2 Best Sights in Nuuanu, Honolulu and Pearl Harbor

Nestled in the bowl of Puowaina, or Punchbowl Crater, this 112-acre cemetery is the final resting place for more than 50,000 U.S. war veterans and family members and is a solemn reminder of their sacrifice. Among those buried here is Ernie Pyle, the famed World War II correspondent who was killed by a Japanese sniper on Ie Shima, an island off the northwest coast of Okinawa. Intricate stone maps provide a visual military-history lesson. Puowaina, formed 75,000–100,000 years ago during a period of secondary volcanic activity, translates as "Hill of Sacrifice." Historians believe this site once served as an altar where ancient Hawaiians offered sacrifices to their gods. The entrance to the cemetery has wide-open views of Waikiki and Honolulu—perhaps the finest on Oahu.

Queen Emma, King Kamehameha IV's wife, used this small but stately New England–style home in Nuuanu Valley as a retreat from the rigors of court life in hot and dusty Honolulu during the mid- to late 1800s. Self-guided and docent-led tours highlight the residence's royal history and its eclectic mix of European, Victorian, and Hawaiian furnishings, most of which are original to the home. There are excellent examples of feather-covered kahilis (a standard), umeke (bowls), and koa-wood furniture. Visitors also learn how Queen Emma established what is today the largest private hospital in Hawaii, opened a school for girls, and ran as a widow for the throne, losing to King Kalakaua. Check online for special events like hula, quilting, and ukulele classes and a Hoonanea event including a tour, making a floral hairpiece, and picnic lunch. A short drive away, you can visit the Royal Mausoleum State Monument, where Queen Emma, her husband, and their son, Albert, who died at age four, are buried beside many other Hawaiian royals.