One of the highlights of my trip to Oahu. The North Shore is a must stop with its vintage retro surf town vibes. The shops have a lit of cool and cheap merchandise and the locals were so friendly. I would recommend parking in a central location and walking to the rainbow bridge then all the way to the shrimp trucks. We also pulled on the side of the road to take a picture with the "haleiwa girl and boy signs" Some of the best places we visited were: Matsumotos shave ice- so many flavors, so good good and cheap compared to Waikiki Giovanni's shrimp truck- a popular food truck with good tasting shrimp and big portions North shore surf shop- good gifts and surf equipment read more

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Haleiwa Town North Shore is a must. There's a variety of activities, stores, and food trucks. The individuals I encountered were laidback and welcoming. Shaka vibes! read more

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I love Haleiwa, I always come up here when I visit this island. Lots of cool shops, good restaurants and close to the beach. I always come here on the weekend to get my Huli Huli Chicken from Rays. I love the shave ice from General Aloha Store too. It does get busy on the weekends and parking can be a pain, that's why you gotta come early. Can't wait to be back........... read more

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Laid back town compared to Waikiki. Lots of small shops and restaurants. The only major downside is the traffic. It's pretty bad since there's only one road and this place attracts a lot of tourists. Aside from that, there are some gorgeous views of the beaches along the way. read more

A beautiful town full of stunning beaches, great shopping, good restaurants but the reason it is not 5 stars...horrible traffic all the time. Painful. read more

Haleiwa Town - Local Flavor Near Me

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Such a cute quaint beach town on the way up to the north shore. It's away from the hustle and bustle of the main city but still packs a major punch. A little sleepy compared to Waikiki but lovely with all its charm. It does cater to tourist as that's the drive through up north. Cute little shops along the road. You have the famous food truck where delicious food is served daily and always draws in a crowd. Of course the shave ice and so on. Loads of cute shops both for souvenirs and your surfing needs. A must to check out whenever your driving through. read more

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Touring the North Shore of Oahu... When my friends from Los Angeles wanted to go to "The North Shore", I thought, "Uhg... It's so far away." They went on to explain that when they were on Oahu for their honeymoon, they ran out of time and never got to the North Shore. They caught the bus everywhere - even to Dole Plantation - and never got to Haleiwa Town. Well... I just had to don my Fairy Godmother outfit and make their dream a reality. I picked them up from Waikiki at 7am (to beat the traffic), stopped at Paalaa Kai Bakery for Snow Puffies and Paalaa Kai Mini-Mart for fried chicken (and musubi), and parked at Haleiwa Store Lots where there are clean restrooms, picnic tables, and benches. We hung out at Island Vintage Coffee because the other shops don't open until 10am. Aoki Shave Ice and General Store are closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. When 10am came, we were first in line at Matsumoto Shave Ice! We walked for more than 15 minutes to the other end of Haleiwa Town to "He Is Greater Than I" store. (We didn't want to lose our parking space.) After cooling off, we walked back to the beginning of Haleiwa Town and enjoyed the air conditioning at Maui Divers Jewelry. I didn't get photos this time of the Colette Miller butterfly wings, but I did get a video of the famous bridge and a photo of the painting of the bridge. Next time, I will photograph the art galleries, touristy souvenirs, and flowers such as plumeria, puakenikeni, and hibiscus. We said that we would return for dinner one day at Haleiwa Joe's and see the sunset... read more

