Honolulu Historical Landmarks Guided Walking Tour

Who would imagine that such a happy place has such a tragic history? Hawaii's tumultuous encounter with the outside world began with the arrival of Captain Cook, whom they ate, sort of, for his troubles. A few years later, King Kamehameha celebrated his conquest of Oahu in 1795 by sacrificing his own cousin. The missionaries, who arrived in 1820, came here to do good... and did very well. Then there was the demographic bomb of waves of imported labor to cut sugar cane. Then the overthrow of the monarchy, annexation, and statehood. In the meantime, there was Pearl Harbor. And it seems that for all of that, we're just getting started.

Meeting Point

King Kamehameha Statue

447 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA

We'll meet at 10:45 AM at the King Kamehameha Statue, located right across the street (S. King St.) from Iolani Palace. Abundant free parking in the lots adjacent to the statue on weekends. Your guide is the big guy with the walking stick and lantern.

What's included:

• A well-informed local perspective from a life-long Hawaii resident, teacher, and teller of tales
• Forever access to the largest online trove of Hawaiian history videos (several thousands, all free)

What to expect:

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

King Kamehameha Statue

417 S King St, , Honolulu, 96813-2943, Hawaii

Learn the amazing (and horrifying) story of the conquest of Oahu by King Kamehameha.

5 minutes

Iolani Palace

364 S King St, , Honolulu, 96813-2900, Hawaii

Imagine... a royal palace (with kings and queens and thrones and stuff) in the United States... and a storied past that ends with the tragic overthrow of the monarchy.

10 minutes

Kawaiahao Church

957 Punchbowl St., Downtown Honolulu, Hawaii

Designed by the infamous missionary Hiram Bingham, this "stone church" (to the Hawaiians) was anything but.

10 minutes

Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives

553 S King St, , Honolulu, 96813-3002, Hawaii

As the Hawaiians say, "the missionaries came here to do good, and they did very well."

10 minutes

Honolulu Hale (City Hall)

530 S King St, , Honolulu, 96813-3014, Hawaii

A lovely Italianate Spanish Colonial Revival structure with an unlovely past.

5 minutes

Hawaii State Capitol

415 S Beretania St, , Honolulu, 96813-2425, Hawaii

An elegant expression of the aloha spirit... and a statue (with a story) of the queen who embodied that spirit.

10 minutes

Washington Place

320 S Beretania St, Downtown, Honolulu, 96813-2420, Hawaii

Queen Liliuokalani's home where she lived in an unhappy marriage and where she returned to after the overthrow of the monarchy.

10 minutes

Saint Andrew's Cathedral

Queen Emma Square, , Honolulu, 96813-2304, Hawaii

A church built from thousands of block of sandstone cut in England and shipped to Hawaii. A magnificent stained glass nave. And a tragic tale of a king and his little boy.

10 minutes

Capitol Modern

250 S Hotel St, Honolulu, 96813-2804, Hawaii

Also known as the Hawai'i State Art Museum, this was the original Royal Hawaiian Hotel (built in 1872). So successful that a second Royal Hawaiian was built on Waikiki Beach (the Pink Palace).

10 minutes

Ali'iolani Hale

417 King Street, , Honolulu, Hawaii

Now the Judiciary Building and home to the Hawaii State Supreme Court, this was where the Massie Affair, the marquee event of Hawaiian jurisprudence), played out

10 minutes