Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside — Attraction in Honolulu

🐝 Dropped by Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside (aka Tantalus Lookout) on Oʻahu's Round Top Drive – what a serene escape just minutes from downtown chaos! Nestled on an ancient cinder cone at about 1,000 feet, this lush pocket of native forest delivers unobstructed 180° vistas: Diamond Head's iconic crater on one end, Waikiki's glittering beaches and high-rises in the middle, downtown Honolulu's urban buzz, and even glimpses of Pearl Harbor and Mānoa Valley to the west. Clear day? It's like a living postcard of southern Oʻahu's magic! 📸✨ Catch sunset here for that golden-hour glow over the Pacific – pure romance or chill solo vibes.

The trails are a gentle win: Short, easy paved paths through koa trees and tropical foliage, with birdsong and cool breezes making it feel worlds away from the beach crowds. Historical nods to WWII remnants add a subtle layer of intrigue, plus interpretive signs for quick lore on the area's volcanic past. Free entry (no fees!), ample parking, and open daily till around 7pm – ideal for a spontaneous hike or picnic break on your Honolulu loop.

Minor gripes: Narrow winding roads up can feel sketchy if you're not comfy with curves (drive slow!), and weekends bring locals for workouts, so it gets a tad busy. No facilities beyond basics, pack your snacks. Still, 4.8/5 stars – the best free overlook on the island, hands down. Elevate your Oʻahu adventure: Nature, views, and aloha all...

This place provides a great view of the city and Diamond Head! The drive up the mountain is very twisty and a bit dangerous (since often you can’t see if another car is coming down, and they usually are coming down pretty fast!) so I am glad we went in the afternoon. I cannot imagine going up this road at night or in the rain. How do the people who live here deal with this road?!

Once you make it up the mountain and turn into the park, stay to the left and follow the signs for the lookout. Then you will get to a small parking lot where you can see everyyyyything. There weren’t very many people when I went so I was able to take a lot of pictures :D

The drive up there is pretty short, maybe 10 minutes, so I would recommend...

The location and view were amazing. The luau was expensive and poorly scripted. Me wife had communicated with them for months about us renewing our vows for our 25th anniversary. She wore a beautiful white beach wedding dress. The MC was so intent on doing his tired monolog he didn't give us a second thought when we said we were the ones celebrating our 25 anniversary. We ended up having our own private moment under the lighted tree, but it would have been nice to recite our vows in front of our friends like...