Oʻahu is the most popular island with visitors of all the Hawaiian Islands—and there’s a reason why. OK, there are tons of reasons why. Known as the Gathering Place, Oʻahu is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands and home to about 1 million people—that’s over two-thirds of Hawaiʻi’s total population. In pre-COVID 2019, 60% of […]
Oʻahu is more than the bustling streets of Waikīkī. Venture about an hour away to explore the North Shore and you’ll discover a legendary strip of beaches that attracts the world’s best surfers. Premier competitions are held here every winter, drawn by its large swells. The place is often referred to as the mecca of
In a barn-red building along Haleʻiwa’s main road, Kaimana Shave Ice is a bit of a hidden-gem. But the family-run business serves some of the finest shave ice on the island—a contentious subject, especially with Matsumoto Shave Ice and Aoki’s Shave Ice just down the street. “Matsumoto Shave Ice and Aoki’s Shave Ice helped create
“The ecosystem here is super unique,” says List Sotheby’s International Realty agent Scott Startsman. “There’s a lot of natural beauty in Hawaiʻi.” And—unsurprisingly—he’s right. The great outdoors are even greater here in the Islands, where epic hikes and postcard-perfect beaches can be found around every corner. But if you’re still not convinced, we have a few reasons why Hawaiʻi is one of
There may be some hope in sight for North Shore residents and visitors looking to make it past Laniākea Beach without traffic. The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) has begun a construction project—beginning on Monday, Nov. 8, and ending on Friday, Nov. 12—for a short-term parking solution on the mauka (inland) side of Kamehameha Highway. This
If you’re searching for great waves, look no further than Hawaiʻi. Home to some of the best waves around—the North Shore of Oʻahu is literally called the Seven-Mile Miracle—the Islands are the perfect place to call home if you’re an experienced surfer, a fledgling bodyboarder or a weekend stand-up paddler. Of course, there are a
Shave ice, an ice-cold, pillowy-soft sweet treat imported from Japan in the early 20th century and then given Hawaiian-style spins like tropical flavors and a foundation of ice cream, is high on many visitors’ must-eat lists. Pick up a guidebook to the Island of Oʻahu and you’re almost certain to find the most famous shave
A round up of O‘ahu’s shrimp trucks on the North Shore of Hawaii.
Do you know the story of the Haleʻiwa Hotel? Not many people do. The illustrious property closed its doors in 1943, as the epicenter of Oʻahu’s tourism industry cemented itself in Waikīkī, and the building itself was torn down a decade later in 1953. But for a moment, this country estate served as a dream
It had been a week of staying indoors and no amount of Netflix or Magna-Tiles was staving off cabin fever. So I grabbed my 3-year-old son, packed enough snacks to feed an entire soccer team, and made the hourlong drive to Waimea Valley on O‘ahu’s North Shore. I grew up going on school field trips to the
The monster surf has long lured spectators to Hawaiʻi in the winter months. It’s not unusual for traffic to crawl along Kamehameha Highway on Oʻahu’s North Shore, as people craned their necks to watch the huge waves roll in. The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational—arguably the most anticipated surf meet in the Islands—attracts thousands of people to
This summer, a couple of months after the state issued the first shutdown to control the spread of COVID-19 in the Islands, our team visited Oʻahu’s most popular neighborhoods to see how the lack of visitors had affected these areas. There were no surprises: Lots of businesses were shuttered—mostly temporarily, some permanent—the beaches were empty
