What an honor to be able to witness this place! It's a sacred place for Hawaiian history and…read moreculture and I am so honored i got a glimpse of it. One hundred yards from the intersection of Whitmore Avenue and Highway 80 on the island of O'ahu lie a group of rocks known as the Kukaniloko Birthing Stones. This site has witnessed Hawai'i's royal births and powerful struggles for centuries, and which may have also served an astronomical function. When a new chief was to be born, the mother would be brought to the rocks and, under the watch of anywhere from 36 to 48 chiefs, the birth would take place. Most of the leaders were there to observe the births for the oral historical record, but a small number may have assisted with the birth. When the birthing was complete, the child would be swept away, not to be seen by the mother until they had reached maturity. This was practiced to reduce the chance of murder from rival chiefs. The important spot was also home to a number of battles between tribes that would decide the fates of their entire communities. Children born at Kukaniloko would learn leadership and the traditions of their ancestors at the sacred site and its surrounding lands. While the stones have been thought to have served a largely ritual purpose to native Hawaiians, recent research has uncovered patterns on the rocks that could have served an astrological purpose. It is now believed that the stones may have acted as a sort of Pacific Island henge.

A co-worker pointed out this sacred landmark as we were driving by one day. I took my mom's visit…read moreas an opportunity to see something other than the touristy stuff so we made it a stop while in the area. It's easy to drive by without noticing given the closed gate with "no parking" signs. One has to know to park safely on the road and walk past the closed gate to experience the birthing stones. There are no signs to indicate the history of the area which is a downside so one has to Google and read about it. As you walk down the dirt path you eventually run into a landscaped area bordered by rocks that contains the birthing stones and trees. There's nothing really to see beyond scattered stones while using your imagination in curiosity about what has occurred at this location. A site mentions a temple with a bell that would ring to announce the birth but it's nowhere to be found. A quick visit to see a piece of Hawaiian history. I give it three stars because while it's a landmark, it could do a better job at educating visitors. No signage, description, or images of what happened hinders the appreciation and knowledge of why it's a sacred landmark.

We had family visiting from the mainland and since their hotel wasn't ready and they never went to…read morePali decided to take them there which they really enjoyed also because they are watching the Hawaii series with Jason Mamoa. The Park is well kept and they have parking meters self pay for visitors, if you're kamaina or military no parking fee. No restrooms

Beautiful! A misty day is THE TIME to visit! It lets you see the swirling winds (using the mist)…read moreas they come up the ridge line. Its is really cool! (No really, you'll need a jacket.) The views are incredible! The park is quite beautiful! (Tip: Understand the historical significance of the warring Hawaiian tribes and thus park before you come to see it.)

Formerly known as Hawaii State Art Museum. Located between Honolulu City and the State Capitol and…read moreIolani Palace. The venue often showcases local art installations highlight Polynesian and Asian themes. Frequent live music and event nights make this a museum to frequent often.

The Capitol Modern Art Museum on Richards Street in Honolulu is an amazing experience! Best of all,…read moreit's free to attend and offers a wonderful mix of art, music, dancing, and community. I enjoyed exploring the art exhibits and seeing the creativity of local artists. There were also vendors selling local products, jewelry, hats, clothing, and other unique items. If you'd like, you can also grab a drink or food while enjoying the event. The museum hosts special First Friday events every month, creating a fun and vibrant atmosphere where people can gather, socialize, and appreciate art and culture. For convenient parking, I recommend the Aliʻi Place parking garage, where parking is very affordable. It's a great way to spend an evening in downtown Honolulu, whether you're a local or a visitor.

Public art in Honolulu, Hawaii…read more.. On the way from the parking lot next to the former Fisherman's Wharf to the Ala Moana Pedestrian Bridge, we saw Choy's Monster. It's a gigantic sculpture of the world's largest Pacific Blue Marlin! Captain Cornelius Choy caught it on June 10, 1970 with a rod and reel! It weighed 1805 pounds. This event happened on the Kewalo Harbor. Charter Boat Coreene C. Come see this amazing display! It's between Ala Moana Boulevard and the harbor.

A whopper of a trophy…read more.. As I drive through Ala Moana Boulevard almost on a daily basis we all know about the giant marlin displayed at Kewalo Basin and with lots of various boats at the harbor it would be the common decor you'd expect to see and think not much of it other than how cool it looks and being a great symbolic monument to give directions for folks finding their way around town. Well as on this day that I went to explore the Ala Moana Boulevard Bridge to start and as we glanced and noticed the plaque placed right below titled "Choy's Monster" as this was the exact replica of the Pacific Blue Marline caught by Captain Cornelius Choy using just a rod and reel isn't that an incredible history! So if you're ever in the area go see this monster as the story of itself is not only great but a fun fact of how it was captured and is a wonderful piece of landmark for us to share. Thank you!

It's located in the center of Waikiki beach, and the most iconic statue honors the father of modern…read moresurfing and Olympic gold medalist Duke Kahanamoku. You won't miss it, where you see most tourists pile up and take photos. I would say it's hard to not associate it with Waikiki memories.

The legendary Duke Paoa Kahanamoku statue. Always a welcoming sight when passing by. There are many…read moretourists that take photos with the statue. An iconic monument in scenic Waikīkī. If you are ever in Waikīkī, the Duke's statue is a must visit.

