Walk in the Footsteps of Hawaiian Royalty and other Honolulu, HI Things to Do Tips

Iolani Palace is fabulous! It's the only royal palace in the United States, and King Kalakaua spared no expense when he had it built. Consider this: Iolani Palace, which was completed in 1882, had electricity five years before the White House and 17 years before Buckingham Palace. It also had telephones, flush toilets, and hot and cold running water. The floor-to-ceiling windows have louvered wooden door-shutters that fold into the wall.

Visitors to the palace who take the docent-led tours are given elasticized cloth booties to wear over their shoes to protect the beautiful koa wood floors. The steps on the grand staircase are the only original flooring left in the palace, so you literally walk in the footsteps of kings and queens of Hawaii. Everything has been restored to its original state -- a plaster artisan was even called out of retirement in Italy to supervise the ceiling restoration

Our docent said that pieces of the original palace furniture are still turning up all over the world. One distinctive table -- tall, narrow, carved koa wood -- in the King's bedroom was located when a tourist from Oklahoma saw a photo of the original furnishings and said, "That looks like a table I bought at a flea market." When it was authenticated as the King's table, she graciously donated it to the palace.

The bare corner room where Queen Liliuokalani, the last queen of Hawaii, was held prisoner for eight months, made me so sad. It gave new meaning to "Aloha Oe," the song she composed which is now a symbol of the Islands:

Reservations suggested. Admission: Adults - $20, Kamaaina (Hawaii residents) and military, with ID - $15, children 5 to 17 - $5. Children under the age of 5 are not admitted.

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Phone: (808) 522-0822
Address: 364 South King Street
Directions: At the corner of King and Richards Streets
Website: www.iolanipalace.org

Diamond Head is the most recognizable landmark in Hawaii. The crater of an extinct volcano, it looms above almost every photo of Waikiki Beach, like the one on my Honolulu intro.

I've seen the hike to the top described as "easy to moderate," but I didn't find that to be accurate. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the easiest and 10 being the hardest, I'd say that this is a 7.

We started up the trail at 7:30 a.m., while it was still cool, but even so, I was sweating and out of breath by the time we reached the top. If I hadn't taken a puff off an asthma inhaler when we first started, I probably wouldn't have made it. I consider myself fit and am accustomed to walking long distances, but there was something about the combination of the heat, the altitude, and the steep climb that almost did me in.

I was glad that I did it, though, as the view from the top was absolutely breathtaking. The only problem was that we had to share it with about 50 other people, with everyone jockeying for a good camera angle. I'd advise going very, very early in the morning or very, very late in the afternoon: it's open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The trail is paved for most of the way, and there are two sets of stairs: 76 and 99 steps, respectively.

Guidebooks say to allow an hour for the ascent and 45 minutes for the descent, but it took us only about 30 minutes going up and 20 minutes coming down. Coming down was MUCH easier.

Wear sturdy walking shoes, and bring a flashlight (there is a long, dark tunnel -- the only shade on the whole hike), bottled water, and of course, a camera.

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Phone: (808)587-0300
Address: Diamond Head Road
Directions: It's hard to miss. Follow the signs to the crater, or take the #58 bus from Waikiki to Diamond Head Road.
Website: www.hawaiiweb.com/html/diamond_head.html

The Bishop Museum is one of my favorite places in the world. It houses a wonderful collection of artifacts from old Hawaii and Polynesia, and also tells the story of the immigrant groups who have contributed to Hawaii's history.

There are feather war gods, huge gourd bowls, clubs studded with sharks' teeth, an actual-size grass hut, and things that belonged to Hawaiian royalty, plus many changing exhibits. (After you've seen all the feathers taken from the tail of the o'o, you can make up your own story about how the bird got its name... )

The Planetarium has several different shows. The one I attended explained how the ancient Hawaiians navigated by the stars. With my faulty sense of direction, I probably would have ended up in the Aleutian Islands.

The Science Adventure Center offers interactive exhibits about Hawaii's environment.

Local hula halaus and Hawaiian music groups often perform in the main hall at the museum, and once we went to a children's festival on the grounds. This is an amazing place -- don't miss it!

