15 Best Things to Do on Oʻahu’s North Shore
From the world-renowned Pipeline Beach to the beautiful hiking and camping in both the Koʻolau and Waiʻanae Mountain Ranges, the North Shore of Oʻahu is one of the most diverse areas on the island, stretching more than 35.0 miles (56.3 km) from Punaluʻu to Kaʻena Point!
That said, I truly believe there’s something for every kind of visitor to enjoy on the North Shore of Oʻahu, including snorkeling with both dolphins and sharks, great food, beautiful beaches and hiking trails, and world-class surf!
For this reason, seeing it all really takes time—across all different seasons—to truly appreciate the vastness of the best things there is to enjoy on the North Shore. I say this because certain activities, like whale tours, are only possible during the winter months, but getting into the ocean is not practical during the winter, as the summer months are when the beaches across the North Shore are the calmest and safest for most to enjoy.
With all this in mind, I recommend visiting the North Shore of Oʻahu with an open mind and a willingness to try a variety of different things, as Pūpūkea is certainly not Waikīkī—but there really is so much to love about this small-town local community!
15 Best Things to Do on Oʻahu’s North Shore
The following list is written in no particular order of best or worst.
That said, many of these recommendations are best accessed with a rental car. However, if you’re planning to visit Oʻahu without one, consider booking one of the guided options below, as they can be a great, hassle-free way to get both to and from Waikīkī.
On a different note, the waves and surf on the North Shore during the winter season are nothing to take lightly, and getting in the water during any time of the year when there is a large swell is not advised—especially for out-of-state visitors.
1. Sunset Beach
Of all the beaches across the North Shore, Sunset Beach in Pūpūkea stands alone for being the best year-round place to watch the sunset!
By this, I mean that between the seasons, the sunset varies from north to south, sometimes setting behind Kaʻena Point off in the distance.
However, Sunset Beach is located in just the right spot, making it the perfect place sit back and hopefully catch the green flash on a clear Hawaiʻi evening!
Google Maps Directions: Sunset Beach
2. ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail
Distance: 1.3 miles / 2.0 km
The ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail is a short, steep day hike on the North Shore of Oʻahu that leads to not one, but two WWII-era bunkers at the end of the hike, similar to the Puʻu O Hulu Trail on the West Side of Oʻahu!
That said, the views from either pillbox at the top of the ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail are beautiful and renowned by both locals and visitors alike because, when the big waves roll into the beaches across Pūpūkea in the winter, the hike is one of the best places to sit back and take it all in—especially in the late evening, when golden hour lights up the best of the beaches across the North Shore!
Read My Separate Post: ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail
3. Shark Diving Tour
Out of all the islands in Hawaiʻi, Oʻahu has the best shark tours, which can be booked as either a cage or cageless experience, and I recommend considering my friend’s side-by-side comparison if you’re trying to decide between the two.
How to Decide Between a Cage or Cageless Shark Tour?
I have an old friend who works for the most popular Oʻahu shark tour company, and this is how he describes the difference between a cage and cageless experience.
In terms of safety, there is no difference between a cage and a cageless tour; it’s purely about your comfort level. However, my friend has said that the sharks get a lot closer to you during a tour with the cage than without it, and without a cage they tend to circle at a deeper depth below your feet.
In either case, I recommend booking a tour that leaves first thing in the morning because, compared to later in the day, the morning is typically when the water is the most glassy and the winds are the calmest. This is all to say that you have less of a chance of getting seasick if you go early.
I hope this helps when making your decision!
4. Kaʻena Point Trail & Pillbox
Distance (West Side): 2.1 miles / 3.4 km
Distance (North Shore): 2.4 miles / 3.9 km
Kaʻena Point State Park, on the northwest side of Oʻahu, is home to one of the island’s longest undeveloped coastlines, where visitors can hike one of two different trails, beginning from either the North Shore in Mokulēʻia or the West Side past Mākua and Keawaʻula Bay.
That said, both the North and West Kaʻena Point Trails are very similar coastal trails, but in many ways they could not be more different from one another. Therefore, I highly recommend reading my side-by-side comparison at the beginning of either article linked below, where I explain in detail the main differences between the two.
In any case, the Kaʻena Point Trail from either direction can be extended by hiking up the Kaʻena Point Pillbox Trail to the WWII-era bunker above Kaʻena Point, which easily makes for one of the best year-round sunset hikes on Oʻahu!
Read My Separate Post: Kaʻena Point (North Shore) / Kaʻena Point (West Side)
5. Banzai Bowls
Named after the iconic Banzai Pipeline, Banzai Bowls is an açaí bowl spot on the North Shore of Oʻahu, which, in my opinion, is the best place to find açaí on the island!
