If you’re staying in Waikiki during your Hawaii vacation and you head to the North Shore, you’ll likely want to make it a day trip and spend the whole day in the area.
These are the best things to do on the North Shore in one day!
If Waimea Beach is your beach of choice for the North Shore, you don’t have to go far to find other things to do in the area!
If a day at the beach isn’t enough to satisfy your Hawaii adventures, there are more than a few things right nearby that will give you variety in your time around Waimea Bay!
So here are a few activities to consider for your fun-filled day around Waimea Bay Beach Park!
On this page:
- Map of Waimea Bay area
- Waimea Bay Beach Park
- Waimea Falls Hike
- Waimea Valley Botanical Garden
- Waimea Valley Ancient Hawaiian Living Site
- Puu O Mahuka Heiau State Historic Site
- Waimea Valley Summer Concert Series
Map: Things to do near Waimea Bay Beach Park
To find things to do near Waimea Bay, explore the map of the Waimea Bay area below!
Side note!
See about the best shoes for hiking in Hawaii and what to wear snorkeling in Hawaii! And for Hawaii vacation ideas, see the best things to do in Waikiki that will give you Hawaii vibes!
Waimea Bay Beach Park
Waimea Beach during the winter can be a far different scene than Waimea Beach during the summer! The North Shore is where surfers go on Oahu for the waves, and Waimea Beach is one of those beaches that you can see massive waves. When the waves are in the calmer months, it makes for a good beach for wading in the water. You still want to be careful though, because the shoreline can drop off quite drastically when you’re in the water.
Waimea Falls Trail
Just across the street of the Waimea Bay Beach Park parking lot, you can find the entrance to Waimea Valley, which is where you’ll find the path to Waimea Falls. (There is an entry fee to get into the Waimea Valley park.) It is an easy paved path to get to the waterfalls, about 2 miles round trip. For a fee, there’s also a shuttle that can transport you. At the bottom of the waterfalls is a small pond in which swimming is permitted. There is a lifeguard here, so if you don’t see anyone in the water, check with the lifeguard to see if it’s safe to enter the water. Life jackets are also required in order to swim in the pond, and those are provided at the falls.
Waimea Valley Botanical Garden
On your way to the Waimea Falls, you can stop and smell the roses, literally. 😉 There are collections of botanical gardens along the path, with over 5,000 different types of plants that are native to regions all around the world. This includes endangered plants that are native to Hawaii.
Kauhale Ancient Hawaiian Living Site
Hale means house in the Hawaiian language. On your way to see the waterfalls, you can also stop by to learn the way of life for native Hawaiians back in the day. The Kauhale ancient Hawaiian living site is an outdoor living museum where you can experience Hawaiian culture by seeing different types of traditional Hawaiian living and day-to-day activities.
Puu O Mahuka Heiau State Historic Site
A heiau is an ancient Hawaiian temple. The Puu O Mahuka Heiau is another heiau on Oahu that’s designated a state historic site. This one is the largest heiau site on Oahu. When you look at the map, this heiau doesn’t seem very far from Waimea Beach. But you’ll have to loop around to get to this heiau, which means a drive past other North Shore beaches. When you get to the state historic site, you’ll be treated with vast ocean views looking down on Waimea Bay. There’s a short trail that loops around that will take you 5-10 minutes. Considering the popularity of the North Shore, not many people make the drive up to the heiau. This means there’s a good chance you’ll have the area with the beautiful North Shore overlook to yourself! See more for the history of this heiau.
Waimea Valley Summer Concert Series
The Waimea Valley park also holds a summer concert series with traditional Hawaiian music. This is held once a month in the summer months, and there is a concert the last Saturday of each of June, July, and August. The summer 2017 dates are June 24, July 29, and August 26. Tickets are $18 per person with a discount for advanced booking.
HAPPY WAIMEA BEACH PLANNING!
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🐠 Here are things you must consider packing!
- Swimsuit or swimming shirt aka rash guard
- rash guard: swim set for women and swim shirt for men
- Water shoes
- Waterproof phone case (so you can capture pictures of fishies underwater!)
- cheapo phone case OR waterproof camera
- I also have this "camera" wrist float to attach to my cheapo waterproof phone case so my phone won't sink to the bottom of the ocean in case I somehow let go of it. (Mine does stay afloat - test this for yourself before completely trusting it!)
- Swimming goggles or snorkeling mask set
- Reef-safe(r) sunscreen
- lightweight travel towel:
- walking sandals:
I also don't go snorkeling without a personal swim float buoy. Not only does it help to keep me visible, but it makes for a perfect way to rest out in deeper water! Oh, and it also serves as a dry bag so I can take stuff into the water with me.
Another way I have taken valuables into the water with me is to wear a travel money belt that I don't mind getting wet with salt water (it's not waterproof but I have several so I just use one of them) and then I put things in a ziplock freezer bag, and put that freezer bag in the money belt.
There are also designated waterproof waist pouches that you can store your valuables and take into the water with you.
see more:
- What to wear hiking
- What to wear snorkeling
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