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Much more laid back than Waikiki, whenever I'm on the island I take a drive up to the North Shore to watch the incredible surfers, eat from the shrimp truck, and stroll through Haleiwa Town. It truly has that super casual beachy vibe with great local shops and places to eat. There is only one road to Haleiwa with gorgeous glimpses of the ocean and mountains along the way. It's dense and lush and green with aqua water peeking out around every curve. It's a gorgeous ride! Depending in the time of day, there can be traffic so plan accordingly or just enjoy the slow ride. Surf shops and Beach clothing shops line the street, literally. If you are searching for real surf gear make sure to hit up Surf-N-Sea as they literally have all the gear one needs for any water sport. And they rent equipment and offer lessons, too!. The other surf shops have gear but seem to focus more on the clothing - shorts, bathing suits, Aloha clothing, maxi dresses, beach bags, flip-flops, sun hats, sunglasses, beach towels - they have it all and then some! Soho Living is a must stop for beautiful and tasteful home decor. While there are a lot of starfish and beachy prints, they also carry items that reflect the beach in a more subtle way. Items made from sea grass or are the colors of - sand, sea and sky - so they will blend in with your own decor. The famous Matsumoto Shave Ice is here and has been for generations. There is always a line out front but who cares, you are in Hawaii! Chill out and enjoy the beauty while you decide on what flavors you want. If you are craving a burger, Kua Aina Burger is still serving delicious, juicy burgers and crispy fries, another establishment that has been here for decades. Make sure to save room for desert - stop at Paalaa Kai Bakery for their famous snow puffies. Rather than pay a tour company to snorkel and see the amazing sea turtles, just go to the beach south of the harbor. It's that easy. The snorkeling here is amazing and I'm sure you will have the privilege of having sea turtles swim along side of you. Remember, no touching or approaching no matter how adorable they are, and they are freaking adorable! End the day watching the sunset from behind Sea-N-Surf, the beach there with the stone wall creates the perfect backdrop. Grab some food at one of the many food trucks and sit at the picnic tables and enjoy your meal as the sun turns shades of yellow orange and red. There is so much more to say but you get the jist of this review. Yes, there are lots of tourists and souvenir shops, but there are lots of other great shops, restaurants and activities in Haleiwa Town. It should be on everyone's Must Visit list while in Oahu!!! read more

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"Beauty is everywhere, you just have to look to see it". - Bob Ross. -- North shore surf town, its numerous surf shops by every major brand dotting the town. -- Artist commune of sculptors, glass blowers, woodworkers, painters and jewelry designers. -- "So this is where all the white people are" with businesses staffed and run by Mainland transplants who wanted to "live the real Hawaii" and fell in love. -- Tourist trap hawking shells, shave ice, garlic shrimp, bikinis, and clothing we locals would never wear unless asked to be an extra on Magnum PI. Once filled with thousands of tourists a day, now a ghost town with many businesses closed or closing and restaurants clinging to life. Tragic. But... Walk around the ghost town and explore the vivid Kodachrome colors and remnants of the towns past. From the cemetery dating to the 1830's surrounding the Liliuokalini Protestant Church to its clock, a gift from Hawaii's last reigning monarch with its 16 year cycle, to reclaimed bricks ca 1910 in walkways and filling in islands in parking lots, to giant wooden timbers that once supported wooden sidewalks fronting now renovated structures, abandoned earthenware planters, kinetic sculptures, and cast iron ornate benches; look and see. Even in death, there is a lot to appreciate. More than ever, worthy of a visit. read more

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There are both girl and boy surfers town sign, watch out for them when you heading to the town read more

Haleiwa Town - Girl surfer - Local Flavor Near Me

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We ended up going here several times from Laie in order to eat and shop. The one lane road to and from Haleiwa is often very busy and prone to backups as the day progresses. Early morning is better. The road to Haleiwa runs along the ocean and is a very beautiful drive. Speed limit ranges from 25 to 45 but mostly is 35 so you can see what you are passing. Once in the town, there are tons of cute shops and restaurants. We ate at a few of the restaurants and had good experiences. The main problem is parking and the constant stream of cars going north that make crossing the street, turning left, or trying to go south very challenging. Overall, it's worth a trip to check it out but bring your patience. read more

