Took one of my rare days off to ride with my bf since I've always been hearing about this drive/hike/make out point since I moved here. Initially was hard to navigate since we were both unfamiliar with the neighborhood But once on the road, we took our leisurely time mainly because of all the turns (sports bikes don't do well on curvy roads). Lush greenery, made for great shade while riding our bikes. Excellent views, especially when you get to the long stretch of wall. Would love to come back and try one of the hikes! read more

Worth a drive. View is fantastic for sunset. It gets crowded at view point parking lot (only holds 10 cars). You can park the bigger one right before the fork and a short pleasant walk through the restrooms. Make sure to bring some mosquitoes spray to protect yourself. read more

Mount Tantalus - View point by night of Waikiki. - Parks Near Me

An easier option compared to diamond state park. Drive in rather than hiking then a great view awaits. There was no fee to enter also. Con the drive is very dizzying....also while parking is available the parking on the top is small. read more

Mount Tantalus - One of the views from the top - Parks Near Me

Beautiful view of Honolulu at night! Came here in early January so the crowd and traffic wasn't at all bad... Not sure how the crowd is like during the summer months or weekends. read more

Mount Tantalus - Phone camera shot of Honolulu - Parks Near Me

The smells of eucalyptus, plumeria, and rainforest meet one of the most stunning views of Oahu's southern side. From Diamond Head to the distant resorts of Koolina, visitors can find their hotel in Waikiki, chart their way back to the airport, or stare off on the Pacific Ocean horizon. Loads of locals and tourists visit the area and the State Park for the view, a picnic, sunset, and even weddings. Hiking trails wind their way around the mount's hills and valleys. The historic Tantalus/Round Top Drive is an impressive workout for bicycler's and runner. Skate boarders also enjoy whizzing down this hill (they often hitch rides from the bottom). The Puu Ualakaa State Park gets a bit busy around sunset which is the best time to visit the lookout. The Park closes shortly after sunset, so be sure to check out the sign at the entrance to allow enough time to leave before the gates close. read more

One of my favorite places to watch the sunset on Oahu. Beautiful view of downtown waikiki and Diamondhead. I think the best view is to come around 5pm and watch the sunset / see the city from above at night. Once you're done taking pictures, there is a grass area in front of the pathway where you can lay out and bring some snacks and drinks. read more

This is a more of a lookout then a hike, a gimme view from the car. Great for those with small children who don't want to overdo it. Nonetheless, Ualaka'a Lookout provides a fantastic view of Waikiki and Diamond Head. Check out other family friendly hikes with even more amazing views at http://www.oahufamilyactivities.com/p/family-friendly-hikes-in-oahu.html. read more

This place is absolutely amazing. It's a long winding road leading all the way up. If you're interested they have picnic areas where you can stop but the real gem is at the top! There's a breath taking lookout. You will be overlooking downtown Honolulu, the coast line, Pearl Harbor, diamond head crater and endless amounts of green covered mountains! It's a great "must see" while you're here! read more

Our friend drove us up here to see the beautiful view of Waikiki and Diamond Head. One of the best free things you can enjoy on the island. Thank you Hans. read more

Awesome view here during the day time and night.

This is the spot to come to for iconic photos of Diamond Head with Waikiki in the foreground. Plus you can view this vantage point from your car, which is great since my wife was pregnant when we visited. read more

The view is amazing! You can drive up or hike if you would like. You can see the city of Honolulu. From Manoa to Diamond Head and the strip of hotels. There is a picnic area in the park and a swingset someone made if you can spot it. read more

This is a nice drive to take on a Sunday, after brunch. There are beautiful views and it's peaceful if there aren't a lot of people up there. Hmm, maybe a Monday would be better . . . read more

Mount Tantalus - Parks Near Me

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One of the most breathtaking lookouts I've ever seen, if not the best. Although the top gets pretty crowded around sunset, you can see the entire city of Honolulu from any angle. The drive up is pretty windy/curvy, so take it slowly - this should be easy considering it also happens to be a really scenic drive! read more

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Worth the drive if you want to take a gorgeous pic of oahu. The drive can get narrow so be careful. read more

