Book the first slot up Diamond Head

Leahi, which almost everyone calls Diamond Head, is the walk up behind Waikiki that everybody means when they say you should see the view.

They are right. This is what you are walking up for.

What it actually is

Under a mile each way, and about five hundred and sixty feet up.

It starts paved, then turns into stairs and a tunnel near the top. It is not a mountaineering exercise, and it is not a stroll either. If stairs are a problem, this one is a real consideration rather than a nervous one.

The part people miss

If you are from out of state, you have to reserve an entry time online in advance. Not at the gate. Not on the day. In advance, and it does sell out.

Turning up without one is the single most common way people miss this, and it is entirely avoidable.

Take the first slot of the day

Three reasons, in order of how much you will care.

It is cooler. There is no shade to speak of on the way up and Honolulu gets hot earlier than people expect.

The light is better, which matters because you are going up there to look at something.

And you are not queuing at the narrow parts. The tunnel and the stairs are single file in places, so a busy slot means standing still on a staircase rather than walking up one.

One thing nobody mentions

There is no water on the trail. None. Bring your own, and bring more than feels necessary.