Must-see attractions in North Shore & Central O‘ahu

With deep-blue waters, a varied coastline and a mix of lava and white sand, Pupukea, meaning ‘White Shell,’ is a very scenic stretch. The long beach…

It may be a beauty, but it’s certainly a moody one. Waimea Bay changes dramatically with the seasons: it can be tranquil and flat as a lake in summer,…

Like many beaches on the North Shore, Sunset Beach has a split personality. In winter big swells arrive, along with pro wave riders and the posse of…

The sugar mill that was the heart of the town for over a century until it closed in 1996 has been redeveloped to house a number of shops and businesses…

The break off the park is known as Banzai Pipeline, Pipeline or just Pipe; it's probably the most famous surf site in the islands. For expert board riders…

A must for coffee nuts, these guys roast all their coffee on-site with homegrown beans and beans bought from throughout the Hawaiian Islands. There's free…

West of Turtle Bay Resort, a 1.5-mile shoreline trail runs over to Kawela Bay. In winter you might spy whales cavorting offshore. After walking round…

Between the highway's 3- and 4-mile markers, this narrow spit of sand is visited by basking honu (green sea turtles), who migrate here from French Frigate…

A cinematic coastal panorama and a stroll around the grounds of Oʻahu's largest ancient temple reward those who venture up to this national historic…

Expect a sticky-sweet overdose of everything ananas (pineapples) when you walk into the Dole Plantation’s visitor-center gift shop. After you’ve watched…

Started 80 years ago as an experiment by local sugarcane farmers, this 27-acre garden has evolved to showcase plants that thrive in a cool, moist climate…

Craving land instead of sea? This 1800-acre Hawaiian cultural and nature park, just inland from Waimea Bay, is a sanctuary of tropical tranquility. Amid…

Operated by the Hawaii Department of Transportation under a 25-year lease from the US Army, Dillingham Airfield is mainly used for general aviation,…

One of the most important ancient sites on the island, Kukaniloko Birthstone State Monument is located in a 5-acre field just north of Wahiawa township,…

A short walk along the beach east of Kuilima Cove is this beautiful, curved, white-sand beach backed by ironwoods. The rocky bottom means it's not great…

Just east of Turtle Bay Resort is beautiful little Kuilima Cove with its perfect, protected Bayview Beach. On the bay's right-hand side is an outer reef…

This is home to some of the best surf on the North Shore, and waves can be huge. It's a popular spot for surf contests. In mid-November the Triple Crown…

The beach itself is a nice sandy stretch, but the rocky seabed makes for poor swimming. When waters are calm and flat in summer, snorkelers swim out along…

On the northern side of the harbor, this park is protected by a shallow shoal and breakwater, so it's usually a good choice for swimming. There’s little…

Immediately west of Turtle Bay Resort, Turtle Bay was named because of the green sea turtles that used to lay their eggs on the beach. Not any more,…