Photo by puuikibeach of Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/puuikibeach/
With hundreds of islands and over seven hundred miles of coastline, the state of Hawaii features some of the most beautiful and pristine locations in the world. For a family looking for a little bit of everything on their next vacation, Hawaii can be the perfect place to visit. But, unless they know where they’re going, families can find themselves spending a majority of their vacation time travelling from island to island. That is, unless they visit the North Shore of Oahu, which offers a touch of traditional Hawaiian culture with modern amenities and great places to eat.
Oahu “The Gathering Place”
Oahu, the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands, features the state capital, Honolulu, on its southern coast. The eastern coast of the island features excellent fishing in Kaneohe Bay. But it is the North Shore of Oahu that can provide families with the perfect vacation itinerary.
For the family members searching for a little bit of traditional Hawaiian sports experience, the North Shore provides three well-known surf spots: Sunset Beach, Waimea Bay, and Ehukai Beach. All three locations provide excellent surf waves and plenty of easily accessible surf instruction for beginners. And for those interested in the sport, Ehukai Beach is one of the world’s premier locations for surf competition. In fact, Ehukai Beach has made the North Shore of Oahu the most famous surfing location in the world.
Photo by puuikibeach of Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/puuikibeach/
The Polynesian Experience
For those interested in Hawaiian culture but not so interested in the world of extreme sports, the North Shore also offers a bevy of other options. The Polynesian Cultural Center offers families the opportunity to plan a “personalized Polynesian experience.” This can include a cultural tour guide and entrance to a variety of traditional Hawaiian villages.
Once the family has seen what it was like to live in a traditional Polynesian village, it might be time to move on to more traditional modern beach activities. The North Shore offers a wide variety of things for those wishing to experience the outdoors. The entire family can stick together on the hiking trails by beautiful Waimea Bay.
Or, if they feel like spending some time on the water, there are a number of fishing and boating options. Chupu Charter’s North Shore Fishing experiences provide excellent big-game fishing opportunities with trained professionals. If the family is interested in the fish but not in fishing, there are also Shark Tours available. And for those who want to be on the move all the time, there are paddle, hang gliding, and horseback riding lessons available on the North Shore.
Photo by k*8 of Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/kadde/
Then, once everyone is worn out from a hard day of island exploration, there are a number of restaurants that provide the perfect Hawaiian fine dining experience. Because of the close proximity to traditional Hawaiian fishing areas, almost all North Shore restaurants offer the freshest seafood in the world, guaranteeing that there is something for everyone to try. But just in case, there are also a number of restaurants featuring traditional American fare.