Mount Tantalus - Parks Near Me

I went to high school right near tantalus and for cross-country I remember we'd run up there up until the bridge or even a little farther if we were on a good pace. In the beginning, the hills are rather steep and its really hard to see oncoming cars around the turns. I recommend you be careful and just be aware that cars may not be able to see you when they're coming around the bends. After passing the bridge, which I think is around 3 or 4 miles up, its starts to get a little more dark because there's more foliage and trees. At one point I remember there's a lot of guava trees or fruit of some sort that is just littered all over the road. Going up there at night is pretty scary too. As you go farther up, it gets darker and darker. At one point, it looks as if you're in a horror movie especially with all of the trees and eerie shadows overlooking the road. read more

One of the coolest scenic points/views that Hawaii has to offer. If you come during the day you'll see everything from Waikiki to ala moana and many more other locations. You can see beautiful views of manoa. They also have this gazebo area where you can see all the beautiful mountains and flowers and every sight to see. If you come at night the view is magnificent but it's a little dangerous because it is windy and it doesn't really have a wall to hold you behind. But the view is just so calm and pretty. You see the lights from buildings all over the island. read more

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It's a short drive to get to Tantalus from Waikiki or Honolulu so any visitor should make the time to do this. The highlight isn't just the lookout at puu ualakaa state park but the 9 or 10 mile loop around Round Top drive. If you go up Round Top (instead of Makiki) there is a pull out on your right that gives you a pretty cool view of Waikiki and Diamond Head. If you miss it, no worries... the lookout has a great panoramic view of the city. read more

Mount Tantalus - Awesome view - Parks Near Me

We came during the weekday/well, sort of misty/ foggy / drizzling day lol the way up to the mountain was zigzag. When I got to the top of the mountain, there were only 2 other visitors. You can see the entire city/the residential areas are similar to those in HK (dayu mountain). read more

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A beautiful, lush, pristine rainforest filled with hanging vines, tropical flowers, waterfalls and streams, wild boars roaming about.....this is a side of Oahu that 90% of tourists don't get to see, or don't bother to see, but once you do it becomes a part of your soul. I lived in a house off of Tantalus for a year and this was my backyard. THIS is paradise, not just a windex-blue ocean that meets a stunning white sand beach with palm trees swaying behind you. YOU MUST EXPERIENCE this place. If you have a car and you want to go hiking DO NOT leave anything in the car, thieves cruise by every hour on the hour to smash out the windows of all cars in order to steal sunglasses, cd's and lip gloss. BE SURE TO HAVE INSURANCE ON YOUR RENTAL!! The best thing to do is rent a wrecked up Sazuki Samurai/Geo Sidekick from VIP rentals for $30 located in Waikiki, this way you don't have to worry about theft as the locals think you are one of them. OR get a taxi to take you to the very top of Tantalus/Roundtop, the walk down will take you an hour, more if you choose to go offtrail and end up in the Nature Preserve Park which is on Makiki Heights Drive. Have your Taxi pick you up there at a decided upon time and give yourself a few hours to explore the forest. You can wait for your taxi by laying on the green lawn next to the stream in the Nature Preserve, there is a family of white Cockatoos that fly from tree to tree squaking at eachother. While walking down Tantalus if you stay on the road, you will find avacado trees that you can pick avacados from (they are the sweeter kind though, not the buttery HAAS type that you use in guacamole) and Guava trees, and near the top on Tantalus on a certain stretch of road are the most amazing smelling flower ever and there are hundreds of them all the way up the road, so your walk is heavenly. They bloom from Sept to Dec., heaviest in Nov. In the cooler, densely forested area of Tantalus you will smell the old wet earth mixed with new blooming flowers and plants that have been there before the road was built. Listen to the massive trees creek and moan in the wind and you will see how the ancient Hawaiins came up with stories of haunted forests and ancestors spirits roaming the mountain side. If you are lucky and quiet on your walk you may see a mommy boar out with her babies, i've seen this 3 times and then I saw the signs "BEWARE, BOAR ABATEMENT IN PROGRESS, WATCH FOR HUNTERS", I guess they send dudes into the forest to shoot the boars so that their numbers don't get too big. You can also visit the park with the great viewpoint on Roundtable Drive, most taxi drivers know where it's at and you have the best photo op, from downtown Honolulu to Waikiki Diamond head, all laid out below you. I wish the Hawaiins who lived there, especially the kids who race their cars at night, wouldn't litter so much. You will be AGHAST at how much litter and refuse is scattered along Tantalus. They have a neighborhood cleanup every 6 months or so, but still. sad read more

