Wailoa River State Park

The first thing you notice about the Wailoa River State Park is its imposing 14ft, Italian-made bronze statue of Kamehameha the Great; erected in 1997, and restored with gold leaf in 2004, the statue has an outstretched arm that seems to beckon you, and actually, the park's lawns, ponds and arched bridges make a nice stroll.

Spring-fed Waiakea Pond contains saltwater and brackish-water fish, and two memorials are worth seeing: a tsunami memorial dedicated to the 1946 and 1960 victims, and a Vietnam War memorial with an eternal flame. Adjacent, the Wailoa Center is an eclectic, small state-run art gallery. Multicultural exhibits change monthly and the artists are local, but otherwise there's no telling what you'll find: perhaps quilts, bonsai, historical photos, Chinese watercolors or whimsical mixed media.