Sights in O'ahu
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He'eia State Park
He'eia State Park on Kealohi Point, just off Kamehameha Hwy, has a good view of He'eia Fishpond on the right and He'eia-Kea Harbor on the left. The fishpond, an impressive survivor from the days when stone walled ponds of fish raised for royalty were common on Hawaiian shores, remains largely intact despite the invasive mangroves.
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Makapu'u Point
Makapu'u Point has a precipitous view of the ocean from its 647ft pedestal. The coastal lighthouse at its tip marks the easternmost point of O'ahu. The gate to the mile-long service road is locked to keep out private vehicles, but hikers can park off the highway just beyond and walk in. Although not difficult, it's an uphill walk, and conditions can be hot and windy. The path and the lighthouse lookout give fine coastal views and, during winter, whales are sometimes visible offshore.
About a third of a mile further along the highway, a scenic roadside lookout spies across the coastline at aqua-blue waters outlined by white sand and black lava beds - an even more…
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University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Born too late to take advantage of the tweedy academic architecture of the mainland, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, the central campus of the statewide university system, is a modern complex filled with shade trees and well-bronzed students. UH has strong programs in astronomy, second-language studies, geophysics, marine sciences, and Hawaiian and Pacific studies. The campus attracts students from islands throughout the Pacific.
Staff at the Ticket Information & ID Center provide campus maps and can answer general questions about the university. Free one-hour walking tours of the campus, emphasizing history and architecture, leave from the Campus Center at 14:00 on…
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Kualoa Regional Park
The 153-acre Kualoa Regional Park on Kualoa Point provides an expansive vista of offshore islands and inland mountains. In ancient times Kualoa was once one of the most sacred places on O'ahu. When a chief stood on Kualoa Point, passing canoes lowered their sails in respect. There are picnic tables, rest rooms, showers and a lifeguard. Camping is allowed from Friday through Sunday. The children of chiefs were brought here to be raised.
It may also have been a place of refuge where kapu (taboo) breakers and fallen warriors could seek reprieve from the law. Because of its rich significance to Hawaiians, Kualoa Regional Park is listed in the National Register of Historic…
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Dole Plantation
About halfway between Wahiawa and Hale'iwa on the North Shore, the food empire behind the Dole Plantation is almost synonymous with Hawaii. What started out as a fruit stand in the heart of O'ahu's pineapple country is now a bustling gift shop with various kid-friendly activities. Miles of pineapple fields surround the complex and Dole's processing plant sits across the street.
The pineapple industry in O'ahu was established in 1901 by James D Dole, a cousin of Sanford B Dole, then president of the Republic of Hawaii after the overthrow of the queen. Not only was Dole successful at growing pineapples in the temperamental soil but he introduced industrialization into the…
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Queen Emma Summer Palace
Queen Emma was a consort of Kamehameha IV and her summer palace is now open to the public as an historic house museum. Emma was three-quarters royal Hawaiian and a quarter English. She was a granddaughter of the captured British sailor John Young, who became a friend and adviser to Kamehameha I. The house is also known as Hanaiakamalama, the name of John Young's home in Kawaihae on the Big Island, where he served as governor.
The Youngs left the luxurious home to Queen Emma, who often slipped away from her more formal downtown home to spend time at this retreat - a bit like an old Southern plantation house - columned porch, high ceilings and louvered windows catching the…
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National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Today it's the site of a 114-acre National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific where the remains of over 25,000 US soldiers are interred, more than half of whom were killed in the Pacific during WWII. The remains of Ernie Pyle, the distinguished war correspondent who covered both world wars and was hit by machine gun fire on Ie Shima during the final days of WWII, lie in section D, grave 109.
Five stones to the left, at grave D-1, is the marker for astronaut Ellison Onizuka, the Big Island native who perished in the 1986 Challenger space-shuttle disaster. Their resting places are marked with the same style of flat granite stone that marks each of the cemetery's graves. A…
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USS Arizona Memorial
One of the most significant WWII attractions in the USA, the USS Arizona Memorial presents the history of the Pearl Harbor attack and commemorates the fallen service members. Run by the National Park Service, the memorial comprises two sections: the mainland visitor center and offshore shrine.
Within the visitor center is a museum that presents WWII memorabilia and a model of the battleship and shrine, as well as a documentary film for historical background. The offshore shrine was built over the midsection of the sunken USS Arizona with deliberate geometry to represent initial defeat, ultimate victory and eternal serenity. One of three chambers inside the shrine acts as…
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US Army Museum of Hawai'i
The US Army Museum of Hawai'i traces the military history of consolidation of power under King Kamehameha in the 1700s to the US army's ongoing role on the island. Located at Fort DeRussy Military Reservation, the museum occupies Battery Randolph, a reinforced concrete building erected in 1911 as a coastal artillery battery.
