• DOWNTOWN HONOLULU
THE ARTS DISTRICT
On the eastern edge of Chinatown, in old town Honolulu,
lies an eclectic and diverse neighborhood. In a span
of 12 blocks, over 25 arts-related businesses/galleries,
two theatres, two performance art venues, an alternative
movie theater and some of Honolulu’s trendiest nightclubs
and restaurants coexist in buildings built at the
end of the 19th century. Experience a nascent art
scene and dine at over 75 ethnic and Southeast Asian
restaurants in the surrounding neighborhood. On the
first Friday of every month, galleries remain open
from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. for the First Friday Gallery
Walk (for information, call (808) 521-2903).
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In case you’re wondering, Waikiki and Downtown Honolulu are not the same. What we call downtown is the area around
Honolulu Harbor, near Aloha Tower. It's easy to reach
by city bus (#19 or #20) or, better yet, aboard the open-air
Rainbow Trolleys or Waikiki Trolleys.
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| The Coronation Pavilion on the grounds of ‘Iolani
Palace is dwarfed by downtown
Honolulu’s modern office
towers. |
Downtown Honolulu is a refreshing, comfortable
blend of the old, Iolani Palace, and the new, Aloha Tower
Marketplace. Currently experiencing both a building boom
and a classic case of urban renaissance, the city is compact,
clean and cheerful. Our bankers, lawyers and businesspeople
are bustling about in dressier island wear (you’ll see
very few coats and ties here!), the traditional Chinatown
merchants are selling goods with Oriental zest aside their
new, artsy neighbors, the lei sellers string floral fare
with timeless serenity, and everyone seems to be having
a good time.
A walking tour of our city should include the Aloha
Tower Marketplace, the fascinating Hawai‘i Maritime
Center, Chinatown,
our business district, and several sites of unique historical
significance. Tours
of stately ‘Iolani Palace are conducted from
Tuesday through Saturday, call (808) 522-0832 for
reservations and (808) 538-1471 for recorded information.
Across King Street and facing ‘Iolani Palace is the striking
statue of King
Kamehameha the Great. Further down King Street
is Honolulu’s City Hall, also called Honolulu Hale,
Kawaiaha‘o
Church, and the Mission
Houses Museum (with tours Tues.-Sun., call (808)
531-0481).
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