Open daily, 9 - 5, except Christmas Day. Admission: Adults - $14.95, Seniors 65 and over and children 4-12 - $11.95, children 3 and under - free. Because some buildings in the museum complex date from the 1880s, parts of some halls are not wheelchair accessible.

For detailed directions by car and bus, or for a current schedule of events, please refer to the museum website.

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Phone: 808-847-3511
Address: 1525 Bernice Street
Website: www.bishopmuseum.org

When I read in the guidebooks that you could see tropical fish at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, I thought of the wee little creatures you see in aquariums. Imagine my astonishment when I found myself surrounded by big, trout-sized fish! Because they're protected here, they have no fear and will swim right up to you. It's a pretty amazing experience.

At the time, visitors were allowed to hand-feed the fish, but I'm not sure if that's permitted now.

Hours (CLOSED ALL DAY ON TUESDAYS):
Summer - Open daily 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., except Tuesdays. On 2nd and 4th Saturdays, open until 10 p.m.
Winter - Open daily 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Tuesdays. On 2nd Saturdays, open until 10 p.m.

Visiting Hanauma Bay requires some advance planning, as access to the beach is limited, and hundreds of people want to go there every day. If you're driving, get there early, as parking is limited. You will be turned away if the lot is full. $1 parking fee, plus $5 per person admission. If you want to avoid the parking hassle, TheBus (#22) runs from Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki to Hanauma Bay.

You can rent masks, fins, snorkels, and lockers on the beach.

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Phone: 808- 396-4229
Directions: 10 miles east of Waikiki, off Kalaniana'ole Highway (Route 72)
Website: http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/facility/hanaumabay/welcome.htm

The story of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor has always been very vivid to me. On December 7, 1941, "a day that shall live in infamy," my parents were youngsters living on Oahu. My father heard the hum of war planes flying over the island and later saw smoke rising from Pearl Harbor. My mother was with her family at Sunday Mass; she heard whispering and watched, startled, as American servicemen in uniform suddenly jumped up and ran out of the church.

I grew up with these stories ( "This is not a drill! This is the real McCoy!") and was very glad, many years later, to be able to honor our dead at the USS Arizona. At the Visitors Center we browsed through wartime exhibits and viewed a documentary. We were then were taken by boat to the Memorial, which is in the middle of the harbor, built on top of the sunken Arizona.

This is a very powerful experience and a glimpse into an important event in American history.

Admission is free, but there is a great deal of competition for tickets, which are issued on a first come, first served basis. A limited number of tickets are available each day, and large tour groups come through, so it's best to get there as early as you can.

The park is open 7 days a week , 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The last program begins at 3:00. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. No children under the age of 5 are admitted. The tour is self-guided, but audio tours may be rented in English, French, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, German, and Spanish.

Please be aware that strict security measures are in force. You will be allowed to carry only a camera or camcorder. All purses, backpacks, diaper bags, etc., must be left in rented lockers. Because this is a memorial, there is also a dress code. Civilians must wear shirts and footwear -- no bathing suits. Military must wear Class B uniforms.

You may also want to visit the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park and the Battleship Missouri, which are located nearby.

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Phone: (808) 422-0561 - recorded info
Address: 1 Arizona Memorial Place
Directions: Pearl Harbor, 45 minutes west of Waikiki. For directions, please refer to the website below.
Website: http://www.nps.gov/usar/

The Honolulu Zoo is an inexpensive and fun outing for families. Children will enjoy seeing the elephants, crocodiles, exotic birds, Galapagos tortoises, and Komodo dragons. You can bring in a picnic lunch.

Open daily, except for Christmas Day, 9:00-4:30. General admission (13 years and older) - $6. Kama'aina (local residents, with ID): $4, Children 6-12, accompanied by adult - $1, Children 5 and under - free. Family pass - $25.

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Phone: (808) 971-7171 24 hour info
Address: 151 Kapahulu Avenue
Directions: Corner of Kapahulu Avenue and Kalakaua Blvd, in the shadow of Diamond Head
Website: http://www.honoluluzoo.org/