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Sea Life Park Hawaii marine animal park

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Sea Life Park Hawaii is in a fantastic location on the windward side of Oahu in Waimānalo. Visitors can learn more about marine mammals, fish and reptiles, and birds. The views of Mānana Island and Makapu’u Point lighthouse are worth the visit.Sea Life Park Hawaii marine animal park is a fun attraction on the windward side of Oahu Hawaii. Visit this outdoor park with beautiful views and a variety of animals.

The park was created in 1964 by Tap Pryor and his then-wife Karen Pryor, marine mammal biologists. The park was an extension of the Oceanic Institute. Karen later went on to create clicker training used with dogs and other animals.

It’s exciting as soon as you park, with views of the Ko’olau mountains. The Shark Cave is the first exhibit to enter. 

sea-life-shark-pool

The honu (green sea turtle) area is next. Such magnificent creatures! There is another area with monk seals.

The Dolphin Lagoon has fun shows and great views. 

The Hale Manu (house of the birds) has various love birds. We really enjoyed going in and feeding these little brilliant fellows.

I had a good time watching the penguins play and there are gift shops and many choices for food.

If you attend the luau, it’s in the area called Makapu’u Meadows. You can’t beat the sunset views!

Sea Life Park came into my imagination with its location next to TC’s helicopter tour company in Magnum P.I. from the 1980s (see http://magnum-mania.com/Articles/The_Chopper.html) and its starring role in Fifty First Dates with Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler.

Oahu Map

Getting there

Sea Life Park Hawaii is in Waimānalo near the Makapu’u Point lighthouse, Route 72. A nice day for us is to spend the morning in the Kailua and Kaneohe area (drive from Waikiki: take the H1 west to 61 Pali Highway north. After going over the Pali, follow the 61 signs into Kailua town and Lanikai Beach.) From Kailua, take Route 72 south towards Waimānalo. Also, you can get to Sea Life Park Hawaii by taking the H1 east (windward) and stay on it as it becomes Route 72. You can also take The Bus from Waikiki: take number 22 or 23 to Sea Life Park.

Grabbing a bite

Sea Life Park hosts Ka Moana Luau on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5:30 pm. The ticket to the luau includes a Sea Life Park ticket. If you decide on this option, I recommend giving yourself at least two hours in the park before it closes (open 9:30 – 4). The luau includes some cultural activities, a buffet dinner, and a Polynesian show. The buffet includes salads, vegetables, pork, chicken, and fish, and desserts. No matter how you feel about tourist luaus, the views of sunset are spectacular, and the dancers work hard. 

Inside the park there are five different places to get hot dogs, snacks, or Hawaiian favorites.

Nearby Waimānalo and Hawaii Kai have good food choices.

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Byodo-In Temple Oahu Kualoa Ranch and nature preserve Sunrise and sunset Hawaii

Valley of the Temples Byodo-In Temple Oahu

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Valley of the Temples Byodo-In Temple is a beautiful Buddhist temple on the Windward side of Oahu. This iconic site is nestled below the Ko’olau mountains and is a beautiful symbol of the Japanese influence in Hawai’i. 

Valley of the Temples Byodo-In Temple is one of the cultural treasures of Oahu Hawaii. Visit this beautiful Buddhist temple below the Ko'olau mountains.

The Byodo-In Temple is part of the Valley of the Temples memorial park near Kaneohe. It opened in 1968 as a tribute to the 100th anniversary of Japanese in Hawai’i. It is a replica of the over 900-years-old Byodo-In Temple in Uji, Japan. Admission to the temple is $5 (when we visited you had to have cash). The temple and grounds are open 8:30 am to 5 pm daily.

Visit the huge sacred bell first. It weighs 3 tons! Ring this before entering the temple. The sound and feeling are amazing. The meditation pavilion is in the garden on the hill above the temple. 

Take off your shoes and be respectful when entering the temple to visit the Buddha. It is more than 9 feet tall and covered with gold lacquer and gold leaf. So beautiful!

