4 Reasons to Visit Oʻahu’s North Shore on a Summer Day

While the surf may be flat and the pros are chasing waves elsewhere, there’s still plenty of fun to be had.

The monster winter swells on Oʻahu’s North Shore is world famous, but summertime is a different story. While the surf may be flat and professional surfers are chasing waves elsewhere, there’s still plenty of fun to be had. Here are four reasons why the North Shore is just as great in the summer.

1. Swim in Waimea Bay

Waimea Bay is rough, if not impossible to swim in during the winter. After all, it’s where the storied Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational surf contest is held in honor of the eponymous surfer and lifeguard. (It has been held 11 times since its inception. The waves have only been big enough for the contest to take.) But in the summer, the bay is calm and it’s a great swimming spot. The wide stretch of beach is the perfect place to relax afterward. Parking can still be challenging, so plan ahead.

2. Snorkel Shark’s Cove

Like Waimea Bay surf in the winter, Shark’s Cove in Pūpūkea is pounding. The summer months however, usher in a tranquil sea revealing the cove’s true identity: a killer snorkeling spot. The rocky bay is home to coral teeming with humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa, parrot fish, butterfly fish, eels, crustaceans, even honu (sea turtle). Sharks Cove isn’t a sandy beach, but rather a rocky area—there’s a grassy area nearby, though—so watch your step getting in and out of the water. Sharks Cove is popular, too, so plan accordingly. After you’ve worked up your appetite snorkeling, hit up the food trucks across the street.

3. Actually Learn to Surf

North Shore’s summertime waves may be a minuscule version of its winter immensity, but for surfer newbies, it is the perfect time to paddle out and learn. Jamie O’Brien Surf Experience is a surf school operating at The Ritz-Carlton Oʻahu, Turtle Bay. It specializes in taking first time surfers out on famous surrounding area breaks (its other location is in Waikīkī).

4. Watch Polo in Mokulēʻia. (Yes, polo.)

Sunday in Mokulēʻia means one thing: polo. Since 1963, the Hawaiʻi Polo Club has hosted teams from around the world for a friendly competitive polo match at its North Shore, oceanside field. Polo on Oʻahu brings a diverse crowd, and don’t worry if you don’t know anything about it, you can always ask your tailgate neighbor, or in the least, share a beer or grilled hotdog (the polo matches are BYOB, grills and all the fixings). After each match, the fun continues with live music until the sun goes down. The season runs from April through September with matches every Sunday beginning at 2 p.m. Admission is $12.