Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor is located in the hangars that bear the scars of the Pearl Harbor attack. Since first opening, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum has grown steadily, adding aircraft and exhibits. When you arrive at the Pacific Aviation Museum, the first thing you’ll do is enter Hanger 37 – one of the few hangers not destroyed in the attack – and watch a 12-minute video. The video documents exactly what happened during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and showcases historical footage of the event. After the movie ends, Museum-goers are ushered into the main exhibit area of Hangar 37 where visitors stroll among authentic World War II-era planes. Open 9 to 5 daily. Admission, $25 adult; $15, child.

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More than 3,500 feet in diameter with a 760-foot summit, Diamond Head in Waikiki is perhaps the world’s most recognized volcanic crater. It is a lasting remnant of a volcanic explosion that occurred about 500,000 years ago. Ancient Hawaiians called it Laeahi, which translates to “brow of the tuna.” The name “Diamond Head” can be traced to the 1800s, when British sailors mistakenly thought there were diamonds lodged in the crater’s soil. The extinct crater and lookout point at the peak of it is a popular hiking destination for many. A hiking trail leads from the crater up to a lookout point. But be prepared to climb some stairs. In fact, there are two stairs, one has 99 steps and a second one has 76 steps. There’s also a 225-foot (69 m) hardly lit tunnel through which you’ll have to go. The tunnel is a remnant of the former military use of the crater. So you should be in good physical condition to do the hike.

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credit: Eric Tessmer, Honolulu Hawaii

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