Oʻahu
In the shadow of Diamond Head, the former mansion of billionaire tobacco heiress Doris Duke is a sight to behold for art-lovers and celebrity hounds…
Must-see attractions in Oʻahu
Stones of Life of Kapaemahu and Kapuni
Waikiki
Near the police substation at Waikiki Beach Center, four ordinary-looking volcanic basalt boulders are actually sacred and legendary Hawaiian symbols…
Oʻahu
This impressive, little-known viewpoint is at the end of Lumahai St in Portlock, makai (toward the sea) from the traffic lights at the Koko Marina Center…
Honolulu
Hawaii’s version of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, the Bishop Museum showcases a remarkable array of cultural and natural history exhibits…
Honolulu
No other place evokes a more poignant sense of Hawaii’s history. The palace was built under King David Kalakaua in 1882. At that time, the Hawaiian…
Honolulu
This exceptional fine-arts museum is among the best of its kind anywhere. The collection is effectively a 'best of' summary of major art movements…
Honolulu
With its vibrant, thought-provoking collections, this public art museum brings together traditional and contemporary art from Hawaii’s multiethnic…
Honolulu
Tropical plants you’ve only ever read about can be spotted in all their glory at this spectacular botanic garden, which took root in 1850. Among its…
Waikiki
With its Moorish-style turrets and archways, this gorgeously restored 1927 art deco landmark, dubbed the ‘Pink Palace,’ is a throwback to the era when…
Oʻahu
From an overlook you can peer into the translucent waters and see the outline of the 7000-year-old coral reef that stretches across the width of the bay…
Oʻahu
Here the ocean usually heaves and thrashes like a furious beast. This is one of Oʻahu’s most challenging beaches, with a punishing shore break, a powerful…
Honolulu
The commercial heart of Chinatown revolves around its markets and food shops. Noodle factories, pastry shops and produce stalls line the narrow sidewalks,…
Waikiki
On the waterfront on Kalakaua Ave, this imposing statue of Duke Kahanamoku is always draped in colorful lei. The Duke was a true Hawaiian hero, winning…
Oʻahu
The extinct crater of Diamond Head is now a state monument, with picnic tables and a spectacular hiking trail up to the 760ft-high summit. The trail was…
Kailua
A wide arc of sand drapes around the jewel-colored waters of Kailua Bay, bookended by formidable volcanic headlands and with interesting little islands…
Waikiki
Less crowded than adjoining beaches, this often-overlooked beauty extends along the shore of its namesake military facility. The water is usually calm and…
Oʻahu
Take your lover down for a roll in the sand at this sweet pocket cove made famous in the legendary wave-tossed scene between Burt Lancaster and Deborah…
Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside Park
Honolulu
The best free view in Honolulu! At this hillside park, sweeping views extend from Diamond Head on the left, across Waikiki and downtown Honolulu, to the…
Oʻahu
From this small parking area there are fine views over Kuilei Cliffs Beach Park and up the coast toward Kahala. On the east side of the parking area, look…
Waikiki
Just south of Kuhio Beach, the namesake beach for the famous surf break is a great place for families as the waves are rarely large when they reach shore…
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Honolulu
Northeast of downtown Honolulu is a bowl-shaped crater, nicknamed the Punchbowl, formed by a long-extinct volcano. Hawaiians called the crater Puowaina (…
Waikiki
If you’re the kind of person who wants it all, this beach offers everything from protected swimming to outrigger canoe rides, and even a free sunset hula…
Honolulu
Beautiful walking trails wind through this highly regarded 200-acre arboretum managed by the University of Hawaiʻi. It was originally founded in 1918 by a…
Kailua
Rich in stream-fed agricultural land, fishing grounds and protected canoe landings, Kailua was an ancient economic center that supported at least three…
Waikiki
Located on Waikiki’s shoreline, this university-run aquarium recreates diverse tropical Pacific reef habitats. You’ll see rare fish species from the…
Honolulu
Opposite the Ala Moana Center mall, this city park boasts a broad, golden-sand beach nearly a mile long, buffered from passing traffic by shade trees. Ala…
Waikiki
Christened the Moana Hotel when it opened in 1901, this beaux-arts plantation-style inn was once the haunt of Hollywood movie stars, aristocrats and…
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Honolulu
Nicknamed ‘Westminster Abbey of Hawaii,’ Oʻahu’s oldest church was built on the site where the first missionaries constructed a grass thatch church…
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Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site
Honolulu
Occupying the original headquarters of the Sandwich Islands mission that forever changed the course of Hawaiian history, this modest museum is…
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Sand Island State Recreation Area
Honolulu
A barely visited half-mile ribbon of sand hides in plain sight from much of Honolulu. Industrial Sand Island, sitting between the airport and the port, is…
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Waikiki
Where did all the tourists go? From Kapahulu Groin south to the Natatorium, this peaceful stretch of beach, backed by a green space of banyan trees and…
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Waikiki
At Fort DeRussy, this museum exhibits an almost mind-numbing array of military paraphernalia as it relates to Hawaii’s history, starting with shark-tooth…
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Hawaii Children's Discovery Center
Honolulu
On a rainy day when you can't go to the beach, consider dropping by this hands-on museum for families. Opposite Kakaʻako Waterfront Park, the building was…
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Honolulu
Embraced by tropical sculpture gardens, this art museum occupies an estate house constructed in 1925 for Oʻahu-born Anna Rice Cooke, a missionary…
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Oʻahu
According to Hawaiian legend, Koko Crater is the imprint left by the magical flying vagina of Kapo, sent from the Big Island to lure the pig god Kamapuaʻa…
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Kailua
One of Hawaii’s largest freshwater marshes, Kawai Nui provides flood protection for the town and a habitat for endangered waterbirds, and is also one of…
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Waikiki
Honolulu Zoo displays tropical species from around the globe. There are 42 acres of tropical greenery, over 1200 animals and a petting zoo for kids…
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Honolulu
Built in the architecturally interesting 1960s, Hawaii’s state capitol is a poster child of conceptual postmodernism: two cone-shaped legislative chambers…
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Waikiki
Fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village, large Kahanamoku Beach is Waikiki’s westernmost beach. It takes its name from Duke Kahanamoku (1890–1968), the…
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Honolulu
In the heat and humidity of summer, Queen Emma (1836–85), the wife and royal consort of Kamehameha IV, used to slip away from her formal downtown Honolulu…
