Honolulu · Things to do

The visitor center is free and open daily 7am–5pm, closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The USS Arizona Memorial boat programme starts at 8am with the last departure at 3:30pm; tickets are reserved through Recreation.gov for a $1 non-refundable fee. A limited number of standby tickets exist, but arriving without a reservation is a gamble.

0.8 miles and 560 ft of switchbacks, stairs and a lit tunnel up to a First World War fire control station, 1.5 to 2 hours return, steep and almost entirely unshaded. Out-of-state visitors must reserve entry and parking in advance: $5 per person and $10 per vehicle, card payment only. Open 6am–6pm daily with the last entry slot at 4pm; service animals only.

The State of Hawaiʻi's museum of natural and cultural history, at 1525 Bernice Street in Kalihi and open daily 9am–5pm. Hawaiian Hall's three koa-lined floors are the reason to make the trip out of Waikīkī; there is also the Watumull Planetarium and a science centre aimed at children. 808-847-3511.

Built in 1882 at King and Richards Streets downtown, the official residence of the Hawaiian monarchy until the overthrow in 1893 and the only royal palace in the United States. Open Tuesday to Saturday 9am–4pm with the ticket office closing at 3:30; docent-led, self-guided audio and specialist tours are sold first come, first served. 808-522-0832.

Open Wednesday to Sunday only, with entry between 6:45am and 1:30pm; closed Monday and Tuesday. Non-residents aged 13 and over pay $25 plus a booking fee, parking is $3, and reservations open two days ahead at 7am Hawaii time, with roughly a quarter of daily capacity held back for walk-ins. It is a steep walk down to the reef and a steeper one back up.