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Motsumoto’s is another favorite spot for a favorite treat. You’ll find them in the North Shore surf town of Haleiwa about a 40-minute drive from the house. There’s a reason Motsumoto’s has become world famous; they really do have the best shave ice on the island. For those wanting a little something special, order your shave ice with ice cream.

You can also get condensed milk poured over the top if you want to really go… over the top. Order yours with adzuki beans for a local-style treat. Adzuki beans are sweet beans that add a little texture to your shave ice. Mix and match a wide selection of flavors and grab a t-shirt souvenir on the way out.

Tip: locals say “shave ice” and never “shavED ice.”

If you are craving shave ice but don’t want to take the drive, you can walk across to the the Foodland center where you’ll find Angel’s right around the corner. Angel’s is the local ice cream and shave ice shop. They can do it just about as good as Motsumoto’s. Some say even better because it doesn’t involve a 40-minute drive.

About 15 minutes drive from the house you will see shrimp ponds. Just after the shrimp ponds you will see an old white panel van with handwriting all over it, parked next to a pavilion with picnic tables underneath. Do yourself a favor and stop for a plate of shrimp scampi. The garlic will overwhelm you, but you will love every minute of it. $14 plates, cash only.

A day-long walk around the park featuring small villages from each of the islands in Polynesia. This is sponsored by the LDS church and BYU Hawaii, and is a staple entertainment of the island. The cost is about $89 a person and includes the villages, the IMAX movie, dinner, and the night show.

Be certain to go to the night show, it is the best part and well worth it. If you book out 10 days in advance you can get a 15% discount. This is a pricey thing to do, but well worth the money for an awesome experience. You can bounce back to the center if you don’t see everything the first day. Splurge and include the whole event, including dinner and the night show. I promise you will enjoy it!

The PCC has recently renovated and added a food-truck-style shopping experience on the property. The anchor is Pounders, a 3-star family-friendly restaurant that is a great place to eat when you want to get out, but not too far away. Food trucks of every kind are scattered throughout for sushi, dogs, crepes, and various treats with souvenir-style shopping in between. You can access the shopping and food areas of the PCC without paid admission.

https://www.polynesia.com

IMPORTANT: Please use caution on the North Shore beaches. There are many dangers above and below the surface, and while generally safe, there are nuances to ocean swimming that separate the experienced from newbies. For example, there are tides to consider, incoming or outgoing currents, rip tides, rogue waves, and seasonal dangers. Animal life is nothing to be afraid of, but a healthy respect and keeping your distance are essential for safe observations.

Lifeguards will be at some of the major beaches, please follow their instructions and guidance to remain safe. If there is no lifeguard, it is up to you to keep yourself and family out of trouble.

ONE MORE THING: You are much nearer the equator in Hawaii, and that means you will sunburn in less than 30 minutes. Nothing ruins a good vacation more than getting a terrible burn. PLEASE sunscreen up and plan to come home without that golden tan you were planning for. You’ll get plenty of sun, anyway, and our rule of thumb is that it is best to take precautions, always. If you do plan to lay out, set a timer for 10 minutes at a time. Trust me.

If you love the ocean, are an experienced swimmer, understand and accept the risks of swimming in the ocean and came to Hawaii to play in the ocean you’ll love our location, because some of the most famous and beautiful Hawaiian beaches are along the North Shore of Oahu and within a 20 minute drive of the house.

Stop by and watch the surfers. There are surfing contests at various times of the year, open to the public and fun to watch. There are also turtles visible at some of the beaches. Snorkeling at Shark’s Cove is fun for advanced snorklers; it’s a deep, open water cove, and you will see turtles and tropical fish (but not any sharks unless you go scuba, and even then probably not). Go when the water is calm. Waimea Bay is a terrific beach but not for smaller children; we usually go to jump off ‘The Rock’, which amounts to a 25′ jump into about 12′ of water at the far end of the beach.

Here’s a quick list of favorites, and why: 

Hukilau Beach is at the other end of Hukilau bay from the house and provides a fun and safe beach experience for small children and curious teenagers.

Malekahana Beach is a locals-only favorite for boogie boarding and surfing. It’s about a mile from the house toward Kahuku.

Sunset Beach is very sandy and usually pretty quiet. A nice place to hang out and throw a frisbee.

