Honolulu
Simple mention of Honolulu serves to elicit visions of sun-drenched beaches, swaying palms, and grass-skirted hula dancers – the stuff of vacation fantasies. Without a doubt, Hawaii’s capital city courts this perception, and along tourist-favored Waikiki Beach in particular, the image is reality. However, Oahu’s largest city also offers a more profound experience of island life, full of the culture, heritage, and history of Polynesia and the central Pacific. At various times, the city has served as a whaling center, headquarters for Christian missionaries, and home to the Hawaiian royal family. It was also the site where, in 1893, a group of armed American businessmen wrested political control from Queen Liliuokalani, pronouncing the monarchy defunct. In later years, the territory was annexed by the US, and, following an island vote, named a state in 1959. These days, it is a center of politics, economy, culture, and tourism and home to the majority of islanders in the archipelago. The beauty of the island is legendary, and from Diamond Head’s peak to the surf-ridden North Shore, lush flora, amazing edenic vistas, and temperate climes conspire to seduce visitors with Hawaii’s infinite charms. While you’ll want to see the USS Arizona Memorial, which commemorates the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Bishop Museum’s native artifacts merit a visit too, as does the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie. Aloha Tower Marketplace provides a great vantage point of the city and the harbor from its observation deck (and offers great shopping too), and Iolani Palace, home to Hawaii’s last native rulers, ranks as the only royal residence in the States. Chinatown, a whirlwind of sights, sounds, and colors, makes for an exciting diversion as well, aptly displaying the cultural mix that gives credence to Honolulu’s moniker: “Crossroads of the Pacific.”
