North Shore Circle Tour
This is my number one recommended thing to do on Oahu. Even if you spend most of your time in Waikiki and don’t have a car, I would rent one for a day and make this all-day adventure a priority. Start your day around 8:30am and depending on how much time you spend at each location, you should be exhausted and back by dinner.
Leonard's Malasadas
Malassadas, are fluffy doughnuts rolled in sugar. You can’t go wrong with Leonard’s bakery. Their main store is on Kapahulu Ave and they have trucks all over the island to get your fix. You can also them with li hing mui powder, a tart sweet topping or filled with custard, chocolate or other flavors of the month
Dole Plantation
Dole Plantation is a very popular tourist spot so be prepared for that. If you’ve ever had Dole Whip from Disney, this place has it and more! There is a large pineapple themed gift shop, yummy dole whip and lots of activities. Free activities include seeing the growing pineapples and feeding fish. You can also pay extra for a train ride or maze with little checkpoints. We go yearly and love it every time.
Haleiwa Town
This area is an old fashioned seaside town. There are lots of cool stores to wander and activities to do. We like to rent kayaks from a store called Surf and Sea and spend an hour exploring a river that feeds into the ocean. Don’t forget to grab some Matsumoto’s shave ice! The line moves fast and its so worth it!
Laniakea Beach
This is a great beach for seeing turtles! It was so cool watching them swim. Be careful and don’t get too close. Note that lots of tour vans stop here and the parking area can get crowded.
Kahuku Food trucks
Depending on your timing, the kahuku sugar mill area is a great place to stop for lunch. The most popular is garlic shrimp from Giovanni’s or Romy’s. Be prepared that it can take a while but its worth the wait. The shrimp is doused is butter garlic sauce and messy, garlicky deliciousness. Many of the trucks also have a spicy option. Make sure you grab napkins!
Chinaman's Hat
Near Kualoa Ranch is a small park where you can get a cool view of an island called Mokoli’i or Chinaman’s hat because it looks like a person is sleeping under the water under a large hat.
Byodo-Inn Temple
For any lost fans, the Byodo-Inn temple was the backdrop of Sun and Jin’s wedding. 🙂 The area is gorgeous. Its a Buddhist temple and a copy of a temple in Japan. You definitely feel transported. There is a large bell that you can ring prior to entering the temple. After you visit the temple, there’s a large pond with koi fish you can feed. From Kaneohe, there are several tunnels that will take you back towards Waikiki. If you take the Pali Hwy, there’s a gorgeous lookout area about halfway through.