Historic Haleiwa Town is home to name a few is the ORIGINAL Kua Aina Burger, Matsumoto Shave Ice, Haleiwa Sugar Mill, While they are many other merchants and eating establishments, I name these three because they were homed in Haleiwa for DECADES; in fact into the 3rd or 4th generation of ownership. The Sugar Mill now closed, produced sugar and employed many. Today, it is a farmer's market site where you can stop in and purchase local made goods. Kua Aina Burger for at least 40 years served and continues to serve great burgers and fries. Rumor has it the owners came over from California to surf; loved the north shore and decided to stay. Needing employment for a living while still having time to surf, Kua Aina was born. Matsumoto Shave Ice kept us cool in the heat of the Hawaiian sun for at least 50 years. Today, they continue to serve us (including former President Obama) shaved ice and other snacks but be prepared to stand in the line for at least 30 minutes.... There are other eateries to choose from so you will never go hungry in the once sleepy town of Haleiwa. The north gateway to Haleiwa town is home to many food trucks. The south gateway to Haleiwa is crowned by the Anahulu Bridge built nearly 100 years ago. In the early mornings and at dusk the Anahulu Bridge (also known as the Haleiwa Rainbow Bridge) serves as a site seeing opportunity; to watch the honu leave the Haleiwa waterway to the Pacific Ocean and at dusk, watch them return. What a site! So if you're passing the time away (like I was yesterday) take a drive to the North side and visit Haleiwa. You will not regret your visit 85/100 Yelp Review Challenge Los Angeles read more

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Another reviewer says "Tourist trap. Nothing historic, and nothing worth seeing. Keep driving and don't waste your time or money on overpriced everything." Not to be mean or anything, but that's one of the funniest damn reviews I ever read. Sure, there are plenty of tourists, but hey, it's not like the town is over run with them like Waikiki. And after six pm, or when the shrimp trucks are closed, you barely see any tourists walking around at all. Nothing worth seeing, huh? What are you looking for? Why did you come to Hawaii? Because, there's a hell of a lot to see. I mean, that's why there's so many tourists. Start with the beautiful park next to the small boat harbor. I can't imagine a more scenic spot to have a family picnic. Then, let's talk about the beautiful sandy beaches. Sand stretching out 20 feet into the water at such a shallow slope that little kids can play safely. Water so warm and clear it attracts an incredible variety of colorful fish. Spectacular underwater volcanic rock formations and some cool coral, too. And the turtles. I snorkeled several different beaches on Oahu and I saw the most turtles in Haleiwa. There's a big patch of sea grass they feed off just south of the harbor. What can be more thrilling than swimming with a giant sea turtle? I'll tell you what, that's an experience I will never forget! I'll concede that there are a ridiculous number of souvenir shops selling over priced kitsch, but there's no pressure to buy anything. But there's also a good Surf Shop that rents snorkel gear at a reasonable price (Surf N Sea), and a Long's Drugs. In addition to a super hot food truck scene, the little town of Haleiwa has a decent range of restaurant options, including vegetarian and vegan places, superb Thai (Opal's), and even a Teddy's Burgers. Haleiwa is the home of Paalaa Kai Bakery. Their Snow Puffies are spectacular. Nothing better! Haleiwa is a great place to visit, or to stay. Stand up paddle boarding schools operate just north of town. A little further up the road is the beautiful Waimea Valley. Just past that is more great snorkeling at Three Tables Beach and Shark's Cove. I'd love to visit this place in the winter sometime. Haleiwa is just minutes south of the famous Banzai Pipeline. So, yeah, nothing to see here. Keep driving. Mikey C says: Five Star Town, all damn day! read more

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Nice little town, we drove there after visiting the Dole Plantation. There were plenty of food trucks to choose from. We enjoyed the surf and salsa food truck! read more

I really enjoy the beautiful drive to the Historic Haleiwa Town. After being in the city most of your life it is truly a pleasure to see all of the beautiful mountains and the bluest ocean I have even seen in Haleiwa. Coming over that mountain and witnessing that amazing view is Awesome. I love the small shops, the friendly people and just the ambiance of the whole town. You feel safe and a sense that everyone is welcome there. Home of the best shave ice on the island and delicious puffys. Two of many things you must buy while visiting Haleiwa. read more

Haleiwa Town - Beautiful - Local Flavor Near Me

Super cool little town! We visited today and fell in love--a bit hippie-ish, beatnik of SF, a bit like Ojai CA and Bodega Bay ... a bit like so many places, but better than ask these because of the climate and palm trees and beautiful chill people. It's dotted with all kinds of colorful shops and boutiques, but not the kind that's intimidating and too pricey to go into, they're the kind that beckons. The prices of right with all of them, as is the case with the coffee shops and cafes and restaurants. It's picturesque in the best way possible with beaches and world class surfing for either doing it or simply watching. Gorgeous and if you're in Honolulu, I'd a must to drive to the order end of the island to do a half or full day trip out here :-) read more

