In doing so, wont we cause them to become overrun? There are North Shore activities for everyone to enjoy! However, the water at North Shore beaches calms down a lot during the summer and fall. (If you live in Honolulu, we suggest hitting the west side beaches in one day and the east side beaches in another. Visitors are asked to keep in mind that Shark Cove is a part of over 80-acre marine life conservation district, and as such needs to be treated with the utmost respect of not only the above grounds but the underground sea world. Her next trip to Hawaii is never too far away! The Honolulu beaches can be done either day, depending on whats more convenient for you. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Having traveled to Hawaii MORE THAN 40 TIMES, Marcie is a self-proclaimed Hawaii travel expert! As you can see, the North Shore has so much to offer when it comes to some of the best beaches on the island. Pro tip: after a storm or hurricane is the best time to look. While. Laniakea Beach is more commonly known as Turtle Beach, as there are a plethora of sea turtles chilling at the beach! You'll find the entrance to the trail across the street from Kahuku Land Farm. I just wanted to say thank you for your suggestions of slightly off the beaten path beaches. This beach tucks off the Kamehameha Highway, which is on the northern end of Waimea Bay. Waimea Bay is one of the most popular surfing destinations in Hawaii and its also considered to be one of the most iconic beaches by many as well. You can click on the link for any beaches to get more details, or just read them all to get a better sense of what beaches on the North Shore are available to look at! 51-52 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaaawa, HI 96730, USA, Kalaniana?ole Highway, Kalaniana?ole Hwy, Waimanalo, HI, USA. Although its gotten more popular over the years, its still a special place thats worth visiting when you are up on the north shore. Eventually adventurous visitors work their way through the natural nooks and crannies and discover stretches of sand sans footprints. Take The Hawaii Donut Trail For A Delightfully Delicious Day Trip, The 8 Beaches On This One Coastline Have The Absolute Bluest Water In Hawaii, 15 Swimming Spots With The Clearest, Most Pristine Water In Hawaii, Avoid The Masses At These 12 Best Hidden Hawaii Beaches. In recent years, however, there's nothing hidden about the North Shore. The biggest, most historic, most famous of all the North Shore breaks, Waimea sometimes has rideable waves when all the other spots are closed out. When the big waves are here, though, so are the crowds. Sunset Beach 2. Part of the fun of discovering hidden gems in Hawaii is finding them yourself. As many of you know, Hawaii can get expensive. I recommend doing the Lanikai Pillbox Hike for sunrise. Select a 2023 Travel Guide. Waialaee Beach Park-Pahipahialua Beach: A long, wide and sandy beach stretch of undeveloped beach, this is one of the lesser visited sites along the North Shore, with some nice calm areas for swimmers when the waves arent too big. The beach is located in a north shore residential neighborhood off of Kamehameha Hwy. The views here are amazing, the sand is very soft, and the turquoise water is so clear and much calmer. Hidden gems quickly becomeInstagram hashtags. This is where youll find that the surfing in Hawaii you see on TV and in the movies is much more incredible in real life! The Ehukai Pillbox trail is better known as the Sunset Pillbox Hike, because it has some beautiful views of Ehukai Beach (better known as Banzai Pipeline) and the North Shore coastline. Cross the street, walk through a secret trail, pass an old Banyan tree, and you will arrive at secret beach. The park, located across from Sunset Beach Elementary School, on the southern end of this beach stretch offers the only off-road parking and rest rooms in this area. It is the North Shore's largest hotel and sits on 880 acres. With showers available to help you spray off the sand and salt and lifeguards on deck to ensure that newer surfers and swimmers stay safe, this beach is perfect for travelers of all different experience levels. Personally, our family loves staying in Waikiki and doing day trips to other areas of the island. | Simply Wander, 17 Underrated Spots on New Zealands South Island. If you visit Sharks Cove, know its access is tricky. Click here for a few of our other favorite places to watch the sunset. 1. Probably the most famous out of all the North Shore Oahu hotels is Turtle Bay. Make sure to try authentic poke or check out other North Shore activities for every family member to enjoy! This is a nice quiet place for snoozing, reading, or sipping spirits from a Corkcicle. My friends who have visited me in Hawaii still talk about Uncle Bobos. Kailua Beach is also one of the best beaches in Oahu overall. Laniakea Beachs name speaks for itself, as Laniakea translates to wide sky.. The waves here are gigantic and I would not recommend swimming in the wintertime (especially to those that are not strong swimmers). The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. And Its usually the host of the finale for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing competition. With a Foodland and Starbucks right across the street, its a good place to stock up on picnic supplies and safely dine in a place where you can feel the oceans spray on your face. And if you want a slice of their cheesecake, get there early, because they always run out. And in the winter, theyre trying to find their 100-foot wave! There are a lot of activities to do while visiting the North Shore. The beach offers a myriad of activities to occupy your time. The Best Beaches on Oahu 1. The site sits at the southernmost point of Bellows Air Force Station, north of Waimanalo Bay State Recreation Area. For even more fun, a park with picnic tables is close to the beach! Imagine being able to snorkel into beautiful blue water as you watch amazing sea life swim past you and swim through interesting tunnels that one can find within the rocks below. Ke Iki Beach on the North Shore of Oahu is home to many small pieces of coveted glass. I think I