Pearl City and Aiea
Places to visit > Pearl City - More in this category > Honolulu > Haleiwa > Hanauma Bay > Kailua > Kaneohe > North Shore > Pearl Harbor > Sunset Beach > Wahiawa > Waikiki > Sea Park > Honolulu Zoo > WaterfallsPearl City itself has little to attract tourists other then its close proximity to Pearl Harbor. It is a residential town consisting of large numbers of military families that are based around this area of Central Oahu. Pearl City and Aiea are twin cities and although off the beaten track, there may be something there that will steal your heart.
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One site that is really worth visiting in this area around Pearl City is the Keaiwa Heiau State Park located on a hilltop above Aiea. This attraction does merit a detour from the highway so weave it into your holiday route. The Keaiwa Heiau is an ancient Hawaiian ruin where healers used to practice herbal medicine. One such healer was Keaiwa 'the mysterious' from whom the park adopts its name. The healers used the natural ingredients from the surrounding gardens and were ground into potions for ill locals. Prayer and potions worked wonders for the Hawaiian people before the white Western explorers brought their foreign diseases to the Island. Visitors claim to feel the park's calming effects as soon as they step onto the ancient grounds.
The park is still well maintained despite the heiau being severely damaged during the sugar plantation era. Toward the center of the compound is a little shrine holding simple offerings of stones wrapped in ti leaves. Some offerings have been there for some time but there are fresh ones every once in a while.
You can take a walk through the park by following the Aiea Loop Trail . This five mile circuit takes you through a shady ironwood forest offering good views of Honolulu and the interior valleys.
The Blaisdell County Park can also be found in the vicinity of Pearl City, and is a quiet spot where local people like to gather in the evenings. The park's waters are part of Pearl Harbor's East Lock and are unfortunately too polluted for swimming. In the late nineteenth century these waters were clean enough to support oysters and were referred to as Waimomi meaning "Water of Pearls". This is the sight that gave Pearl City and Pearl Harbor their names. Today these waters are a testament to the devastation sewage and oil spills can have on the environment.
Blaisdell Park is open until 10pm. It has broad lawns on which to picnic and play and offers a back side view of Ford Island and a few naval ships. The Pearl Harbor Bike Path runs through the park and several miles along the top of the bay. It is part of the Pearl Harbor historic trail and great for a quiet stroll while in the regionThe other islands of Hawaii - Big Island - Kauai - Lanai - Maui - Molokai - Cruises
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