Surfers beeline for nearby Haleiwa Alii Beach, Ehukai for its Banzai Pipeline, and Sunset Beach, especially in winter for big waves. For those who prefer chilling on the beach, Haleiwa Beach Park is safe to picnic, play, paddle, and watch the bigger waves across the channel. Farther northeast along the coast, Laniakea Beach is a top Oahu stop to see green turtles. Haleiwa is a typical stop on Circle Island tours and tours of the North Shore.
When the surf is up, traffic can get congested; arrive early and leave late to avoid gridlock.
Always maintain a safe distance of at least 10 feet (3 meters) from turtles.
Unlike many Oahu beaches, dogs are welcome at Haleiwa Ali’i Beach Park.
Haleiwa is around a 1-hour drive north of Honolulu. Parking is typically available behind the first row of buildings off Kamehameha Highway and at the Northshore Marketplace. You can also reach Haleiwa by TheBus route No. 52 from Honolulu—the trip takes around 75 minutes.
If you want to see big-wave surfers in action, visit between November and March when the waves are at their largest. December and January are the peak months for surfing, contests, and crowds. The prestigious Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational takes place at Waimea Bay between December and February—but only when open-ocean swells reach a minimum height of 20 feet (6.1 meters).
Stopping for a shave ice (Hawaii’s version of a snow cone) is a right of passage in Haleiwa. The most famous spot is Matsumoto Shave Ice, which has been serving finely shaved ice topped with colorful syrups for more than 70 years. The line is often long; head for one of the North Shore’s other shave ice stands if you don’t want to wait.
