Our Favorite Things

Eat: North Shore: Giovanni's Shrimp Truck

Garlic shrimp is a must-try while on the North Shore (unless you're Carmi, in which case, avoid at all costs) and Giovanni's is a favorite (we'd recommend first trying their most popular shrimp scampi plate). There are two locations, one in the town of Haleiwa and one in Kahuku. If you're staying at Turtle Bay, we'd recommend checking out the Kahuku location since it's a 9 minute drive from the resort. It can get busy here on the weekends, so if the line is over the top, drive down to Romy's only a few minutes further for basically the same stuff that is just as good.

Eat: North Shore: Ted's Bakery

Chocolate haupia pie? Hawaiian plate breakfast with rice, Portugese sausage and scrambled eggs? Loco Moco? And donuts? Yes, you can get all of these things at one amazing spot. Ted's Bakery opens at 7 am daily and caters to a crowd of surfers and locals, and hungry tourists like us. The Bakery name is a bit misleading as they have great local lunches in addition to sweets. Don't skip this one.

Eat: North Shore: Kahuku Farms

A farm with a vegetarian cafe and tours, but most importantly - the best smoothies ever. Do not leave the island without going here.

Eat: North Shore: The Sunrise Shack

Organic coffee, tea and acai bowls served to you in a papaya. It's a brightly colored shack on the side of the road that you can't miss.

Eat: North Shore: Surf N Salsa

Surf & Salsa is a fun little patio to grab some tacos and burritos in the town of Haliewa. Haliewa is a great place to walk around for an hour or two to explore some north shore charm.

Eat: North Shore: Seven Brothers - Kahuku "At the Mill"

Looking for some delicious burgers? Seven brothers is your spot. Its only 5 minutes from Turtle Bay and right next door to Kahuku Beer Garden as well so stop by for some local beers while you're there.

Eat: North Shore: Da Bald Guy

Da Bald Guy is a quintessential north shore truck serving items like classic garlic shrimp, kalbi beef and furikake crusted fish. If you're looking for some local food, definitely a great place to try

Eat: North Shore: Haleiwa Joe's

This is the best spot if you are looking to get out of the resort for a good dinner on the North Shore

Eat: North Shore: Ry's Poke Shack

Poke is an absolute must have when visiting Oahu, and Ry's is one of the best places on the North Shore and only a few minutes from Turtle Bay.

Eat: North Shore: Kahuku Farms

Kahuku Farms is a result of two farming families spanning back over 100 years and four generations in Hawai’i. It's a great place to grab a healthy, fresh lunch and you can walk around the working farm growing items like Cacao, Acai and Passionfruit.

Explore: North Shore: Kualoa Ranch

This is an iconic Hawaiian spot featured in countless movies. It has many tour offerings - ATVs, Zip-lines, a Jurassic Park adventure tour, horseback riding and more. It can be a bit touristy but is really beautiful and a fun option especially if you have kids

Explore: North Shore: Kulima Cove Beach

This beach is located right in front of Turtle Bay. All beaches are public in Hawaii, so you do not need to be a guest of the resort to enjoy the beach! This beach is one of our favorites because it has protected snorkeling, making the waters calm and really clear most days, even when it's a bit windy. You can rent chairs/umbrellas from the resort and spend the day here relaxing and snorkeling.

Hike: North Shore: Waimea Valley Trail

This is a very easy, but beautiful hike on the North Shore, close to Turtle Bay. It can be done in about an hour and gives you a sense of the lush interior of the island.

Explore: Honolulu: Hanauma Bay

Hanauma bay can be a beautiful place to snorkel, but it gets very busy so parking might be an issue. It's a 1.5 hour drive from Turtle Bay and 25 minutes from Honolulu. You have to make a reservation in advance (https://pros10.hnl.info/hanauma-bay). Once inside the park, you'll watch a short video about the preservation of the reef, and you can also rent fins, masks, etc., to snorkel. You can also buy food/drinks onsite, but you'll have to walk back up the hill to the entrance, so we recommend packing your own in a small cooler bag.

Hike: Honolulu: Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail

Hike: North Shore: Kaʻena Point Trail

If you are looking for a hike that gives you beautiful ocean views the entire time, Ka'ena Point is the one. It takes about 2 hours round trip and you typically will see lots of wild birds and sometimes even seals. Definitely bring plenty of water and wear sun protection as there is limited shade. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/hawaii/oahu/kaena-point-via-farrington-highway?u=i

Hike: North Shore: ʻEhukai Pillbox Hike

A short, but beautiful hike to sweeping ocean views. A great place to watch the sunset. https://www.best-of-oahu.com/ehukai-pillbox-hike.html

Visit: North Shore: Turtle Beach

Turtle Beach is the best place to see sea turtles on the island. While you are likely to see them somewhere on the Turtle Bay property, this place is really fun to visit and if you go between 11AM-1PM, you are almost guaranteed to see a turtle during the summer months. https://www.best-of-oahu.com/laniakea-beach.html

Visit: North Shore: Kawela Bay Beach Park

Kawela bay is an easy walk from the Turtle Bay resort but feels a million miles away from the hustle bustle. We are having a beach party here on Saturday but if you are looking for another relaxing beach day, this is a good place if you want to avoid the car.

