Absolutely a must visit to see, feel and understand Hawaiian history. It was sad that the volunteers were not even faintly familiar with anything. Names, events and even basic royal history questions were not answered...only empty smiles with oh- there is so much history here...sadly they didn't know hardly any of it. I even asked about the hula group that teaches there, again no idea. They need to train the volunteers to actually know something about the place where they are volunteering. read more

Hulihe'e Palace is a beautiful piece of Hawaii history museum that sits in downtown Kailua-Kona. This palace was built in 1838 for Hawaiian royalty stayed here, in 1973 it was place on the national register of historic places, it was originally built out of lava rocks, the lava rocks fance today still secure the palace. The museum has lot's of priceless artifacts like furiture photos quilts and other cultural Items. I was sad because it was close on the day we dock there, a good reason to come back to Kona. read more

Huliheʻe Palace - Museums Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

We really enjoyed our time at Huliheʻe Palace. The building is beautiful, the ocean breeze rolls right through the open-air rooms, and the history is woven into every corner. Our docent, Sunshine, was lovely... knowledgeable and gracious, with a calm, respectful way of sharing stories that made the whole experience feel more personal. I'd definitely recommend the guided tour if you want to get a fuller picture of what you're seeing. That said, once our tour began, a few other guests quietly joined in along the way. It didn't seem like they had paid for the guided option, and no one stopped them. It felt a bit off... like we'd unintentionally covered the cost of a group experience. Nothing dramatic, just something to be aware of. There was also a donation plate inside, which surprised us a little since admission is already required. It might help to explain exactly what that second donation supports... it just wasn't totally clear. Still, it was a meaningful visit. You can feel how much care has gone into preserving the space, and we're glad we made time to go. read more

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Out lovely guide Sunshine knew so much history behind the palace and the royal family. I lived here for six years, drove by it a million times, and decided to slow down to take in the history. So glad I did. read more

Huliheʻe Palace - Hulihe'e Palace - Museums Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Sunshine was the Best docent with great knowledge, respect of the culture and history of this beautiful island. I cannot recommend this palace and its beautiful grounds enough! It was a small group of 8, so we were able to hear easily and there was a fresh sea breeze throughout the palace. Do not miss this historic palace read more

Hulihe'e Palace is located in historic Kailua-Kona on Ali'i Drive. The Palace was originally built out of lava rock during the Kingdom of Hawai'i on land known as Kalāke'e, a former residence of Kamehameha the Great. This is a major piece of Hawaiian history !! Please include this as part of your next visit to the Kona Coast read more

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A beautiful piece of Hawaiian history in the middle of Kona Town. Although many tourists visit here, I highly recommend Native Hawaiians to hold space in this wahi pana!! read more

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I love walking by the palace in downtown Kona! I cannot believe it was built in the 1800s with Western materials that they were able to find and import from the islands!! You have to register online for a guided tour, and I will do that for next time!! There's something so magical, quaint, and simplistically beautiful about this area everything you fall in love with once you're here! The vibe, and the people are simply amazing! read more

Huliheʻe Palace - Built in 1838! Wow! - Museums Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

It's a simple, well kept palace with beautiful ocean views. Waves climb up and crash above the walls of the palace grounds. Volcanic ashen stone blocks surround the perimeter of the house. The palace is small in today's term, but still nice and moderate, yet regal. read more

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I had some time to spare on my last day in Kailua-Kona and spend it just walking around exploring the town. It felt like everything was commercial or restaurants (you can only eat at so many!) so I thought I'd visit the historic sites. Hulihee Palace sits right near the bay and is open to the public. They have a gift shop, which is where you buy your tickets. The grounds are gorgeous as is the building itself. Tours are available. If you don't want to spend the money or don't have the time, feel free to explore the grounds. read more

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The Hulihee Palace in historic Kailua-Kona was the former vacation home of Hawaiian royalty. It was originally built of lava rock and later plastered over to make it look more 'refined' We walked around the outside and took some photos on our way back to our cruise ship. We were running short on time and the $30 it would have cost the three of us to go in wasn't worth a rushed visit. We did go into the historic church across the street for free. read more

Huliheʻe Palace - Pride of America as seen from Palace grounds - Museums Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Absolutely beautiful palace. I believe Sunshine was working and was a very sweet greeter. They seemed to be VERY knowledgeable in all things regarding the palace. Inside was beautiful and rich with history. The price was pretty affordable, can't remember what it was. Online you can make a reservation on Saturday's I believe, but it wasn't crowded enough to need one. Shoes off inside to protect the floors. To the person who complained $30 was too much- you're literally there on a cruise ship. $30 to see a historical site of a place you're being touristy around and spending money on souvenirs anyway is nothing. The least you can do is put the money toward preserving historical sites. read more

