Travel Guide
North Shore of Oahu
Everything you need to know — hours, tickets, tips, and how to make the most of your visit.
Overview
About North Shore of Oahu
Oahu's North Shore is the world's big-wave surfing capital in winter, when swells of 20-30-plus feet hit Waimea Bay, Sunset Beach and the Banzai Pipeline. The laid-back town of Haleiwa adds shrimp trucks, shave ice and surf shops, and green sea turtles often rest at Laniakea Beach.
Hawaii
Insider Knowledge
Travel Tips
Watch big waves from the sand; winter shore break and currents are dangerous even for strong swimmers.
Nearby
Must See Attractions
hawaiiDiamond Head State Monument
Diamond Head (Leahi) is the volcanic tuff cone that rises behind Waikiki. A steep 1.6-mile round-trip trail climbs switchbacks, stairs and a tunnel to old military bunkers at the rim, with sweeping views of Waikiki, Honolulu and the Pacific.
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hawaiiHawaii Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island protects Kilauea and Mauna Loa, two of the world's most active volcanoes. Drive Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road, walk through the Nahuku lava tube and, when Kilauea is erupting, watch its glow from overlooks after dark.
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hawaiiKona Manta Ray Night Snorkel
Off the Kona coast, tour boats shine lights into the water after dark to attract plankton, which draws giant reef manta rays with wingspans up to 12-16 feet. Snorkelers float at the surface holding a lit board as the mantas glide and barrel-roll just below, an unforgettable Big Island experience.
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hawaiiNorth Shore of Oahu
Oahu's North Shore is the world's big-wave surfing capital in winter, when swells of 20-30-plus feet hit Waimea Bay, Sunset Beach and the Banzai Pipeline. The laid-back town of Haleiwa adds shrimp trucks, shave ice and surf shops, and green sea turtles often rest at Laniakea Beach.
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hawaiiPearl Harbor National Memorial
Pearl Harbor National Memorial honors those lost in the December 7, 1941 attack. The free USS Arizona Memorial program includes a film and a Navy boat to the white memorial above the sunken battleship, and nearby sites include the Battleship Missouri and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
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hawaiiWaikiki Beach
Waikiki is Honolulu's famous 2-mile beachfront, with gentle surf ideal for first-time surf lessons, outrigger canoe rides and sunset views of Diamond Head. Behind the sand, Kalakaua Avenue is lined with hotels, shopping and restaurants, and the historic Moana Surfrider dates to 1901.
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