A trip to Honolulu is not complete until I come here to view the gorgeous city lights and breathtaking view of the city and ocean. I usually get here about 1/2 hour before the sunset and see the daylight view of the city change to an awesome night view. I have been here numerous times and it always seems to be quite windy when I get to the top, so be prepared and dress a little warmer. With the elevation gain, it definitely is cooler up at the top. Not only is it a beautiful view at the top, the road leading up there is also quite nice with the change in vegetation along the winding road that leads to the top. Make sure you check this place out and stay awhile to relax, de-stress and enjoy the view. read more

to get here put in "puu ualakaa state park" into google maps and it should take you to the right place. We went up to Tantalus Drive to Round Top Drive. This is a windy but kind of cool drive through forests. If you go this way it'll take about 30 minutes to actually get to the park. Once there there follow the signs to the lookout/view point and there is a small parking lot at top. There's a walkway that will take you to the end and a small field in front of you. The small field seems like a nice place to have a picnic or get engaged but you do have a crowd of people behind you the whole time. The views of Waikiki, downtown, and Diamond Head are amazing from up here. Come to watch a sunset or just take in the skyline. My only complaint is that there is a lot of shubbery that obscures some of your view, but this would only be an issue for those of us looking for that perfect instagram photo. For most other individuals this should not be an issue. If you drive down Round Top Drive (south bound) there's actually another lookout point with just street parking that I think may actually be a better vantage point as it makes it seem like you're closer to the city. Overall, a nice place to spend 30-45 minutes of your day to take in a nice view. read more

Great, short scenic drive. A must DO! Be sure to stop at Pu'u Ulalaka'a State Wayside Park awesome viewpoint!!

This is not a review for the hiking. We were ill prepared for the hike. Here's what you need to know so you won't be like us. Wear insect repellent and long pants. When we were there they were doing hog hunting and the sign at the beginning of the trail informed people to wear bright colors. O_o We picked up hitchhiking kids who were riding up to the top to skate board down the crazy steep turns. So if you're a pretty good skateboarder, I guess this is where the locals go?! It seemed so dangerous though. The view is nice from the one lane bridge. It may seem like a long drive but there is a parking lot at the top before it starts to decline down Mount Tantalus again. Oh by the way, that insect repellent should be used even if you're going here just for the view and drive. Otherwise, mosquitoes will eat you alive. read more

Wanted to find somewhere with a view at night, and all i can say is wow!! Definitely a must see view for anyone looking to take some incredible shots of waikiki. read more

Mount Tantalus - Parks Near Me

Great view, whether during the day or evening. Recommended spot for picture taking. Becareful though, road is narrow and winding.

K, not writing about food today. Ate at Taco Hell after the Ravens and Cowboys game, so I feel kinda yucky (especially worse since the Cowboys lost). When I saw Tantalus on here, had to give a shout out. Fond, crazy memories here... Back in the days, late at night, my friends and I would go up there and check out the city lights from the lookout. EVERY SINGLE TIME we would see a huge white owl pass in front of us if we felt adventurous enough to finish the drive and end up in Papakolea. Pretty eerie, especially when it stares right at you. Per my friend, who was the driver, that was her family's aumakua (eh, if you don't know what an aumakua is, google it!). Like for real! Same thing happened when we were with her, late at night at the Pali Lookout. Big white owl with wings so huge. It seemed like whenever we would see the owl, the loud booty shaking music in her car would be on mute and everything was in slow mo. I promise you, I didn't smoke back then, lol. Boonesfarm was more our speed, lol. And she was the only one who was Hawaiian in the car. It was supposed to make us feel somewhat safe but hell, everyone screamed bloody murder every time we saw it. I think I screamed hoping that we wouldn't hit it and then with our luck, some crazy hawaiian voodoo stuff happen to us like that movie Final Destination. Crazy times I tell you. Anyways, don't mean to throw everyone off with the aumakua but it's a nice place to bring your friends and family visiting here. You can tell them that Richard Chamberlain owns the mansion up there (I think?). I haven't been there after the murders. Lately I have been feeling kinda uji about that area... but you don't have to tell your visiting friends about that part, lol. Go during the day, pack a picnic and chill. I was just thinking how cool to see a Dawg and Beth episode where the fugitive speeds away up Tantalus and them trying to catch up with them. Sheesh, I must be tired.. Dawg and Beth? WTF read more

