It’s easy to be c aught up in the sun, sand, and surf of Hawaii, but the islands are also rich in military history and sites.  Although it can be sobering and painful to think about, these military sites deserve a spot on any must-see list.

Next time you’re on Oahu, take a beach break and work some of these spots into your schedule:

Pearl Harbor:  This site is administered by the National Park System, and in my book is the must-see historical site on the island.  It’s an easy drive from Waikiki, about 45 minutes, and is also served by public transportation.  If you’d prefer a tour, it’s a stop on many of them.  The tour includes a brief video, followed by a boat ride to the Arizona Memorial. Like most visitors to the site, I was profoundly touched and moved by the experience.   Appropriate attire is required; no bathing suits, short shorts, or inappropriate t-shirts.  Members of the military should wear dress uniforms. And turn your cell phones off.  There is no admission charge.

Punchbowl:  Officially the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, this reverent site is the final resting place for veterans of both World Wars as well as Korea and Vietnam.  Courts of the Missing are especially somber, as these marble slabs list the name of military personnel who were lost or buried at sea or who were missing in action.  The cemetery is open daily and there is no admission charge.  The site is reachable by car or on one of many tours.

Pacific Aviation Museum:  This museum on Ford Island chronicles the history of the attack on Pearl Harbor with original film and photos, and includes  a tour of Hangars 37 and 49.  Aviation buffs will love the collection of US and Japanese aircraft.  Tickets used to take a lot of effort, but are now much easier.  This is a great option for aviation buffs.

Battleship Missouri Monument:  The Mighty Mo has a history filled with stories starting with World War II, and continuing through right up to Operation Desert Storm.  The site now offers multi-media tours, combining footage and narration from some of the men who served on board this ship, giving a realistic feel for what life must have been like.

Photo credit:  All from flickr; USS Arizona; Punchbowl; Pacific Aviation Museum by Cliff; Mighty Mo by Yuki Kawagishi

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Honolulu may be known for its sun and sandy beaches, but it is also home to one of  the most sobering military history sites that I’ve ever visited — the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.  The Memorial, dedicated in 1962, honors the site where World War II began for the United States, with the bombing that entombed 1,102 crew members on December 7th, 1941.

The memorial was designed to span the hull of the sunken battleship, yet never touch it. The structure is 184 feet long, with two peaks at each end, and a deliberate sag in the middle.  Alfred Preis, the memorial designer, sums it up like this:

“Wherein the structure sags in the center but stands strong and vigorous at the ends, expresses initial defeat and ultimate victory… The overall effect is one of serenity.   Overtones of sadness have been omitted to permit the individual to contemplate his own personal responses… his innermost feelings.”

The ship’s huge anchor is displayed at the entrance to the visitor center, and it is here that you begin your journey through the exhibits and memorial.  At the visitor center are a variety of historical exhibits and artifacts, and visitors watch a documentary film about the Pearl Harbor attack.  As I looked around the theater area, I saw visitors representative of countries from around the world, including many elderly Japanese tourists.  I couldn’t help but wonder how they felt after viewing the documentary.  What stories had they been told, or experiences that they lived through, and how did they feel visiting the Memorial.  I wondered how their view of history compared and contrasted with mine.

Following the film, visitors are transported by boat to the memorial.  At the entry to the memorial, you pass by two bells that were on the USS Arizona, and then enter the central assembly room.  This area features seven open windows on the walls and ceiling that commemorate the date of the attack.  An opening in the floor overlooks the sunken decks of the Arizona, and it is from this location that visitors can pay their respects by tossing flowers and leis into the water. The oil that still seeps from the wreckage is sometimes referred to as “black tears” or “the tears of the Arizona.”

At the far end of the memorial is a marble wall shrine, behind velvet ropes, that lists the names of all those killed on the Arizona. It stands as a reminder to the very human cost of the attack, and that the beauty of the memorial is overshadowed by the solemnity and respect due those buried in the water below.

During peak tourist times it can get quite crowded and it is a stop on many organized tours.  My recommendation is to visit during off-peak travel periods or first thing in the morning before the tour buses arrive.  Allow about an hour and a half to see everything.

Post 9/11 security regulations are in effect, and no purses, backpacks, camera bags, diaper bags, etc., are allowed in the visitor center or on the Memorial tour.  Personal cameras are allowed.  There is baggage storage operated by a third party vendor that can store items for a fee.  I’d recommend leaving your items at home, in your hotel room, or you car trunk.

Location:  About 45 minutes outside of Waikiki, the site is best reached by car or tour bus.  It is accessible by #20 and #42 bus, which drops off at the Visitor Center. (map)

Hours:  The USS Arizona Memorial is open daily, from 7:00 am – 5 pm.

