Off the beaten path, sits an ancient treasure, the Ulupo Heiau Historic Site. A massive rock…read morefoundation is the remnant of a sacred rock temple/platform that would have been important to Hawaiian chiefs for hundreds of years. Faded plaques near the site tell pieces of the story. The construction of the temple was supposedly by mythical people named "menehunes", who could build such temples overnight. The original temple would have measured a massive 140 x 170 feet and had walls 30 feet high. Construction is mind boggling, indeed. My math figures that over a million rocks were carried to the site. The Heiau was most likely used to oversee agricultural fields and fish ponds below by the chief or kahuna. Kailua (the town below) was once an agricultural capital on Oahu. In later years, the Heiau may have been used to oversee war efforts. The address is the parking lot of a YMCA. Go around the building to find the site. There is no admission, just a request to not remove any of the sacred stones. There are no amenities. The site could stand renovation of plaques. There are several benches under large shade trees to sit and think about Hawaiian ancestors that would have used the site. Worth a short visit if near Kailua. I was moved by the wondrous effort to build such a site.

This was really interesting to see and, since it's hidden behind a YMCA, it is not something one…read morewould just stumble upon. I couldn't believe how big it was! The signs explaining the history were helpful in getting to know more about the structure itself and about Hawaii as a whole.

Beautiful! A misty day is THE TIME to visit! It lets you see the swirling winds (using the mist)…read moreas they come up the ridge line. Its is really cool! (No really, you'll need a jacket.) The views are incredible! The park is quite beautiful! (Tip: Understand the historical significance of the warring Hawaiian tribes and thus park before you come to see it.)

We had family visiting from the mainland and since their hotel wasn't ready and they never went to…read morePali decided to take them there which they really enjoyed also because they are watching the Hawaii series with Jason Mamoa. The Park is well kept and they have parking meters self pay for visitors, if you're kamaina or military no parking fee. No restrooms

We had a great time with Lui. His knowledge of the history of the events of December 7 are…read moreexcellent. His knowledge of the history of the USS Missouri are interesting and engaging. We were loathe to hire a service to take us to Pearl Harbor, but I can say that in hindsight, it was a great experience. We had eight total people on our tour. I never felt rushed or as if I was going to miss something. This was my first time to Hawaii and I wanted to do all the "touristy" things. I can say, unequivocally, that our day with Lui and the Keawe adventures rates right at the top of our experience on Oahu. I actually felt sorry for the tourists on those huge buses. I also want to thank Lui for listening to my few stories...not sure he bought them...but they were true. Great guide. Great time.

My wife son and I took the pearl harbor group tour. It was an incredible experience to be able to…read moresee these historic ships, and to learn about the bravery and tragedy on that 12/7/41. What help made it such a tremendous experience is out fantastic tour guide Lui. He was not only very knowledgeable about what led up to and including the actions on the day of the attack, but he was able to bring him own knowledge and personal experience into the tour to help explain at a level that couldn't be done with just any tour. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone and everyone who asks.

Makapuʻu Lookout is located on the southeastern side of Oahu along the Kalaniana'ole Highway. It's…read morenext to the Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail and is only a short walk from the small parking lot. From the lookout you'll see panoramic views of the coastline and the Pacific Ocean. From December to May, this spot and the general area as a whole are popular spots for humpback whale watching. It's also a popular spot for sunrise as this side is where the sun rises from. You will be able to get a lot of the same views as the lighthouse trial here without needing to go on the hike.

Makapu'u Lookout was one of my favorite stopping points for photos - the ocean had beautiful…read moreblues/turquoise and great views of the mountains. This was such a great spot to enjoy the ocean breeze, marvel at the expansiveness of the ocean, and to take in the scenery. There is parking available. +great views +parking available

After noticing Jarod & Maggie's check-ins, I was curious about this memorial. It's the familiar…read morelarge boulder at the corner of Pali and Kamehameha Highways as you head to the Windward side from Honolulu via Pali Highway. Thanks to Yelp, I broadened my horizon and improved my knowledge of our Hawaii... If you Google this Memorial, you will not find much. I looked up "Earl M. Finch" of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, who "became an outcast when he went out of his way to befriend the nisei soldiers in 1943." Mr. Finch presented this War Memorial to the Windward Community in 1946. It holds the names of 14 Japanese-American soldiers who were stationed in Earl's hometown of Hattiesburg and were killed in action in World War II in France and Italy. After the war, "the Patron Saint of the Japanese-American GI" visited Hawaii on a trip paid for by many of the soldiers that he had befriended. Like many tourists, he made Hawaii his home and even adopted a couple of Japanese young men - the most well-known was Seiji Finch Naya, the Director of the State Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism who had been an orphaned college student. Mr. Finch became a prominent businessman whose funeral was well-attended by the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Battalion. Governor John A. Burns delivered the eulogy, stating that, "Unpopular though it may have been with his neighbors, Earl recognized that those who were willing to make sacrifices in the face of adversity deserved no less than the hand of friendship". Earl, the "one-man USO (United Staes Organization)" passed away at age 49 in Honolulu in 1965.