A koi pond meanders like a stream around the gardens. You will see little pockets of plants, trees, and statuary. I especially enjoyed trying to get a good picture of the black swans!

Trees include breadfruit and hala. 

I first fell in love with the Byodo-In Temple in its appearances in Magnum P.I. from the 1980s (episodes 2.7, 3.2, 3.14, and 7.7).  

Oahu Map

Getting there

The Valley of Temples is near Kaneohe along the Kahekili Highway, Route 83. Our favorite way to drive from Waikiki is take the H1 west to 61 Pali Highway north. After going over the Pali, take a left on 83. Go left on 63, then right on 83. The entrance to the Valley of the Temples will be on your left. You can also take The Bus from Waikiki: take number 2, 13, 19, or 20 to Alakea and transfer to 65.

Grabbing a bite

Kailua and Kaneohe both have a wide variety of places to eat. For breakfast, try Cinnamon’s or Moke’s Bread & Breakfast. For lunch or dinner, try Dean’s Drive Inn or Mike’s Huli Huli Chicken. For a great evening experience, try Haleiwa Joe’s at Haiku Gardens. 

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Kualoa Ranch North Shore Oahu Haleiwa town

 

Ride the Oahu railroad – sugar & pineapple railway

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The historic Oahu railroad is on the leeward side of island. Some of the original Oahu railroad track is maintained and restored along with 3 diesel locomotives by the Hawaiian Railway Society, part of the National Railway Historical Society. Rail was an important part of the sugar plantation times and some of the vintage cars and engines you see were used on plantations such as Ewa and Waialua Agricultural.Oahu railroad is one of the historic things to do on Oahu. Hawaiian Railway Society maintains the old Oahu Railway and Land Company track for a relaxing ride on the leeward side of the island.

The Dillingham name is seen all around Oahu: Dillingham Highway, Dillingham Ranch, and he created the famed Hale’iwa Hotel. Benjamin Franklin Dillingham made Oahu his home after the Civil War and founded the Oahu Railway and Land Company (OR&L). The railroad was used to transport sugar and pineapples from Honolulu all the way to the North Shore. The Hale’iwa Hotel was a resort getaway for folks in Honolulu and gave his railroad passengers.Oahu railroad is one of the historic things to do on Oahu. Hawaiian Railway Society maintains the old Oahu Railway and Land Company track for a relaxing ride on the leeward side of the island.

Today, thanks to the Hawaiian Railway Society, you can take a ride on a section of the OR&L tracks from Ewa through Ko Olina to the Hawaiian Electric Beach Park. The ride is about 90 minutes round trip. The train leaves at 3 pm Saturday and 1 and 3 pm on Sunday. You can purchase the tickets at the depot. Check the website for the fares.hawaiian-railway-2

The cars on the train are open with benches facing outwards. On the first leg, try to get a seat on the right side or close to the end so you can enjoy the scenery. You’ll see all ages on the train. You may want to bring a drink and a snack. The two 3 pm trips stop at the ice cream shop in Ko Olina (the track is right in front of the shopping center!).hawaiian-railway-cars

As you ride along, you can listen to the narration of history and sites to notice. First you pass through the society’s train yard and see the old engines and cars they’ve collected and are working to restore.hawaiian-railway-vintage

The train travels through Ewa Beach, then Kapolei. Then you enter the countryside with views of the Waianae mountain range and Makakilo. As on all the Hawaiian islands, the leeward side is drier and has grassy plains. Horses graze on the grassland.

Next the train enters Ko Olina and runs right through the golf course. This is a fun way to see the resorts and get a sense for how Ko Olina is laid out.hawaiian-railway-aulani

The end of the line is near Kahe Point Beach Park. You’ll see beautiful ocean and the Hawaii Electric Power Plant. The train stops for a few minutes here so you can stretch your legs on the beach. The return trip follows the same route back to Ewa.

[For a shorter trip, the Pineapple Express on the Dole Plantation is another Oahu railroad option. The narrated trip on the train takes you through fields of pineapple and other agricultural and nursery products.]

