diff --git a/python/ray/dashboard/dashboard.py b/python/ray/dashboard/dashboard.py
index b15f2daa6..9809c0eb4 100644
--- a/python/ray/dashboard/dashboard.py
+++ b/python/ray/dashboard/dashboard.py
@@ -409,7 +409,6 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         "--host",
         required=True,
         type=str,
-        choices=["127.0.0.1", "0.0.0.0"],
         help="The host to use for the HTTP server.")
     parser.add_argument(
         "--port",
diff --git a/python/ray/parameter.py b/python/ray/parameter.py
index f5e6125d5..65d02805f 100644
--- a/python/ray/parameter.py
+++ b/python/ray/parameter.py
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ class RayParams(object):
             None, then the UI will be started if the relevant dependencies are
             present.
         webui_host: The host to bind the web UI server to. Can either be
-            127.0.0.1 (localhost) or 0.0.0.0 (available from all interfaces).
-            By default, this is set to 127.0.0.1 to prevent access from
+            localhost (127.0.0.1) or 0.0.0.0 (available from all interfaces).
+            By default, this is set to localhost to prevent access from
             external machines.
         logging_level: Logging level, default will be logging.INFO.
         logging_format: Logging format, default contains a timestamp,
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ class RayParams(object):
                  worker_path=None,
                  huge_pages=False,
                  include_webui=None,
-                 webui_host="127.0.0.1",
+                 webui_host="localhost",
                  logging_level=logging.INFO,
                  logging_format=ray_constants.LOGGER_FORMAT,
                  plasma_store_socket_name=None,
diff --git a/python/ray/scripts/scripts.py b/python/ray/scripts/scripts.py
index a51f29a53..4763c2f7e 100644
--- a/python/ray/scripts/scripts.py
+++ b/python/ray/scripts/scripts.py
@@ -166,11 +166,10 @@ def cli(logging_level, logging_format):
 @click.option(
     "--webui-host",
     required=False,
-    type=click.Choice(["127.0.0.1", "0.0.0.0"]),
-    default="127.0.0.1",
-    help="The host to bind the web UI server to. Can either be 127.0.0.1 "
-    "(localhost) or 0.0.0.0 (available from all interfaces). By default, this "
-    "is set to 127.0.0.1 to prevent access from external machines.")
+    default="localhost",
+    help="The host to bind the web UI server to. Can either be localhost "
+    "(127.0.0.1) or 0.0.0.0 (available from all interfaces). By default, this "
+    "is set to localhost to prevent access from external machines.")
 @click.option(
     "--block",
     is_flag=True,
diff --git a/python/ray/services.py b/python/ray/services.py
index ebd0a2ed8..ccb134d5f 100644
--- a/python/ray/services.py
+++ b/python/ray/services.py
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ import resource
 import socket
 import subprocess
 import sys
-import textwrap
 import time
 import redis
 
+import colorama
 import pyarrow
 # Ray modules
 import ray
@@ -1094,21 +1094,11 @@ def start_dashboard(require_webui,
             stdout_file=stdout_file,
             stderr_file=stderr_file)
 
-        dashboard_url = "http://{}:{}".format(
-            host if host == "127.0.0.1" else get_node_ip_address(), port)
-        print("\n" + "=" * 70)
-        print("View the dashboard at {}.".format(dashboard_url))
-        if host == "127.0.0.1":
-            note = (
-                "Note: If Ray is running on a remote node, you will need to "
-                "set up an SSH tunnel with local port forwarding in order to "
-                "access the dashboard in your browser, e.g. by running "
-                "'ssh -L {}:{}:{} <username>@<host>'. Alternatively, you can "
-                "set webui_host=\"0.0.0.0\" in the call to ray.init() to "
-                "allow direct access from external machines.")
-            note = note.format(port, host, port)
-            print("\n".join(textwrap.wrap(note, width=70)))
-        print("=" * 70 + "\n")
+        dashboard_url = "{}:{}".format(
+            host if host != "0.0.0.0" else get_node_ip_address(), port)
+        logger.info("View the Ray dashboard at {}{}{}{}{}.".format(
+            colorama.Style.BRIGHT, colorama.Fore.GREEN, dashboard_url,
+            colorama.Fore.RESET, colorama.Style.NORMAL))
         return dashboard_url, process_info
     else:
         return None, None
diff --git a/python/ray/tests/test_webui.py b/python/ray/tests/test_webui.py
index 521d7c80c..ea9701791 100644
--- a/python/ray/tests/test_webui.py
+++ b/python/ray/tests/test_webui.py
@@ -19,12 +19,13 @@ def test_get_webui(shutdown_only):
     webui_url = addresses["webui_url"]
     assert ray.get_webui_url() == webui_url
 
-    assert re.match(r"^http://\d+\.\d+\.\d+\.\d+:8265$", webui_url)
+    assert re.match(r"^(localhost|\d+\.\d+\.\d+\.\d+):8265$", webui_url)
 
     start_time = time.time()
     while True:
         try:
-            node_info = requests.get(webui_url + "/api/node_info").json()
+            node_info = requests.get("http://" + webui_url +
+                                     "/api/node_info").json()
             break
         except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError:
             if time.time() > start_time + 30:
diff --git a/python/ray/worker.py b/python/ray/worker.py
index 64b773efb..bffffe8b5 100644
--- a/python/ray/worker.py
+++ b/python/ray/worker.py
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ def init(address=None,
          plasma_directory=None,
          huge_pages=False,
          include_webui=None,
-         webui_host="127.0.0.1",
+         webui_host="localhost",
          job_id=None,
          configure_logging=True,
          logging_level=logging.INFO,
@@ -631,8 +631,8 @@ def init(address=None,
             is None, then the UI will be started if the relevant dependencies
             are present.
         webui_host: The host to bind the web UI server to. Can either be
-            127.0.0.1 (localhost) or 0.0.0.0 (available from all interfaces).
-            By default, this is set to 127.0.0.1 to prevent access from
+            localhost (127.0.0.1) or 0.0.0.0 (available from all interfaces).
+            By default, this is set to localhost to prevent access from
             external machines.
         job_id: The ID of this job.
         configure_logging: True if allow the logging cofiguration here.