Formerly known as Hawaii State Art Museum. Located between Honolulu City and the State Capitol and…read moreIolani Palace. The venue often showcases local art installations highlight Polynesian and Asian themes. Frequent live music and event nights make this a museum to frequent often.

The Capitol Modern Art Museum on Richards Street in Honolulu is an amazing experience! Best of all,…read moreit's free to attend and offers a wonderful mix of art, music, dancing, and community. I enjoyed exploring the art exhibits and seeing the creativity of local artists. There were also vendors selling local products, jewelry, hats, clothing, and other unique items. If you'd like, you can also grab a drink or food while enjoying the event. The museum hosts special First Friday events every month, creating a fun and vibrant atmosphere where people can gather, socialize, and appreciate art and culture. For convenient parking, I recommend the Aliʻi Place parking garage, where parking is very affordable. It's a great way to spend an evening in downtown Honolulu, whether you're a local or a visitor.

Aloha Towers is a historic lighthouse that stands near Pier 9 on the Honolulu Harbor. The structure…read morewas designed by Arthur Reynolds and construction was completed in 1926. The style of this unusual lighthouse is Gothic Revival with a strong Art Deco influence. This iconic structure once housed the harbor navigation master, responsible for directing ships into and out of the Harbor. A massive Howard clock tells accurate time on the lighthouse. I took an early morning walk around the lighthouse with my daughter. The structure appears to be undergoing some rehab as the entrance was boarded up. A large plaque tells the building's history with several interesting photos. In the past, visitors could ascend to a 10th floor observation deck and view the harbor. Today, the building is closed to visitors, but is a central focal point of the Marketplace. The Marketplace houses restaurants and shops which were not open during my visit. The lighthouse was a fun discovery for me, but would have been more impactful if the observation deck was still open to visitors. We found parking about two blacks away in a metered lot. There is no charge to walk around the base of the tower.

Towering landmark…read more.. At 99 and going close to 100 years old it's still shows proudly the Aloha Spirit going strong as to this day mom remembers vividly seeing this tower greet her as she arrived with dad to Hawai'i and to this day is one of the prominent structure easily viewed in many directions though in the past the observation deck gave you the stunning views the Oahu shoreline provides it now is closed and is just majestically stands there to welcome all with Aloha. You can find the tower easily right besides some shops and currently Old Spaghetti Factory and even Aloha Tower Luau "Ka Moana Luau" which offers a buffet dinner provided by Chart House along with a beautiful undisturbed view of the waterfront and evening sunset. Thank you!

Whoa!? First to review!?!?! SWEET!!!…read more Anyway, this is a parade that my Pops used to bring us since I was in DIAPERS!!! Starting from Ala Moana Blvd., participants would march all the way to Kapiolani Park, and what a great spectacle for locals and tourists as well. Politicians, entertainers, local organizations, the military, the po-po, high school bands, local tourist attractions, and some of Hawaii's hottest V-Dubs, Hot Rods, and vintage cars were among this years participants. My favorites to see, were the Prince and Princess that represented each one of the Hawaiian Islands with their entourage...even the "Pooper Scoopers" bringing up the rear gave all the spectators a good laugh! Grab a spot along the curb next time the Aloha Week Parade rolls into town, you'll be glad you did!....ALOHA!!! YELP 365 CHALLENGE-(64/365) "Join the Festivities"

Awesome. The festivals/parades in Waikiki are over-the-top. First time I've seen Governor Ige and…read morehis wife, even Mayor Caldwell. Oh and HPD BRIGADE. They had the royal court, different companies throughout Hawaii, the marching band for various schools around Oahu. Lol. Pretty cool. Come early because parking can be crazy and finding a good spot. We set up camp by the Victoria secret on Seaside Avenue. And people this is a parade stay off the streets and don't interrupt the line and if you do decide to cross the street, so not walk at turtle pace!!! ** The parade reminds me of the Kamehameha day parade in Lahaina with the court.

