms, the galleries are located in the main banking hall and on the second floor of First Hawaiian Center.
The Contemporary Museum
2411 Makiki Heights Drive
Honolulu, HI 96822
Museum/Shop Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday
10 am – 4 p.m.
Sunday noon – 4 p.m.
Café Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday
11:30 am – 2:30 p.m.
Sunday noon – 2:30 p.m.
Closed Mondays & major holidays:
New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day
Admission: Adults $5; Seniors & Students w/ valid ID $3
Free to children 12 & under
Free to the public on the third Thursday of each month
Free admission to The Contemporary Museum Café & The Museum Shop
Public transportation: take the #15 to Makiki Heights Drive.
Local: (808) 526-1322, Toll free: (866) 991-2835, or fax: (808) 536-5973.
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#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
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#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 of Honolulu's Department of Parks & Recreation.
Besides the zoo and the Shell, the park includes tennis courts, soccer fields, and an archery range. Its bandstand serves as an entertainment venue. It is also a popular course for joggers who travel its two-mile (3 km) circumference. The park also serves as the site (or the starting and finish lines) of road races in Honolulu. This includes the world-famous Honolulu Marathon, the finish line of which is located on Kalakaua Avenue on the west end of the park.
Kapiolani park is also home to Honolulu Cricket Club, the only cricket club in the Hawaiian Islands. Founded in 1893, it is the oldest sporting club in the Pacific according to Guinness World Records.
As Kapiolani Park continues south it becomes Kapiolani Beach Park, adjacent to Kuhio Beach and Waikiki Beach. The park itself also serves an a natural border between Waikiki and Diamond Head neighborhood.
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#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.
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#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 square feet (740 m2) of gallery space. In 2005, the Asian Painting Conservation Center was opened to provide ongoing conservation efforts for the Academy’s renowned Asian collection.
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#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 opera in the future, and is one of the programs that makes HOT unique
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#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.
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#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.
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#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.
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#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 defense system. The 0.8 mile hike from trailhead to the summit is steep and strenuous, gaining 560 feet as it ascends from the crater floor. The walk is a glimpse into the geological and military history of Diamond Head. A concrete walkway built to reduce erosion shifts to a natural tuff surface about 0.2 mile up the trail with many switchbacks traversing the steep slope of the crater interior. The ascent continues up steep stairs and through a lighted 225-foot tunnel to enter the Fire Control Station completed in 1911. Built on the summit, the station directed artillery fire from batteries in Waikiki and Fort Ruger outside Diamond Head crater. At the summit, you'll see bunkers and a huge navigational lighthouse built in 1917. The postcard view of the shoreline from Koko Head to Wai'anae is stunning, and during winter, may include passing humpback whales.
Services: Restrooms, vending machines, lunchwagon/food, trash cans, trail, lookouts, interpretive signs, brochure/species list, drinking water, picnic area, bus accessible.
Special Tips: Last entrance to hike the trail is at 4:30 p.m. The gates are locked at 6:00 p.m. daily and all visitors must be out of the park by this time. NO PETS ALLOWED IN THE PARK EXCEPT SERVICE ANIMALS.
The hiking trail to the summit is very steep and uneven in some areas. The last 1/10 of a mile is all stairs and especially steep. The site is accessible to those with disabilities near the visitor booth. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for your hike. Wear good walking shoes, bring water, and wear a hat and sunscreen.
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#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.
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#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.
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#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
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#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 media, the exhibition illustrates the varied cultural influences that fuel the creativity of Hawaii's artists.
