When we think of Kings, Queens and Palaces we don’t usually think of the United States let alone Hawaii. Now it’s time that we think of both!
When booking our Oahu Circle Island Tour, people usually call and ask what they should do the days leading up to the actual tour (side note: it’s best to do the tour on your first full day here on Oahu so that you get an idea of what you want to do if you haven’t already). When I mention the Iolani Palace I usually get the same response every time; there’s a Palace here?!
Yes there is a Palace here. Not only that, but one HECK of a Palace! To be fair, it’s the only Palace I’ve entered-but still! Simply driving by is enough to pull you back to the late 1800’s when it was built by King Kalakaua (1882).
Romance, lies, power, deceit; all palpable as you walk through this iconic landmark. Keep in mind that the Iolani Palace housed gatherings of many dignitaries from all over the world and when they came, they brought gifts and left their mark on the grounds as well. Plenty of these gifts are on display to this day! For me, one of the most mind blowing things about the tour is being able to look at a picture of King Kalakaua, Queen Liliuokalani and others standing in various rooms and actually looking at these pictures IN the rooms that the pictures were taken. The Iolani Palace is a MUST DO for anyone that is even remotely interested in history or Hawaiian culture.