Sights in Honolulu & Waikiki
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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 Monda…
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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 hug…
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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 nonpro…
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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 offs…
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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 Ali'…
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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, n…
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Lyon Arboretum
Managed by the University of Hawaiʻi, this hilly arboretum tempts with wildly unkempt walking paths through Oʻahu’s most accessible tropical rainforest. Its seminatural state is such a relief from the touristy, manicured tropical flower gardens so common elsewhere in the islands. Key plants in the Hawaiian ethnobotanical garden include ʻulu (breadfruit) and kalo (taro); ko, the sugarcane brought by early Polynesian settlers; kukui, which was used to produce lantern oil; and ti, which was used for medicinal purposes during ancient times and for making moonshine after Westerners arrived. It’s a short walk to Inspiration Point, or keep walking uphill for about 1 mile along a…
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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 retur…
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St Andrew's Cathedral
The French Gothic St Andrew's Cathedral was King Kamehameha IV's personal homage to the architecture and faith of the Church of England. Following the tradition of the church's English founder, the Hawaiian king and his consort, Queen Emma, founded the Anglican Church of Hawaii in 1858. King Kamehameha V had the cornerstone laid in 1867 four years after the death of Kamehameha IV on St Andrew's Day - hence the name.
The construction of stone and glass was shipped from England. The impressive window of hand-blown stained glass forms the western facade reaching from the floor to the eaves. In the right-hand section of the stained glass the Reverend Thomas Staley, the first …
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Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park
For a marvelous panoramic view over Honolulu, visit Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park. The park entrance is 2.5 miles up Round Top Dr from Makiki St. It's half a mile in to the lookout; bear to the left when the road forks. The sweeping view extends from Kahala and Diamond Head on the far left, across Waikiki and downtown Honolulu, to the Wai'anae Range on the right.
To the southeast is the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, easily recognized by its sports stadium; to the southwest you can see clearly into the green mound of Punchbowl crater; the airport is visible on the coast, with Pearl Harbor beyond that.If you're taking photos, the best time is during the day; however, this is …
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State Capitol
Built in the 1960s, Hawaii's State Capitol is not your standard gold dome. It's a poster-child of conceptual post-modernism: the two cone-shaped legislative chambers represent volcanoes; the supporting columns symbolize palm trees. Trade winds blow gently through an open rotunda, and a large pool representing the ocean surrounding Hawaii encircles the entire structure.
Visitors are free to walk through the rotunda and past the legislative chambers. In front of the capitol stands a statue of Father Damien, the Belgian priest who in 1873 volunteered to work among leprosy victims on Moloka'i. The stylized sculpture was created by Venezuelan artist Marisol Escobar. Directly o…
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Kuan Yin Temple
Near the entrance of Foster Botanical Garden, the Kuan Yin Temple is a bright-red Buddhist temple with a green ceramic-tile roof. The ornate interior is richly carved and filled with the sweet, pervasive smell of burning incense.The temple is dedicated to Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, Goddess of Mercy, whose statue is the largest in the prayer hall.
Devotees burn paper 'money' for prosperity and good luck. Offerings of fresh flowers and fruit are placed at the altar. The large citrus fruit that is stacked pyramid-style is the pomelo, considered a symbol of fertility because of its many seeds.Honolulu's multiethnic Buddhist community worships at the temple, and respectful visitors…
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Sans Souci Beach
Sans Souci Beach, also known as Kaimana Beach because of its proximity to the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel, Sans Souci attracts sunbathers and swimmers keen to avoid the main tourist scene. Despite being by itself, it also has a lifeguard station and outdoor showers. Many residents come to Sans Souci to swim their daily laps out to a wind sock marker and back.