Huliheʻe Palace - On the way into the palace! - Museums Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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This palace is worth a stop! We decided to take the docent guided tour and learned a lot about the history of Hawaii and we got to see some amazing artifacts. Highly recommend the 1 hour guided tour to appreciate the inside of the palace. You need to book ahead online. read more

Huliheʻe Palace - Palace - Museums Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

This is a beautiful little palace located right on the main street and a short walk from the ship's tender dock. The grounds are beautiful and well manicured and there are benches around so you can sit and enjoy gorgeous views of the bay. The palace seemed small to me compared to the King's palace in Oahu but, very beautiful just the same. There is a nice little gift shop on the side that has some local crafts at reasonable prices. read more

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The procession of the 200th year commemoration passing of King Kamemeha I on May 8th, 2019. started here at 5am. It piqued my curiosity so I wanted to tour this palace. The gift shop is beside the palace and that's where we purchased tickets for $10. The lady behind the counter asked if I'm kamaaina. She asked twice. I had to ask her what that meant. She figured it out then. Ha! Kama'aina is a local resident of Hawaii. We took our receipt to the palace where one of the docents was waiting and gave us the rundown on the rules as well as gave as a tri-fold pamphlet with details on the palace. We had to take any footwear off. It was all hardwood inside and it felt good to walk in bare feet. No photos of any kind is allowed. BUMMER! I did ask why and she mentioned they want to preserve the palace and there are also unique hand-made furniture they don't want anyone copying. In today's standards, the house wouldn't be considered a palace as it only has 6 rooms, 2 of which are bedrooms. We went from room to room reading the pamphlet as we went and looking at all the details. We were awe of the intricacies of the wood working on the Victorian furniture. Wow! I can't even begin to describe it's beauty. My Sweetie and I had numerous questions and there were two docents available at the time, who were very patient with us. They were a whole host of knowledge and enjoyed answering all our questions. In order to enjoy this palace, you have to be able to appreciate history and art. With that in mind, I highly recommend taking a tour of this palace. read more

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Loved visiting here. It is a small museum, but very unique on the island. You can learn a lot about the 19tj century royalty of Hawaii and how they tried to accommodate to American and British missionaries, before sadly being overthrown by The U. S. Decades later. Definitely worth a trip here, to also see the other historic buildings in the neighborhood, as well as the beautiful oceanfront. read more

My sister and I stopped in here, wanting to learn more about Hawaiian history and culture. After paying (entry price seemed pretty steep for the short tour) we were directed to the actual palace. We were told that all of the tours were done for the day. We were, obviously, disappointed as the palace is fairly small and for the price we wanted to learn about the different items in the palace. We returned to the entry point to politely ask for a refund so we could come on a day they were offering tours. At that time, a very kind male employee came out of the palace and agreed to give another tour for us and some other guests. This was very nice, so we agreed and off on the tour we went. Our guide was funny, informative, and paced the tour just right. I cannot remember his name but he was on break from his teaching job in the summer. Very informative and relevant history. Made me understand why Hawaiians are not always keen on the rest of the mainland. The islands were basically stolen from the natives. AND, Captain Cook has a monument on the island. Why? He literally brought diseases over that killed off a huge amount of the Hawaiian native people. Why are we celebrating that? Anyway, the palace is fairly small but each room holds a plethora of interesting history and artifacts. I enjoyed my time and the tour sparked my desire to learn more about Hawaiian culture and history. When I returned to the mainland, I began reading and learning more about Hawaiian culture and history. I think the entry price is too steep for what you get on the tour but I don't regret taking the tour. Also, you can't wear shoes inside the palace. If you have weak knees, your knees and feet might ache a bit afterwards from standing on the hard floor. I feel bad for the tour guides. That must be difficult to do all day. No photographs are allowed. Don't forget to go out back and see the "pool" they made for the royal family to bathe in. It is an enclosure that allows ocean water to flow in and out, making a shallow pool for bathing. Pretty cool. read more

Although we did not go inside, it looks beautiful, we just went around the perimeter of the palace where we were able to take some beautiful photos along the ocean wall. There is a small fee to go inside the palace and it's open until 4 PM. read more

Huliheʻe Palace - Outside of Hulihe'e Palace. - Museums Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

