SHORE EXCURSIONS

Explore Honolulu’s highlights – from Pearl Harbor and the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific to Hawaii’s first Christian church, and Iolani Palace and Washington Place, both former residences of the Hawaiian monarchy.

Pearl Harbor is one of Hawaii’s best-known landmarks and the scene of the devastating aerial attack by Japan that drove the U.S. into WWII. The Pearl Harbor Visitor's center exhibit galleries bring visitors closer to the sights and sounds of the events leading up to the attack on Oahu and its aftermath. These galleries display personal memorabilia, dramatic photographs, artifacts of the battle, and other exhibits.

In central Honolulu stand face to face with the larger-than-life statue of King Kamehameha I, the leader who united the Hawaiian Islands into one royal kingdom. Just across the street you’ll see the Iolani Palace, residence of Hawaii's last two monarchs. European in design, it boasted Hawaii’s first electric lights, flush toilets and internal phone system. Also nearby is Kawaiahao Church, Hawaii's first Christian house of worship, built of coral slabs from the offshore reefs.

At the heart of the downtown historic district you will notice the elegant Washington Place, now a museum, and once home to Liliuokalani, Hawaii’s last queen. Drive through the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, in the extinct volcanic crater known as the Punchbowl. It is the final resting place of some 53,000 veterans who lost their lives in 20th century wars, including those who died during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Enjoy panoramic city views on your drive to the airport.

Celebrate the honor, valor and courage of the World War II US servicemen on this special tour. This nostalgic journey takes you to the two places that marked the beginning and the end of the war for the United States - Pearl Harbor and the USS Missouri.

The 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor will unfold in detailed narrations and photos. From here you'll travel across the Ford Island Bridge to the historic USS Missouri battleship, nicknamed the 'Mighty Mo.' Explore the passages, rooms and corridors on a self-guided tour.

Get to know Oahu as you circle the entire island, with views of the top sightseeing spots, including iconic Diamond Head, its 760-foot volcanic crater rim a part of the Honolulu skyline. View the coastal beaches along our South Shore, including Sandy Beach, a favorite for body surfers, and drive along the North Shore, home to the most celebrated surfing zones in the world, including the spectacular and treacherous Banzai Pipeline. Lunch is included.

Visit the Dole Plantation, and learn the story of James Dole, who established his first pineapple plantation on Oahu in 1900 and turned it into a worldwide agricultural empire. Stroll through the pineapple variety garden, sip some delicious juice, and shop for all sorts of local products, including Dole’s own specialty chocolates, and of course pineapples.

Before departing Honolulu spend some time at Pearl Harbor, one of Hawaii’s best-known landmarks, and the scene of the devastating aerial attack by Japan that drove the U.S. into WWII. The Pearl Harbor Visitor's center exhibit galleries bring visitors closer to the sights and sounds of the events leading up to the attack on Oahu and its aftermath. View dramatic photographs, artifacts of the battle, and other exhibits that invite visitors to imagine the experience of that tragic day. Enjoy panoramic city views on your drive to the airport.

OVERVIEW

Settle in for a definitive look at the natural wonders of southeastern Oahu and enjoy an inspiring lunch and wine tasting. Along the way, you will pause at vantage points that present absolutely breathtaking vistas of the ancient volcano Diamond Head, the volcanically formed Halona blowhole and Hanuama Bay, a nature preserve within an ancient volcanic crater. Besides shaping the island’s landscape, volcanoes have left mineral deposits in the soil that make it exceptionally fertile. Your lunch at the Uahi Grill in Kailua will feature ingredients that flourish on the island’s farms and in the surrounding sea. The soil is also ideal for growing grapes for wine as you will discover at a tasting at Oeno Winery. The wines will be thoughtfully paired with handmade chocolates. Before taking off for the airport, you will see a statue of Hawaii’s first ruler, the legendary King Kamehameha I, and the battlefield where his victory in 1795 led to the unification of Hawaii.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Behold the natural beauty of southeastern Oahu from several scenic overlooks.
• Enjoy a lunch of local favorites at a restaurant in Kailua with an island vibe.
• Savor a wine tasting paired with Hawaiian chocolates at the island’s only winery.
• See a statue of King Kamehameha I, the revered monarch that successfully unified Hawaii.
• Transfer to the airport in plenty of time for your flight.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Discover Oahu's North Shore – surf mecca and home to the perfect wave. Travel past pineapple and sugar cane fields to the island's well-known surfing beaches, stretching for seven miles along this coast. They include Waimea Bay, a prominent spot in the early days of big wave surfing in the 1950’s, two-mile-long Sunset Beach, and the Banzai Pipeline, where waves breaking over a sharp reef make it one of the world’s most dangerous surfing scenes.

Continue past shrimp farms, and catch a glimpse of the small island known as Chinaman's Hat for its interesting shape. Shop for irresistible macadamia nuts and other local products at the Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet. On your way to the airport drop by the Byodo Temple, a scale replica of a temple in Japan constructed entirely without nails and surrounded by a lovely and tranquil garden.

Celebrate the honor, valor and courage of the World War II US servicemen on this special tour. This nostalgic journey takes you to the two places that marked the beginning and the end of the war for the United States - Pearl Harbor and the USS Missouri. The 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor will unfold in detailed narrations and photos. From here you'll travel across the Ford Island Bridge to the historic USS Missouri battleship, nicknamed the 'Mighty Mo.' Explore the passages, rooms and corridors on a self-guided tour.