Chinatown - Though not nearly as famous as its San Francisco and New York counterparts, Honolulu's Chinatown still deserves some regard. Everything from acupuncture clinics and art galleries to Thai restaraunts and old-fashioned noodle shops dot the colorful landscape. - King Street, between Smith and River Streets.
 |
Hawaii Maritime Center - This museum features some interesting exibits as its main highlights, including the "Falls of Clyde", an old four-masted schooner, and the Hokulea, a reproduction of traditional Hawaiian craft. - Ala Moana Boulevard, at Pier 7. Admission: $7.50.
Hawaii State Capitol - One of the most colorful capitol buildings out there, the Hawaii state capitol building features, among others, palm-tree shaped columns and dozens of reflective pools that ring the exterior of the building. - 415 South Beretania Street.
Hawaii State Library - This large-scale library contains a variety of interesting manuscripts, and is especially proficient in the area of Asian studies, and its Asia/Pacific wing contains a diverse collection of books about the area. - 478 King Street.
Honolulu Academy of the Arts - Built around the same time as the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium, to this day the Academy continues its fine artistic traditions by displaying the works of Hiroshige, Michener, and others of the same caliber. - 900 South Beretania Street. Admission: $7.
Honolulu Hale - While the capitol building provides a center of state government, another building, the Honolulu Hale serves as the center of the city's government. - 530 South King Street.
Iolani Palace - [This beautiful building was built for King Kalakaua and was later ruled over by his daughter, Queen Liliuokalani, the last ruler of independent Hawaii. It is the United State's only royal palace. - King and Richard Streets. Admission: $15. Reservations are essential. Guided tours only.
Kamehameha I Statue - This imposing statue pays tribute to the great Kamehameha, the man responsible for uniting the islands of Hawaii under one ruler. - 417 South King Street, outside Ali'iolani Hale.
Mission Houses Museum - Though the afore mentioned Father Damien is the only Hawaiian missionary really known to the western world, there were many others, and this museum pays homage to those who languish outside the spotlight occupied by Damien. - 533 South King Street. Admission: $8.
Kawaiahao Church - Constructed from nearly 14000 blocks of coral, is and of itself an impressive sight, but also features the graves of some of the afore mentioned missionaries and King Lunalilo himself. So important was it to the old Hawaiian royalty, that some have gone as far as to deem it "Hawaii's Westminster Abby". - 947 Punchbowl Street, at King Street.
Tamarind Park - Every American city has a park where the strains of jazz bands can be heard over the cries of the hot dog venders. Needless to say, Honolulu is no exception: Tamarind can be easily summed up as Hawaii's central park. - South King Street, between Bishop and Alakea Streets.