MUSEUMS
Bishop Museum
Hawaii’s museum of natural and cultural history, the Bishop Museum was originally designed to house the extensive collection of Hawaiian artifacts and royal family heirlooms of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop. The Museum has since expanded to include millions of artifacts, documents and photos about Hawaii and other Pacific cultures.
Hawaii State Art Museum (HISAM)
Located in Downtown Honolulu across the street from the Iolani Palace and State Capitol, the Hawaii State Art Museum Hawaii (HISAM) is dedicated to exhibiting and interpreting the art and culture of Hawaii. Through Enriched by Diversity, a semi-permanent installation reflecting Hawaii’s rich ethnic and cultural traditions, as well as a dynamic changing exhibition program, the museum honors and inspires artistic excellence and promotes educational enrichment.
Honolulu Museum of Art
Located near Downtown Honolulu, the Honolulu Museum of Art (formerly known as the Honolulu Academy of Arts) was chartered in 1922 by Mrs. Charles Montague Cook (Anna Rice), who desired to share her love for the arts with the children of Hawaii. Since the doors opened on April 8, 1927, the Museum has steadily grown to become Hawaii’s largest private presenter of visual arts programs, boasting a permanent collection of over 38,000 works of art from cultures around the world.
Honolulu Museum of Art – Spalding House
Visit Oahu’s Honolulu Museum of Art – Spalding House (formerly known as the Contemporary Museum) for a stimulating look at the Museum’s outstanding art collection and a light lunch at its gourmet cafe. The dramatic Mount Tantalus serves as the backdrop for the Museum’s artist gardens and outdoor exhibits of contemporary art.
Iolani Palace
Located in Downtown Honolulu and one of Hawaii’s most historic places, Iolani Palace is the only the only official state residence of royalty on U.S. soil. Journey through the times of happiness and tragedy of King Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani as you view their two-story American Florentine style palace.
Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives
Nearby Iolani Palace, take an escorted historical walking tour into the life and work of the Protestant missionaries who settled in Hawaii in 1820. Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives displays three original frame homes that were built in New England and shipped to Hawaii to house the missionaries.
Queen Emma Summer Palace
Located on the drive to the Nuuanu Pali Lookout, visit the secluded summer retreat of Queen Emma, King Kamehameha IV and their son, Prince Albert. Following the tragic death of the 4-year old prince in 1862 and the king in 1863, Hawaii’s Queen lived a life of mourning at the Palace. Inside the Queen Emma Summer Palace, you can find royal antiques and furnishings stand in their original places, including the koa wood cradle of Prince Albert and gifts from his Godmother, Queen Victoria.
Hawaii Plantation Village
Located in Central Oahu, escape the present day and explore Oahu’s plantation heritage and culture at the Hawaii Plantation Village in Waipahu. You’ll learn how more than 400,000 immigrants who arrived between 1852 and 1947 to work on Oahu’s plantations actually shaped Hawaii into the vibrant multiethnic community it is today. Explore a sugar plantation village and botanical garden featuring historic homes and plants reflecting the cultural diversity of the islands.
Pearl Harbor
Named for the pearl oysters once harvested there, Pearl Harbor, located in the Ewa District of Central Oahu, is the largest natural harbor in Hawaii and the only naval base in the United States to be designated a National Historical Landmark. Explore the living museums of one of Oahu’s most well-known landmarks at the Pacific Historic Parks, the USS Arizona Memoria, the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, the Pacific Aviation Museum and the USS Oklahoma Memorial.
PARKS
Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens
In Hawaiian, hoomaluhia means “a peaceful refuge.” It’s certainly a fitting name for this 400-acre Windward Oahu botanical garden surrounded by the Koolau Mountains. These verdant gardens were designed in 1982 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide flood protection for Kaneohe and feature plants from the Americas, Africa, India, Melanesia, Polynesia and, of course, Hawaii.
