Hawaii Route 61, often called the Pali Highway, is the main highway connecting downtown

Downtown Honolulu

Downtown Honolulu is the current historic, economic, governmental, and central part of Honolulu—bounded by Nuuanu Stream to the west, Ward Avenue to the east, Vineyard Boulevard to the north, and Honolulu Harbor to the south—situated within the larger Honolulu District...

 Honolulu, Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

 with the windward side of Oahu

Oahu

Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...

 island. From downtown, it traverses up Nuuanu Valley and the residential neighborhood of Nuuanu, passes through the Nuuanu Pali Tunnels, and descends to the major windward communities of Kāneohe (reached by Kamehameha Highway

Kamehameha Highway

Kamehameha Highway is one of the main highways serving suburban and rural O‘ahu in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Starting from Nimitz Highway near Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, it serves the island's older western suburbs, turning north across the O‘ahu Central Valley to the...

, State Route 83) and Kailua.

History

The current Pali Highway is actually the third roadway to be built here. The original Pali "highway" went along much of the same route and portions of the old road still exist, although closed to vehicular traffic. When the current Pali Highway and its tunnels opened, the original roadway was closed and is now used by hikers. The "Old Pali Highway", as it is now called, is noted in the popular culture of Hawaii for being a place with strong spiritual connections. Many ghost stories have settings along this old highway. A large portion of the old highway was built over the ancient Hawaiian foot paths that traversed the famous Pali pass, which was the most easily accessible route to take from the Windward to Honolulu side. This was because much of the Koolau rang

Koolau Range

Koolau Range is a name given to the fragmented remnant of the eastern or windward shield volcano of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. It is not a mountain range in the normal sense, because it was formed as a single mountain called Koolau Volcano...

e on the Windward side has steep cliffs that make it nearly impossible to traverse over safely.

The highway was mentioned as an "awe-inspiring drive" in Car and Driver

Car and Driver

Car and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011...

's "10 Best Drivers' Cities."

Points of interest

The lower mouth of Nuuanu valley is the cite of historic Oahu Cemetery

Oahu Cemetery

The Oahu Cemetery is the resting place of many notable early residents of the Honolulu area. They range from missionaries and politicians to sports pioneers and philosophers. Over time it was expanded to become an area known as the Nuuanu Cemetery....

, founded in 1844. Over time it was expanded with the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii

Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii

The Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii, known as Mauna Ala in the Hawaiian language, is the final resting place of Hawaii's two prominent royal families: the Kamehameha Dynasty and the Kalākaua Dynasty.-Description:...

 in 1863, and the Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu Memorial Park

Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu Memorial Park

The Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu Memorial Park is a cemetery located in the eastern half of the Honolulu Memorial Park, 22 Craigside Place, Honolulu, Hawaii. Its three-tiered Sanju Pagoda, the Kinkaku-ji Temple, and Mirror Gardens are fine examples of Japanese traditional-style structures and gardens...

. A few blocks to the east is the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is a cemetery located in Honolulu, Hawaii that serves a memorial to those men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces...

.

Hawaii Route 61 has several free scenic lookouts, including the Pali Lookout

Nuuanu Pali

Nuuanu Pali is a section of the windward cliff of the Koolau mountain located at the head of Nuuanu Valley on the island of Oahu. It has a panoramic view of the windward coast of Oahu...

. The Queen Emma Summer Palace

Hanaiakamalama

Hānaiakamalama , or Queen Emma Summer Palace, served as a retreat for Queen Emma of Hawaii from 1857 to 1885, as well as for her husband King Kamehameha IV, and their son, Prince Albert Edward. It is a now a historic landmark, museum, and tourist site located at 2913 Pali Highway, less than a...

 is also on the Pali (2913 Pali Hwy). The following foreign consulates are located on the Pali:

• Consulate General of Korea, 2756 Pali Hwy
• Consulate General-Philippines, 2433 Pali Hwy
• Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, 2746 Pali Hwy

The Pali is also the site of the following houses of worship and religious originations:

• Bentenshu Hawaii Kyokai, 3871 Old Pali Rd
• Catholic Diocese, 6301 Pali Hwy
• First Unitarian Church of Honolulu
  First Unitarian Church of Honolulu
  The First Unitarian Church of Honolulu is the only Hawaii-based congregation within the Unitarian Universalist Association. It is located at 2500 Pali Highway in the Nu'uanu Valley.The congregation was founded in 1952 as a lay fellowship...
  
  , 2500 Pali Hwy
• Hawaii Conference-Seventh-Day, 2728 Pali Hwy
• Honmon Butsuryushu Hawaii Mission, 3001 Pali Hwy
• Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai'i
  Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai'i
  The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii is a district of the Nishi Hongwanji branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, a school of Mahayana Pure Land Buddhism.-History:...
  
   Betsuin, 1727 Pali Hwy.
• Nuuanu Congregational Church, Pali Hwy
• St. Stephen Church (Roman Catholic), 2747 Pali Hwy
• Soka Gakkai Intl-USA, 2729 Pali Hwy
• Temple Emanu-El (reform)
  Temple Emanu-El (Honolulu, Hawaii)
  Temple Emanu-El is a Reform Jewish congregation in Honolulu that was established in 1938, and joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in 1952. The synagogue building at 2550 Pali Highway was consecrated in 1960 under the spiritual leadership of Rabbi Roy A. Rosenberg. The architect was...
  
  , 2550 Pali Hwy
• Tenrikyo Hawaii Dendocho, 2920 Pali Hwy

Names of State Route 61

• "Fort Street" at the intersection of Vineyard Boulevard
• "Pali Highway" (from downtown Honolulu to Castle Junction near Maunawili)
• "Kalanianaole Highway" (from Castle Junction to Castle Medical Center in Kailua
• "Kailua Road" (from Castle Medical Center to central Kailua)

Intersections with other highways

• Kamehameha Highway
  Kamehameha Highway
  Kamehameha Highway is one of the main highways serving suburban and rural O‘ahu in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Starting from Nimitz Highway near Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, it serves the island's older western suburbs, turning north across the O‘ahu Central Valley to the...
  
   (route 83) at Castle Junction near Maunawili
• Kalanianaole Highway (route 72) at Castle Medical Center in Kailua