Military Memorials

 • Battleship Missouri Memorial. On Ford Island, Pearl Harbor. See Arizona Memorial below for directions. (808) 423-2263. Every day 9AM - 5PM (ticket window closes at 4PM). Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. A perfect companion to the USS Arizona Memorial, this battleship is best known the site where World War II ended when the Japanese military surrendered to the Allied forces. Adults $16.00, children under 12 $8.00. Tickets may be purchased at the nearby U.S.S. Bowfin Museum; visitors board buses to the USS Missouri itself. No private non-military vehicles can cross the Clarey Bridge to Ford Island without a pass.
 • USS Arizona Memorial. 1 Arizona Memorial Place. From Waikiki, H-1 west to exit 15A (Arizona Memorial, Stadium), onto Kamehameha Hwy. (Hawaii 99). Every day, 7:30AM - 5PM. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. This memorial, built over the hull of the sunken battleship USS Arizona, commemorates the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which brought the U.S. into World War II. Visitors view an interpretive film, then board ferry boats which run from the visitor center to the memorial. Free admission; tickets are given out on a first-come-first-served basis and are limited; tickets may run out by noon on busy days. Expect wait times of about one hour.
 • National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. 2177 Puowaina Drive (within Punchbowl Crater mauka of downtown). Every day, 8:00AM - 5:30PM. From Waikiki, H-1 west to exit 21B (Pali Hwy.), then follow signs. The final resting place of over 45,000 Americans who served their country in the military, the crater's rim also provides a panoramic view of Honolulu. Free admission.

Museums and Galleries

 • Bishop Museum. 1525 Bernice St. (H-1 west from Waikiki to exit 15B Houghtailing St., right on Houghtailing, then left on Bernice), (808) 847-3511. Every day (except 12/25), 9AM - 5PM. Founded by the husband of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last direct descendant of Kamehameha I who founded the Kamehameha Schools, this non-profit institution seeks to "...record, preserve and tell the stories of Hawaii and the Pacific, inspiring our guests to embrace and experience our natural and cultural world." They have an excellent permanent collection of Hawaiian artifacts, as well as a number of science-based exhibits. The museum also features a planetarium. Adults $14.95, seniors (65+) $11.95, children 4-12 $11.95, children under 3 free. Discounts: local residents (ID required).
 • The Contemporary Museum. 2411 Makiki Heights Dr., (808) 526-1322 or (866) 991-2835. T-Sa 10AM - 4 PM; Su noon - 4PM. This museum is devoted exclusively to contemporary art. In addition to the galleries, including a permanent installation by David Hockney, visitors are encouraged to spend time outside in the museum's garden area.
 • Hawaii State Art Museum. 250 South Hotel St., on the second floor. Funded by the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Located at
 • The Honolulu Academy of Arts. 900 South Beretania St (corner of Beretania St. and Ward Ave.), (808) 532-8700. Tu-Sa, 10AM - 4:30PM, Su 1PM - 5PM, M closed. This museum houses one of the largest collections of Asian art in the United States. Adults $7.00; seniors (62+), students (13+), and military $4.00; children 12 and under free; 1st Wednesday of each month free.
 • The Workspace. 3624 Waialae Ave. Suite #201. For those looking for contemporary art produced by local artists, the Workspace is a must see.

Scenic

 • Pali Lookout. 6 miles NE of downtown Honolulu on Hawaii 61 (Pali Highway), right at the Pali Lookout exit. Every day, 7 AM - 7:45PM Apr. 1 - Labor Day; 7AM - 6:45PM Labor Day - Apr. 1. One of the more popular scenic vistas on Oahu and the site of one of the bloodiest battles in Hawaiian history, the Pali Lookout provides a panoramic view of Windward Oahu. Also interesting at this site is the Old Pali Road, formerly the highway connecting Windward Oahu to downtown Honolulu. A note of caution: due to its location between two high cliffs, the Pali Lookout is often buffeted by high winds. Free.
 • Diamond Head State Monument. Off Diamond Head Road between Makapuu Ave & 18th Ave, across Kapiolani Community College. Daily 6 AM - 6 PM. This ancient volcanic crater is a former US military site, but portions are open to the public. Specifically, there is a hiking trail that winds up the inside of the crater to the summit on the western side of the crater wall, 761 feet above sea level. To reach the trail, you can drive or walk up the road that lead into the crater basin (through a tunnel in the crater wall). There is a park fee of $1 to enter, after which a winding path up the crater wall leading to a World War II-era bunker with a steep staircase of over 100 steps, takes you to the top.

• Waikiki Beach