Hawaiian Discount Car Rentals - Drive to Mt. Tantalus

Sometimes, when we first start a vacation, you just want to hop in your car and drive. No difficult schedule, just taking in new sights, smells, maybe even getting out and walking around a bit. In Hawaii, this is called “holoholo” which means to get out just for the fun of it. The drive around Mount Tantalus is just such a drive. It features, fun roads, lush tropical vegetation, amazing vistas and it can be done in a few short hours.

Mount Tantalus stands 2,010 feet high. The loop around the mountain is a winding 10-mile adventure full of switchbacks. One of the relaxing features of this drive is that it is usually going through very quiet and fairly shady tropical forest. Then, every now and then, it pops out onto a scenic look out which will absolutely knock your socks off featuring views of Diamondhead, downtown Honolulu, Punchbowl Crater and of course the deep blue Pacific Ocean. When you take this drive, you’ll want to bring some light layers of clothing and a camera ready to go. Most people you talk with, like to get up early and do this drive before the hustle and bustle hits. Personally, I like to come off the beach and take it later in the day in hopes that I might catch one of Hawaii’s spectacular sunsets.

Let’s assume that we’re starting out from Waikiki. Generally, you take Ala Wai Boulevard until you arrive at McCully Street. Make a right onto McCully and follow this until you get to Beretania Street. Make a left onto Beretania Street and follow this until you come to Punahou Street. Make a right onto Punahou Street, follow Punahou over the H-1, until you arrive a the traffic light at Nehoa Street. Turn left on Nehoa Street and then in a few blocks, go right at Makiki Heights. In one block, you will come to a “Y” in the road near the small park. Stay to the right at the “Y” in the road and you have officially begun your journey around Mount Tantalus on Road Top Drive.

Very shortly (less than a 1/2 mile from the turn off at the “Y” in the road) you will see the entrance to Puu Ualakaa Park. This is really a must see with views of famous Diamond Head to your left, Waikiki, downtown Honolulu and Punch Bowl Crater straight ahead with the airport over to your right. You can really lose track of time here. For you trivia buffs, this is where Chad Gates (Elvis Presley) and his girlfriend Maile Duval (Joan Blackman) had a picnic in Elvis’ most successful film (grossing over $31 million in sales), Blue Hawaii. The sound track from that movie also earned Elvis his 13 th gold album. On a cautious note, I wouldn’t leave any valuables in the car here. The parking lot is lined by a forest and the bad guys have been known to pop out, take a few things and then quickly disappear again into the cover of the forest.

Back on the road again, we’re now getting into the driving mode. Along this next stretch, you can view some amazing homes owned by Hawaii’s rich and famous. In about a mile, you will be entering into the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve. Please note the variety of trees you pass from the guava and pine to the jacaranda and shower trees here. Wonderful smells if you have the top down or windows open. You will also come upon several scenic overlooks which offer views of Punch Bowl Crater, the National Cemetary, Honolulu and the Pacific Ocean from slightly different perspectives. About 4 miles into the drive, the reaches it’s highest point, levels out and the name changes to Tantalus Drive. As you descend along Tantalus Drive, turn to the left when you reach Makiki Heights Drive and in less than a mile you will return to the same “Y” in the road that you began your trip on. You should now be much more relaxed and ready to begin your next adventure on the beautiful island of Oahu.

 

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