Things To Do On Oahu’s North Shore from a Local’s Perspective

In this post you will find a compiled list of my favorite gems, from beaches to hiking to kombucha and all the delicious eateries on Oahu’s North Shore.

My Chinese Grandmother’s family was born and raised in Haleiwa and worked in the plantations, so I feel a historical connection with Oahu. While Waikiki and downtown Honolulu have transformed over the years becoming tourist magnets and concrete jungles filled with tall skyscrapers and shops only the wealthy few can afford, Haleiwa remains relatively unaltered, standing still in time. With the regulation of “no building taller than a palm tree”, even McDonald’s and Starbucks (the only two chains I can think of in the area), are decorated in the same style as the buildings that surround it.

There is something special about the North Shore that can only be experienced. As soon as you exit the H2 freeway and enter Haleiwa town, you turn off the AC, open the windows, and immediately sense the vibe change to slower-paced, friendly, and laid-back. Even the air smells fresher and more fragrant. There is virtually no honking, far more smiles, and lots of chickens. Nobody seems to be in a hurry here, and there’s an interesting mixture of locals coexisting with tourists experiencing this place for the first time.

So, what do we do on our days off as a local? Here I will share with you how we like to experience the perfect day on Oahu’s North Shore!

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1) Fuel up and wake up at Coffee Gallery, located inside the North Shore Marketplace (free parking).

This adorable joint serves up local coffee, chai and specialty lattes along with delicious home made pastries and goodies! While you’re here, browse SoHa Living for Hawaii-made products to take home as souvenirs (much better than the made-in-China tchotchkes from the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet.)

2) Walk to the other side of the shops to enjoy a brekky burrito at Kono’s. My favorite is The Chun’s, filled with local kalua pork, bacon, scrambled eggs and potatoes. There’s no need to share here; trust me, you’ll want your own. 😉 The staff is always friendly, and the food is always consistent. Portions are the perfect size; not too big, not too small.
TIP: try all their spicy sauces, made in Denver, CO specifically for Kono’s. Grab a seat outside on the picnic benches, but don’t feed the chickens, no matter how cute their little fluffy yellow baby chicks are.

3) Walk half a block down the road to Waialua Bakery for locally sourced baked goods between $1 – $4 and delicious sandwiches using ingredients from their garden. This is the perfect place to grab a sandwich to take to the beach, as after you pass Hale’iwa and get into Waimea, there are no food options besides the occasional food truck along side the road.

TIP: They accept cash only. And you’ll probably see a few of these guys gecko-ing around:

4) On the short walk back to your car parked at the North Shore Marketplace, stop in at The Soap Cellar for some locally-made essential oil soaps ($6.25 each or 5 for $25)

5) Visit a Hei’au, an ancient Hawaiian temple or sacred sight. From Kamehameha Highway, turn right just before the Foodland and go up the winding road for about 3 minutes before you see this sign on the right:

TIP: Don’t leave any valuables in the car. Walk the short loop to see aerial views of Waimea Bay.

6) Hike Ehukai Pillboxes. Park (for free) at Sunset Elementary School, just across the street from Ehukai Beach. This is an easy hike that takes around one hour round trip, plus a bit of time at the top to take jumping and yoga photos. 😉
TIP: Wear mosquito repellant, and bring hiking shoes you don’t mind getting muddy!

Once you get to the pillbox (it only takes around 25 minutes to ascend), you can take some fun photos:

You can continue on to a long trail system that goes through a beautiful pine tree forest, but be careful because it’s very easy to get lost in there and quickly become disoriented! Leave some proverbial breadcrumbs. 😉 …but don’t, actually.

Other hiking option: Ka’ena Point (entry from the Mokule’ia side). This flat 5.5-mile round trip hike is easy and scenic, but can be very muddy after heavy rains. The trail ends at an Albatross sanctuary, so if you visit in the month of February, you will be lucky enough to see these large, beautiful black and white birds nesting and doing their mating dance!

Albatross live their entire lives at sea, but only once a year in the month of February, they come to land to mate and lay eggs. Their mating ritual is a beautiful dance, consisting of raising their necks up and down, walking slowly whilst bobbing their heads, clapping their bills and dancing around each other. They will do this for hours until they decide that the partner they selected is their chosen one. They will then find a good bush and make fluffy babies! The 5.5-mile round trip hike to Ka’ena Point from the Mokuleia (North Shore) side is on easy flat terrain. During our hike in February, we saw three monk seals, several whales, Albatross mating dances, protective Mamma albatrosses, and their newborn fluffy babies! 

During summertime, Ka’ena Point is also a great place to go mountain biking!

You will very likely see a Hawaiian monk seal resting on the beach! Monk Seals will dive hundreds of feet deep into the ocean to catch fish, so they become exhausted and need to rest and sun themselves to warm up. They do a very good job of blending in with the sand and the rocks, because we didn’t even notice them when we first went down to the beach! We immediately retreated back up towards the top to give them their space and to not make them feel threatened. Hawaiian monk seals are highly endangered species, so if you do see one in the wild, please give it plenty of space and do not touch them.

7) After emerging from the hike looking like a mud warrior, take a refreshing dip at Sunset Beach, then be sure to stop by Sunrise Shack, quite literally a shack (a nice one), serving up healthy fruit bowls, smoothies and raw vegan and vegetarian food!

In the wintertime during high wave season (November – February), check out Waimea Bay and Pipeline for the big wave surf contests!

Or head to Laniakea Beach (known to locals as “Lani’s” or “Turtle Traffic”), as this can sometimes be a place to spot honu, the Hawaiian word for sea turtle, and therefore the traffic can get backed up because of tourists stopping to take photos. Hawaiians believe that sea turtles are a symbol of good luck in the form of a guardian spirit.

8) Head back into town for supper at Banzai Sushi inside the North Shore Marketplace.
TIP: Go for happy hour (Monday – Thursday 3 – 5 PM)

Try their banana tempura with coconut ice cream and strawberries.

Other notable eateries great for either lunch or supper:

Food Trucks have started to make a grand appearance since the beloved Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck became famous. You can find rows of food trucks serving anything from Thai food to tacos to acai bowls along the main road in Haleiwa.

Beet Box Café – Excellent for vegans and vegetarians, or folks who are looking for honest, healthy, quality-sourced ingredients.
TIP: Their smoothies and acai bowls are outstanding!

Bring your own reusable hydro flask (or other trendy beverage bottle) to Celestial Natural Foods and fill up on Sky Kombucha on tap.
TIP: I only recommend that you come here for the kombucha, because this small grocer sells organic goods that are overpriced, and the customer service is almost always snotty and unwelcoming, which is a shame for the North Shore, where most all other establishments welcome everyone with Aloha.

Farm to Barn Cafe & Juicery – Haleiwa, North Shore
The name says it all; an adorable little red barn in the middle of a wide open grassy field serving delicious acai bowls and breakfast burritos. Fancy a picnic? They’ve got you covered with blankets that you can spread out on the lawn whilst viewing the backdrop of those beautiful North Shore mountains. There’s plenty of outdoor seating on benches or communal tables, so make a friend! Every time we come here we end up chatting with other people and making new friends. 🙂

Take a photo next to the colorful angel wings street art, located across the street from Surf N Sea, which is your next stop to rent stand up paddle boards to cruise on the Anahulu River. You might even see a turtle!

Stay for the sunset and call it a day!

I hope this provides you with some local suggestions and things to do on the North Shore of Oahu to add to your next North Shore adventure day!

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