There's something about this town that has some charm. You can feel it as you enter and see the welcome to Haleiwa sign and drive through the old historic town. It has remained the same but it has certainly changed over the years. The familiar rainbow bridge, Surf and Sea, Cholo's, seeing SUPs in the harbor, Matsumotos. I think I get here once a year. There's way more food trucks and way more tourists too. It can take quite a long time to get into town depending on traffic but is still worth it. Make sure you drive up with someone to keep you company. Despite the distance, I still make the trek to get away from the urban streets of Honolulu to enjoy the beauty of the beaches and eat some comfort food. read more

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My friend who lives here in Hawaii told me about Haleiwa town when buying stuff to bring in mainland for souvenirs gift. And I really love it! Beat the price to shop her for souvenirs rather than buying them on Waikiki. souvenir and other things you want to shop in Hawaii is way savings for about 60%, I highly recommend to shop here. Also there's a lot of place to choose to eat but I would say Ray's Kiawe Chicken is the best! Aloha! read more

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Such a wonderful and must-see location to check out while you are in Oahu. A good way to get away from the urban and crowded streets of Honolulu. Of course, Hale'iwa Town can get very busy, as its streets were not intended for all the traffic. You can walk up and down the entire town in about 30-45 minutes. Lots of local shops and eateries to check out as well. Sadly, as of Spring 2014, they are really starting to urbanize this part of town as well. Lots of other new buildings coming up next to M. Matsumoto's Shave Ice. read more

The thing that I like about Historic Haleiwa Town is how it's sort of like a town that time forgot. Buildings are kept small and businesses have that old fashioned feel. My favorite places to visit are Beet Box Cafe, the Rainbow Bridge, Anahulu's for the angel wings, and the random house that sells pickled mango. Some popular places are Giovanni's Shrimp Truck, Haleiwa Joes, and Matsumoto's Shave Ice. If you're visiting Hawaii, this town is a wonderful place to visit. read more

If you arrived at Hale'iwa Town..you have arrived! This over 100 year old Sugar Cane town has such history..Waialua means two rivers meeting and King Kamehameha felt it was very special..the best taro was grown here in the rich soil...they remodeled the stores like the original one story plantation style buildings..walking from one end of the town to the other might take half an hour each way(but talking to everyone it might be longer)you can find parking everywhere if you did not want to walk..it is worth the walk..the store clerks will give you history and some great tips..there are many shops with unique gifts...there are very diverse restaurants...Hale'iwa Joe's, Cholos Mexican, Spaghettini's, the Beach House and many new restaurants and food trucks..and a must have shave ice w/ice cream..our go to is Matsumoto's..but they are all good..enjoy your time..you will be glad you came.. read more

Like much of Oahu, Haleiwa is a very well marketed brand unto itself whose reality isn't really close to the image. Busy, hectic, bumper to bumper traffic and human over-saturation make for unpleasant visits. Yet, I keep returning, hoping to feel like the postcards, and bits of nostalgia, have so programmed me to feel. The Haleiwa Store Lots are a step in the right direction though! read more

Tourist trap. Nothing historic, and nothing worth seeing. Keep driving and don't waste your time or money on overpriced everything.

Wife and I stopped to eat and sightsee. Drove around and around and could not find parking so parked on edge of town and out of the way. Long story short, we got towed. Took awhile to find sign and called the number. Yes, they had our rental. I asked if we could walk over, we knew nobody and no good idea of our surroundings. She said 'No, we're about 10 miles away'. I could not get Lyft vehicle and first two taxis did not answer. Getting desperate. Finally found a taxi but had to wait an hour for them. While waiting I noticed atleast 3 tow companies slowly driving up and down the various streets. So this is a scam. Had to pay 190 for tow plus 50 for taxi. When we get to towyard it is someone's house and there are about 10 cars parked amongst trees and grass. Next time we'll just drive past Haleiwa thank you. read more

a charming must-see piece of Oahu located up north. it's nice to spend a few hours here and just walk up and down the town to visit the local shops and eateries. m. matsumoto's has the best shave ice. go, go! don't worry about the line. it'll be worth it, I promise. read more