Predominately comprising works dating from the 1960s to the present, the exhibition depicts the expression of artists throughout the state and their profound contributions toward understanding the people of Hawaii and their aspirations. Sculptor Satoru Abe (1926-), sculptor Bumpei Akaji (1921-2002), sculptor Edward M. Brownlee (1929-), Jean Charlot (1898-1979), Isami Doi (1883-1931), Juliette May Fraser (1887-1983), Hon Chew Hee (1906-1993), John Melville Kelly (1877-1962), Sueko Matsueda Kimura (1912-), ceramicist Sally Fletcher-Murchison (1933-), printmaker Huc-Mazelet Luquiens (1881-1961), Ben Norris (1910-2006), Louis Pohl (1915-1999), Shirley Ximena Hopper Russell (1886-1985), Tadashi Sato (1954-2005), Reuben Tam (1916-1991), ceramicist Toshiko Takaezu (1922-), Masami Teraoka (1936-) and Madge Tennent (1889-1972) are among the artists whose works are on display.
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#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 homes in the area. Kahala is a favored spot for investors to buy and fix old homes and sell for record-breaking prices. In 2006, typical prices for a tear-down house in Kahala was $1.4 million to $1.7 million, with beachfront land going for substantially more.
Kahala is one of the only areas of Honolulu to be fairly flat, and yet also be within 5 - 15 minutes' drive of Waikiki or downtown.
The district is also home to several secluded (though publicly accessible) sandy beaches. Unlike the beaches of Waikiki, those in Kahala are rarely crowded.
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#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, Honolulu
808-528-0506
Built 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.
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#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.
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#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 Laborers
It 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 of immediate cheap labor due to proximity and the interest of the Chinese in coming to Hawaii to work. Captain John Cass of the British ship Thetis brought 293 Chinese men under contract for five years at $3.00 per month to work in the plantations. Working conditions on the plantations would undoubtedly be considered harsh by today’s standards, but for many were better than what they had known in their home villages in China.
Between 1852 and 1876, 3,908 Chinese were imported as contract laborers, compared with only 148 Japanese and 223 South Sea Islanders. Around 1882, the Chinese in Hawaii formed nearly 49% of the total plantation working force, and for a time outnumbered Caucasians in the islands.
By 1884, the Chinese population in Honolulu reached 5,000, and the number of Chinese doing plantation work declined. The Chinese were very enterprising, and preferred to become self-employed. As a group they became very important in business in Hawaii, and 75% of them were concentrated in the 25 acres of downtown called Chinatown where they built their clubhouses, herb shops, restaurants, temples and retail stores. In 1896, there were 153 Chinese stores in Honolulu, of which 72 were in Chinatown.
Chinatown Fires
In 1886, calamity struck Chinatown when a fire raged out of control and destroyed the homes of 7,000 Chinese and 350 Native Hawaiians and most of Chinatown. The fire lasted three days and destroyed over eight blocks of Chinatown. The Legislative Assembly enacted laws to regulate the re-building of Chinatown in accordance with fire precautions, but many new buildings were put up in violation of government rules. This contributed to the even larger conflagration of 1900 which came about as a result of deliberate fires set by the Board of Health in an effort to wipe out the bubonic plague which was spreading through Chinatown.
The Chinese Store – A Slice of Old Chinatown Life
The Chinese store was an important social institution to the immigrants. The storekeepers loaned money, acted as a bank and post office, and wrote and read letters for the illiterate immigrants. The Chinese store also offered a place to stay and a meal, usually for people who came from the same village back home. The stores operated this way even into the 1930s. In less than 10 years after the arrival of the first large group of Chinese laborers, 60% of the wholesale and retail establishments of the islands were operated by Chinese. By 1880, they held 24% of the wholesale, 62% of the retail and 85% of the restaurant licenses issued.
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#27 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu
Lyon Arboretum
Oahu Island HI
~3.20 miles from Honolulu city center
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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.
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#28 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu
Bishop Museum
Oahu Island HI
~4.19 miles from Honolulu city center
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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.
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#29 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu
Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens
Oahu Island HI
~6.47 miles from Honolulu city center
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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 acres) and walking trails, as well as a day use area, campgrounds, and a visitor center with lecture room, exhibition hall, workshop, and botanical library.
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#30 of 30 Things To Do in Honolulu
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve
Oahu Island HI
~8.00 miles from Honolulu city center
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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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