Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau 2270 Kalakaua Avenue #801 Honolulu, HI 96815 (808) 923-1811 Population 365272 Time Zone Hawaii Latitude/Longitude 21.31° /-157.86° Today's Forecast HIGH: 87 LOW: 73

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Attractions

Many visitors make their only stop at the city's most famous destination, the resort area of Waikiki, located just four miles from downtown, where shopping plazas, restaurants, night spots and high-rise hotels line up beside the world-renowned sands of Waikiki Beach. The 500 acres of Kapiolani Park, at the south end of the beach, offer numerous attractions, including Queen Kapiolani Garden, the tropical birds and other species at Honolulu Zoo and Waikiki Aquarium, and the Waikiki Shell, scene of outdoor concerts. Adjacent to the park, Diamond Head State Monument is the island's most famous natural landmark. According to legend, this extinct volcano was the home of Pele, the fire goddess. A half-mile hike to the rim of the crater affords a spectacular view of Waikiki and Honolulu.

Honolulu's downtown governmental center combines the modern with reminders of the island's native past. The Polynesian-style state capitol, dedicated in 1969, bears swooping lines reminiscent of the volcanoes that brought the islands to life. Iolani Palace, built in 1882, was occupied by Hawaii's last monarchs. The handsome Ali'iolani Hale, home of the state supreme court, dates from 1874, its plaza graced with the heroic statue of King Kamehameha. Be sure to visit the nearby Kawaiahao Church, where the choir sings in melodious Hawaiian at Sunday services, and the Mission Houses Museum which preserves some of the earliest frame houses built on the islands.

In the harbor area, the Aloha Tower offers an observation balcony overlooking the the busy harbor and city. Aloha Tower Festival Marketplace is chockful of attractive stores and waterside restaurants. Nearby, the Hawaii Maritime Center features The Falls of Clyde, a restored, four-masted sailing ship, and the Hokulea, a two-masted, outrigger canoe that has frequently crossed the Pacific, along with many other maritime artifacts.

A short drive from downtown Honolulu is Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. As if floating on the blue waters of the harbor, the memorial rests atop the sunken hull of the USS Arizona, in which many of the 1,177 crewmen who lost their lives still remain. A short boat ride from the memorial museum takes those who wish to pay their respects to the 184-foot alabaster structure. Adjacent to the visitor center is the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, the home of one of the few remaining U.S. World War II submarines. Visitors are given cassette players for self-guided tours of the sub and can view an extensive collection of submarine-related exhibits in the museum. The Battleship Missouri, the "Mighty Mo," is docked and open for tours nearby. American service men and women are honored at Punchbowl Crater above Honolulu, where the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific provides the final resting place of thousands of World War II, Korean, and Vietnam War veterans.

For a fine view of the city and the surrounding area, take Tantalus Drive above the Punchbowl to Round Top in the Puu Ualakaa State Wayside. Another scenic highlight, located seven miles to the northeast, Nuuanu Pali State Wayside grants a breathtaking view of Oahu's windward coastline to the accompaniment of formidable breezes. On the island's eastern shore, Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is enormously popular for snorkling and water play.

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