The battery once held two formidable 14-inch disappearing guns with an 11-mile range, designed to recoil into the concrete walls for reloading after firing, which shook the whole neighborhood. A 55-ton lead counterweight then returned the carriage to position. Also on display is a Cobra helicopter and various military tanks and machinery. On the 2nd…
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USS Missouri
The decommissioned battleship USS Missouri, nicknamed 'Mighty Mo,' provides a unique historical 'bookend' to the US campaign in the Pacific during WWII. If you're a history buff the USS Missouri is a worthwhile sight, but if your time or money is limited a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial will suffice. The 887ft-long USS Missouri launched near the end of WWII and served as a flagship during the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
On September 2, 1945, the formal Japanese surrender that ended WWII took place on the battleship's deck. The USS Missouri is now docked on Ford Island, just a few hundred yards from the sunken remains of the USS Arizona and is managed by the…
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Kane'aki Heiau
Set within the Makaha Valley, this is one of the best restored sacred sites on the island. According to legend the rain goddess was impressed with the fishing prowess of a local chief. His generous offering to her was reciprocated with generous rainfall to the parched valley and in turn a heiau was built in her honor. The site was later used as a luakini, a temple to the war god Ku and a place for human sacrifices. Kamehameha worshipped here.
The site remained in use until the time of his death in 1812. Restoration, undertaken by the Bishop Museum and completed in 1970, added two prayer towers, a taboo house, drum house, altar and god images. The heiau was reconstructed…
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Waikiki Beach
The 2-mile stretch of white sand commonly referred to as Waikiki Beach runs from Hilton Hawaiian Village in the west to Kapi'olani Park in the east. Along the way, the beach changes names and personalities. In the early morning, the surprisingly quiet beach belongs to walkers and joggers. Strolling down the beach toward Diamond Head at dawn can actually be a meditative experience.
By midmorning it looks like a normal resort beach - body-board, surfboard and catamaran concessionaires and lots of beached bodies. By noon it's challenging to walk along the packed beach without stepping on anyone.As the beachfront developed, landowners haphazardly constructed seawalls and…
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Valley of the Temples
The Valley of the Temples is an interdenominational cemetery in a stunning setting just off the Kahekili Hwy. For most visitors the main attraction is Byodo-In, the 'Temple of Equality.' Dedicated in 1968 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Hawaii, Byodo-In is a replica of the 950-year-old temple in Kyoto, Japan. For a panoramic view of the valley, head up to the hilltop mausoleum with the cross.
The Byodo-In temple's symmetry is a classic example of Japanese Heian architecture and garden design symbolizing the Pure Land of Mahayana Buddhism. The seated 9ft-tall tall Buddha in the main hall is positioned to catch the first rays of morning…
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Shark's Cove
Shark's Cove is beautiful both above and below the surface. The origin of its name is uncertain, but sharks are no more common here than anywhere else on the island. It's part of the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District, dedicated to conserving the unusual coral reef here, noteworthy because of its resistance to the impact of big winter waves. From May to October, when the seas are generally calm, it offers great snorkeling and diving.
Turtles are commonly sighted and often crawl up onto the ledges so that the waves and smaller fishes can clean their shells of algae. A fair number of beginning divers take lessons here, while the underwater caves and caverns will…
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Mission Houses Museum
Containing three of the original buildings of the Sandwich Islands Mission headquarters, the Mission Houses Museum is authentically furnished with handmade quilts on the beds, settees in the parlor and iron cooking pots in the stone fireplaces. The first missionaries packed more than their bags when they left Boston; they actually brought a prefabricated wooden house, now called the Frame House, around the Horn with them!
Designed to withstand cold New England winter winds, the small windows instead block out Honolulu's cooling trade winds, keeping the two-story house hot and stuffy. Erected in 1821, it's the oldest wooden structure in Hawaii. The coral-block Chamberlain…
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Ali'iolani Hale
The first major government building constructed by the Hawaiian monarchy in 1874, the 'House of Heavenly Kings' was designed by Australian architect Thomas Rowe to be a royal palace, although it was never used as such. Instead, the Italianate building houses Hawaii's Supreme Court and was once home to Hawaii's legislature. It was on the steps of Ali'iolani Hale, in January 1893, that Sanford Dole proclaimed the establishment of a provisional government and the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. Peek inside to find displays on Hawaii's judicial history dating back to the time of Kamehameha the Great.
Outside, a bronze statue of Kamehameha the Great stands in front of…
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Malaekahana State Recreation Area
Swimming is generally good year-round here, although there are occasionally strong currents in winter. This popular family beach is also good for many other water activities, including bodysurfing, board surfing and windsurfing. Kalanai Point, the main section of the park, is less than a mile north of La'ie and has picnic tables, barbecue grills, camping, rest rooms and showers.