Visit: North Shore: Sunset Beach Park

Sunset beach is another beautiful beach on the north shore

Visit: North Shore: Sharks Cove

Sharks Cove is a great place to go snorkeling during the summer months. Just be sure to make sure to get there early as the parking lot can fill up quickly (by 10:30AM at latest). Contrary to the name, there are no sharks in the cove given how shallow it is (it is named because the cove is shaped like a shark). https://www.hawaiisnorkelingguide.com/sharks-cove/

Drink: North Shore: Kahuku Beer Garden & Bottle Shop

A cool little beer garden only a few minutes from Turtle Bay

Visit: Honolulu: Pearl Harbor

An incredible experience for all ages. If you wish to see the USS Arizona, make sure to make reservations in advance! Or you can arrive at the crack of dawn and be first in the standby line. There are usually 25-30 seats that open up for standby passengers.

Hike: Honolulu: Judd Trail

Easy but beautiful hike that leads to a pond and small waterfall where you can swim. Only takes about 30 minutes each way. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/hawaii/oahu/judd-trail?search=true&u=i

Hike: Honolulu: Koko Crater Railway Trailhead

You can do the shorter and more intense staircase hike or take the scenic route.

Hike: Honolulu: Mount Olympus

This is a strenuous but great hike that takes about 4-5 hours if you are looking for an all day activity. From the top, you can see ocean views on both sides of the island and you get to see a few different landscapes on the way up. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/hawaii/oahu/mount-olympus-awaawaloa-via-waahila-ridge-trail?search=true&u=i

Hike: Honolulu: Manoa Falls Trail

Manoa Falls is extremely easy (paved most of the way), but a beautiful way to see the lush interior of the island and a very cool waterfall.

Eat: Honolulu: Side Street Inn

A classic dive to have some heavy, but delicious hawaiian food. If you have some time in Honolulu and are looking for something with a local flair, this is a great spot.

Eat: Honolulu: Senia

Senia is in my opinion, the best fine dining restaurant on the island. If you are in Honolulu and looking for a top of the line meal, this is your place. Definitely book early if you are interested as their reservations go fast.

Eat: Honolulu: Mud Hen Water

A modern take on traditional hawaiian food, Mud Hen Water is a great option if you're looking for a nice but not overly fancy dinner spot in Honolulu away from Waikiki.

Eat: Honolulu: Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery

Another delicious, more modern place to get malasadas

Eat: Honolulu: Maguro Brothers Hawaii

A hole in the wall sushi and sashimi place with two locations, one in chinatown and one in Waikiki

Eat: All Over: Leonard's Malasada Mobile

Malasada's are freshly fried doughnuts that were brought to the island originally by the Portuguese and are insanely delicious. Stop by one of their trucks located across the island for a great snack

Hike: Kailua: Lanikai Pillbox

The Lanikai Pillbox Hike is a short uphill hike on the east coast of Oahu. It has old military pillboxes facing out towards the ocean . It's easily one of the most beautiful spots to see sunrise on the island. Mid-day this hike also boasts incredible blue water views, and the famous Mokuluas also known as “mokes” (Mountains) out in the ocean - just bring some water- it gets hot during the day!  This hike is also only a few blocks from Lanikai Beach, so we highly recommend taking a dip post hike to cool off in the crystal clear waters nearby!

Hike: Kailua: Olomana Trailhead

This is a relatively hard, and sometimes scary hike on the island so if you have a fear of heights or are a novice, this is not the one for you. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/hawaii/oahu/olomana-trail?u=i

Explore: Kailua: Kayak to the Mokes

If you are looking for an adventure, Kayaking to the Mokes (islands off the coast) is a fun option. It takes about an hour each way and you are likely to see turtles and possibly even seals when you arrive at the beach. Bring a snack and some beers to enjoy when you get there, lounge in the sun for a bit and then return when you're ready. Rent kayaks from Kailua Beach Adventures just a short walk from the beach

Explore: Kailua: Kaneohe Bay Ocean Sports

Kayak out to the Kaneohe sandbar for a fun place to hang out and great snorkeling

Explore: Kailua: Lanikai Beach

Lanikai beach is one of the most beautiful places on the island - definitely worth going to hang out for a couple of hours one afternoon

Eat: Kailua: Over Easy

One of the best brunch restaurants on the island is right in our backyard in Kailua

Eat: Kailua: 22 Kailua

An amazing omakaze experience in Kailua for a reasonable price. Must reserve ahead of time All reservations are made via their instagram: https://www.instagram.com/22kailua/?fbclid=IwAR1T78HYGF_FPOWdvyX-rJTXhegwknKQBUeWu8aOo2jAGSaZq1sptE71tM0

Eat: Kailua: Nalu Health Bar & Cafe

Our favorite Acai bowl in Kailua

Eat: Kailua: The Hibachi

The best Poke in Kailua

Eat: Kailua: Buzz's Original Steak House

Buzz's is right off of Kailua beach and is a great place to sit on the patio and have lunch, dinner and a cocktail

Eat/Drink: Kailua: Gaslamp

Speakeasy cocktail bar and steakhouse. Make a reservation if you want to go

Drink: Kailua: Lanikai Brewing Company

A great beer garden in Kailua. We are planning a get together here on Tuesday night so please come along if you are in town!

Drink: Kailua: Ko'olau Distillery

A whiskey distillery owned competely by veterans not far from Kailua. They do tours and tastings which can be a fun afternoon.

Drink: Kailua: The Boardroom

Fun bar for cocktails in Kailua