Admission:  Tickets are free, and issued on a first come, first served basis.

Special Visiting Notes:  This is a memorial and appropriate dress is required.  No bathing suits, short shorts, or inappropriate t-shirts.  Members of the military should wear dress uniforms.  Cell phones must be turned off.

Photo credit:  top photo from The Girls NY @flickr; bottom photo from adamr.stone @flickr

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A trip to the islands isn’t complete without a visit to Hilo Hattie’s.  Some people might call it touristy, but I think of it as one of the rituals of an island visit.

During the 1950-60′s, Hilo Hattie was the stage name for a popular Hawaiian entertainer whose real name was Clarissa Haili.  She was originally a teacher, but achieved fame as a singer and dancer, popularizing a comedic hula-style dancing.

Giant Aloha shirt at Hilo Hattie's

In 1963, a Hawaiian store opened for business, naming the store after the very popular Hilo Hattie.  The store aims to provide one-stop shopping for Hawaiian goods and products, and is the largest Hawaiian retailer and manufacturer of the same.  In memory of the original Hilo Hattie, who passed away in 1979, the store gives scholarships to University of Hawaii students who are pursuing degrees in Hawaiian studies and music.

From Aloha shirts to beachwear and other resort apparel, from traditional muumuus to CD’s and DVD’s, from food products to tableware and candles, from jewelry to body lotions and fragrances, Hilo Hattie’s has it all.

Hilo Hattie’s operates a free trolley service from various Waikiki hotel locations to its flagship store (700 Nimitz Highway, Honolulu, map).  The trolley runs approximately every 20 minutes, so you’re never too early or late to get there.  On the return trip there is also a courtesy drop off at the Ala Moana Shopping Center.

On other islands, check with the front desk of your hotel.  Chances are there’s an easy way to get to a store.

There may be cheaper places to buy an Aloha shirt, but you will find a bit more quality at Hilo Hattie’s.  It’s a shopping experience, with lots of fun souvenir and gift items, food, and there’s always a giveaway or two.  Since the shop has become a tourist attraction, with all the fun and annoyances that involves,you’d be wise to know you’re prices so you’re not feeling ripped off on typical souvenir items.  The sales staff is constantly selling, urging you to make a selection, and lately that has become a real turn off.  Politely indicate that you are “just looking” and they’ll eventually back away, but since I’m rarely in a hurry to make a purchase, I find this very annoying.

Despite what might sound like negatives, Hilo Hattie’s is a good shopping spot.  Cotton  Aloha shirts run around $30, silk running a little more.  There’s a big selection to choose from, and I’ve found the shirts wear and launder well.  There are also lots of fun Hawaiian food products to taste (jams and jellies, seasonings, cooking sauces), body lotions and fragrances in the floral scents of the islands (jasmine, pikaki, plumeria, tuberose) t-shirts and caps, and all sorts of stuff to poke around and look at.  It was a fun way to spend an hour of time.

This store also proudly displays the world’s largest Aloha shirt (in photo above), a size 400XL.  It measures 168 inches (14 feet) around the chest, 161 inches at the waist, and over 60 inches around the neck.  The buttons are made of Koa wood beverage coasters.  The shirt took 26 yards of fabric to create.

There are Hilo Hattie locations on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. They also offer a variety of products in their online store.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Honolulu’s Bishop Museum offers the natural and cultural history of Hawaii’s indigenous people.   Founded in 1889 by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last heir to Kamehameha I, you’ll find artifacts and exhibits representative of all the Pacific Islands.

A couple of my favorite highlights are the Science on a Sphere exhibit and the Science Adventure Center.

• Science on a Sphere is a 68 inch, 200 pound fiberglass sphere suspended from the ceiling.  It serves as a sort of 3-D movie, displaying full color, satellite and animated images.  You can watch a hurricane forming, a dust storm, violent solar storms, or any number of phenomenon occurring on our planet or in space.
• The Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center is focused on helping visitors understand the environment of the islands.  You’ll find exhibits and research on such diverse topics as volcanology, oceanography, ecology and biodiversity.  The Hawaiian Origins Tunnel was fun, but nothing tops the walk-through volcano!  And for another view of the volcano, climb up to the tree house and get a birds-eye view of it erupting.

The Bishop Museum is also home to Hawaii’s Sports Hall of Fame, honoring athletic excellence of islanders.

The museum is located at 1525 Bernice Street in Honolulu, and is open daily (except for Christmas) 9 am – 5 pm.  Admission if $15.95 for adults, $12.95 for seniors (65 and older) and youth (ages 4-12), children under 4 are free.  Special rates for local residents and military personnel, and their guests.  On-site parking is available.

I’d recommend allowing around two hours for a visit.

Photo credit:  flickr

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