How many airports have a koi pond?…read more When flying through Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), take some time out of your busy itinerary to relax and take in the views at the Cultural Gardens. The gardens are divided into a Hawaiian, Japanese, and Chinese section with a pond running between them, complete with native plants, small waterfalls, and large koi and smaller fish. There are also several airport lounges around the perimeter of the gardens--the perfect location for people looking to temporarily get away from all the hustle and bustle. The gardens are at Terminal 2, and you can walk there from Terminal 1 without having to go through security again. While the gardens are not huge, I wouldn't mind just strolling and hanging out for a while here. The only downside of this place is that, since it's an open-air part of the terminal, you occasionally have jet fumes making their way in!

The Cultural Gardens within the airport are an oasis for meditation and relaxation before a flight…read moreout of Honolulu. The gardens are divided into three sections with features from Hawaii, Japan and China. Each section has a water feature (pool or waterfall) and tropical plants from the different regions. Bench seating is abundant throughout the gardens. I like that plants are identified on signs. Several modern art sculptures are displayed around the gardens as well. The Gardens are on the lower level adjacent to D gates after passing through security. Elevators or stairs ascend to the area. There is no charge to enjoy the gardens. The Gardens are a unique feature to the aloha airport and worth a visit before or after a long flight.

The Honolulu Museum of Art is a must for anyone visiting Honolulu. With a $25.00 per person…read moreadmission fee, you get access to the museum for the entire day, access to the snack store, and on Friday nights, you get to experience an art after dark event. Although my brother and I didn't get a chance to participate in the art after dark event, we still had a great time exploring the different exhibits that were there. We're both lovers of art, so it was important to us to stop by and get a sense of how various Asian countries have documented the continent's history through art. While I enjoyed every exhibit equally, I will admit that I had a particularly great time at the Chinese courtyard as it does offer a nice little quiet zone where one could meditate should they fell so inclined. If you're interested in learning more about how various Asian countries have contributed to Hawaii's rich history, the Honolulu Museum of Art is a great place to check out since it doesn't get as packed as bigger museums. The museum's smaller size allows you to move at a slower pace and really take in some of the information and art that's on display.

It's been a while since I've been back. I do miss the Museum of Modern Art up on the hill, in the…read morevery cool mansion. Glad I was able to experience that. Honestly, on this trip...I had to shi-shi. So why not go and look at art too! There were some really interesting exhibitions. I also learned one of my friend's uncle, Victor Kobayashi, had several pieces on exhibit. But the one I really liked and was inspired by was "Divine Disruption" by artist Tsherin Sherpa. It was fun and interesting to walk through the different sections. The only thing that I didn't like was the attitude of the woman working in the gift shop. Yes, I'm only buying some cards. I guess I wasn't hoity-toity enough...LOL! Which is why I miss MOMA! Though the other staff members were great!

This is a beautiful place and the guides here are very friendly and knowledgeable of Islamic art…read moreand the history of this property

After years and years of wanting to go, I FINALLY saw the Shangri La Museum up close and personal…read more You need to make reservations online and take the museum's shuttle bus to and from this location. Pay for parking at the Honolulu Museum of Art and check in, then wait for your shuttle in the front of the museum. You'll be shuttled in AC buses. Once you're done, they'll take you back and you have full access to the Honolulu Museum of Art for the same day. That's such a great deal! Two museums for the price of one ticket.

Memories... We all…read morehave them and we all cherish them in many different ways. How can we celebrate...express...share or just release them. I think we are so blessed to have such even every Memorial Day to a point that I see visitors who come here just for this and that says a lot. With work I personally never have the moment to participate as you need to line up early to pick up a lantern I was fortunate enough that a friend did that for me and here I am nervous and emotional not knowing where to begin. I think that's the therapy as well to express yourself in grief, anger, or sadness as I watched my lantern float away to a point that I don't know which on it is amongst the many others just looking at the serene vibe standing in the water is a sense of calm. Thank you to Shinnyo En for this massive arrangement as it takes much more than a village to take care of this massive arrangement and know that it helps many, myself included that we are never alone in this. Thank you!

The lantern floating ceremony is one of the most spectacular event you can attend in Honolulu,…read moreHawaii. It take place at the Ala Moana Beach Park. This event is to memory the loss of someone in your life, They give out free lanterns. It is first come first serve, so you have to get there early in the morning to reserve it. Last year, I got there at 5 AM to stand in line, the ceremony start at around 6:30PM. After the official program, all the attendances can start release the lanterns after the sunset. It is a pretty emotional event, but also spectacular to watch with thousands of lanterns floating on the water. It is such an amazing scene if you never attend this ceremony before, I highly recommend you to go to experience it.

