Leave the overlook to the hordes of shutterbugs and follow the short trail just to the right down into the luscious verdant valley, fragrant with yellow ginger blossoms. You'll be famished by now, so Nanette will bring you to a local spot for lunch, and then drop you back at Diamond Head to pick up your car (private tour, $75 an hour). By 1:30 p.m. or so, you'll be driving to downtown Honolulu, and to 'Iolani Palace, set squarely on a leafy lawn (corner of King and Richards Sts.; 808-522-0822; iolanipalace.org; tours, $6–$20). The royal residence from 1882 until 1893, 'Iolani was built by King David Kalakaua as a signal to the rest of the world that the Hawaiian monarchy was as sophisticated as its Western counterparts (indeed, 'Iolani Palace had electricity long before the White House). You'll need no more than an hour to tour the palace, as most of its original furnishings were auctioned off after a group of American businessmen, namely the islands' sugar tycoons, overthrew the monarchy in the 1890s. Still, the mansion's beautiful craftsmanship and eerie emptiness are bittersweet reminders to many Hawaiians of their (mostly) revered royal rulers and their sovereign nation's abrupt end. Be sure to visit the small bedroom where Queen Lili'uokalani—Kalakaua's sister and successor—spent eight months in 1895 under house arrest, accused of staging a counterrevolution, even after the then president of the United States, Grover Cleveland, publicly apologized for the "subversion of the Queen's government." The basement galleries have a revealing mix of royal regalia, from the feather cloaks worn by the early kings to the jewel-encrusted crowns donned by the later sovereigns.

Your final stop of the day is across the street. The stately Hawaii State Art Museum is a showcase of the islands' top artists (250 S. Hotel St.; 808-586-0900; hawaii.gov/sfca). One glimpse of Ron Kent's translucent pinewood bowls or Masami Teraoka's amusing wood-block-style watercolor of snorkelers and you'll never again mistake oil paintings of dolphins for real Hawaiian art. (The museum also houses an excellent new restaurant).

Make your way back to the hotel for a well-deserved rest by the pool. About 30 minutes before sunset, time (and energy) permitting, walk next door to the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, take the glass elevator to the thirtieth-floor Hanohano Room, grab a seat at the bar, and drink in a spectacular floor-to-ceiling view of Waikiki Beach (808-922-4422). Otherwise, leave the Halekulani by 7:20 p.m. for your 7:45 dinner reservation. Honolulu has great restaurants, but the best spots are mostly found outside Waikiki. So tonight you'll be driving about 15 minutes to the Kaimuki suburb, home to 12th Avenue Grill, a neighborhood bistro where the chalkboard lists nightly specials such as lightly fried trout and kimchi steak (1145C 12th Ave.; 808-732-9469; entrées, $19–$29).