I say this because everything on their menu is always such a great, filling, and often healthy choice—not to mention, other places on the island don’t give you as much for your money!
To check them out, head over to either their Haleʻiwa or Sunset Beach location in Pūpūkea.
Yelp: Banzai Bowls
6. Kawela Bay
Do you remember the beach from the second Hunger Games movie..? Well, yes, that is Kawela Bay, and it’s located within walking distance of the beautiful Turtle Bay Resort.
That said, Kawela Bay is a quiet, calm, kid-friendly beach that makes for a great place to spread out and escape the crowds at other, more popular beaches across the North Shore, like Laniākea Beach closer to Haleʻiwa.
Google Maps Directions: Kawela Bay
7. Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck
Since the early 1950s, Giovanni’s Shrimp has been a long-time community favorite on the North Shore of Oʻahu, and their 'signature' white truck has been at the center of it all, attracting both locals and visitors from around the world to try their famous garlic shrimp plate!
Over the years, the original white truck in Kahuku and also Haleʻiwa have become an iconic roadside stop, as customers from all corners of the world have covered their trucks in signatures and personal messages!
All that being said, yes, Giovanni’s is one of the more touristy places to eat on Oʻahu, but it’s popular because it’s so good! It makes for a great, easy spot to grab lunch if you’re heading to or from Kawela Bay, and if someone in your group isn’t up for shrimp, there are tons of other places to grab food within walking distance, including Seven Brothers Burgers in Kahuku mentioned below!
Yelp: Giovanni’s Shrimp
8. Snorkeling at Kapoʻo (Shark’s Cove)
Kapoʻo, more commonly known as Shark’s Cove, is one of Oʻahu’s most popular snorkeling destinations because some of the best places to enjoy the island’s turquoise-blue water are only a short swim from the beach!
That said, the water clarity typically gets better and better the further you swim out past the waves that stir up the sediment, which is exactly where this photo was taken.
However, all this goes without mentioning that snorkeling at Shark’s Cove, or getting in the water anywhere on the North Shore, is a summer-only activity, as the ocean simply becomes too dangerous to access places like Kapoʻo when the large winter sets are rolling in!
When this is the case, you may want to consider booking a tour on either the North or West Side of Oʻahu, as these local operators know exactly how and where to find the best conditions when the ocean isn’t otherwise accessible from shore.
Google Maps Direction: Kapoʻo (Shark’s Cove)
9. Private Surf Lessons
If this is your first time learning how to surf, I highly recommend private surfing lessons!
That said, 2-3 ft. (1 m) waves are generally a perfect size to learn on, but if it’s your first time, I would not recommend going out on your own. Instead, I recommend learning from one of the full-time instructors in Haleʻiwa.
To book your experience, the first option is great to learn at a local beginner surf break on the North Shore, or consider one of the second two options if you’d like to learn in Waikīkī.
10. The Sunrise Shack
From a dream to the reality of four Hawaiʻi-born North Shore professional surfers, the Sunrise Shack is an amazing local coffee and açaí favorite that can be found at locations all across Oʻahu!
Originally, their first location opened in Pūpūkea at Sunset Beach on the North Shore in 2016, and since, their amazing locally owned and operated dream has since expanded to a number of different locations, including convenient options in Waikīkī!
Yelp: The Sunrise Shack
11. Seven Brothers Burgers
Seven Brothers Burgers is a locally owned, family favorite on the North Shore of Oʻahu known for their specialty burgers, fries, and amazing shakes!
They have four North Shore locations, including Lāʻie, Kahuku, Shark’s Cove, and Haleʻiwa.
All that to say, I personally like to visit Seven Brothers in Lāʻie or Haleʻiwa after a long day hike, such as Kōloa Gulch or the Kaunala Trail, but if you’re visiting on a weekend, be aware that Seven Brothers is closed on Sundays.
Yelp: Seven Brothers
12. Kōloa Gulch Trail
Distance: 12.0 - 14.0 miles / 19.3 - 22.5 km
The Kōloa Gulch Trail is a long day hike up a remote gulch on the North Shore of Oʻahu that leads to not one but two beautiful waterfalls deep in Oʻahu’s rugged Koʻolau Mountain Range.
That said, Kōloa Gulch is not for the faint of heart, as the long trail is typically an all-day adventure that requires not only good navigational skills but, most importantly, good weather!
