Dole Plantation

Lonely Planet review

About halfway between Wahiawa and Hale'iwa on the North Shore, the food empire behind the Dole Plantation is almost synonymous with Hawaii. What started out as a fruit stand in the heart of O'ahu's pineapple country is now a bustling gift shop with various kid-friendly activities. Miles of pineapple fields surround the complex and Dole's processing plant sits across the street.

The pineapple industry in O'ahu was established in 1901 by James D Dole, a cousin of Sanford B Dole, then president of the Republic of Hawaii after the overthrow of the queen. Not only was Dole successful at growing pineapples in the temperamental soil but he introduced industrialization into the time-consuming process of canning the fruit so that it could reach the mainland market faster and cheaper.

The plantation garden tour is a walking tour through a garden of commercial species grown in O'ahu. You can explore on your own or on a guided tour . The Pineapple Express Train explores the entire complex, including the production portion of the plantation, aboard a steam train with narration. If you feel like doing it all, go for the train/garden combo ticket, which costs around US$10 7.50 per adult/child.

Kids are the biggest fans of the 'world's largest maze', especially on overcast days when the sun isn't a problem. The maze covers nearly 2 acres and contains 1.7 miles of pathways with a station-based game associated with certain points to chase away the monotony. Most people take 30 to 45 minutes to get through, or give up in boredom. The posted record is six minutes.