From the only royal palace on American soil and a one of a kind capitol building to a thriving financial district and truly authentic Chinatown, Downtown Honolulu is a far cry from a single palm tree on a secluded island postcard you may have been sent in the mail!
Aside from the history buff tourists visiting the Iolani Palace, you won’t find many visitors in the Downtown area, with less the further west you go; which is not to say there is nothing worth visiting there! That being said, it can be a bit gritty in some areas, and there is a major contrast between the tall, shining corporate buildings and the scruffy and closed locally owned shops. Still, in the past couple of years, a revitalization campaign has emerged, and many small businesses, eateries, and cultural hubs are making a comeback.
In what remined this traveler of a miniaturized Manhattan in five or six blocks, one can find opulence and degradation just a couple of hundred feet apart; though culture abounds and there is a real sense that the best days lay ahead for the Downtown area, even while history lies around every corner!