Being in Hawaii doesn't just mean you get sandy beaches, warm sunshine, and ocean waves. It's also the opportunity to indulge in the rich heritage of Hawaii's royalty.
Iolani Palace is the only official state residence of royalty in the United States. Hawaii has a fascinating, and sometimes sobering, history and learning about it made me appreciate these beautiful islands even more.
Iolani Palace is located in downtown Honolulu, at 364 South King Street. It surrounded by a large yard, filled with stately palm trees. Within the old military barracks (below), we found a gift shop where we purchased tickets for the audio tour of the palace. The audio tour was an invaluable tool for our visit. It allowed us to listen to the history behind each room in the palace, as well as allowed us to browse at our own pace. There were also people throughout the palace that were happy to answer questions or provide more information.
The Coronation Pavilion:
The Grand Hall Staircase:
The Throne Room:
The Queen's Bedroom:
A royal bathroom:
The King's Library:
The Music Room:
The King's Bedroom:
The entrance to the Queen's room of imprisonment:
There is so much to learn about Hawaii's history! I am purposely not sharing all of the rooms, nor the stories of the rooms, because you need to come and experience it yourself. I was amazed at how humbled I felt after leaving the palace. It is an incredible place, filled with exquisitely beautiful furniture, dishes, jewelry, weapons, decor, and so much more.
Iolani Palace is a "MUST DO" on your trip to Hawaii! When you're done exploring Iolani Palace, stop across the street for a photo of the iconic King Kamehameha statue.
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HERE to see what else to do in Hawaii!
We went to Hawaii last year and can't wait to go back! Thanks for sharing the list of things to do in Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very helpful and extensive list of wonderful sounding places Lisa. Thank you for sharing it with us. I hope one day to put it to good use when my family and I visit Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, I don't know that I would leave the beaches to visit a museum. ;) But it does look like a fascinating place to visit!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE to visit historic places wherever I move! Hawaii is one of the few states I have never been to, but I hope to change that some day and visit this palace, too. Great pictures!
ReplyDeleteHonolulu is on my bucket list. Thanks for sharing the photo's are breathe taking
ReplyDeleteThe Iolani Palace would indeed be an amazing place to visit. I love the history of it. The king's bedroom I believe is more gorgeous than the queen's. Thanks for sharing this amazing history and palace.
ReplyDeleteThat does sound like a fascinating place to visit. The pictures have me intrigued and I do love to learn about the history of different places.
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