Editor's Rating
48 Hours in North Shore Oahu, Hawaii. Thinking to surf and have fun at North Shore, Oahu? Surf Mei Mei have some tips!
48 Hours in North Shore Oahu, Hawaii
North Shore, Oahu, is one of those surf meccas that every surfer needs to make at least once in their lifetime.
This winter, Surf Mei Mei went to the North Shore, surfed some well-known Hawaiian waves and enjoyed some aloha. We come here often because of the passionate locals, incredible waves, charming Haleiwa Historical Town and the picturesque view. However, this time we only had 48 hours to surf and hangout before we headed off to another city.
Haleiwa Historical Town welcome sign
WHERE
Haleiwa Town
It is an old plantation town with memories of great surfers and a history for big wave surfing. The town itself has now developed into a charming surf town with many great restaurants and shops.
Turtle Bay Resort if you want a stay in a hotel. It is on the east side of North Shore.
WHEN
Pro surfer Jamie O’Brian at 2014 Volcom Pipe Pro
Surfline.com All seasons, except the summer when there is little to no swell to surf. Come to North Shore when there is a surfing competition!
HOW
Kayak.com Car rental research is recommended. Any size of car is okay, since roads are nicely paved.
WHICH
Airbnb.com We usually do apartment/house rental near by Haleiwa Town.
VRBO Vacation Rental By Owners is also a great and secure option for private apartment/house rental
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48 HOURS IN THE NORTH SHORE OF OAHU
Waialua Sugar Mill
Day 1
6:00 to 7am: Arrived and Drive
Rent a car at Waikiki Airport and drive to the North Shore
GPS destination should be Puena Point/ Haleiwa Town
7:00 to 10:30am: Surf
Cute creature on Puena Beach!
Surf spot: Puena Point
Depending on what kind of waves are you looking for and your level, Puena Point by the Haleiwa town is always good beginning place to go to, especially if you don’t surf overhead wave.
It is always a great spot when weather is bad.
Surf Schools
Buttons Surf School There are various surf schools offered by the beach’s entrance parking, such as Buttons Surf School by the legend Buttons Kaluhiokalani, now offered by Buttons’ beautiful widow and a group of friendly surfers.
Make friends with locals to surf at secrete spots!
North Shore Surf Girls Surf School This school is by appointment only. The owner, Carol, is an eccentric character who is very, very passionate about North Shore and care about others. If you have ever been to Puena Point or Chun’s Beach, you might find her wearing her full sun protection gear while surfing. As a light skinned gal, she protects herself from the sun well!
Other Surf Spots Since the waves here are significantly bigger, it is our responsibly to make sure NOT to send wrong people to wrong places. You can choose what’s best for you. WannaSurf.com has a great surf spot section.
There are many secret surf spots everywhere. The best way to surf in North shore is to make friends with the locals and hope they will take you to their breaks!
Respect locals!
Cute graphic at this surfers’ favorite cafe (Waialua Bakery)
10:30 to 11:30am: Brunch
We tend to squeeze our meals together when surfing is good
Waialua Bakery
Vegetarian & Vegan friendly
Whether you want a healthy smoothie or sandwich, Waialua is a great spot to grab a bite. We love our wheat grass shots and cute surfing posters here!
11:30 am to 1pm: Walk-about
Rest and digest! Walk the Haleiwa Town Centerif you want to buy bikinis and souvenirs!
Shaved Ice and ALOHA General Store
Souvenirs
Aloha General Store You can find anything from Hawaiian shirts to Pineapple Express Shaved Ice! All the staff here are super friendly because they love to help!
Haleiwa Happy Market It is a super cute and colorful store to get t-shirts and other accessories. If you want to buy souvenirs for children, this is a great shop to stop by.
Fashion
Guava It is a sophisticated clothing store with many unique accessories. They sell trendy brands like Indah and Baggu.
Picturesque polo club
San Lorenzo If you want see different kinds bikinis and beachwear, this is the place to be!
1:00 to 4:30pm: SURF
4:30-5pm: Re-Fuel
Lanikai Juice has a variety of juice that refuel your surf-out body quickly.
Juice up!
Sunset at Haleiwa Bay
5:30 to 7:30pm: Bikram Yoga
Bikram Yoga North Shore Oahu is a compact studio with everything you need. We love to stretch after surfing and Bikram Yoga’s sequence is always one of our favorite ways to relax after two sessions of surfing!
8:30pm: Dinner
Cafe Haleiwa Our favorite place at North Shore! Food menu is fresh and unique. Everything is so tasty here! It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Its breakfast serves American/Mexican food. Lunch and dinner are modern American/international cuisine. BYO beer or wine here, you can get it from the wine shop near by. There are two sections of the restaurant, indoor and outdoor. The outdoor restaurant is behind the wine store. We sat at the outdoor area for our dinner. Groups are welcomed. Call for reservation for outdoor seating.
Good night: Surfer’s beauty rest
Standup paddle board has become very popular at North Shore, Oahu
Day 2
6:00 – 9am: Dawn Patrol
9:30 – 10:30 am Eat and shop
Jane’s Breakfast Burrito at Farm’s Market at Sunset Beach Elementary School
This farmer’s market is small but has everything you want. We love to shoot straight to eat Jane’s famous burritos with some hot sauce, and then look at fresh produce, jewelry and skincare. Our new found love, Lala Nani Organic Skincare, has a booth here too!
10:30 to 12pm: Bicycle ride
Fresh Coconut Water on our bike ride along the coast
North Shore Bike Rentals You can rent a bicycle or you can walk along this 7 miles beach. Don’t forget to check out that massive and beautiful swell at Sunset Beach, Pipeline and many more on the way.
12:00 to 2:30pm: SURF
3-5pm: Waimea Valley
There are two major things to do here at Waimea Farmer’s market and a short hiking trail to see Waimea Fall. The farmer’s market here is more upscale. We love Aunty’s Green Dream Juice! She makes a killer juice on request. http://haleiwafarmersmarket.com/
Amazing triple overhead surf at North Shore
Drive around the coastline before you head back to Haleiwa. North Shore coastline is a true beauty.
5:30 to 8:00pm Happy Hour Drink and Dinner
Luibueno Mexican Seafood and Latin Cuisine Happy hour drinks here are killers! If you love a good fish taco and hang out with surfers. This nice restaurant is a great place to eat and drink
OR
Banzai Sushi Bar If you are in the mood to eat some Japanese food, this is the place to be. Trendy atmosphere, good sushi rolls and mixed drinks!
8:30 to 10pm Last DRINK at North Shore, Oahu
Surfers’ Bar This is our last night here, so we have to check out this famous Turtle Bay Resort bar! Before we arrived, we thought it would be a dive bar. But instead, it is a high scale lounge/performance bar that serves many famous surfers with great live performance.
Bye Bye North Shore and see you soon!
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Many thanks for the share. Great read.