Travel – Urban Honolulu, HI

Honolulu (/ˌhɒnəˈluːluː/ ^ⓘ HON-ə-LOO-loo;^[8] Hawaiian: [honoˈlulu]) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island of Oʻahu. The population of Honolulu was 350,964 at the 2020 census,^[a] dropping to an estimated 341,868 by 2025.^[10] The Urban Honolulu metropolitan area had an estimated population of just under 1 million residents in 2024 and is the 56th-largest metropolitan area in the nation.^[5]

The area’s geography and Honolulu Harbor have long made it desirable as a port, accounting for the city’s growth and importance in the Hawaiian archipelago and the broader Pacific region. Honolulu has been the capital of Hawaii since 1845, first as seat of the independent Hawaiian Kingdom until the kingdom’s overthrow in 1893, then of the U.S. territory established after annexation in 1898, and since 1959 of the state of Hawaii. The city gained worldwide recognition following the Empire of Japan‘s attack on nearby Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, which prompted the entry of the U.S. into World War II; the harbor remains a major U.S. Navy base, hosting the United States Pacific Fleet, the world’s largest naval command.^[11]

Honolulu is the westernmost and southernmost major U.S. city and state capital. It is also a hub for business, commerce, finance, hospitality, and military defense in Oceania.^[12][13] The city is characterized by a mix of various Asian, Western, and Pacific cultures, reflected in its diverse demography, cuisine, and traditions. Honolulu’s favorable tropical climate, rich natural scenery, and extensive beaches make it a popular global destination for tourists. With nearly 1.5 million visitors in 2024, Honolulu is among the ten most visited cities in the United States.^[14] However, since the beginning of the 21st century, climate change has significantly impacted Honolulu and its tourism economy, contributing to increasing drought and water shortages, and sea level rise as well as beach and hotel flooding in Downtown Honolulu. These factors are compounded by an aging and declining population, with an exodus emigrating to the U.S. mainland.