Map for Oahu railroad

Grabbing a bite

Try using your favorite app to search for Kapolei and Ewa Beach. Also, there are lots of places to eat at the Ka Makana Ali’i Mall or Kapolei Commons.

Getting there

From Waikiki, take Ala Wai Boulevard to McCully Street. Follow the signs to H1 going west (Ewa). Stay on H1 through Pearl City, Waipahu, and Ewa. Take Exit 3 to head south on Kualakai Parkway. Turn left onto Kapolei Parkway. Turn right on Renton Road. Turn left on Phillipine Sea to enter the parking lot of the Hawaiian Railway Society.

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North Shore Oahu Activities

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North Shore Oahu is the more rural northern side of the island. Visiting the North Shore is one of best things to do in Oahu, especially if you want to learn about Hawaiian history, agriculture, and surfing.North Shore Oahu has interesting things to do on Oahu. Historic surfing sites, cultural sites, and fantastic scenery. Waialua, Waimea Valley, Sunset Beach.

Waialua

Waialua was a prominent center for sugar production on Oahu. From 1865 to 1996 sugarcane was grown here. Waialua is a quiet residential town. The main things to do here are the Dillingham Ranch, the Hawaii Polo Club, and Waialua Sugar Mill.

  • Dillingham Ranch was developed by the Dillingham family, who built the railroad on Oahu and other notable construction projects. The lodge and its majestic trees have been featured in movie and TV shows. http://www.dillinghamranchhawaii.info/index.php
  • The Hawaii Polo Club is across from Dillingham Ranch and has a regular schedule of Sunday polo matches. You can also book a trail ride along the beach!https://hawaii-polo.org/
  • Homegrown businesses are keeping the Waialua Sugar Mill alive. A hub for coffee and chocolates, there are plenty of other local businesses worth checking out at the mill. http://www.waialuasugarmill.com/

Hale’iwa is the next town as you head north. Read more about Hale’iwa in North Shore Oahu here.

Waimea Bay

Waimea Bay Beach Park is the site of the Eddie, Quiksilver’s invitational surf competition in honor of famed Hawaiian surfer Eddie Aikau. The park is on Waimea Bay where the Waimea River enters the ocean. It’s a beautiful spot and often gets amazing huge waves. The Eddie only happens when the wave face heights are 40 feet. The holding period for the event is December 1 through the end of February, the time of the big swells. The competition doesn’t happen every year, but the opening ceremony is held every year on the first Thursday after Thanksgiving. All the invited surfers attend, paddle out to sea with leis and form a remembrance circle. Eddie would go!waimea-bay

Waimea Valley is nature park on the Waimea River. It has the largest waterfall in Oahu, Waimea Falls. The hike is paved and takes you through a botanic garden. Near the entrance is the Proud Peacock restaurant. The phone number for the park is (808) 638-7766. http://waimeavalley.net/

http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/Biting-Commentary/December-2014/Proud-Peacock-A-North-Shore-Institution-Reopens/#.WAlUqZMrI0o

Saints Peter and Paul Mission is a lovely Catholic church overlooking Waimea Bay. The tower began as part of the construction of the Kamehameha Highway in the 1920s. It was the silo for the crushed rubble from the nearby quarry. http://catholichawaii.org/mission-church-listing/saints-peter-and-paul-mission/saints-peter-paul

Pupukea

A little north of Saints Peter and Paul Mission on the highway is the right turn to Pupukea Road and Shark’s Cove. There are lots of highly-rated food trucks in this area. Pu’u O Mahuka is a luakini heiau, the largest heiau on Oahu. This was an area or temple set aside for the ali’i (royalty) and priests, prior to the abolishment of the ancient Hawaiian religion in 1819. This area has great cultural significance and one should be respectful when visiting. I like to leave a flower offering, but food is traditional. There would have been a tower, an altar, a hale (house) made of pili (a type of thatch) for ceremonial items and priests, a hale for sacred drums, a hale for temple fires, and ki’i (tiki) statues to oversee. Signal fires here might have communicated with heiau on Kaua’i. http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/parks/oahu/puu-o-mahuka-heiau-state-historic-site/

