Sightseeing

Sightseeing on Oahu!
Recommendations from the Hawaii Visitors Bureau.

Pearl Harbor The most frequented site on the island is the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. To learn more about the historic site, watch the 20-minute film in the Visitors Center. Then take a short trip by sea to the white sculpture in the middle of the harbor. This is the location where the 608-foot-long battleship Arizona sank on December 7, 1941. Still visible eight feet beneath the memorial is the ship's hull, where 1,102 men lie entombed. Free. Daily tours from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors Center open 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 422-0561.

Punchbowl Crater The final resting place for over 34,000 American service personnel, Punchbowl Crater sits near the heart of the city. The National Memorial Cemetery for the Pacific honors Americans killed in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Off Puowaina Drive. Free. Sept. - March daily 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; April - Aug. daily 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 566-1430.

Sea Life Park Located on the lovely southeastern shore, Sea Life Park is 62 acres of marine life and aquatic entertainment. For more information, call 259-7933.

Bishop Museum A stuffy museum this is not. The Bishop Museum has been touted for Pacific area studies, its planetarium (which will soon undergo renovation), unique exhibits, and the largest collection of Hawaiian cultural and natural history artifacts in the world. Much of the museum's displayed treasures come from the wife of Charles Bishop, a descendent of King Kamehameha I. Her husband had the museum built in her honor in 1892. It is a short distance from town, directly off the H-1. $7.95 adults; $6.95 children ages 6 - 17, senior citizens, and military family, free for children under 6 and members. Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1525 Bernice St. 847-3511.

Diamond Head This is what you see as a magnificent backdrop of many postcards depicting Waikiki. Believe it or not, you can hike to the top! Begin at the bottom to a short hike up a dormant volcano. An enticing view of the city and ocean awaits. Free. Daily 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Diamond Head Road, Waikiki.

Iolani Palace Amidst the hustle and bustle of downtown Honolulu lies a palace that once housed the Hawaiian monarchy. Iolani Palace was built by King Kalakaua in 1882. After the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893, the Renaissance-style mansion became the capitol building for the provisional government, the Republic, the Territory, and then the state of Hawaii. It is now a restored and refurbished museum. Visitors are requested to wear booties to protect the Douglas fir floors. The Iolani Palace is the only state residence of royalty in the United States. $6 for adults, $1 for children ages 5-12. No children under 5 admitted. Guided tours every 15 minutes 9 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. Wed - Sat; S. King and Richards Streets. 522-0832 for reservations.

Polynesian Cultural Center Experience native Polynesian culture by attending seven lifelike villages. Witness traditional customs like leimaking, song, and dance. Don't forget about trying the food. 293-3333.

Foster Botanical Gardens These botanical gardens occupy 15 acres in town, but walking through the gardens in its tropical splendor makes the noise and bustle unnoticeable. Check out the rare East African tree or the over 4,000 species of tropical flora. Prices vary. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. 50 N. Vineyard Blvd. 522-7060.

Nuuanu Pali Lookout A good stop on your way to the windward side since it's right off the Pali Highway. Be forewarned of the high wind factor. Once you make it up there (don't worry, you just walk from the parking lot), you'll be able to see a commanding view of windward Oahu: the Koolau Mountain Range, the windward towns of Kailua and Kaneohe, and the Pacific blue ocean. According to legend, it was here that warriors defending the island from Kamehameha I over 200 years ago plunged to their deaths in defeat. Off Pali Highway, northeast of Honolulu.