Kalihi-Palama - Honolulu, HI Area Guide

Modern day Kalihi-Palama was once an ahupuaa, a self-sustaining area of land running from the mountain to the sea that was ruled by a chief. Ancient Hawaiian culture and history are kept alive in the Bernice P. Bishop Museum as well as the private Kamehameha Schools, both of which are located in the neighborhood. The museum’s Watumull Planetarium hosts annual events showcasing ancient Hawaiian techniques of navigation by the stars. Also in the neighborhood the Hawaii International Film Festival showcases a variety of local films each year.

Local "plate lunch" restaurants dominate the food scene in Kalihi-Palama. These hybrids of fast food joints and sit-down restaurants serve up combinations of rice, salad, and a choice of meat. Local favorites such as mochiko and garlic chicken, kalbi beef, and hamburger steak are the staples of plate lunches. Most of the restaurants are located on North King Street, the main thoroughfare through the neighborhood.

After dinner head to an island institution, Liliha Bakery, and customer favorite coco puffs. Liliha Bakery also fries up some of the best malasadas on the island. These golden-fried balls of dough are similar to donuts, but lighter, and covered in granulated sugar.

Running parallel to King Street, just to the south, is Dillingham Boulevard where most of the bars, clubs, and other nightlife are located. The Oceanic VIP Music Hall has hosted big names such as Bruno Mars, Jason Mraz, Matt Costa, and Jack Johnson. Tickets can be hard to get for this intimate venue, but if you can finagle your way in, it will undoubtedly be one of the best live music experiences you'll have.

For a more traditional bar scene, head to Underdogs Sports Bar and Grill. Located on Waiakamilo Street, this bar attracts easy-going locals who enjoy eating great food and consuming low-cost drinks in a relaxed atmosphere. Guests can play pool, shoot darts, or sing karaoke for entertainment. Guests also enjoy free parking and free Wi-Fi.

Kalihi-Palama is one of the better Honolulu neighborhoods to walk, bike or commute on public transportation. The bus operates many lines through the neighborhood and will take you throughout the city as well as to all corners of the island. A one-way adult fare is $2.50, but frequent riders are better off getting a monthly pass for $60 or a yearly pass for $660. Youths ride for half those rates, while seniors and the disabled ride for even cheaper.

The neighborhood also has decent walk and bike scores. Kalihi-Palama scores among the highest of Honolulu's neighborhoods in walkability, primarily due to the close proximity of shops and restaurants. Biking can be troublesome due to the many potholes in the street.

Most residents still drive, however. With prime access to a handful of major freeways and highways, a car in this neighborhood allows for ultimate accessibility to the island. The Likelike and Pali highways both originate at either end of the neighborhood and take drivers across the Koolau mountain range into the east, or windward, side of the island. The H1 freeway runs perpendicular to those roads, crossing through the neighborhood and providing easy access to all of downtown Honolulu to the south and Ewa Beach and Kapolei to the northwest. Drivers also have easy access to Nimitz Highway, the major east-west thoroughfare between the airport, downtown Honolulu and Waikiki.

Frequent heavy traffic, especially at rush hour, dampens the driving experience. Parking is also pretty inconvenient in this neighborhood as most street parking stalls are metered, and parking lots are often full or have strict customer-only rules. As such an Uber or a cab is another option to travel without a car.

At Kauluwela Community Park you can enjoy the kids' playground, basketball and volleyball courts, baseball field and a lot of green grass. Kunawai Park caters to those looking for a quiet and peaceful escape. Think small crowds, a pond for fish-feeding, basketball courts and a playground.

When you're in Hawaii, though, everyone heads to beach parks on the weekends. Kalihi-Palama has Sand Island State Recreation Area for that. This small sand beach blends into a nice picnic area.

All of these parks are free as well as dog- and kid-friendly. While no annual events occur in these parks, Sand Island makes for a great family camping spot that can be turned into an annual outing.

The cost of living in Kalihi-Palama is 3 percent less than the Honolulu average. A one-bedroom apartment rents for around $1,000 a month in this neighborhood.

Sit-down restaurant meals start at $10, but a number of smaller, more hole-in-the-wall type places serve up food for around $6. A beer at a local bar will start at $4. Gas in this neighborhood is on par with the Honolulu average, but those prices are 28 percent higher than the national average.

The Costco location in Iwilei is by far the most popular shopping spot in the neighborhood for groceries, electronics, sporting equipment, home furnishings and more. For a more local fare, Marukai Wholesale Mart is high on grocery shoppers' lists, serving up primarily Asian cuisine, both on the shelf and freshly made, and other necessities. Sadly there are no farmers' markets in the neighborhood.

Since there is no shopping mall in this neighborhood residents drive a short 15 minutes to the Ala Moana Shopping Center where they can peruse the high-end stores of Neiman Marcus and Diane von Furstenberg as well as small boutique stores like Chanel or I Am Shop just a few blocks away.

The local Fighter's Corner shop supplies Mixed Martial Arts fighting gear and training equipment. On the lighter side, Aloha Hula Supply provides all the necessities for your little hula girl in training.