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Sunset Ranch is way up Pupukea Road. The estate has a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains and Waimea Bay. You can book a site tour to learn more about their farming, gardens, and special equine program. http://www.sunsetranchhawaii.com/pupukea

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The famous Banzai Pipeline is at Ehukai Beach Park. It was featured in Bruce Brown movies from the 1960s. The Volcom Pipe Pro is run during an 11-day waiting period in the winter at Pipeline. The Billabong Pipeline Masters is the final event on the World Surf League Championship Tour, held in December. http://www2.hawaii.edu/~turner/oahu/banzai.htm

Sunset Beach is another famous surf beach. The park here has a parking lot and an additional lot with facilities across the street. You will also see that folks park on the wide shoulder parts of the highway. The beach is sheltered by Sunset Point and is known for its fantastic sunset views. The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing in November and December has events at Sunset Beach. http://www.vanstriplecrownofsurfing.com/2016/news-article/history_of_the_vans_triple_crown_of_surfing_2016

North Shore Oahu map

Grabbing a bite

Shrimp farming is a big thing in Kahuku and eating at the shrimp trucks is one of those things you should try!

Ted’s Bakery is in Sunset Beach on North Shore Oahu. They have a bakery, grill, and coffee bar. Order at the counter and then sit inside or outside and watch North Shore life go by on the Kamehameha Highway. Breakfast sandwiches and egg dishes are available along with Ted’s famous chocolate haupia cream pie. Haupia is an egg-less coconut pudding that has to be patiently stirred at the stove to get the right smooth coconut texture. The haupia is layered with a chocolate cream in the pie. There are lots of other delightful offerings with guava, macadamia, pineapple, chocolate and other delicious tropical flavors. You’ll have to visit several times! http://www.tedsbakery.com/teds-bakery Turtle Bay Resort has Kula Grille and Roy’s Beach House with seating right on the beach. http://www.turtlebayresort.com/Oahu-Restaurants

The Hukilau Café in Laie is open for casual breakfast and lunch. They also have Hawaiian foods such as Portuguese sausage and loco moco. They are closed Sunday and Monday.

Where to stay North Shore Oahu

Turtle Bay Resort is the big hotel in the area. Also, there are lots of beach house rentals throughout the North Shore.

At Turtle Bay, check out the plaque memorializing the use of radar during the Pearl Harbor attack. ww2-radar-ieee

Getting there

From Waikiki, take Ala Wai Boulevard to McCully Street. Follow the signs to H1 going west (Ewa). As you approach Pearl City, watch carefully for the exit for H2. At mile marker 8 in Wahiawa, take the exit to route 80 going north, Kamehameha Highway. (After passing through Wahiawa, you may want to make a stop at the birthing stones on the left.) Continue north on route 80 to merge into route 99 headed north. (You may want to stop at Dole Plantation on the right.)pineapple-fields Watch for signs for historic Hale’iwa – you will turn left off 99 at 930 and enter a traffic circle. Go straight (halfway around the circle) to 82 Waialua Beach Road to visit Waialua. Go back to the circle and take Kamehameha Highway north to visit Hale’iwa and the beaches of the North Shore.

Tip: The Kamehameha Highway gets quite busy north of Hale’iwa on the weekends and especially so during the winter high surf months. wind-power If using The Bus, Route 55 goes to the North Shore.

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Haleiwa North Shore town – Oahu

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Haleiwa town on the North Shore of Oahu is a must stop on my trips to the island. It started life as a resort near the sugar cane fields back in the 1890s and today it is a center for surfing, art, and food.Haleiwa town on the North Shore has interesting things to do on Oahu. Restaurants, shopping, surfing and other sports, and Liliuo'kalani Church.

