Downtown Honolulu Self Guided Walking Audio Tour
Description
Embark on a self-guided walking tour of Honolulu's rich history. Start at Iolani Palace, delve into royal Hawaiian heritage, then visit the iconic King Kamehameha Statue. Explore the Hawaii State Capitol's modern political significance, marvel at the architectural beauty of Aliʻiolani Hale & Kawaiahaʻo Church, and conclude at Queen Liliʻuokalani Statue, commemorating Hawaii's last monarch. After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Kamehameha certainly lived up to this dramatic start. His contemporaries described him as an intimidating warrior who “moved in an aura of violence.” During the 1700s, numerous chiefs battled for control of the Hawaiian Islands. NOTE: The tour is over 1.6 miles long, with more than 23 audio stories, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
That’s Kawaiaha’o Church. At one time, this was the national church of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
This museum showcases items from Hawaii’s missionary period.
Originally, Kamehameha V built Ali’iolani Hale as a palace for Hawaiian monarchs. But King Kalakaua decided to convert it to government offices.
King Kalakaua returned from his world tour at the end of 1881. Hawaiians decorated the whole city and strung a grand “Welcome Home” banner across Honolulu Harbor. But as Hawaiians celebrated the return of Kalakaua, others plotted his downfall… Remember the Reform Party? This was the mostly American political party that slowly took control of Hawaiian politics after the 1875 Reciprocity Treaty.
This statue honors a more recent figure in Hawaiian history, Representative Patsy Takemoto Mink. Patsy Takemoto was a third-generation Japanese-American who grew up in Hawaii.
When you look at Sky Gate, what do you see? Just a collection of bendy black tubes? Maybe a simple spider web? A three-legged animal? Noguchi himself described Sky Gate as “an evocation to the skies of Hawaii.”
Prior to the construction of the Capitol Building, Hawaiians used the ‘Iolani Palace as their seat of government. You’ll see the palace soon.
This memorial honors the men and women who died in the December 7th, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor—“a date which will live in infamy” in the words of President Franklin Roosevelt.
See that two-story mansion on our right, set back from the road? That’s Washington Place, the one-time home of Queen Liliʻuokalani!
We’re standing before the Iolani Barracks. Before Dole and the Annexation Club completed their coup against Queen Liliʻuokalani, the Barracks housed the Queen’s Royal Guard.
Before us stands Iolani Palace, dating back to 1879. This is the only royal palace in the United States!
As the 1900s wore on, Liliʻuokalani gradually retreated from public life. She took up full-time residence in her home at Washington Place, where Native Hawaiians visited her constantly. To them, she never stopped being their Queen. And in turn, Liliʻuokalani never stopped loving her people. In her memoir, she wrote: “It is for them that I would give the last drop of my blood; it is for them that I would spend, nay, am spending, everything belonging to me.”
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Walking tours: couples can share one tour by splitting headphones
- New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
- For the best experience, bring headphones/earbuds for your walking tour.
- The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
- Tsunami Warning: Due to a massive earthquake in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning has been issued for Hawaii. For the most up-to-date information, visit: tsunami.gov.
- Your password can be used on the same number of devices as travelers booked. Enter the same password on each device.
Reviews(6)
I was very confused and disappointed about my experience, things weren’t explained clearly. I’d definitely want my money back.
Jared, I’m really sorry to hear that my Downtown Honolulu walking tour felt confusing for you. I tried to locate your booking in our system, but couldn’t find it. Please reach out to me directly so I can look into this right away. I’d also appreciate knowing a bit more about what happened — were you able to download the tour and open the map? Did the audio not start at the first landmark, or were the directions unclear once you began walking? Any details you can share will help me understand where things went wrong and make improvements. Please contact me anytime between 9–6 EST, and I’ll be happy to help. I can also review your order and process a refund or replacement once I have your booking details.
Nice walking tour. The app worked great and the history was very interesting. It got very hot in the afternoon so we ducked into buildings. Recommend to go in the morning while its cooler
Martha, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the Downtown Honolulu walking tour. I’m glad the app worked smoothly and that the historical stories kept things interesting along the way. And yes — the afternoon heat in Honolulu can be intense, so your tip about starting in the morning is perfect. If you're ready for more adventures in Hawaii, check out my Tour of All Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tours Bundle, including the Road to Hana and Big Island tours. Enjoy exploring at your own pace!
That finding the app to get the audio was so hard, that I stopped trying and we just walked around. Need to make it easier for those who not techie.
LeeAnn, I’m sorry to hear you had trouble accessing my Downtown Honolulu Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour. Could you share which part of the process was confusing — downloading the app, entering the code, or starting the tour? I do include step-by-step instructions in the confirmation email to help make it simple. Still, your feedback will help me improve the onboarding experience. I’m available daily from 9 to 6 EST if you’d like me to personally walk you through it or offer a replacement so you can give it another try.
It was very educational and interesting. The narrator included srltories about the history of the sites we saw and made the people & places come alive. The walking directions were very explicit and precise so I never worried we were taking a wrong turn.
Faust, I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed my Honolulu walking audio tour. I’m glad the stories helped bring the history to life and that the walking directions were clear and easy to follow. It’s wonderful to know that the experience was both educational and engaging. If you're ready for more adventures in Hawaii, check out my Tour of All Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tours Bundle, including the Road to Hana and Big Island tours. Enjoy exploring at your own pace!
Our guide was very punctual. He was very knowledgeable about key sites and attractions not to mention hilarious and charismatic. If you’re going Pearl Harbour you are not allowed any bags, only items small enough to fit in your pocket. Once you get to Pearl Harbour you’re left to your own devices to choose what you want to see. The USS Arizona memorial was included in the ticket. Loved the experience, highly recommend.
Alex, I’m glad you loved my Downtown Honolulu Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour. It’s great to hear that you found it informative and engaging. Thanks for the helpful tip about bag restrictions at Pearl Harbor—that’s important for first-time visitors. Check out my Hawaii Bundle featuring Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island for more self-guided adventures. Happy exploring!
Did both the Honolulu and Waikiki tour and they were great. Easy to follow. Had good insights on the historic landmarks and overall it was just good.
Sarah, I’m glad you enjoyed my self-guided walking tours of Honolulu and Waikiki. It's great to hear that the insights and ease of use added to your experience. If you're ready for more adventures in Hawaii, check out my Tour of All Hawaii Self-Guided Driving Tours Bundle, including the Road to Hana and Big Island tours. Enjoy exploring at your own pace!