Whoa!? First to review!?!?! SWEET!!!…read more Anyway, this is a parade that my Pops used to bring us since I was in DIAPERS!!! Starting from Ala Moana Blvd., participants would march all the way to Kapiolani Park, and what a great spectacle for locals and tourists as well. Politicians, entertainers, local organizations, the military, the po-po, high school bands, local tourist attractions, and some of Hawaii's hottest V-Dubs, Hot Rods, and vintage cars were among this years participants. My favorites to see, were the Prince and Princess that represented each one of the Hawaiian Islands with their entourage...even the "Pooper Scoopers" bringing up the rear gave all the spectators a good laugh! Grab a spot along the curb next time the Aloha Week Parade rolls into town, you'll be glad you did!....ALOHA!!! YELP 365 CHALLENGE-(64/365) "Join the Festivities"

Awesome. The festivals/parades in Waikiki are over-the-top. First time I've seen Governor Ige and…read morehis wife, even Mayor Caldwell. Oh and HPD BRIGADE. They had the royal court, different companies throughout Hawaii, the marching band for various schools around Oahu. Lol. Pretty cool. Come early because parking can be crazy and finding a good spot. We set up camp by the Victoria secret on Seaside Avenue. And people this is a parade stay off the streets and don't interrupt the line and if you do decide to cross the street, so not walk at turtle pace!!! ** The parade reminds me of the Kamehameha day parade in Lahaina with the court.

After a hearty lunch at Duke's Waikiki, we wandered into the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii--free…read moreentry, though I gave a little donation to support our service members. It turned out to be a surprising gem--like a smaller, more intimate counterpart to larger historic sites. Since I didn't have time or transport to see Pearl Harbor, this will have to do. Food for the mind (5 stars): * Walking through the weapons, vehicles, and dioramas--from Hawaii's defenses to Vietnam's history--felt immersive and educational. * Seeing both U.S. and Viet Cong weaponry side by side added perspective. * Medal displays and heroic stories tugged at my heart; the sacrifices were humbling. * Highlight? The Cobra helicopter atop the museum--my daughter and I loved it! Service/Ambiance (4 stars): * Information staff was rigid like a soldier. This is a historical building--a former coastal defense fort--was fascinating in itself. * The space is compact, so expect a quick visit--worth it, though! Overall, a solid 5-star experience--a hidden Waikiki gem for history buffs!

Very cool free activity to do to beat the heat. Loved everything about this museum. Very…read moreinformative and loved learning about the history. Employees were friendly. They also have a gift shop. Restrooms available as well.

It was a small birthday celebration--just myself, the newly minted 9-year-old grandson, and his…read moremother. The admission to the museum was pricey, even for Kama'aina, so we opted to get the Family Membership instead. The membership was for 2 adults and up to 4 kids, and also has discounts for other exhibits. After a quick sweep through the museum, and a wary observation of the flight simulator, the grandson decided it was time to eat. I got the Blue Angels Burger and he got the kids hot dog meal. I'd say the prices were reasonable, considering how much takeout and restaurant food costs these days. The burger was fat as hell and the dog wasn't Costco sized but definitely satisfied the kid. I didn't get pics of the food because I was too enthralled over the size of the patty! We spent the day also visiting the Mighty Mo, the Virtual Reality tour, and gift shop shopping also.

Our second stop while at Pearl Harbor was the Aviation Museum. Located just a few moments from the…read moreUSS Missouri on Ford Island. In my opinion the Aviation Museum was one of the cooler stops on our trip. I really enjoyed all the different types of planes and carriers they had on display. We also ate Lunch at the Cafe in the Aviation Museum and the food was delicious! The bus picked us up from the USS Missouri and dropped us off at the Aviation Museum, there was a short line to check in at the front desk of the museum before you could enter the inside portion of the museum. They had a flight simulator inside the internal museum as well as a gift shop and restaurant. The Hangar still had the original bullet holes in the glass from the Pearl Harbor attack which was a really neat part of history to be able see. They also have a section where they are restoring some planes and helicopter parts. My favorite thing they had was this wood paneled plane in the hangar. They also had some old Military trucks out front of the hangar that were really cool. I highly recommend visiting the Aviation Museum while at Pearl Harbor.

You'll find the Hawaii State Art Museum across from Iolani Palace along Hotel Street. I prefer this…read moremuseum on first Fridays when there's themed exhibits, food, music and entertainment.

Came here a few times to look around (i love that it's free, and the parking in Ali'i Place has the…read morebest rates, and it's right across from the museum!), so this review is long overdue, but I recently went for a Yelp Elite Event, the Family Sunday FUNday event. I love the cute Mori shop inside, and the security guards are all super kind and helpful. The Sculpture Garden is my favorite part of the museum, because it's great for pictures and it's a super cute concept! The second floor has a "learning art" section, where visitors can play with different mediums like velcro, colors, pipes, etc. and every time I come with my friends, we love spending time in here.