BEST VIEW OF THE CITY! There are no words to explain how beautiful it is up here, during the day or evening. Driving up is windy and you have to be careful because it is narrow. You gain elevation quick and it's beautiful! This is a GREAT place to bring family that are out of island or from the mainland also. read more

Relaxing and honest viewpoint. No hiking required so it's a nice place to take visitors (like myself) to see a beautiful sight without the strain of dragging them on an uphill hike. Before reaching the actual viewpoint, there are places you can have an awesome picnic; saw a couple that was filling the park with good tunes and it really made my day. Advisable for all ages. read more

Yep! very beautiful, especially at night with the city lights. We used to take people who came and visited us here, and we also came here on New Years Eves... of course couldn't stay after 10 pm. The cops will escort you down the hill! But, it's pretty awesome either day or night! There are also some hikes around that you could go to and enjoy the green sceneries. read more

This drive is a little tough if you're like me and have a regular car, but totally worth it. Such an amazing view!!! I want to see it at night!! read more

Beautiful view. Came here in the day and at night. Great place to catch the sunset. Would come back again to have a picnic

This drive is beautiful and from the top you can see Diamond Head, Punch Bowl and Waikiki the coast. We lived here for 7 months before finding this drive on yelp by accident (we were looking for race tracks) there are no longer any on Oahu. My wife and I have date night every Tuesday and decided to take this drive before a movie and diner. the drive it self was fun lots of curvy turns and switch backs:) We have tried to find unusual out of the way non typical tourist places through out Oahu and this is one of the best views we have found on the island. It is one of those must see places we will take family and friends when they visit. you can fallow Tantalus to round Top drive or vise/versa. Fun Beautiful drive! read more

Very beautiful view and a short drive. There's a lot of shuttle buses that come by to stop on the side. It's a mix of locals and tourists. The only issue I have is the mosquitoes. I'm one of those people that can stand in a crowd of ten people, and I'm the only one that gets bit. This is why I refuse to go hiking. (I've even had mosquito repellant on me once, and I managed to get bit on my face.) Each time I have gone to Mount Tantalus, I swear all the mosquitoes send out a message to each other saying a buffet is arriving, because I was literally there for 2 minutes as soon as I got out of the car when I got bit twice. I was covered all the way except a small part of my feet/ankles were showing, and sure enough, that's where I got bit. I can't imagine living on this hill. I would never be able to go outside to appreciate the scenery. read more

I took this ride with a friend not too long ago. It actually brought back a small town mountain ride feel. Most of the drive itself has few expansive views of the city. To me the best vista was at the park at the top or along the narrow bridge. Stopping along the turnouts probably isn't too safe seeing as many people are probably not accustomed to driving such graded winding trails. It is actually a longer ride than one might think. The park at the top is a nice place to take a pit stop and wander around a bit in the mist. read more

amazing view of the city! although the drive might take a while, but its worth it! cool chill spot with friends or a loved one. theres multiple lookout points with different views of the city. theres a small park right by the top where you can see an amazing panoramic view of the city day or night! although at night theres no streetlights so when driving be sure to drive safe with your high beams on possibly. when youre at any scenic points, sometimes cops come around 10:30pm to kick people out since all c&c parks close that time. i still stay there anyways. lol. go check it out! read more

Mount Tantalus - Parks Near Me

This is an awesome drive... especially at sunset. There are several pull off's along the way with great photo ops of Diamond Head and the Waikiki skyline. The best, however, is near the top in the state park. Once you enter it, keep hanging lefts until you come to the viewpoint at the top. There's a walkway out to a spot on the mountain where you'll get one of the best views Hawaii has to offer. read more

Had heard that this was a great drive with great views. And it was. You go by people's houses, through lush greenery, and get these stunning viewing all over the place. Started off with a visit to Punchbowl Crater and the national cemetery there. Then continued on Tantalus Drive up to the top of the mountain and then returning down the mountain on Roundtop Drive. Definitely worth finding. read more

A nice view that's free and relaxing. If you have time to kill this is definitely a site to see

What a gorgeous park. I can't really explain it, but you have to visit. It is peaceful and beautiful.