To learn more about this challenging but beautiful adventure, I recommend reading my separate post—most notably because of my honest thoughts regarding the need for good weather in order to hike the Kōloa Gulch Trail safely.
Read My Separate Post: Kōloa Gulch Trail
13. Horseback Riding (North Shore & Kualoa)
Typically speaking, the North Shore of Oʻahu can be busy on any given day of the week.
However, the northeast side of the North Shore, from Kahuku to as far south as Kualoa Ranch, is pretty much the exact opposite of what you can expect from Haleʻiwa to Pūpūkea. It’s quiet, there’s less traffic, and this is exactly where you can have the opportunity to ride horse on some of Oʻahu’s beautiful secluded beaches and trails!
14. Camping at Peacock Flats [4x4 Needed]
Peacock Flats is a beautiful, large public campground in the heart of the Waiʻanae Mountain Range, with nearby trails that lead to some of my favorite overlooks on the entire island!
That said, getting to Peacock Flats can be tricky for out-of-state visitors with no family or friends on the island, but if you plan according, the adventure isn’t as bad as it may initially seem—especially for those who are familiar with 4WD roads across the Mountain West.
How to Camp at Peacock Flats?
Book your Reservation - Reservations are required through the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), with weekdays almost always being easier to book than weekends.
Book Here: Peacock Flats Campground
Drive [4x4 Needed] - The second most important thing that you will need is a 4x4 vehicle to drive the long and bumpy 7–8-mile (11.3–12.9 km) road through both the Kuaokalā and Mokulēʻia Forest Reserves.
However, if you don’t have one, there is the option to hike the 3.6-mile (5.8 km) Mokulēʻia Access Road from the North Shore to the campground, which can honestly be the quicker option in some respects, considering how long the drive is to the West Side, how long the check-in process takes at the Kaʻena Point Tracking Station, and the long drive through the forest reserve to reach the campground.
If you choose to drive, the 4x4 route begins up the road at the Space Force Tracking Station, just before Yokohama Beach on the West Side. Here, you will present your permit and the IDs of all those listed on it to the guard. If it’s a private vehicle, make sure the registration and safety inspection are current and accessible, as they may ask to see them.
From there, you will drive up the road and are usually escorted through the base until you reach the start of the 4x4 road on public land. If you don’t know where you’re going, download a map beforehand, as there are multiple roads through the forest reserve. At the end of the long, bumpy 7–8-mile (11.3–12.9 km) road, you’ll finally arrive at Peacock Flats, where several campgrounds are spread throughout the open area.
Google Maps Directions: Kaʻena Point Space Force Tracking Station
Hike (North Shore) - For those more interested in hiking to Peacock Flats, the 'trail' follows an entirely paved but steep road from Oʻahu’s North Shore in Mokulēʻia all the way to the campground, about 3.6 miles (5.8 km) each way.
To learn more about this option, I encourage you to read all the details in my separate post linked below.
Read My Separate Post: Mokulēʻia Forest Reserve Access Road
15. Hauʻula Loop Trail
Distance: 2.7 miles / 4.3 km
The Hauʻula Loop Trail is a beautiful North Shore day hike through a native and non-native ʻŌhiʻa–Cook Pine forest, where visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Kaipapaʻu Gulch, slow down and take pictures in the towering Cook Pine forest, and trail run—which is easily one of the better trails on Oʻahu to go for a run!
That said, the Hauʻula Loop Trail can most similarly be compared with the ʻAiea Loop Trail in central Oʻahu, with the exception that the Hauʻula Loop has more elevation change.
However, the main difference is that the Hauʻula Loop Trail’s location on the North Shore inherently makes it much less trafficked and much quieter overall, which is why it’s an adventure that I often think is one of Oʻahu’s best-kept secrets—especially if you’re staying at the Turtle Bay Resort just a few minutes up the road!
Read My Separate Post: Hauʻula Loop Trail
Native Hawaiian Plants on Hawaiʻi Trails
I wanted to include this last section on this post because this is a subject that’s personal to me.
The native plant biodiversity in Hawaiʻi is insane, and I say this because 90% of the native plants that you will see around the islands are found nowhere else on Earth, which I mention for two reasons.
The first is that I ask that you please do everything you can to minimize your impact on Hawaiʻi’s trails, as many native plants across the islands at risk of extinction. The second is that if you have a personal interest in the subject or may be curious about something that you found, I wrote a separate post entirely about native Hawaiian plants, which hopefully can help to identify anything that you might be curious about!
For example, this species in the photo below can only be found on the Island of Oʻahu and nowhere else on Earth!
Read My Separate Post: Native Hawaiian Plant Guide
