Seven historic places to visit in Honolulu

With the advent of the winter season, and the wish to visit somewhere warm and familiar Honolulu comes to mind. It is the 50th State and with so many different flights available, daily, it is easy to get to. Only 5 hours from the West Coast of California, with easy connections from other parts of the country and the world.

To most people Honolulu means Waikiki, the resort hotels, white sandy beaches, and all types of water sports, but there is more to Honolulu than Waikiki. In Downtown Honolulu, the current Historic, economic and government offices can be found, many of them appearing on the National Register of Historic Places. There are 7 major places of interest, all of them on the National Register of Historic Places, and all of them can be seen - whether on a guided walking tour, or a do-it-yourself tour.

1. The Iolani Palace, is the only Royal Palace on U.S. soil. The present Palace building was not, however, the first structure erected on the site, the original building was a one story wooden building, erected in 1844 by the Royal Governor of Oahu for his daughter "Princess Victoria Kamāmalu". It was purchssed from him by King Kamehameha III when he moved the capital from Lahaina to Honolulu. Due to the detoration of the building, it was decided to build a new palace, which was constructed in 1882. This became the official residence of the Monarchy of the Hawaiian Islands, until they were overthrone in 1893. Lili'uokalani was queen at the time and she was imprisoned for nine months in one of the rooms of the palace. For many years the building was not used, and detoriated, it was eventually resotored to it's former grandeur and opened to the public in 1978. Visitors can choose to take a "Docent led tour" or do the "self-tours", either requires a fee to visit. The days the Palace is open for touring and admission costs can be seen on http://www.iolanipalace.org/index.php/visit/hours-admission.html

2. The State Capitol Building is behind the palace, it was opened in 1969 and is known for it's unique architecture - cone-shaped chambers symbolize Hawaii's volcanoes, the building's columns represent the island's palm trees, and the large pool of water, which surrounds the building, signifies that Hawaii is the only "island state" in the United States.

3. The King Kamehameha Statue, across the street from the Palace, is a bronze statue that stands eight feet and six inches tall, not including the base it stands on which is ten feet high. Visitors who are fortunate to be there on King Kamehameha Day can enjoy the beautiful, long floral Leis that it is adorned with.

4. Mission House Museum is the location, the first American Missionaries, established as their headquarters in 1820. The present day structures includes the oldest surviving western-style buildings in the State, as well as original artifacts, books, quilts, and household items, that once belonged to the missionaries.

5. Next to the Mission House is Hawaii's first Christian church - Kawaiahao Church - which was once the church of the Royal family, and still uses the Hawaiian language in parts of it's service. It was constructed between 1836 and 1842, using slabs of coral rock from a offshore reef, and wood from the Ko'Olau mountains. The upper gallery is adorned with 21 portraits of Hawaiian royalty and at least one king is buried in the cemetery.

6. The Hawaiian Maritime Center, was the principal maritime museum in Hawaii, from 1988 until it closed in 2000. It was built on what, was once, the private boathouse of King Kalakaua, and was home to the only four-masted, full-rigged ship, called the "Falls of Clyde".

7. The Aloha Tower wasthe tallest structure in Hawaii, when it was built in 1926, and is the most recognized building in the state. It symbolizes the Aloha Spirit of Hawaii, welcoming vessels and visitgors to Honolulu. A popular visitor's attraction it has spectacular views of Diamond Head and the Koolau Mountains, from it's tenth floor observation deck. Nearby is the Marketplace, right on the oceanfront, it is a good place to end one's walking tour of " the historic places in Honolulu. A hub of activities, one can stay a while, enjoy the music, visits the -over 75 shops - and replinish oneself in the restaurants that serve a large variety of cuisines. This is where both residents and visitors come to play.