purposely saved the best for last here haha. Lets get to it. But across the sunburned green you will find the most isolated beach of its size on Oahu. Pupukea translates to white shell in the native Hawaiian. The reef is close in by the shore so you paddle out over the reef and the break is about 50 yards out from the shore. The small islet is what makes an afternoon at this compact stretch of sand worthwhile. Take them seriously. If you are a surfer or love to watch people surf, then this is your paradise. We visited in the summer and the water was warmer and very calm. If you are looking for some more tips on how to save money on your Hawaii vacation be sure to read the above post to learn more. But when its big, the currents get strong and the area lives up to its name, which means rippling or stirring waters. One thing to note about Laniakea Beach is that it gets super crowded, and parking can be hectic. To get you started, here are a few of my favorite hidden gems. Site Credit, Oahu has so many beaches and so many good ones. Aweoweo Beach Park 7. The experience was amazing and unlike anything, I had seen before. Hawaii Aloha Travel offers all-inclusive Hawaii vacation packages you can design yourself. Where : Located on the North shore of Oahu. Ke Iki Beach is a quiet, hidden little treasure that many people don't know about. It is located on the North Shore about 12 miles past the town of Haleiwa. Not so long ago, the North Shore was still the quintessentially country place in Hawaii: laid back and largely unfamiliar beyond a certain circle of residents, surfers and wannabes. Ultimately, if youre willing to venture over to the beaches below, youve earned it and deserve to know. The west side of the island is often overlooked by tourists, but the hot, dry climate makes it the perfect beach to visit when its overcast on the Windward coast and the ideal spot to watch the sunset at the end of a long day. Ke Iki Beach and Oahu's North Shore is less than an hour from famous Waikiki. for tips on parking, where to eat, and what to do at Lanikai Beach. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Of course, you can always visit all 10 beaches in one day if youre an overachiever.). This is certainly one of the best. THE FOUR MOST POPULAR OAHU TOURS. Its where youll find some of the top surfing beaches in Hawaii that might recognize from movies and TV shows! If the conditions in Kuilima Cove are safe, its a great choice for a North Shore beach visit. The waters at this time are much calmer than in the winter. This beach is also further from amenities (restrooms, showers, shops, etc.) In the summer months (May to October), swimming on the North Shore is one of the best activities to do while in Oahu. We visited again in February of 2022, and it was just as amazing. First, the view of Mokolii Island (aka, Chinamans Hat) offshore is beautiful as it sits in Kaneohe Bay (. Native islanders wont always be the most receptive of tourists nearby, so take care when it gets dark and stay in groups if you want to be extra safe. I visited Lanikai Beach many times on my trips to Oahu and did not have any issues with finding parking. Most people miss the beach as its tucked under the slope of a small parking lot that is frequented by local fishermen. This is because Oahu North Shore waves become dangerous and unpredictable. Sandy Beach: Best Oahu Beach for Bodysurfing Details on Sandy Beach 2. This topographic fact makes the beach perfect for sun-worshippers and their UV-ray averse companions alike. We recommend, Parking: challenging to find street parking, numerous public and private parking garages in Waikiki, Food: Lots of options in Waikiki for dine-in or take to the beach, Recommended Activities: swimming, surfing, bodyboarding, beach bumming, walking, snorkeling, 21 Best Things to Do on Lanai: free, without a rental car, and reservation required, Your First-Time in Hawaii Itinerary (10-Days), Where to Find the Best Live Music on Maui, The 59 Best Things to do in Hawaii: Your Ultimate Bucket List (2023), 2. Have you ever explored this stunning trail system on Oahu's north shore before? See our. The wind and swell direction drives collectible fishing junk such as floats, ropes, and more to the shore. See here for more Hawaii parking laws.). That said, visitors are encouraged to be respectful of the course. Haleiwa Beach Park: Home to mens and womens surf contests, Alii has some of the best but most dangerous surfing waves on the North Shore, with a break on an extremely shallow reef that provides great viewing when the conditions are clean. Waimea Beach Park is a wonderful beach on the North Shore Oahu region. In addition to having plenty of space to sunbathe in solace, the upper edge of the beach is home to all sorts of interesting beachcombing finds. What beaches have the clearest water in Hawaii? Papailoa is located further west of Laniakea (aka Turtle Beach) which is extremely crowded and responsible for the congestion along Kam Highway. Its a must if you are visiting the North Shore. The Three Tables beach and Sharks Cove are two access points to swimming, but visiting this beach park during the winter is not recommended. But it really depends on traffic. In the summertime, however, Sunset Beach is popular for swimming and shoreline snorkeling. Shark's Cove 8. But it does have a long, beautiful right-side break when theres a big swell. If you want a more metropolitan feel with lots of lodging options, then Waikiki is for you. With few rideable waves, the site is known for its sublime sounds and sights. In the wintertime, Waimea is known for its monster waves where the surfs can rise as high as 30 feet. This time of year is truly surfer heaven for the big wave thrill-seekers of the world. Waimea Bay is one of the most popular surfing . We've got it covered. A lot of people advise skipping Lanikai as it gets super packed and finding parking can be difficult. Velzyland (or V-Land): Kaunala Beach isnt visible from the road, so look for the public access right of way at the end of Oopuola Street and head makai. If youre interested in watching some incredible surfing while you relax at the beach, then head up to North Shore Oahu.