Something lately has left my mind on Hawaii. Perhaps it’s that my friend was just married there (congrats, Kelsi!) or that it was an important place to me a few years ago, serving as a break during my time in Australia. I had been away from my family for six months, the longest I’d been away from home apart from college.
I was doing my best to soak up the time with my family before I went back to my own life in Sydney. So on one of the few rainy days of our trip (it rained constantly, but usually left as soon as it arrived), we needed an indoor activity and decided to tour Iolani Palace, the last remaining residence of the royal family of the islands. This was the second palace of the same name, as the first was built of wood and eventually had to be razed because of termite damage.
David Kalakaua commissioned the construction of the current palace in 1879 at a cost of over $340,000. It was influenced by the palaces the king had seen during his trips to Europe. The royal residence was very ahead of its time, as it had electricity and telephones before even the White House.
But in 1893, the monarchy of Hawaii was overthrown by the government of the United States, leaving Queen Lili’uokalani evicted from her home. Since the end of the Hawaiian monarchy, the palace served as an executive building, where the queen was imprisoned for nine months, the state capitol and a military headquarters. It became a historical landmark in the 1960s and soon after, a museum.
While visiting Iolani Palace is certainly spectacular, similar to visiting Biltmore Estate or one of the country’s many historic mansions, I couldn’t help but wonder about the history of Hawaii and how it came to be our 50th state.
If You Go
Iolani Palace is located at 364 South King St, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. The palace is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 am to 4 pm. Both guided and self-guided tours are available, at $21.75 and $14.75 for adults, respectively. Photos are not allowed inside the palace and you will need to wear covers over your shoes and avoid touching any walls.
Metered parking is located near Iolani Palace, but if you can, take the bus instead. You can take nearly any bus from Waikiki Beach at the Kuhio Avenue and Walina Street stop.
To learn more about Honolulu’s history and culture, check out Urban Adventures’ tours of Waikiki and beyond.
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