Perhaps one of the most iconic images associated with Hawaii is the towering silhouette of Diamond Head crater on the southernmost tip of Oahu. It is also easily the most popular outdoor attraction in all of Hawaii, with 4.5 stars and more than 15,000 reviews on TripAdvisor – more than any other Hawaiian attraction.
Dubbed Diamond Head by sailors who were entranced by the volcano’s glittering peak, the mountain’s summit is littered with calcite crystals – but the name stuck.
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This volcanic tuff cone is perhaps the most well-known landmark on Oahu. The view of Diamond Head via airplane is iconic, the hike to the summit is mentioned in every guidebook, and you can even see the volcano from the famous beaches of Waikiki.
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The crater is more than 3,500 feet in diameter, and has been dormant for more than 150,000 years.
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Once used for military training, the government-owned property has since been opened to the public, and is now the most iconic hike on the island for tourists.
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Encompassing more than 475 acres, the park is home to Hawaii’s most recognized landmark. The hike can be crowded, but it is a must-do on Oahu.
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The trail is half-paved and even features stairs - making it much easier than most Hawaiian hikes.
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The trail leads hikers on a steep more than 500 feet in elevation over 1.6 miles to the crater’s summit.
Edmund Garman/Flickr
But it isn’t the killer stairs that so many people love about Diamond Head - it’s the incredible views of Honolulu, the southern side of the island, the Pacific Ocean, and the always-charming Diamond Head Lighthouse below.
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Other top contenders for the most popular outdoor attractions across the Hawaiian Islands include Oahu’s Hanauma Bay, Maui’s Mount Haleakala, Kauai’s Waimea Canyon, and the Big Island’s Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
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