I previously lived in Kona (for many years) but when I lived there I actually never got around to visiting this place. I would always pass it whenever I was hanging out on Alii Drive, but it was only recently that I visited this palace for the first time. Off to the left of the palace is the gift shop and it's also where you purchase your tickets. The girl behind the counter wasn't the friendliest. But FYI Kama'aina: be sure to show your ID for a discounted rate. Now off to the palace. Before entering, be sure to take your slippers off, please! The staff inside were much friendlier. If I remember correctly, there's 3 rooms downstairs and 3 upstairs. Throughout the palace there's a bunch of factoids posted. We went through the different rooms pretty quickly. It was neat seeing all the items in the different rooms. You really do feel like you're stepping into a different time period. As a Hawai'i resident, I did enjoy the visit because it's always great to learn more about local history. read more

Every month the Daughters of Hawaii hold a tea, Wilhelmina's Tea, featuring a tour of the royal Hulihe'e Palace. Really pleasant way to have a light lunch and the tour is very informative and interesting. One of only three royal palaces in the US, all of which are in Hawaii. $40.00 each, for a good cause (student support). Highly recommend to visitors but you need to make a reservation a month ahead. Our tea was on 3/19 so I think they are usually scheduled at that time of the month. Best to call just after the current tea. read more

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Beautiful setting! Easy to see why the royals would want to retreat to these grounds. Unfortunately the gift shop has not reopened yet and the guided tours have not restarted. read more

What a great location to learn about the culture, history and notable royalty who used this palace. Great history on the island and the tremendous contributions made by these great people. Tour was self guided, but given a wonderful introduction by the hosts. Spent over an hour and a half reading all the information on the residents and enjoyed the amazing displays. It is well worth stopping by and learning more about the powerful and gracious people who lived here. Big bonus was watching the dolphin pod doing aerial acrobats in the water behind the palace. read more

This place is a total trip! Felt like I stepped through time being in there. While we didn't opt for the tour, the brochure and info cards inside were helpful. Please leave your shoes outside as you should if you were to enter local home. Unless you wanna be one of the funny looking people that comes in with the blue baggies on their feet. Also, no selfies allowed inside of the home. Enjoy this moment in time instead. read more

Huliheʻe Palace - Outside the palace - Museums Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

A history lesson-type tour that you should hit up if you have the time. Standing in the well-maintained, centuries year old palace was a cool feeling. You can only take photos of the palace exterior; photography isn't allowed inside. Neither is wearing shoes--leave them at the door. There is an $8/person admittance fee, but you should just pay $10/person for the guided tour which lasted about 40 mins depending on how many questions your group asks. Otherwise, you really won't understand what you're looking at. The guide shows you every room; ours was personable and extremely detailed. It would have been a bit more interesting if there were more interactive elements. The only thing we touched and inspected was a sample of a plant that separated and turned into a brush. read more

This historical site is home of Hawaiian royalty. Docents there are only too happy to explain all of the items on display in the house. Much was sold off by the royalty to keep up with expenses - but much has been brought back for display. It is a beautiful old house on a nice setting by the ocean. Ask some questions and your visit will be a lot more interesting! There are stories about the house, the items on display and the significance of the different items... which by themselves appear to be odd at times. read more

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Wonderful place to stroll and learn a little about this historical site. Even if there is a cover charge please understand, it was the home of Hawaiian royalty and well you have to also pay to see George Washington's Mount Vernon. It is not the Château de Versailles, but simple can be beautiful too. read more

Huliheʻe Palace - Beach side Hulihe‘e Palace. - Museums Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

This isn't your traditional palace. Don't come expecting European grandeur or anything like that. This reminded me more of a summer vacation home. While modest in size, this palace holds a ton of history. The tour guides here are fantastic and they'll take you from room to room and tell the stories behind the artifacts, the furniture, etc. You must take your shoes off before going inside, and the admission fee is $10/person. No pictures inside either, but I still thought it was totally worth it. The Hawaiians have some very fascinating myths, legends, and traditions. And you'll get a glimpse of everything here at the summer palace. For those of you who are looking for other things to do while on the Big Island, check out my itineraries here: reasyume.com/itineraries read more

Great history lesson. Admission fee is minimal and before you set foot inside you leave your shoes at the door. Walking around is definitely like stepping back in time. I enjoyed it. We opted to take the brochure and information cards instead of waiting for the next guided tour. You aren't allowed to take pictures inside so take it all in while you can. read more

