Audio Guide: Honolulu Downtown Walking Tour (Self Guided), Honolulu

When novelist Robert Louis Stevenson visited Honolulu, he became so captivated by Hawaii that he wished he could spend the rest of his life here. Today we'll walk through the very streets where he met Hawaiian royalty and witnessed the final years of an independent kingdom.

Honolulu, the capital of the U.S. state of Hawaii, occupies a natural harbor on the southeastern coast of the island of Oahu. The name Honolulu comes from the Hawaiian language and is most commonly translated as "sheltered harbor" or "calm port." The name reflects the area's excellent natural harbor, which provided safe anchorage for canoes and, later, for large sailing vessels.

European contact began in 1778 when Captain James Cook reached the Hawaiian Islands. Although Cook did not enter Honolulu Harbor, increasing numbers of European and American ships began visiting the area in the following decades. By the early 19th century, it had become the principal commercial center of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

A major turning point came in 1804 when Kamehameha I established his royal court in nearby Waikīkī before later moving it to Honolulu. In 1845, under Kamehameha III, Honolulu officially became the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom. During the 19th century, the city expanded rapidly as merchants, missionaries, diplomats, and immigrants from China, Japan, Portugal, and other countries settled there.

The overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893 marked another defining moment in the city's history. Five years later, Hawaii was annexed by the United States, and in 1900 it became a U.S. territory. On December 7, 1941, the nearby Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan, drawing the United States into the Second World War. Although the attack targeted military installations rather than downtown Honolulu, the city became the principal logistical and military headquarters for American operations across the Pacific. Following the war, tourism emerged as Honolulu's dominant industry.

A walk through downtown Honolulu takes visitors past several of Hawaii's most significant historic and civic landmarks. The elegant Iolani Palace, the only royal palace in the United States, recalls the days of the Hawaiian monarchy. Nearby stands Aliʻiōlani Hale, recognized by its statue of King Kamehameha I, while Kawaiahaʻo Church, built from coral blocks, reflects the islands' early Christian history. Honolulu Hale is the city's distinctive municipal building, and the modern Hawaii State Capitol, whose architecture symbolizes the Hawaiian Islands and their natural surroundings.

It is easy to understand why Robert Louis Stevenson felt so deeply drawn to Hawaii. In just a few blocks, downtown Honolulu reveals a story of kings and queens, missionaries and merchants, sacred traditions and political change.