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Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawai‘i. In the Hawaiian language, honolulu means "sheltered bay" or "place of shelter." The city is located along the southeast coast of the island of O‘ahu. The term also refers to the District of Honolulu (see Geography below). According to latest U.S. Census estimates (2004), the population of the district is 390,000 and that of the county is 900,000. In Hawai‘i, municipal governments operate only at the county level, and the City & County of Honolulu encompasses all of the Island of O‘ahu (approximately 600 square miles).
Neighborhoods and districts
View of downtown Honolulu at Bishop and King streets with First Hawaiian Bank building (left) and Bank of Hawai‘i (right)Downtown Honolulu is the financial, commercial and governmental center of Hawai‘i. On the waterfront is Aloha Tower, which for many years was the tallest building in Hawai‘i. Currently the tallest building is the 450-foot-tall (137 m) First Hawaiian Center, located on King & Bishop Streets. On the eastern side of downtown is the historic center of Hawai‘i's state government: the Hawai‘i State Capitol, ‘Iolani Palace, Honolulu Hale, and the statue of King Kamehameha I are the central features of this area, along with numerous government buildings.
Kaka‘ako is a light-industrial district between Downtown and Waikiki that has seen a large-scale redevelopment effort in the past decade. It is home to two major shopping areas, Ward Warehouse and Ward Centre. Several other redevelopment projects are planned in this area, including a new medical school campus for the University of Hawai‘i.
Waikiki is the famous tourist district of Honolulu, located between the Ala Wai Canal and the Pacific Ocean. Numerous hotels, shops, and other nightlife are located along Kalakaua and Kuhio Avenues. World-famous Waikiki Beach attracts thousands of visitors a year. Just west of Waikiki is Ala Moana Center, the world's largest open-air shopping center. A majority of the hotel rooms on O‘ahu are located in Waikiki.
Downtown Honolulu as seen from the Capitol DistrictManoa and Makiki are residential neighborhoods located in adjacent valleys just inland of Downtown and Waikiki. Manoa Valley is home to the main campus of the University of Hawai‘i.
Palolo and Kaimuki are neighborhoods east of Manoa and Makiki, inland from Diamond Head. Palolo Valley parallels Manoa and is a residential neighborhood. Kaimuki is primarily a residential neighborhood with a commercial strip centered on Wai‘alae Avenue. Chaminade University is located in Kaimuki.
Wai‘alae and Kahala are the upper-class districts of Honolulu located directly east of Diamond Head, where there are many high-priced homes. Also found in these neighborhoods are the Wai‘alae Country Club and the Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
East Honolulu includes the residential communities of Aina Haina, Niu Valley, and Hawai‘i Kai. These are considered upper-middle-class neighborhoods.
Nu‘uanu and Pauoa are middle-class to upper-middle-class residential districts located inland of downtown Honolulu. The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is located here.
Kalihi and Palama are working-class neighborhoods with many government housing developments. Lower Kalihi, toward the ocean, is a light-industrial district.
Salt Lake and Aliamanu are (mostly) residential areas built in extinct tuff cones along the western end of the Honolulu District, not far from the Honolulu International Airport.
Moanalua is two neighborhoods and a valley at the western end of Honolulu, and home to Tripler Army Medical Center.
Performing arts
Established in 1900, the Honolulu Symphony is the oldest symphony orchestra west of the Rocky Mountains. Other classical music ensembles include the Hawaii Opera Theatre. Honolulu is also a center for Hawaiian music. The main music venues include the Neal Blaisdell Center Concert Hall, the Waikiki Shell, and the Hawaii Theatre.
Honolulu also includes several venues for live theatre, including the Diamond Head Theatre and the Manoa Valley Theatre.
Visual arts
Located near downtown Honolulu, the premier venue for visual arts in Hawai'i is the Honolulu Academy of Arts. The Honolulu Academy of Arts features the largest collection of Western and Asian art in Hawai'i and also hosts a year-round film and video program dedicated to the presentation of arthouse and world cinema in the museum's Doris Duke Theatre. The Contemporary Museum in Makiki is the main museum of contemporary art in the state.
Other museums, aquariums, zoos, and cultural centers
The Bishop Museum is the largest museum in the state of Hawaii and houses thousands of natural history specimens and cultural artifacts relating to Hawaii and the Pacific.
The Waikiki Aquarium and the Honolulu Zoo are both located in Waikiki near Kapiolani Park.
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