The Aloha Tower is a landmark in downtown Honolulu. It is well recognized as a welcome symbol for tourists arriving in Honolulu Harbor. It was built between the wars and officially opened in 1926 at Honolulu Harbor's ninth pier. When it was built, it was the tallest structure in Hawaii at the time standing ten stories high and an extra 40 feet of the flag pole.
The tower itself has a square shape and is slender. It is topped by a dome that has an opening on all four sides. Just under the dome are two very big clocks one of which faces the harbor while the other faces inland and between them is written in big character that can be seen from miles "ALOHA". Surrounding the tower is the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Many quaint shops, and restaurants can be found in the marketplace which makes it a very interesting place to hang around after having visited the tower.
During the 1920's until the 1930's, when the tower had been built, passengers arriving in the harbor were greeted by hula dancers, thousands of colorful streamers and performances by the Royal Hawaiian Band in what was known as "boat days".
Boat days were a very big deal, the entire harbor was permeated with flowers; there were musicians playing, young men diving for coins tossed overboard by tourists.
Inside the tower, visitors obtain panoramic views of Honolulu Harbor and the surrounding areas. The observation deck is on the tenth floor. You'll have to take a small vintage elevator to get there, but it is quite small. You might want to avoid the ride if you're claustrophobic.
Today, many events take place on the tower's just adjacent to the Marketplace complex all throughout the year. Tours are also organized on a daily basis. The Aloha Tower played an important role after the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor which led to the defensive positioning of Coast Guardsmen at the tower to protect it from being occupied.