A shallow coral reef close to the shore makes for calm, protected waters and provides reasonably good snorkeling. More coral can be found by following the Kapua Channel as it cuts through the reef, although if you swim here beware of currents that can pick up. Check conditions with the lifeguard before venturing ou…
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Washington Place
The former governor's official residence, Washington Place is now a historic house museum intended to open up cultural legacies to the Hawaiian people. The large colonial-style building, surrounded by stately trees, was erected in 1846 by US sea captain John Dominis. The captain's son, also named John, became the governor of O'ahu and married the Hawaiian princess who later became Queen Lili'uokalani.
After the queen was dethroned and released from house arrest, she lived at Washington Place until her death in 1917. A plaque near the sidewalk on the left side of Washington Place is inscribed with the words to Aloha Oe.
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Kaka'ako Waterfront Park
South of downtown Honolulu and just off Ala Moana Blvd at the end of Cooke St, little Kaka'ako Waterfront Park is protected from much of the city noise by a small grassy rise. Roller bladers cruise along the rock-fringed promenade, which offers clear views of Diamond Head, Waikiki and Honolulu Harbor. The 28-acre park attracts experienced surfers in the morning and picnickers in the afternoon.
It's not a safe swimming beach, but the tricky surf break is near the shore, making Kaka'ako a great place to watch surfers and boogie boarders up close. School children from Japan journey to this shrine each year as a gesture of peace.
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Fort DeRussy Beach
Connected by a footpath to Kahanamoku Beach, Fort DeRussy Beach is one of the least-crowded Waikiki beaches and borders 1800ft of the Fort DeRussy Military Reservation. The water is usually calm and good for swimming. When conditions are right, the beach is used by windsurfers, boogie boarders and board surfers. There are two beach huts, open daily, which rent windsurfing equipment, boogie boards, kayaks and snorkel sets.
In addition to lifeguards and showers, you'll find an inviting grassy lawn with palm trees offering some sparse shade, providing an alternative to frying on the sand.
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Taoist Temple
Founded in 1889, the Lum Sai Ho Tong Society was one of more than 100 societies started by Chinese immigrants in Hawaii to help preserve their cultural identity. This one was for the Lum clan, which hails from west of the Yellow River. The society's Taoist temple honors the goddess Tin Hau, a Lum child who rescued her father from drowning and was later deified. Some claim to see her apparition when they travel by boat. The temple is not open to the general public, but you can still admire the colorful exterior.
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Izumo Taisha Shrine
Across the river from the Taoist temple, the Izumo Taisha Shrine was built by Japanese immigrants in 1923. During WWII the property was confiscated by the city of Honolulu and wasn't returned to its congregation until 1962. Incidentally, the 100lb sacks of rice that sit near the altar symbolize good health, while ringing the bell at the shrine entrance is considered an act of purification for those who come to pray.
School children from Japan journey to this shrine each year as a gesture of peace.
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Kapi'olani Park
At the Diamond Head end of Waikiki is Hawaii's first public park, the nearly 200-acre Kapi'olani Park, a gift from King Kalakaua to the people of Honolulu in 1877. The king dedicated the park to his wife, Queen Kapi'olani. The park is the city's communal backyard, hosting sports games and family picnics under shady banyan trees. The park's tourist attractions include the Kapi'olani Beach Park, Waikiki Aquarium and the Honolulu Zoo.
Outdoor musical events are also held at the park.
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Aloha Tower
Built in 1926 at the edge of the downtown district, the 10-story Aloha Tower is a Honolulu landmark that for years was the city's tallest building. The Aloha Tower's top-floor observation deck offers a sweeping 360-degree view of Honolulu's large commercial harbor. Beneath the tower is the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Today cruise ships still disembark at the terminal beneath the tower.
Take a peek through the terminal windows to see colorful murals depicting bygone Honolulu.
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Honolulu Hale
City Hall, also known as Honolulu Hale, was designed and built in 1927 as a Spanish mission by CW Dickey, Honolulu's then famous architect. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, it has a tiled roof, decorative balconies, arches and pillars, some ornate frescoes, and an open-air courtyard sometimes used for concerts and art exhibits.
On the front lawn, an eternal-flame memorial honors the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the US mainland.
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