Dropped by after hiking nearby to see if we could Tour Queen Emma's Summer Palace without…read morereservations. We paid for the self tour and entered the building. Read through the information so we could understand the different items we were viewing. Fascinating walk through Hawaii History and Queen Emma's own personal involvement . Some of the furniture is beautifully made with local wood. There were interesting gifts received from other rulers. There were beautiful feathered capes on display, which the handout how they were produced by only taking a few feathers from multiple birds and releasing without doing harm.

Who knew royalty had such cozy taste? Queen Emma Summer Palace is like the Hawaiian version of a…read moreroyal Airbnb--modest, charming, and surrounded by lush jungle vibes. It's a peaceful little escape just minutes from the buzz of Honolulu. You walk in expecting a palace, but leave with a deep appreciation for Hawaiian history and a strong urge to redecorate your living room. The staff and volunteers are lovely--part tour guide, part history buff, part grandma energy (the good kind). I learned about Queen Emma, her travels, and her love for the people. Bonus: no crowds, no stress, and plenty of photo ops if you're into vintage furniture and sacred feather capes. Highly recommend if you need a quiet, cultural detour--or just want to pretend you're Hawaiian royalty for an hour.

How many airports have a koi pond?…read more When flying through Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), take some time out of your busy itinerary to relax and take in the views at the Cultural Gardens. The gardens are divided into a Hawaiian, Japanese, and Chinese section with a pond running between them, complete with native plants, small waterfalls, and large koi and smaller fish. There are also several airport lounges around the perimeter of the gardens--the perfect location for people looking to temporarily get away from all the hustle and bustle. The gardens are at Terminal 2, and you can walk there from Terminal 1 without having to go through security again. While the gardens are not huge, I wouldn't mind just strolling and hanging out for a while here. The only downside of this place is that, since it's an open-air part of the terminal, you occasionally have jet fumes making their way in!

The Cultural Gardens within the airport are an oasis for meditation and relaxation before a flight…read moreout of Honolulu. The gardens are divided into three sections with features from Hawaii, Japan and China. Each section has a water feature (pool or waterfall) and tropical plants from the different regions. Bench seating is abundant throughout the gardens. I like that plants are identified on signs. Several modern art sculptures are displayed around the gardens as well. The Gardens are on the lower level adjacent to D gates after passing through security. Elevators or stairs ascend to the area. There is no charge to enjoy the gardens. The Gardens are a unique feature to the aloha airport and worth a visit before or after a long flight.

Pretty cool place to get some views in of Waikiki all the way to the airport. Scenic cemetery well…read morekept and very lush. While we visited there were many workers cleaning and performing maintenance. Walking up to the lookout area there is a walkway with plaques and monuments lined up on either side dedicated to the hero's of various wars we were involved in. Really emphasizes the mixed bag of people / immigrants who make up the United States and served during the wars to protect our country and liberty. From the lookout you can see wide panoramic view from Diamond Head all the way to the Airport.

Free attraction in Honolulu, Hawaii…read more.. While visiting my paternal grandparents on Memorial Day, I saw this business page and thought: Wow... is that all? No... Punchbowl Scenic Lookout is a very unique site. It's location is inside of The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific... home to many Veterans and their family members! "Punchbowl" is actually an extinct volcano - like Diamond Head! Drive on the outer circle of the Cemetery to the top. There's a small parking area behind the chapel. Look for the sign: "Memorial Overlook" and follow the paved path to the end. Enjoy the views of Pearl Harbor, Downtown Honolulu, Ala Moana, Diamond Head, Waikiki, Manoa, the University of Hawaii, etc. The gentle breeze is refreshing and the sights are exhilarating! God bless America!

It's basically by Manoa Falls hike and it's in a jungle. Like basically we in the jungle…read more Surrounded by plants it definitely feels like you have escaped into a different world. I appreciate the fact that they hold plant sales here twice a year because usually this place is blocked off from the public until they open it up just for this.

