Whether you are staying in Waikiki, Disney Aulani, or Kailua visiting the North Shore of Oahu for a day trip is a must for families traveling to Oahu with kids. The North Shore offers visitors a chance to experience the countryside of Oahu at its best. Starting your adventure in Historical Haleiwa town and then cruzing the coast to some of the most stunning beaches in the world is a chance you wont want to miss.

Wherever you are staying on island the North Shore is no more than 45 minutes away. Making it a perfect day trip on Oahu. You can rent a car for the day or find a tour bus like the surf bus to take you and your family. After exiting the H1 freeway you will make your way down thru the Dole Pineapple fields down on to the North Shore. Save your visit to the Dole Plantation for another day since you will want every minute you have to explore the North Shore.

The first stop is Historic Haleiwa Town. Haleiwa is the gateway to the countryside of the North Shore. It is filled with excellent lunch time dining options whether you are looking for a healthy organic lunch at the Beet Box, tasty burger at the famous Kua Aina, a delicious mahi mahi fish taco at Luibuenos or hit town for brunch at the local surfers favorite Café Haleiwa there is something for everyone.

After you grab a bite to eat midday is a good time to hit the shops and stay out of the sun or grab a shave ice from Matsumoto’s. A favorite store for visitors and locals alike is the Growing Keiki. (Keiki means children in Hawaiian) Specializing in Hawaiian style fashionable infant and kids wear, the store has wonderful selection of unique gifts, books, quilts and adorable clothing for traveling families. Mommy will enjoy shopping at Guava next to the Clark Little Gallery. Guava has beautiful clothes, accessories and beach wear, a must stop for any fashion loving mom.

Time to hit the beaches of the North Shore! During the winter months you can expect big surf and lots of surfers from around the world to be taking advantage of it. The Triple Crown of Surfing contests run from Oct- Jan every year and hold events at Alii Beach Park in Haleiwa, Sunset Beach and Pipeline. If you are visiting during these months be sure and check out the action. Summer time and fall usually offer the best time for visitors to experience the calm waters of the North Shore. Haleiwa Beach Park is located at the edge of town and is always calm. You can book your surf lessons or stand up paddling lessons here at have a blast trying something new. Often times you will see local island artist Michael Hemperly and his famous 1948 Chevy woody car in the parking lot waiting for the windsurfing to get good. He is always happy to meet new people and share a story.

Moving on up the road you will reach Laniakea Beach. Over the past few years this beach has gotten very crowded because tour busses drop large groups of people off to see the turtles. The beach is quite small and not very well equipped to handle the large amount of traffic. If you want to see turtles on the beach stay in Haleiwa Town and head over to the Alii Beach Park you have a great chance of seeing a turtle there as well. Better yet book a whale watch or snorking adventure out of Haleiwa Harbor and you are sure to see lots of wildlife.

As you continue up the coast Waimea Bay is your next big stop and a great place to spend the afternoon for swimming from April-Sept. The bay often has visiting dolphins premier and there is plenty of beautiful tropical fish to see. During the winter months this beach will become very dangerous and not safe for swimming. Waves bigger that 2 story houses will pound the shores. If you are visiting during the winter always check with a lifeguard before entering the water.

Just about a quarter mile past Waimea Bay is Sharks Cove. Don’t let the name scare you this wonderful protected cove area is an ideal place to visit during the calm summer months for safe family swimming on Oahu. Babies will enjoy playing in the tide pools and young children will love exploring the rocks and pools for sea life. For a snorkeling adventure just step out side the protected cove into the ocean and you will find a world of beautiful live coral, tropical fishes and gorgeous caves. Locals and visitors alike spend many hours diving the waters of Sharks Cove in tranquil bliss. If you didn’t eat lunch in Haleiwa then Sharks Cove grill has some tasty food at reasonable prices.

The final hot spot to hit is world famous Sunset Beach. Located about 3 miles North of Sharks Cove, Sunset is the largest stretch of white sand beach on the North Shore. In fact, you can walk from Sunset on the beach all the way to Sharks Cove! However, you won’t want to do much walking once you step into the beautiful warm sand you won’t want to go anywhere. Sunset is famous for its big winter waves and the ability to watch the sunset into the water all year long.

Another great place to watch the sunset at the end of the day is back in Haleiwa Town at Haleiwa Joes. Located right next to the Haleiwa harbor it is great place to watch the afternoon fishing boats come into dock as the sun sets in the background. Haleiwa Joes offers child friendly dining and offers delicious locally caught fish, steak and great appetizers. Alternatively, Café Haleiwa is open Thursday-Saturday and cooks up some tasty dishes using locally grown produce and cattle. It is BYOB so you can swing into the Wine Stop next door and pick up juice, beer or wine for dinner. Luibuenos Fish Market also serves a delicious Mexican food dinner 7 nights a week and is located in the center of town.

Your day trip to the North Shore will sure to be filled with lots of great food, warm white sand beaches, sea life and lots of great memories. Make sure you take the time to take a drive and experience the countryside of the island, it is something you will not want to miss.

We hope you enjoy your trip to the North Shore! – Paradise Baby Co. your go to baby equipment rental Oahu.