You'll feel all sorts of intrepid pride when you discover the wild and rugged beach, just north of town, in the Malaekahana State Recreation Area. A long, narrow strip of sand stretches between Makahoa Point to the north and Kalanai Point to the south with a thick inland barrier of ironwoods.
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Contemporary Museum
Occupying an estate with 3.5 acres of tropical and meditative gardens, the Contemporary Museum is an engaging modern-art museum, with views of Honolulu below. The cafe has healthy nibbles from salads to sandwiches, and you can just pop in for lunch without paying the museum admission. Admission to the museum is free every third Thursday of the month. The estate house was constructed in 1925 for Mrs Charles Montague Cooke, whose other former home is the present site of the Honolulu Academy of Arts. A patron of the arts, she played a founding role in both museums.
The main galleries feature changing exhibits of paintings, sculpture and other contemporary artwork by local,…
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Hawaii's Plantation Village
The lives of the people who came to Hawaii to work on the sugarcane plantations are showcased by Hawaii's Plantation Village. The setting is particularly evocative, as Waipahu was one of O'ahu's last plantation towns, and its rusty sugar mill, which operated until 1995, still looms on a knoll directly above this site.
The site encompasses homes and buildings typical of plantation villages of the early 20th century. Period furnishings illustrate the lifestyles of the different ethnic groups - Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Puerto Rican and Filipino. The Chinese cookhouse (c 1909) was originally on this site, and the Japanese shrine (1914) was moved here;…
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Lyon Arboretum
Nature trails and a Hawaiian ethnobotanical garden.
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Kukaniloko
Just north of Wahiawa is the area known as Kukaniloko, which marks a group of royal birthstones where Hawaiian queens gave birth to generations of royalty. The stones date from the 12th century. Legend held that if a woman lay properly against the stones while giving birth, her child would be blessed by the gods, and indeed, many of O'ahu's great chiefs were born at this site.
These stones are one of only two documented birthstone sites in Hawaii (the other is on Kaua'i). Many of the petroglyphs on the stones are of recent origin, but the eroded circular patterns are original.
To get to the site from town, go three-quarters of a mile north on Kamehameha Hwy from its…
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Kualoa Ranch
Rarely is such a touristy attraction located in such a stunning location. Kualoa Ranch has a range of activities, from horseback riding to narrated nature tours, on its scenic property. Tour groups, especially Japanese, make up the bulk of visitors. Part of the prehistoric-looking landscape was used as a backdrop for the TV show Lost, and movies such as Jurassic Park, Godzilla, Windtalkers and George of the Jungle.
Daily tours take visitors deep into the Ka'a'awa Valley where these scenes were shot.
Back in 1850 Kamehameha III leased about 625 acres of this land for around US$1300 to Dr Judd, a missionary doctor who became one of the king's advisers. Judd planted the land…
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Sea Life Park
Hawaii's only marine park, Sea Life Park combines all the celebrities of the sea into a variety of zoo- and circus-like exhibits. The highlight is an enormous 300,000-gallon aquarium filled with sea turtles, eels, eagle rays, hammerhead sharks and thousands of colorful reef fish. The park also has a penguin habitat, a turtle lagoon with green sea turtles, and a seabird sanctuary that holds red-footed boobies, albatrosses and great frigate birds.
These programs have additional admission fees and various combo packages are available. You can visit the park's cafeteria and gift shop without paying admission, and from there you can also get a free glimpse of the seal and sea…
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Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden
A lush and lovely vantage point for admiring the land and sea of the Windward Coast, Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden occupies a 400-acre corner at the foot of the Ko'oalu Range. It is planted with trees and shrubs from the world's tropical regions and was originally designed by the US Army Corps of Engineers as flood protection for the valley.
This peaceful natural preserve is networked by trails winding through the green park up to a 32-acre lake (no swimming). A small visitor center features displays on the park's history, flora and fauna, and Hawaiian ethnobotany. Guided two-hour nature hikes are offered at 10:00 Saturday and 13:00 Sunday.
The park is at the end of Luluku…
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Diamond Head State Monument
One of the best-known landmarks in the Pacific, Diamond Head is familiar to every visitor to O'ahu as the backdrop to Waikiki. The 228m (760ft) mountain is a tuff cone and crater formed by a violent steam explosion deep beneath the surface long after most of O'ahu's volcanic activity had stopped.
The crater is the site of Diamond Head State Monument, a visitor facility with picnic tables and a hiking trail up to the crater summit.
The trail to Diamond Head summit was built in 1910 to service the military observation stations located along the crater rim. Today it's a popular hike. Don't expect a walk in the park, as it's a fairly steep hike that takes about one hour…
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