Reminder to self if you every get lost and start to notice you are going in circles, DO NOT PANIC!…read more The smarter thing to do is to leave a trail of bread crumbs. Lol. Thank goodness I was with a group when I first visited the Kaniakapupu Ruins. We were feeling a little adventurous so headed to the ruins from the Lulumalu hike parking area. We ventured off into the thick thick bamboo forest. The route we took initially had a path to follow then it eventually disappears. When we got there, the site was well worth the journey of getting lost. The ruins are breathtaking in its own way. This was once the summer palace for royalty so when you visit appreciate the beauty, respect this historic site, and don't take anything from the site. Kaniakapupu Ruins is one of Oahu's best kept secrets and should be enjoyed by all.

I have been here several times, its easy to miss which I think is a good thing. Don't want it to…read moreturn into Diamond head. Don't disturb this historical landmark. Don't climb anything or walk on the low walls either. Everything is old and aged and cover with moss in wet, steamy nuuanu. Lot of people leave offerings such as leis and fruit at the plaque. You first see the main structure of a large room. maybe 20 x 20 and there will be several other structures around the site such as foundation walls, paths and some completely collapsed piles of rubble. I heard several different stories that it was used for kinda staycation parties and festivals and also as a point of retreat in invasions. the area is lush, beautiful and serene. it'll often be wet and drizzly and you'll see a rainbow over the front garden as one of the only places light penetrates strongly is above the main structure. The trail is short, first left after the split log on the main trail in the bamboo forest. You can continue down the main trail but there have been issue with people straying on to private property where one owner has a waterfalls in their yard and some had large dogs as i heard. There are other path and some water pipes in the area but those trails seem to be overgrown and some have collapsed trees and is quite dangerous as it is not designated for hiking but for maintenance. It's a bit more safe just to go to Lulumahu falls instead of wandering too much in this area. I guess DLNR has jurisdiction over this area and you are able to apply for a permit to visit. Without one you risk being charged with criminal trespass. They don't so much bother locals so much but I've seen them come to this area and Lulumahu falls identify rental cars, hold everyone there while they issue every single person a ticket. They'll sit there, park and wait till people exit the trail to issue a ticket. I mean hey. Probably just filled their monthly quota in one sitting.

Also known as Alala Point Coast Guard Marker, Lanikai Marker is a concrete and stone monument built…read morein 1924 by the developers of the Lanikai housing subdivision on the rise overlooking the eastern end of Kailua Beach Park (near where Mokulua Dr. meets A'alapapa Dr.). This spot is popular with locals and visitors alike because it sits adjacent to the Kailua Beach Park bike path and affords picturesque views of Kailua Bay, Mokapu Peninsula, and Popoi'a (Flat Island). NGS brass survey marker #TU1072 (N 21° 23.745 W 157° 43.221) has also been placed at the base of Lanikai Marker as a benchmark (no cache). Many years ago, this region was a windswept plain filled with native grasses and overlooked by treeless mountains. The Hawaiians called it "Ka'ohao" which means tying or joining together. (Lanikai is a nonsensical word meaning "sea heaven" created by someone unfamiliar with the Hawaiian language.) The ancient Hawaiians used the mountain tops between Alala Point (near the stone monument at the entrance to Lanikai) and Wailea Point (near Bellows) to watch for fish. The first permanent houses were built in 1924. The owners used them as weekend and vacation retreats because the drive over the old Pali Road was very slow and winding. Beach-front property originally sold for 20 cents a square foot and was not very popular because there were no windbreaks to protect the structures from gusty sea breezes. Today, the area has become extremely popular as a tourist destination. Lanikai Marker itself rates three stars; while historical, it is not especially interesting or beautiful to see. However the view from Alala Point rates fives stars and is definitely worth seeing if you are in Kailua!

Wow, the best view of Kailua Beach from here. And today an added bonus- spotted a plethora of sea…read moreturtles. Mother Natures bounty was shining bright today. Aloha

The Wilson Tunnels are two lanes of highway passing through the Koolau Range getting to and from…read moreKaneohe. It's named after former Honolulu Mayor, John H. Wilson. The City and County of Honolulu spent $12M on the highway and tunnels. Construction began in 1954 and opened in 1960. Sometimes there's mad traffic during peak hours. My ears will pop going through the tunnels. There's nice greenery on both sides of the highway leading up to the tunnels.

