Honolulu: America’ s Last Horizon
If San Diego is where America first touched California, Honolulu is where America found its final horizon and chose to stay. Though Polynesians settled Hawaii roughly 1,500 years ago, the harbor that would become Honolulu was first entered by a Western ship in 1794. Within a generation, it grew into the Central Pacific’ s leading port, serving as a crossroads for sandalwood traders, whalers, and ships from competing empires. On August 31, 1850, King Kamehameha III officially declared Honolulu both a city and the capital of his kingdom.
USS Arizona Memorial
Credit: emson
From that point, Hawaii’ s journey into the American story, like that of many other Western territories, was neither bloodless nor simple. The Hawaiian Kingdom was overthrown in 1893, the islands were annexed by the United States in 1898, and Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959, completing America’ s continental expansion. The attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7, 1941, dragged America into World War II and made Honolulu a household name across the country. In that moment, Honolulu transformed from just a territory into an icon of American resilience. Today, that legacy remains, as the mix of natural beauty, Indigenous culture, military history, and geography gives Honolulu a layered identity unmatched by any other American city.
The USS Arizona Memorial, which floats above the sunken hull of the battleship in Pearl Harbor’ s waters, is the most visited site in Hawaii and one of the most powerful memorials in the United States. Nearby, the battleship USS Missouri, where the formal Japanese surrender was signed on September 2, 1945, still overlooks the harbor, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum preserves the planes and the bullet holes from the attack. Meanwhile, Iolani Palace, the only royal palace on American soil, stands in downtown Honolulu as a reminder that Hawaii was once a kingdom before it became a state.
For a memorable stay, consider The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, which opened in 1927 on Waikiki Beach and has been known as the Pink Palace of the Pacific ever since. There’ s also Espacio, a newer addition to Honolulu, which has quickly become a favorite among travelers seeking modern luxury.
Besides its magnificent hotels, the modern Waikiki waterfront provides everything a traveler could desire: top-tier surfing, coral reef snorkeling, and a variety of Japanese, Hawaiian, and Pacific Rim restaurants. Maunakea Street in Chinatown links Honolulu’ s unique pan-Asian culinary tradition to its maritime history. Additionally, the Bishop Museum features the world’ s largest collection of Hawaiian and Polynesian artifacts, with over twenty million items representing centuries of Pacific civilization.
GETTING THERE
Nonstop service between Daniel K. Inouye International Airport( HNL) and Washington Dulles International Airport( IAD) is available on United Airlines once weekly on Saturdays, increasing to daily service beginning June 25.
The Royal Hawaiian Hotel
Credit: Jeff Whyte Photography
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