Have you played Animal Crossing: New Horizons?…read more Stay with me here. Because while this wasn't the first place I'd ever seen the iconic statue of King Kamehameha I (also known as Kamehameha the Great), my brain absolutely went, "Oh hey, my island museum decor!" the second I saw it in real life. Yes, I'm that person who unknowingly recreated a culturally significant landmark next to Blathers. I hadn't plan to see this statue while I was on Oahu but shoutout to my waifu Sheryl M. for the spontaneous detour. She hadn't seen it in person either, so it turned into one of those unexpectedly wholesome "Wait, this is actually kind of special" moments. Bonus: I also got introduced to a Hawaiian plover (tiny, adorable, and clearly the main character of the day). The statue stands proudly in front of Aliʻiōlani Hale, and here's where things get interesting: - The statue you see there is actually a replica. - "There are four Kamehameha Statues: One on Oahu, two on the Big Island - in HiIo & North Kohala, and another one in Washington DC at the US Capitol." - As per Bruddah Fran C. (go add him)! - The original statue had a whole dramatic backstory: It was cast in Europe, lost in a shipwreck, then later recovered (yes, ocean salvage arc), and eventually placed elsewhere in Hawaii. - The statue wasn't designed to accurately reflect Kamehameha's true appearance. It was westernized, which... yeah. A little side-eye moment. Even with that context, there's something undeniably powerful about seeing it in person. The stance, the gesture, the presence... It hits differently when you're standing right there. Would I recommend stopping by? Honestly, yes. It's quick, it's meaningful, and it's one of those spots that sneaks up on you. Embrace life and spontaneity.

Aliʻiōlani Hale is the Hawaii state supreme court building located behind the King Kamehameha…read morestatue. The statue of Kamehameha the Great, known as the first king of Hawaii, was astounding. It's said that Kamehameha unified the Hawaiian Islands under his rule. ,

The legendary story of Makua and his seal friend Kila, was the inspiration for this bronze…read moresculpture on the east side of Waikiki. The book was written by Fred Van Dyke. The sculpture is fun and makes me smile when ever I pass. According to the attached plaque, Holly Young was the artist and the sculpture was commissioned by the City of Honolulu Commission on the Arts. The book honors family and the ocean, important Hawaiian values. Visitors place leis around the necks of the boy and seal. There is some public pay parking across the street near the zoo.

I always see them in the corner of my eyes. Didn't mind reading the history of this but this time,…read moreI was curious. The pigeon made me do this. Give them a lil check but failed to read what's on the stone. It needs an update coz letters are kinda unreadable, so here comes google & read some information about this public sculpture. This bronze charmer located in the end of Kuhio Beach Park has an interesting story behind it. The sculpture shows a young surfer named Makua sharing a moment with a monk seal which is named by Kila. It was an inspiration of a children's book "Makua Lives On The Beach", a story about Hawaiian values of love & respect. After knowing all of these, I'll be looking on that public sculpture the next time 'round a lil different. Appreciating it more & give a stare for a minute. I'd be taking more photos too the next time I'll stroll Waikiki downtown. Mahalo for reading & happy juandering fellow yelpers!

Thank you, Jules Y., for inviting me to this Bruno Mars concert... it was way better than I…read moreexpected! At first, I didn't want to go because I'm spoiled by all of the concerts in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Aloha Stadium (35,000 open-air seats), in comparison, seems less organized and more crowded than mainland venues. Jules was always positive about getting tickets - she was so patient and lucky - and had a great plan about parking for free in the residential area. She was smart about eating before the concert because the lines are long and the prices are on the higher side. Jules knew the layout of the stadium and where to sit to avoid the setting sun. The one thing we couldn't avoid was the line for merchandise. Yeah. Unbelievable. After waiting in a single line, people merged into a mass and pushed forward to a limited supply of souvenirs (because this was his final concert of a 200 concert tour). I pointed to the display which was a XXL black t-shirt and got it quickly! Turns out that it's not available online...wow! We inched our way from the merchandise tables to our seats. Ahhh...it was nice to finally sit down after walking a mile to the stadium, standing in line for an hour to get in, waiting in line for the restroom, and standing in the merchandise line for 1.5 hours. Haha! We were in the Orange Level in the L section on Sunday, 11-11-18 - we had a good view of the stage and jumbotrons. The sound wasn't too loud and we could see all of the fireworks! There were two Opening Acts: Common Kings (from Orange County) - popular songs include "One Day", " Lost In Paradise", and "Today's A New Day" - and The Green, a local band most known for the song, "All I Need". Both reggae bands were really good!!! The crowd sang and danced with anticipation! Finally, it was time for The 24K Magic World Tour! Bruno's clear, strong voice held out even though this was his third and final night in Honolulu. Bruno's dancing, guitar playing, and drumming were amazing. What a talented young individual! Seeing him in person made me appreciate him even more! Note: my eyes welled up with tears during the Opening video. He paid tribute to his mom and dad and his high school friends! I enjoyed seeing his childhood pictures - especially of his days of being an Elvis impersonator - and his high school portrait!

This is my second Bruno Mars concert and I'm loving that he's back for another visit!…read more Nadine C. and I stood in line for tee-shirts. We came in from the North End Zone side and the two concert merchandise areas were all the way on the South End Zone side. We stood in line from 5-615 and once we got to the front there was not much left I wanted to choose from except for huge sizes or sweatshirts so Nadine got a 2XL shirt and I sadly put back a couple items I really wasn't interested in keeping. We went to the other line to see if there was a chance at getting something but the line was even longer. We got to our seats and waited just a bit for the concert to start. The opening performance began right at 7pm with Common Kings, a Reggae genre group. The sound is kinda loud (they're playing now as I type) but they sounded great. The stage is placed just before the North End Zone of Aloha Stadium and there are seats covering the entire football field. I'm excited to hear the Bruno Mars concert! Been waiting half a year and now it's time! [My photos are uploaded in mixed up order. I'll fix it later :) ]