Honolulu Hawaii

Honolulu has been Hawaii's most popular attraction for many years. With its diverse culture, prolific beaches and numerous attractions, it is no wonder why Honolulu has become both Hawaii's most populous city and visited area.

Honlulu is the center for all government, transportation and commercial activity throughout the entire state, and it is also home to Hawaii's best known tourist destination, Waikiki beach. This beach is most often associated with with Hawaii, and therefore is almost always packed with visitors. Luaus are held regularly during the evening on the beach though, which have been said to be a real treat.

Like any large city, Honlulu features a number of well visited attractions. The Bishop Museum features a number of cultural, natural and scienctific exhibits centering around Hawaii and the Pacific. They have an extensive collection of Hawaiian artifacts, a planetarium and a large simulated volcano in the center of the museum which "errupts" on a regular basis. Currently, it is the largest and oldest museum in Hawaii, and the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific. It has been recognized throughout the world for its cultural collections, research projects, consulting services and public educational programs. Honolulu is also home to a large area of art galleries and museums, including the Honolulu Academy of the Arts, home to one of the largest collections of Asian art in America.

The Mission Houses Museum takes you back to nineteenth centry Hawaii through its three restored homes and exhibition gallery. The visitor experience is even further enhanced by an orientation center, a shop and the Winterbourne Tea Room. Missio House Museum collects, preserves, interprets and exhibits documents, artifacts and other records of Hawaii's "missionary" period of 1820-1863 and beyond.

Currently Honolulu is divided into three major neighborhoods, which while they may seem to be separate cities, are actually all part of the city. These are the areas of Waikiki, Manoa and Downtown. Although there is only one hotel located in the downtown area, most of the city's attractions are here. Waikiki is home to the infamous Waikiki beach, one of the best known tourist destinations in the world. Waikiki Beach has been featured on millions of post cards, posters and other tourist memorobilia. This is where a number of Honolulu's hotels and resorts can be found. Manoa offers a taste of local flavor, as it is often overlooked by visitors. It is home to the beautiful University of Hawaii, Manoa Marketplace and the Manoa Chinese Cemetary.