There are lots of places to shop and eat in Hale’iwa. I’m giving you an overview of some of my favorites. But go and explore. It’s a place full of aloha.

Grabbing a bite

As you enter town from the south on the Kamehameha Highway, on the right you’ll see a congregation of food trucks, a popular place to get some food.

Breakers Restaurant is a fun sportsbar. It’s a great place to watch a game and I enjoy the locals who hang out there.haleiwa-breakers

Shave ice is a Hawaiian treat that you must try on a trip to Hawaii. Blocks of ice are shaved with special Japanese machines that make a wonderful fluffy texture to the ice. Syrups made with local fruits are poured on. The treat can be enhanced with ice cream or azuki beans. Matsumoto Shave Ice is a famous Oahu shop that started as a general store serving the plantations in 1951. When you visit, watch out for Stanley Matsumoto, second generation owner. My favorite shave ice is lilikoi (passion fruit), guava, and orange although I sometimes get papaya. The shop has lots of North Shore tee shirts and other gifts. Matsumoto Shave Ice is now part of a shopping complex with more interesting shops and a handy parking lot in the rear. Turn on Kewalo Lane or Mahaulu Lane to enter.

Haleiwa Joe’s faces the Hale’iwa Boat Harbor and is located on the former site of the historic Hale’iwa Hotel. The restaurant is casual with lots of seafood options. You can sit inside with the friendly bar group or out on the lanai facing the harbor and the Hale’iwa rainbow bridge. They have a large small plates menu. I recommend the lilikoi margarita with li hing mui rim.

The Gardener and I love to have dinner where watching the sunset is possible. The Beach House has views of the ocean and the Lo Ko Ea fish pond with a second floor bar and deck. The building is gorgeous and modern and it also has 4 fire pits. The well-rounded menu has offerings such as poke bowl, lobster Cobb salad, mongchong fish with bok choy, and rack of lamb.

Shopping in Haleiwa

The Ukulele Site is a wonderful shop for ukuleles or music books. The staff is so knowledgeable and you can take lessons on YouTube from them.

Global Creations and Interiors is my favorite shopping spot in Hale’iwa. The shop has a great mixture of home goods, art, jewelry, and clothing. Many items are Hawaiian-made and all have a tropical flavor. You can get local music here and their handpainted sarongs are amazing.

If you are looking for a fabulous children’s store, the Growing Keiki is the place! This cozy, delightful store has Hawaiian-style muslin blankets, onesies, children’s books and more. I’ve never seen technical shirts and wetsuits so tiny! They’ve got a great selection for little ones at the beach.

Hale’iwa is a center for surf culture and there are lots of places to buy, rent, or take lessons. Surf N Sea has been around since 1965 and is always highly rated. They specialize in surfing and scuba but stand up paddle, kayaking, and more are available.

History and attractions

Queen Liliu’okalani enjoyed retreating to Hale’iwa and the Liliu’okalani Protestant Church stands in town as a lovely reminder of her. A church has served the area since 1832. The entrance stone arch is host to night blooming cereus and there are other lovely plants on the grounds such as golden shower tree. The church spire is topped with an ‘iwa bird (great frigate bird), symbol of the town.

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Hale’iwa Beach Park is an easily accessible beach with parking. The monument to World War II local heroes is here. You get a nice view of Kaena point and it’s a nice place to sit in the sand, relax, and maybe have a picnic.

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The Hale’iwa Hotel opened in 1899 and was built by Benjamin Dillingham to encourage passenger travel on his railroad. His railroad was built primarily for transporting sugar to the Honolulu harbor. This beautiful resort gave it’s name to the town that grew around it. The rainbow bridge has graced the river crossing since 1921 and is a symbol of Hale’iwa.Haleiwa town on the North Shore has interesting things to do on Oahu. Restaurants, shopping, surfing and other sports, and Liliuo'kalani Church.

Hale’iwa town map

Where to stay

The closest hotel to Hale’iwa is Turtle Bay Resort at Kahuku. However, there are many vacation rentals throughout the North Shore.

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