Shark’s Cove isn’t really a beach, it’s a deep, open water cove but is one of the best snorkeling experiences on the island for experienced snorklers/swimmers. Be very careful getting in during rough seas; the rocks are razor sharp and unforgiving. Avoid altogether if there are visible waves. For experienced divers, Shark’s Cove offers an engaging underwater experience that features large overhangs, short laval tubes, and plenty of nooks and crannys to explore. Most dive shops in the area will meet you there with a guide and gear if you call ahead.

Waimea is deceptive; the waves crash hard on the shore and are not good for children or beginners. However, we do love jumping off the rock at the far end; a fun challenge for teens and adults, and even younger kids if they are experienced ocean swimmers. Shoreline play is not recommended, but Waimea has beautiful water and sandy bottom for stronger swimmers unafraid to get out beyond the breaks. Waimea is where the big waves hit during winter, and a great place to watch big surf. Parking is a challenge, and prone to citation if you don’t park in an authorized spot. Park at Wiamea Canyon across the street for a few bucks, or park up the road near Foodland and make the mile-long walk if you can’t get a place at the beach.

Haleiwa Beach is great for light surfing. There are several surf shops nearby for board rentals, paddle boards and kayaks.

Kilua Bay Beach is an amazing, talcum-powder beach with a slow slope and nothing but sand. This beach is over an hour away through the town of Kaneohe. It’s a long haul that makes for a long day, but this IS the beach you were looking for. A light slope means it is relatively safe for kids. Sandy bottoms make this a fun beach for waist-deep volleyball or frisbee, and the diverse crowd makes for great people watching. 

Back Door Beach – of course, the beach right out the back door is our ultimate favorite because you can be there in 10 seconds, and are never too far away from the bathrooms, a quick snack, or another bottle of sunsreen.

Turtle Bay is a world-famous 4-star resort on the North Shore, and is about 20-minute’s drive from the house. They have the fanciest restaurants on this side of the island, good views, and some shops. And, of course they feature THE world-famous golf course, too.

Seriously; just the back yard. We have boogie boards and snorkeling equipment at the home, so you can explore right outside the back door. We have seen turtles, eel, octopus, fish of every kind, a seahorse or two, and a family of Eagle Ray. There is plenty to see for patient snorkelers and the reef keeps things relatively calm and safe. You’ll be surprised to learn that it is only about 7 feet deep between the shore and the reef, so not too frightening for inexperienced swimmers. The best snorkeling is at low tide. High tidegets rough and visibility is low. Be careful to be kind to the ocean so that others can enjoy the experience.

Our favorite thing to do though, is to sit on the back deck and watch for whales to surface. (Whale season is usually from mid-January to April.) We play at the beach right out the back door and you will find some of the best snorkeling around within a hundred feet of the deck. Snorkelers will see a lot of interesting fish, and if you look with some patience, you will most certainly see an eel or two. Night diving is for the brave, but has been known to turn up octopus, eels, turtles, and lobsters. Reminder: there are always turtles in the ocean behind the house. It is illegal to harass or touch them. If you spot a turtle, remain calm, be still, and watch from a distance for as long as you like; they are wonderful to see.

Warning: Eels are also behind the house. They are beautiful and exciting to see. However, they have a vicious bite and should not be played with. If you spot an eel, remain calm and keep your distance; they won’t bother you if you don’t bother them.

Warning: Sea life is wonderful and generally harmless, but there are some dangers to watch for. Be careful not to harass wildlife, and be careful when touching shells, rocks and things like urchins. If you don’t know what it is, don’t mess with it. For example, a long shell in the shape of a large finger often contains a venomous snail that will protect itself with a (sometimes) deadly sting that will cause paralysis. Be mindful of jellyfish, too, especially the blue ones that wash up on the shore; you don’t want to step on them. They are very visible, but they are easy to miss if you are snorkeling and concentrating on the sea floor. Jelly stings are common, but only last a little while.

On the lighter side; we have logged hundreds of hours in the ocean behind the house without a serious incident.

We have some snorkels, fins, masks and boogie boards for the home. Bikes, surfboards and snorkeling gear can be rented in Haleiwa at almost any of the surf or bike shops.

There are biking trails all over the island, hard and easy.

