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Alternative-Hawaii

ISLAND OF OAHU

PUNCHBOWL / HONOLULU
DRIVE GUIDE

Honolulu's Regal Past
Historic Memorials, Awesome Overlooks, Royal Palaces

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Created by: Alternative-Hawaii.com
  • Approx. 44 miles round-trip from "Start" of Drive (Waikiki at Kalakaua & Kapahulu Avenues).
  • Allow 2.25 hours round-trip driving time excluding time spent at each "stop".
  • For safety, please observe Cautionary Notes.
  • Set Odometer to Zero between "stops" below.
  • Do not leave valuables in vehicle or unattended.
(Click on PHOTOGRAPH to view Stop on Tour.)

STOP 1: PUNCHBOWL PHOTOGRAPH
START: WAIKIKI AT INTERSECTION OF KALAKAUA & KAPAHULU AVENUES  
DIST/TIME: Approx. 6 Miles / 15 Mins  
WATCH FOR: Sign-National Cemetery/Punchbowl  
 ROUTE:
  • From intersection, take Kapahulu Ave. to H-1W
  • Take H-1W & go 2.4 mi. to Exit 22 (Hwy 98W: Vineyard Blvd.)
  • Take Exit 22 onto Hwy 98W & go short way (0.5 mi.) to Queen Emma St.
  • Turn Right onto Queen Emma St. & go short way to School St. (traffic light)
  • Cross School St. onto Lusitana St. & go short way (0.1 mi.) to Puowaina Dr. (right side)
  • Turn Right onto Puowaina Dr. & follow signs short way (0.8 mi.) to Punchbowl entrance gates
Site of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific located in an extinct volcano crater. Approx. 35,000 grave sites of WWII, Korea and Vietnam dead. Overlook from Waikiki to Diamond Head. Six million visitors a year.

Note: Open daily 8-5:30, (Mar.2-Sept.29 till 6:30 P.M.), tel.532-3720, restrooms.

Caution: Please respect this sacred national shrine.




STOP 2: PUU UALAKAA OVERLOOK PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: PUNCHBOWL ENTRANCE GATES  
DIST/TIME: Approx. 7.7 Miles / 25 Mins.  
WATCH FOR: Sign-Puu Ualakaa Park (Right Side)  
 ROUTE:
  • Return to Punchbowl Entrance Gates and continue short way to Tantalus Dr. (first stop sign)
  • Turn Right onto Tantalus Dr. (which becomes Round Top Dr.) & go 7.2 mi. to park entrance
  • Turn Right onto park entrance road & go to second parking lot
Premier Mt. Tantalus view-a breathtaking 230 degree vista of Honolulu (from Diamond Head to Pearl Harbor).

Note: Open daily 7-6:45, picnic, hiking trails, restrooms.

Caution: Steep, winding road-drive slowly.




STOP 3: WAIOLI TEA ROOM PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: PUU UALAKAA PARKING LOT  
DIST/TIME: Approx. 4.3 Miles / 15 Mins.
WATCH FOR: Sign-Waioli Tea Room (Left Side)
 ROUTE:
  • Turn Right from Park Entrance onto Round Top Dr. (which becomes Makiki St.) & go 2.6 mi. to Nehoa St. (traffic light)
  • Turn Left onto Nehoa St. & go to Manoa Rd
  • Turn Left onto Manoa Rd. & go 1.2 mi. to tea room entrance (left side-2950 Manoa Rd.). En route, stay to left at fork in road.
The "Little Grass Shack"-Robert Louis Stevenson's hideaway.

Note: Open daily, tel. 988-5800, chapel, restrooms.




STOP 4: LYON ARBORETUM
 PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: WAIOLI TEA ROOM PKG. LOT  
DIST/TIME: Approx. 1.8 Miles / 5 Mins.  
WATCH FOR: Signs-Lyon Arboretum  
 ROUTE:
  • Turn Left onto Oahu Ave. (do not exit same way you entered) & go short way (0.8 mi.) to Manoa Rd.
  • Turn Left onto Manoa Rd. & go 1 mi. to pkg. lot
Over 8,000 plant species in 194 acres of rain forest-including major native collections. Hiking trails.

Note: Open Mon.-Fri. 9-4, tel. 988-0456, reception center, gift shop, restrooms. For guided tours (Mon. -Fri.) - call 988-0461. Manoa Falls trail starts just below pkg. lot.

Caution: If hiking, be prepared for rain, mud and mosquitoes. Manoa Falls trail is approximately 0.75 mi./45 min. one-way.




