While only a 45 minute drive from Honolulu, Oahu’s North Shore is a far cry from the bustling city streets of the state’s capital city. Known for its pristine beaches, big wave surfing, bucket list snorkeling, and so much more, anyone visiting Oahu should have the North Shore on their itinerary. We had the pleasure of spending a day exploring the area and put together what we think is a pretty epic itinerary! Now, obviously you won’t be able to see or do everything that the North Shore has to offer in a single day, but if you’re a time-crunched, adventure-seeking traveler like us, then this is the perfect itinerary for you!
*Be sure to check out our "One Day in North Shore Oahu" vlog for a closer look at our time!
Now, let's get to it...
8:00am: Breakfast
Island Vintage Coffee (where we went - 66-111 Kamehameha Hwy #503, Haleiwa, HI)
Since 1996, this local chain with 9 locations (6 on the Hawaiian Islands and 3 in Japan) has been serving up the finest gourmet, 100% Kona Coffee, delicious breakfast sandwiches, and some of the best Acai Bowls on the islands.
Kono's (66-250 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa, HI)
Brew & Foam Coffee North Shore (67-292 Goodale Ave #105, Waialua, HI)
The Sunrise Shack (59-158 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa, HI)
Banzai Bowls Sunset Beach (59-186 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa, HI)
9:30am: Cage Dive with Sharks!
I promise, it’s not as scary as it sounds, and you will 100% be glad that you did it! This is a memory that Natalie and I will cherish forever and I mean, c’mon… Saying you went cage diving with sharks in Hawaii is pretty bada$$! There are a number of companies that offer cage diving tours on the North Shore and I’m sure many of them are great. We used North Shore Shark Adventures and can’t recommend them enough. And no, we aren’t getting paid to say that, we just truly enjoyed our time with them!
Pro-Tip: Arrive at least 15 mins before departure, and take Dramamine 30 mins before departure. Also, be sure to bring towels, a change of clothes, water, suntan lotion, hat, sunglasses, and anything else that you specifically might need for the 1.5 hour tour.
11:30am: Beach Time
Waimea Bay Beach Park (where we went - 61-31 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa, HI)