Pearl Harbor is a must see. We visit almost every trip. Plan to spend most of a day. The drive will be about an hour each way from the house, and the self-walk tours can take as long as you like. First timers can easily spend three hours or more. This is free to the public but requires that you get a ticket at the front desk for a seat on the boat to the memorial (a must do). Get there early in the day to get a ticket to the memorial, as they can run out. (We also recommend getting your memorial ticket first and then do whatever walking around you’d like to do. The time slots for the memorial can go very quickly and leave you with a several hour wait if you don’t.)

There is an honest-to-goodness submarine ride available from the downtown Hilton resort. It is expensive, but quite an adventure. You will go down to about 90 feet and see shipwrecks and sea life. We saw large eels, turtles and rays. Some have seen dolphins and sharks. You may also see some divers. Atlantis Adventures also does sunset cruises. 1-800-381-0237

https://atlantisadventures.com

There are several whale sight-seeing tours on the island. They are generally worth the effort and a fun way to spend some time out on the water. Compabies and services change, so you’ll have to look it up. Best places to launch from include Haleiwa or Kaneohe – they are your closest bets.

Or, just hang out on the deck with a pair of binoculars…

If you keep your eyes out during the winter months you will spot whales jumping and blowing in the water right out the back door. Look out to the horizon and watch for their blow spouts. Once you see one, they are easy to spot. They are a sign that whales will be surfacing soon. Keep your eye’s on the horizon and get ready for some spectacular breaches.

The Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout is an historic picturesque lookout over the rocky cliffs and ocean. It will take you over an hour to drive to it from the house, but it’s near Haunauma Bay and makes a great addition to the trip.

Be sure to look up the interesting historic detail of this location to make this a learning adventure. In a nutshell, King Kamehameha and his army forced the Oahuans to the cliffs of the Pali Lookout during what they call “the battle of Nu’uanu.” The legend says that he gave them an ultimatum to join his Hawaiian nation, or be killed. Those who continued to resist were driven to the cliffs (“pali”) and either killed or forced to jump to their death. Kamehameha was a fair-but-ruthless leader who eventually united the islands into a nation. The highway around the island, locally referred to as “The Kam Highway” is named after the king.

https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/oahu/regions/windward-coast/nuuanu-pali-lookout

On Wednesdays and Saturdays there is an actual swap meet in the Aloha Stadium near downtown. It is always hot, even on cloudy days, so take a hat, some water, and plenty of sunscreen. Parking costs a couple of bucks. Plan to make a full loop around the stadium. For fast observers, you can grab a coconut drink and some sweet bread and sit under the large banyan trees to wait for the others. For hard-core shoppers, prepare for a wonderland of fun-but-useless trinkets, crafts, home-made foods and plenty of people watching.

There are lots of bargains on stuff you don’t really need. It’s a great place to pick up gifts for the folks back home. Hours: 8:30am-3pm.

TIPS: Seriously; it gets hot, so be prepared. We’ve seen epic sunburns happen at the swap meet, so cover up even if you think you can handle it. If you are from Utah; you can’t. Trust me; cover up and make sure those babies are out of the sun. Also; make a plan to meet somewhere, use the buddy system, and make sure everyone has a phone. It’s easy to get separated as people dive into the hundreds of booths and it’s best to pair off by shopping intent and meet later under the banyan trees on the south side near the main parking lot. Take water. (There is plenty of food, water, soda, and treats to buy on site.)

The atmosphere is safe and family-friendly. Strollers are appropriate. 

PS: the public toilets are near the banyan trees on the south side of the stadium.

This hiking trail is paved from the parking lot to the top. It’s a moderate climb that travels approximately 500 feet up to a viewing platform with amazing views of the ocean. We have spotted whales on this hike. The Makapuu Lighthouse Trail, also known as the Kaiwi Scenic Shoreline, is the second most popular of all the Oahu hiking trails, next to the Diamond Head Hike.

This easy-to-moderate summit trail is definitely one of the most memorable, with stunning views overlooking Makapuu Beach, Koko Head, the windward coast, and Molokai & Lanai neighboring islands. You will also discover some exciting points of interest along the way including Makapuu Point, old military pillboxes, giant tide pools, a hidden blowhole, and the popular Makapuu lighthouse landmark.

This is a family-friendly hike that will take you a couple of hours at most. Stronger hikers could push a stroller up. 

It gets hot, so go early and take water and sunscreen!