The connection to Kaneohe…read more.. Who's John H Wilson...a former Honolulu Mayor which is more known as The Wilson Tunnels as it provides two lanes each direction taking us on an easy drive to and from Kaneohe though I'm not sure of the precise history they views and lush greenery the drive provides as it obviously takes us through the Ko'olau verus going completely around making it the ideal route. This is the primary route to Kaneohe via Likelike through Kalihi is an interesting vision they had back in the day and can't imagine what we would do without it as it has gone though various maintenance and closure does make it a challenge for many as they do rely on this convenient route on this cool tunnel I now know and come to appreciate. Thank you!

Maybe I was Japanese in a previous life. Somehow, I'm drawn to Japanese things, but I've only been…read moreto Japan once. Luckily for me, there are enough Japanese things in Hawaii and LA! I was always curious about the pagoda top that I passed by every day on the way to school and work when I lived in Nu'uanu. After many years, I saw Cara M.'s review when I searched Honolulu Landmarks on this Yelp website! I finally had time yesterday to explore and get a close up look! It was really cool! I parked for free on Craigside Place - the street in the front of the big condominium. It's just a short walk down the paved driveway which is blocked off with orange cones. If you drive to the left, you'll pass by all of the Japanese style graves which are like crypts where urns of family members can be placed together. So - walking down the driveway which curves to the left, you'll arrive at the tall, faded Sanju Pagoda straight ahead. Although the it needs repair and is surrounded by a soft, saggy orange fence, it's still magnificent and beautiful! According to an article in Honolulu Magazine (11-1-06), it is one of the "9 Most Endangered Historic Sites in Hawai'i". It is believed to be the largest pagoda in the world! Before the Sanju Pagoda, to your right, sits a replica of the Kinkaku-ji Temple with the Mirror Lake Garden. It would look better if the water filled the ponds and if the temple were gold in color like the original one in Kyoto, Japan, but I was happy enough to be so close to it! There seems to be some controversy about the maintenance of this Landmark. It may take over $2 million to renovate. If you want to check it out before it falls down, you may want to do it soon... Just be careful!

After driving on the Pali Highway and seeing the top of that mysterious pagoda every day, I decided…read moreto investigate! and the Internet gave me the Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu Memorial Park, which is the eastern half of the Honolulu Memorial Park and Cemetery. We parked by the graves and walked down to the Sanju Pagoda, an impressive sight in Hawaii! To people from Japan, they'd probably just think that it's old and in SERIOUS need of repairs, but to my friends and I, it was super awesome! A for real pagoda outside of Japan! There was an orange safety fence around it, so we couldn't walk around the pagoda, but it was for the best because it really does look like it can fall down any moment. We then walked down to the replica of Kyoto's famous Kinkaku-ji. Although it doesn't have gold walls, the building looks practically exactly the same as the one in Japan! What makes this replica even more fun is that you can walk right up to it and walk around it, which you can't do with the one in Japan. Good for us! Good for the old building? Probably not... The Mirror Lake Garden was empty of water, so it wasn't really a lake, but we could see how the rocks were placed. It was interesting. If you are a fan of Japanese culture, have gone to Japan, or plan on going soon, the Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu Memorial Park is really nice! Just respect the grounds and don't throw rubbish around.

Must visit spot if you're visiting Kaneohe. It's about 15-20 min drive from the botanical garden…read more You have to enter the Memorial Park to get to this temple. It's a smaller replica of the actual temple from Japan. We ordered tickets online for $10/person and $6 for parking. They don't check your tickets when you enter which we thought was very strange lol. It's very beautiful and peaceful with the mountain and smoky cloud in the background. They have a couple benches for you to sit. You can enter the temple but it's actually pretty small. They have artists and vendors under the temple too. I loved seeing all the koi fish and mini pagoda up hill. There's also a large bell that you can ring for funsies.

As someone who avidly visits this temple, I was very disappointed during my most recent visit. I…read morehave not been able to come as often lately due to being busy, but the changes since my last visits are honestly upsetting. According to staff, many of these changes are due to new management, and it really shows. It feels like the temple now caters heavily to tourists, even prioritizing bus and tour group parking over regular visitors. They no longer accept cash and are completely card-only, which was frustrating. On top of that, all parking now requires payment. It used to just be an entry fee, which was understandable, but now you have to pay for both parking and entry. You can really tell the shift toward a more tourist-centered experience. While the informational papers are nice, there are so many of them now that it feels excessive. They also charge for photos at certain "immersive" spots, around $20 for a single digital image, which feels unreasonable. What makes me the most sad is how the atmosphere has changed. I always loved coming here for the peacefulness, the koi, the quiet environment, and the kind staff. Now it feels less relaxing. There are no longer proper shelves for shoes inside the temple, just the floor, and the cubby areas seem to be gone. The shoe policy is also not enforced. Within 30 minutes, I saw multiple tourists walk in with their shoes on without any issue. It is disappointing to see how much has changed. Not accepting cash, increased costs with paid parking, and the overall shift in environment have made the experience feel less genuine. I have visited at least five times before, including before, during, and after COVID, and it is sad to say I will probably be coming much less often now.