Truly in awe of how lush and gorgeous this arboretum is. It doesn't look like much from the…read moreoutside, but once you make it inside, it's like a whole different world. The Lyon Arboretum has the most vibrant plants and some of the most fabulous views that I've seen within Hawaii. My friend and I visited the arboretum after hiking nearby Manoa Falls. The arboretum is actually located within Manoa Falls Park, and the entrance is located just before the beginning of the Manoa Falls hike. We hadn't planned on visiting, but we decided to check it out since it was so close. Best decision that we could have made! While we really enjoyed the hike to Manoa Falls, we both enjoyed the hike through the arboretum so much more. Entrance into the arboretum is free with a reservation, but it's just a nominal fee of $5 if you stop by same day. We paid the fee at the visitor's center and were given trail maps to follow along our journey through the greenery. The visitor's center also has other maps and souvenirs for purchase. There are actually quite a few trails that run through here. We started our hike off without looking at the maps but then realized that we kind of needed them. That's when we realized that we couldn't find them. It's not a huge arboretum, but it is easy to get lost depending on how and how deep that you decide to go in. Would highly recommend that you use the trail map if you're planning a longer hike. We ended up hiking up to Aihualama Falls which weren't as grand as Manoa Falls, but it was still really beautiful and secluded. The hike to Aihualama Falls was also extremely gorgeous! We were practically surrounded by beautiful flowers during most of our hike. We literally stopped just to smell and admire them. We found the most vibrant orchids, roses, tropical wildflowers, succulents, and so much more. The gardens are so amazing here. The great lawn is so impressive! I was actually kind of bummed that I didn't bring my lunch because the lawn is the PERFECT place to sit out and have a picnic! We saw a few people relaxing out on the lawn and enjoying themselves, but it was so empty and secluded. Plus, the view of the mountains from the lawn is ridiculous! A spot that I could definitely see myself chillin' at all damn day. It was so lovely. We hadn't planned on doing any long or strenuous hikes here, so we just went with the flow. I will say that you can really get your hike on here. I think we ended up doing 3 or 4 miles from, but we weren't really prepared for the inclines through the forest since we had originally planned to only hike Manoa Falls. Make sure to bring plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen and bug spray. We were there in the early afternoon but it was already super warm, and many parts of the arboretum are exposed. Also, the bugs can be quite aggressive in certain areas. Nothing that a little bug spray can't handle though. All in all, I'm extremely impressed. I would definitely come back to this arboretum to partake in a more extensive hike and for a picnic.

What a wonderful event hosted by HNLFlow to do a walk thru Kaka'ako Pow Wow mural art by some of…read morethe top artists in the industry. I was going to walk around myself but I when a friend of mine mentioned this to me I knew I was in all the way. It's always more fun when you go around in a group. Right? You betcha! We met at the old Fischer Hawaii building street side. I met Vina C. who posted the event via Yelp, and what an aspiring person she is. Helping her were Nikki and Jen May. Lady M and I were hungry. Although we were excited to be here it was hard not to want this to be over quickly. The hunger pains were beginning to be quite unbearable. Lo and behold, Jen May announced they brought 8 different kinds of manapua from Honolulu Kitchen. Adobo, crab, ube, char siu are some I remember. The crab was delicious. I tried to eat one of each but I got satisfied after 5. There was still a whole box left. With our bellies satisfied, we could do this as long as we wanted. So, we start walking around. It was amazing to see the wonderful art everyone was doing. Using spray house paint from places like Home Depot these artists created beautiful, large murals turning eye sores into bind blowing works of wonder. Near most murals, you can find information about the artist; name, date, instagram,etc. Although we only saw a glimpse, the event accomplished it's mission to raise the awareness for Pow Wow. It is getting bigger every year, not just Hawaii but the world. Now is the time to take the walk and enjoy the art while there isn't a crowd. Even if you are not really into art, you will find something that will catch your eye. One of the more eye catching murals was by Audrey Kawasaki from Los Angeles. Her early influence was Japanese manga and shows in her current style now. The guys carrying the box of manapua were talking about offering up some of these delicious morsels to Audrey but couldn't decide who would do it. I stepped in asking if they would like me to do it. I yelled up to Audrey since she was about three stories up. She wanted it and was coming down immediately but didn't know what a manapua is. It was explained. This was nice because it gave Lady M and I a chance to talk art and learn about her. We had a wonderful conversation with her and became the highlight of the event for us. So happy we came. I am sold and look forward to future events, especially if food is involved. Yummy. Thank you Vina, Nikki and Jen Mae for a well executed and planned event.