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While it may not be the most popular attraction in the world...or in Hawaii...or on the Big Island...or in Kona for that matter, it is certainly worth the experience as you are taken to a bygone era filled with history. Once the summer vacation home for the Hawaiian royalty, it is now a museum that showcases beautiful portraits, tapa, feather pieces, koa furniture, and artifacts. It isn't large, but you are entering a simple home that is filled with history filled by its occupants that once graced its halls. You also get a beautiful view of the shoreline and the waterfront from its gardens. Perfect for that photo to put on your facebook page! Or your Yelp profile picture? read more

At first I didn't think this was going to be good, because it is a small museum. But I was pleasantly surprised by the guide. She was incredible and knew her stuff. It was a learning day for sure. read more

We stopped in for a tour the morning of June 22, and our tour guide (don't remember her name) did a fantastic job of explaining the history of the Hawaiian royal family. She was obviously an expert on Hawaiian royalty, and was able to answer any and all questions. The palace has been well maintained, and the views are spectacular. Fair warning: if you don't like history, don't visit the Hulihe'e Palace. read more

Another great place to see some Hawaiian history. This is not as big as the Iolani Palace over in Oahu, but still very nice and very well preserved as well. At one point this was a vacation home for one of the King's. How nice it must have been being right on the ocean, seems like a great way to unwind back then. Our tour guide did a fantastic job, and even took us out on the second deck which is roped off. read more

This place is not only a beautifully restored and maintained example of a historic home but also (if you can get on a tour), a great way to learn about the history of Hawaiian monarchy. Our tour guide had excellent anecdotes and was able to answer any and all questions. The most recently posted hours were 9-4 pm and the tour lasted about 45 minutes to an hour depending on how many more questions you had at the end. Definitely worth the $10 to take the tour in addition to $8 for entry. You do need to take off your shoes upon entering the home and pictures are not allowed. Must-see for historic value :) read more

Amazing history. Please use the lady's who sit there because they have a wealth of knowledge to provide about the house and the family. A lot of cool artifacts read more

While in Kailua-Kona, I had time to tour Hulihe'e Palace, the past vacation residence of Hawaiian royalty. Today the palace is a museum that showcases beautiful furniture and artifacts. The price of admission is relatively small, which is good because the house is also small and can be toured in only several minutes or so. You do need to remove your shoes before stepping inside the palace. read more

Not very interesting, only a few rooms with little furniture. It was used as a vacation home. If you are in the area and need to kill time then visit but I would probably not suggest it kind of a waste of time and money. read more

Hulihe'e was the hidden gem of our time in Kona! My husband and I thought we would stop by for 10 minutes, just to say we went... well, were we in for a surprise. We missed the "guided tour," so we asked docent Peter a few questions... and ended up on a two-hour immersive experience with another set of curious visitors. Seems like a guided tour to me! Peter's knowledge of the artifacts and Hawaiian history was just incredible. The palace is only six rooms, but we were never bored. Each object has an amazing story that you couldn't hear anywhere else. It was such a privilege to learn about the Hawaiian royalty; I felt more connected to the islands rather than being just another tourist. I actually like the no-cell-phone policy, because it forces you to put down the smartphone and focus on the experience in front of you! To those who say it's not worth the admission price: take the time to learn, listen, and ask questions. You'll be glad you did! read more

Another great historical experience, giving me a new perspective on Native Hawaiians and their royal families. Be sure to take a guided tour with Charlton. Smart, witty and full of information. read more

Huliheʻe Palace - Hulihee Royal Palace - Museums Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

This is a great historical spot to visit in this part of Hawaii, providing nice insight into the metamorphosis Hawaii was undergoing in the 19th century, following unification and with European/American influence, and, over time, domination, culminating in the US taking over. It is really just a mansion, built for a governor of the island as the Hawaiian elite was Europeanizing, later being taken over by the royal family. There is a lot of information on the different attitudes of various members of the elites, with traditionalist princess Ruth Ke'elikolani resisting European influence and living in a traditional grass hut on the site, differing from others who preferred the house. It has a lot of original furnishings and other items, and makes a nice historical sightseeing variation in an area that is more focused on other activities. It has a minimal fee, one must leave shoes at the front door, and photos are not allowed inside. read more

We stood around in the gift shop for ten minutes to buy a ticket while the lady was on a personal call. Then, on the tour we had to listen about how the Hawaiian people deserved their land back - their ancestors sold it. Lots of haters here in Hawaii. read more