STOP 5: IOLANI PALACE PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: LYON ARBORETUM PKG. LOT  
DIST/TIME: Approx. 5.6 Miles / 25 Mins.  
WATCH FOR: Punchbowl Street  
 ROUTE:
  • Return on Manoa Rd. (which becomes Punahou St.) & go 3.7 mi. to S. Beretania St. (just beyond H-1 overpass)
  • Turn Right onto S. Beretania St. & go 1.6 mi. to Richards St. (left side-just past Punchbowl St.)
  • Turn Left onto Richards St. & go to S. King St.
  • Turn Left onto S. King St. & go half-block to palace entrance
The only royal palace in the United States. Completed in 1882 by Hawaii's "Merry Monarch" David Kalakaua at a cost of $360,000. A national historical landmark, the palace served as Hawaii's capitol until 1969. Good starting point for a walking tour of historic Honolulu.

Note: Free admission to grounds, open 6 a.m. to midnight, tel.538-1471 for tours of palace (reservation required), gift shop, picnic, Friday noon concerts, restrooms.

Caution: Limited 2 hour metered parking on grounds. Additional parking across S. King St.




STOP 6: FOSTER BOTANICAL GARDEN PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: IOLANI PALACE EXIT GATES  
DIST/TIME: Approx. 1.6 Miles / 10 Mins.  
WATCH FOR: Sign-Foster Garden (Right Side)  
 ROUTE:
  • Turn Left onto Richards St. & go to S. King St.
  • Turn Left onto S. King St. & go to Alapai St.(2nd traffic light)
  • Turn Left onto Alapai St. & go 1 block to S. Beretania St.
  • Turn Left onto S. Beretania St. & go short way (0.2 mi.) to Punchbowl St. (right side)
  • Turn Right onto Punchbowl St. & go short way (0.2 mi.) to S. Vineyard Blvd. (traffic light)
  • Turn Left onto S. Vineyard Blvd. & go short way (0.5 mi.) to garden entrance (right side)
An oasis of natural beauty and serenity in an unlikely location-downtown! A living museum containing palms, orchids, heliconias and gingers-begun in 1853.

Note: Entry charge (under age 13 free), open daily 9-4, tel.522-7066 (tours). Gallery, bookstore, restrooms.

Caution: Cutting or removal of plants prohibited.




STOP 7: ROYAL MAUSOLEUM PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: FOSTER GARDEN PKG. LOT  
DIST/TIME: Approx. 1.6 Miles / 7 Mins.  
WATCH FOR: Black Wrought Iron Fence (On Right)  
 ROUTE:
  • Turn Right onto Vineyard Blvd. & go short way to Liliha St. (2nd traffic light)
  • Turn Right onto Liliha St. & go short way (0.6 mi.) to N. Kuakini St. (traffic light)
  • Turn Right onto N. Kuakini St. & go short way (0.4 mi.) to Nuuanu Ave.
  • Turn Left onto Nuuanu Ave. & go short way (0.5 mi.) to mausoleum entrance (right side)
Final resting place for two of Hawaii's royal families, the Kamehameha and Kalakaua dynasties and their retainers.

Note: Open Mon.-Fri.8-4:30, tel.587-2590 (tours).

Caution: Please respect this sacred site.

 

STOP 8: QUEEN EMMA'S PALACE PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: ROYAL MAUSOLEUM PKG. LOT  
DIST/TIME: Approx. 0.9 Mile / 3 Mins.  
WATCH FOR: Sign-Queen Emma's Palace(On Right)  
 ROUTE:
  • Turn Right onto Nuuanu Ave. & go short way (0.1 mi.) to Pali Hwy 61N/Kailua (right side)
  • Take Hwy 61N & go short way (0.8 mi.) to palace
Summer home of Queen Emma, wife of King Kamehameha IV, preserved in a Hawaiian-Victorian setting.

Note: Entry charge, open 9-4, tel.595-3167(tour), gift shop, restrooms.

 

STOP 9: NUUANU PALI LOOKOUT PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: QUEEN EMMA'S PALACE PKG. LOT  
DIST/TIME: Approx. 3.9 Miles / 6 Mins.  
WATCH FOR: Signs-Pali Lookout (Right Side)  
 ROUTE:
  • Turn Right onto Hwy 61N & go 3.5 mi. to Pali Lookout Exit (right side)
  • Turn Right onto Pali Lookout Exit & go to pkg. lot
Breathtaking overlook-from 1,200 feet, gaze down the Koolau cliffs for an unimpeded view of the windward coast. Mark Twain once called this view the most beautiful in the world. Site of the final battle uniting the Hawaiian Islands.

Caution: Strong winds at lookout-dress appropriately.


END OF DRIVE-RETURN TO WAIKIKI
Don't exit overlook same way you entered-take right exit
61S H-1E EXIT 25A:KING ST. (10.7 Mi./20 Mins.)

On to Bishop Museum / Central Oahu Drive or,

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