The Flipping Pad

Posted by Tony K. on Mar 10, 2010 7:56pm

Hawaii is a paradise that boasts some of the most magnificent vistas in the world. This scenery includes electric blue water, black lava coves and awe-inspiring mountainscapes. In addition to all of the natural attractions, there are a countless landmarks to see, events to experience, and activities in which to participate. With all of this going for it, there is no surprise that Hawaii real estate is a thriving business.

The people who live in Hawaii never want to leave and those who visit vow to return. Many of them do more than just return, they invest in Hawaii real estate. This stream of new blood that keeps the Hawaii real estate industry invigorated. Newcomers buy timeshares and vacation homes or invest in Hawaii real estate by purchasing rental properties.

Those people who have never been need to make it a point to visit Hawaii if for no other reason than to see the National Natural Landmarks. These locations include Diamond Head, Iao Valley, Kanaha Pond, Koolau Range Pali, Makalawena Marsh, Mauna Kea and the North Shore Cliffs.

Of these, Diamond Head, a volcanic cone on the Hawaiian island of Oahu overlooking Waikiki beach, is by far the most popular tourist attraction. Diamond Head is a United States State Monument and an essential feature of the vista known to tourists and residents alike as Waikiki. It has developed into a symbol of the Hawaiian Islands and its proximity to HawaiiÂ’s greatest beaches and resort hotels helps make it one of HawaiiÂ’s most popular destinations.

The USS Arizona Memorial, located at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, is one of HawaiiÂ’s most beloved landmarks. The memorial honors the memory and marks the resting place of the sailors killed aboard the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7, 1941. Since opening in 1962, the memorial has drawn more than one million visitors annually.

In 1999, the battleship USS Missouri was moved to Pearl Harbor and docked perpendicular to the USS Arizona Memorial. It was upon the deck of the USS Missouri that the Japanese surrendered to United States General Douglas MacArthur. The USS Missouri brings the landmark full circle from the event that led to U.S. participation in the war to the event that ended it.

The Valley of the Temples is a memorial park located on the eastern side of Oahu. It is a sweeping area of rolling hills at the base of the KoÂ’olau Mountains, overlooking the town of Kaneohe. The parkÂ’s most distinctive feature is a replica of the 12th century Buddhist temple in Uji, Japan. The cemetery here serves as the final resting place for thousands of Hawaiian residents of many persuasions including Buddhists, Catholics, Protestants and Shintoists.

The Iolani Palace, located in the capitol district of downtown Honolulu, is recognized as a U.S. National Historic Landmark and was opened to the public as a museum in 1978. It is the only royal palace in the United States to have served as an official residence by a reigning monarch. After the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893, it served as the capitol building of Hawaii until 1969.

The Haiku stairs, also called the Haiku Ladder and the Stairway to Heaven, is a legacy of WWII and a famously steep hiking trail on Oahu. The trail began as a wooden ladder in 1943 built by the U.S. Navy to aid in the installation of antenna cables from one side of the cliffs above Haiku Valley to the other. Visitors should note that while it remains popular for sightseeing purposes there is currently no legal public access to the stairs.

Nuuanu Pali is a section of KoolauÂ’s windward cliff. Many tourists come to the Nuuanu Pali State Wayside, which is a lookout above the Nuuanu Pali tunnels. Visitors to the lookout experience panoramic views of Oahu, Kaneohe, Kaneohe Bay and Kailua. There are also a host of landmarks and activities situated nearby.

The Polynesian Cultural Center is an open-air museum located on Laie, the northern part of Oahu. The PCC, dedicated by BYU-Hawaii in 1963, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Hawaii. Visitors to the PCC get to experience the culture of the peoples who inhabit the islands of the Central and South Pacific Ocean. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also built a temple in the area, the Laie Hawaii temple, which is very popular for its stunning beauty. Both the center and the temple play vital roles in the town of Laie.

Before HawaiiÂ’s annexation by the United States, Lahaina, in West Maui, served as the Royal Capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom. In the 1800s, its harbor was at the center of the global whaling industry. Today Lahaina serves as one of HawaiiÂ’s most popular tourist destinations and is situated south of the famous Kaanapali and Kapalua beach resorts. The area boasts some of MauiÂ’s most gorgeous geography and is home to the Lahaina historic district. This National Historic Landmark preserves the atmosphere of a mid-19th century seaport.

These popular landmarks are just a taste of the wonder that awaits you in Hawaii. You owe it to yourself and to your family to experience everything that Hawaii offers. Who knows? Perhaps you will be inspired to contact a real estate agent like Aloha Tony to invest in a Hawaiian home.