Downtown Honolulu is home to many of Hawaii’s most historic places, and The Hawaii Capital Historic District has been the center of government since the earliest days of the Hawaiian Kingdom.  The architectural styles of the buildings range from Mission style and Spanish influenced, to the Gothic and traditional Palace styles commissioned by the Hawaiian Monarchy.  Many of the structures were built as early as the 1820’s through to 1969, so it is interesting to note the broad range of architectural design in such a small area.

There is a lot to explore in the historic district situated between King and Beretania Streets, and in the vicinity of Richards, Queen and Kawaiahao Streets.  Here at Hawaii-Guide, we have designed a self-guided walking tour that can easily be completed in a couple of hours.  CLICK HERE for detailed information on location, opening times and admission prices for each attraction.

Hawaii-Guide’s Top 10 Historic Sites:

1.  Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site & Archives
2.  Kawaiaha’o Church & King Lunalilo Mausoleum
3.  King Kamehameha Statue and Ali’iolani Hale
4.  U.S. Post Office, Custom House & Court House
5.  ‘Iolani Palace and ‘Iolani Barracks
6.  Hawaii State Art Museum
7.  St Andrews Cathedral
8.  Washington Place
9.  Hawaii State Capitol & Queen Lili’uokalani Statue
10. Hawaii State Archives & The Hewn Stones of Umi

We recommend setting aside a half-day for a more thorough exploration if you wish to venture inside the buildings as well as viewing the architectural design from the exterior.  Parking in Downtown Honolulu can be difficult to find as well as expensive, so we recommend walking is the best way to see this area.  Park your vehicle in a secure location and follow the steps below to get the most out of the historic sites.

Some of the major attractions on this walk are closed Sundays and/or Mondays, so we recommend this self-guided walking tour from Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Recommended Oahu Tours
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