King Kamehameha Statue

The basics

Erected in 1883, the statue depicts a spear-wielding and cloak-draped King Kamehameha with outstretched arms that is difficult to miss when walking around the Hawaii Capital Historic District. Most Honolulu sightseeing tours include at least enough time to snap a few photos of the statue. Some tour operators run historical walking tours of the area, which delve deeper into Hawaii’s political and cultural history. The King Kamehameha Statue is also a stop on the hop-on hop-off Waikiki Trolley’s Red Line service.

Things to know before you go

• Wear good walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun when exploring Honolulu’s historic center.

• Visitors typically only need to spend a few minutes at the statue.

• Several sites of historic importance, including I’olani Palace, are within a few minutes’ walk.

How to get there

The King Kamehameha Statue sits in the center of Ali’iolani Hale’s circular front lawn at 417 S. King Street in downtown Honolulu. Several TheBus public transit routes pass alongside the statue leaving from Waikiki. Parking in downtown Honolulu is often stressful, so get there on foot, by public transport, or by tour.

When to get there

One of Oahu’s most colorful events is the King Kamehameha Day lei-draping ceremony. Each year, on the Friday closest to June 11, community groups build massive wreaths of flowered lei and ceremoniously drape them over the statue, kicking off week-long celebrations of parades and festivals throughout Hawaii.

Kamehameha’s legacy

If you are interested in learning more about King Kamehameha’s legacy, you can visit the Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout, the site of the Battle of Nuʻuanu, a crucial conflict that helped Kamehameha conquer Oahu in 1795. On Oahu’s Windward (eastern) side, the lookout offers panoramic views of the Ko‘olau Mountains, Kaneohe Bay, Kailua, and the island of Mokoli‘i.