The North Shore of Oahu consists of 17 miles of coastline on the northern part of the island. Famous for its surfing, gorgeous beaches, and laid-back culture, it’s well worth the drive up from Waikiki and Honolulu. 

Start your day off with a pit stop at Green World Coffee Farm, where you can try their special macadamia nut coffee and pick up some beans to take home. Just down the road from Green World is the Dole Plantation. The Dole Plantation is one of Oahu’s most popular attractions and welcomes more than one million visitors a year. You can take a train tour of the plantation grounds, do a walking tour of their gardens, and try your luck at their maze. And best of all, have the famous Dole Whip! 

After a morning at the Dole Plantation, head over to Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck in Haleiwa for lunch. There are numerous shrimp trucks dotting the North Shore, but our favorite has always been Giovanni’s. Get their shrimp scampi, with tons of garlic and butter, and you won’t be disappointed. Make sure you walk around Haleiwa while you’re there, there’s tons of cute little shops, including the best shave ice on the island, Matsumoto Shave Ice. 

After a nice break of shrimp and shave ice, head over to Waimea Valley. Known for its abundant botanical gardens, 45-foot waterfall, and beautiful grassy hiking trails, Waimea Valley is a great spot to spend an afternoon. When it’s the wet season, you can even swim and sunbathe by Waimea Falls. The hike up to Waimea Falls is paved and a slow incline. You can easily do the walk up in 30 minutes. 

And since you’re already in Waimea Valley, spend your night with Toa Luau. I’ve been to three other luaus before on the island, and this one was the best I’ve been to. You’re welcomed in with a flower lei and then given about an hour to explore their cultural activities, such as making leaf crowns, preparing traditional dishes, and processing taro roots. You get an all-you-care-to-enjoy dinner, which is then followed by a Polynesian show. I won’t spoil any elements of the show, but it was definitely very impressive and the best show I’ve seen so far.