Waimea Valley
The park is home to more than 5,000 tropical and subtropical plants including native and endangered Hawaiian flora. Here, you’ll see Hawaiian hibiscus, loulu palms and more than 48 species of kalo (taro) being grown in traditional loi, or irrigated agricultural terraces. Waimea Valley also features a fully restored hale o Lono (house of Lono). Trails throughout the park lead to the 45-foot-tall Waimea Falls in which you can swim.
Koko Crater Botanical Gardens
Not all botanical gardens are lush and green, but still worthwhile nonetheless. Xeriscaping is the focus of Koko Crater Botanic Gardens, located in a 60-acre basin in east Honolulu (it’s just up the road from Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve). You’ll naturally see a lot of cacti and succulents here, as well other rare and endangered dryland plants, such as those from Africa and Madagascar, dryland palms and plumerias. The garden is a great example of Hawaii’s diverse ecosystems.
Foster Botanical Gardens
Foster Botanical Gardens offers a slice of serenity from the bustle of city life, despite being nestled in the heart of Honolulu. This 14-acre park is the city and county’s oldest botanical garden and today has an impressive collection of tropical plants and trees, some of which were plants in the 1850s. Don’t miss the outdoor butterfly garden and the prehistoric flora collection. Foster also has an amorphophallus titanum plant, around 5 feet tall. When its flower blooms every three to five years, it smells like a dead body, hence its nickname, the corpse plant.
Moanalua Gardens
This tranquil park is a great place to enjoy a picnic, fly a kite, or simply unwind for the afternoon. It’s also where the Prince Lot Hula Festival takes place each July. Don’t be surprised if you see several Japanese visitors take photos by a sprawling monkeypod tree, nicknamed the Hitachi tree—the electronics company famously used it in its advertising of the brand in Japan.
Lyon Arboretum
Tucked in the back in Manoa Valley, this lovely arboretum is operated by the University of Hawaii. The arboretum, located in a zone of tropical rain forest, received an annual rainfall average of 13 feet. The 194-acre property is home to the Hawaii Rare Plant Program and is a leader in plant conservation. It also has one of the world’s largest collections of palms.
Markets
Aloha Stadium Swap Meet & Marketplace
Hands down, Aloha Stadium is one of the best places for souvenirs and odd bargains. Forget the ABC Stores that litter Hawaii—Aloha Stadium is the premium spot to snatch up colorful Hawaiian shirts; Ling Hi Mui shave ice; manapua, a barbecued pork dumpling; saltwater taffy; turtle magnets; gold jewelry; animal whistles; custom woodwork—the list goes on and on. It’s cash-only, so bring your change, or collect from one of the on-site ATMs. Don’t be afraid to try out your haggling skills!
Rainbow Attic
Rainbow Attic is a cheery consignment store that is chock-full of treasures. There is a wide variety of rare woodwork, housewares, sports equipment, teak armchairs, hand-quilted pillowcases, and more, but you might have to sift through the stock for a while, as the high-priced furniture could be right next to the $5 postcards.
Duke’s Marketplace
Duke’s Marketplace is a kind of a craftsman’s junk alley. Come here for eclectic souvenirs, such as wooden signs, dusty candles, clocks and asymmetrical jewelry. Wander around this maze of an outdoor flea market, and strike a deal at one of the tightly packed stalls—it’s fun! The deeper you go, the lower the prices.
Goodwill Kailua
Fans rave about the Goodwill store in Kailua, with its random assortment of clothes, books, toys and furniture. It’s always organized, and the stock is regularly updated, so you’re never quite sure what you’ll find! Looking for something in particular? The friendly staff are more than happy to lead you in the right direction.
Assistance League of Hawaii
All of the proceeds from the Assistance League of Hawaii benefit underserved children and families in the local community. The all-volunteer staff sell everything from island apparel and linen to books and furniture. You’ll feel charitable and pick up that odd thrift-store find on a budget.
Barrio Vintage
Barrio is a trendy vintage store with a splash of island style. Look out for their classic mu’umu’u dresses and Aloha shirts. Here you’ll find the most amazing assembly of flashy fabrics, fun patterns, bulbous rings and antique belt buckles, that will rework you into a piece of art. Come by for the First Friday event each month to have some laughs over wine.
