One of my pledges this year is to complete reviews of more dive sites and shops. Three Tables…read moreBeach is the first beach north of Waimea Bay, and it is marked by 3 reefs that have relatively flat formations ("tables) that pop out of the water. Parking nearby is limited, so come early on a summer weekend! There isn't a comfort station, nearest one is about 50 yards north facing the Firehouse area. No shower either, we've taken solar shower bags or portable shower pumps to clean off. It's got one of the biggest beach areas around Pupukea with very soft sand that your feet will sink into around the tidal area. Once in the water, there is a relatively steep drop and you will quickly get into water up to your shoulders. The diving is superb! Lots of topography, with all sorts of interesting rock & reef formations that fish and other critters hang out. In the past we've had all sorts of rays (especially manta) swiftly come out and photo bomb us before leaving. This year in the aftermath of the two Kona Low storms a lot of sea life was taken out in the mud, fresh water, & general pollution run off in the water. Although the water has mostly cleaned itself out, the sea life hasn't returned in the numbers that you would expect in the summer North Shore diving season. It is still very tranquil and theraputic to dive, even we don't see our favorite critters! Our favorite route is to surface swim due west, dive and follow the topography as it bares toward Waimea Bay, until you hit the sea wall and go north back to the beach. There's a number of caverns and other underwater structures leading back to Three Tables Beach up to about 5-7 feet from shore. We've found some cool nudibranches such as Spanish Dancers in the caverns- it was a great end to the dive! Will repeat and highly recommend, let's go diving!

Reading random reviews of this North Shore spot, I added this as a stop on our final full day on…read morethe island. Due to our schedule, we didn't get here until a little after 1 pm on a Thursday. The parking lot was full but we were fortunate that a car was pulling out as we searched for a space. It was a convenient stop as my friend and I felt nature's calling so the public restroom here came in handy. As the winds kicked up and the skies darkened, I looked in both directions in looking for the calmer beach area which turned out to be to the right, eastward. I could see a cove area with a number of people wading in the shallows. Other posted photos show a variety of marine life easily seen there. On our next visit, we'll need to decide whether to come in the morning before hitting those eating spots. With the lines at that popular east side beach, this may be the best alternative if you're like me and not fond of crowds.

Meet me where the sky touches the sea ~…read more If you're going to spend a day at North Shore, you gotta check out the sunset views here. We came here a few hours before sunset to find parking and just chilled on the beach. The beach is pretty stretched out, so we camped out near the crooked Palm tree (check on Google maps) because there's a restroom and showers right across the street and it's a 5 min walk to Ted's Bakery. The waters are nice but the sunset is absolutely gorgeous. Just imagine chilling on the beach with the calming breeze and just admiring the breathtaking view with a loved one. It's just perfect.

Lucky we live Hawaii! Lucky we caught a glimpse of the Hui O He'e Nalu Shootout surf competition at…read moreBanzai Pipeline near Sunset Beach. The killer waves and the no fear, pro surfers made for an amazing show at sunset. How do they do that?!?! Incredible athletes. Parking can get crazy, but we were lucky enough to find an open space along the roadside. Sunset Beach park offers free parking in its lot, but it can get pretty congested with cars circling in hopes for someone to leave. Probably not gonna happen until sunset draws near. Not only did the event attract a variety of onlookers, beach goers arrived to get their tan on or simply to sink their toes into the sand. The views are breathtaking and is worth the trip out to take a peek or spend an hour or so laying on the shore. Bring your slippahs, sunscreen, sunglasses, and towel and you're all set!

Beautiful cove on the Ritz Carlton Turtle Bay property!…read moreSeriously so family-friendly with the cabanas, pool chairs, outdoor showers, and walk ways. On a sunny day this beach is calm and enjoyable but keep in mind that if the weather is cold and windy, just be cautious as there is no lifeguard on duty. Sand is grainy and fun to track through the hotel, beach has lots of areas to explore both in and out of the water, and lots of room for the whole family versus the pool areas.

This place is a hidden gem so shhhhhh…read more... Did a Google search for great places to snorkel and found this place. When the waves are bigger this area is still calm and great for beginner snorkelers. The water is clear and calm. You can see some small fish while you swim. It is at the end of a resort but right now it's pretty empty due to COVID and the beach was pretty open for everyone to spread out. Worth a look while you are in the area.

Some places in Hawaii are just as beautiful as you can imagine this local beach is one of them! The…read moreparking is along the highway so be careful! But the views are what you see on television and truly represent Hawaii. I recommend bringing something to put your trash in.

Driving by along the coast during our family vacation and I don't want to miss this beautiful view…read more Just love this place!

So windy when we arrived at this park …read more.. Its park is rarely crowded as what our tour guide had mentioned! Has the famous view of the Mokolii Island which is also known as Chinaman's Hat!

Found this park on a drive around the island. Beach shoreline was not deep but lots of grass…read more Great spot for a cookout or picnic. Molikii aka Chinese hat island is right there. Lots of dead coral rocks on the beach. Bathrooms were clean.

On my first trip to Oahu I came to this beach before sunrise and spent an hour taking it in. I…read morecalled my wife on the mainland and told her I was never leaving. A year later I brought her here for the sunrise with me. We spent nearly 2 hours here, arriving before sunrise and just soaking in the awesomeness while the light and water constantly changed. This is a spectacular beach. Period. Get here before sunrise and stay a bit. Your life will be better for it.

Pretty cool bodyboarding beach for all the hopeful and established. With all the travelers stopping…read morethere, it's definitely a spot for most action. Have lunch or try you luck at the break or even take a bunch of footage, Pounders is a legitimatly fun spot with lots of things to keep you happy.

This is one of my favorite beaches but it is also one of the most dangerous in the world. The waves…read morehere crash over a very shallow reef and during the winter time can get up to 30 feet. With that said, if you are not an extremely skilled surfer -- this is not the beach to try out surfing for the first time. On my most recent visit, every surfer I saw get out of the water was walking with a limp. I also saw in the news that a professional surfer was recently put into a coma after hitting his head on the reef. If anyone tells you that this spot is good for beginner surfers, they're messing with you. There is a small parking lot for this beach and also some street parking around the area. During competition time, parking can get tough so be sure to get here early or be prepared to park and walk a distance. This beach park has all the standard amenities--- bathrooms, outdoor showers, and a few picnic tables on the grassy area. Be sure to listen to the lifeguards and even if you're just sitting on the sand, keep an eye out of the waves- you never know when a big one is going to come and wash all your stuff away.

Viewing the Big Waves on the North Shore of Oahu…read more.. This is what my friends from New Jersey wanted to see. Professional surfers from around the world compete here. The waves are large, rough, and unpredictable - especially in the winter. The scenery is beautiful!

This beach was located just a short five-minute walk from where my friend and I were staying in…read moreNorth Shore. All the other beaches from here until Haleiwa were packed, but this is the one that only locals know about... and those who find this place on the internet. I'm not even sure if there's parking specifically for this beach because it's so secretive. At least it is in my mind. The first time we were here, we had a whole section of the beach to ourselves. Mind you, this is not the most well-kept beach. Lots of sharp sticks and rocks on the grainy sand but it's still great for some quiet sunbathing or reading. My friend did some snorkeling which was somewhat successful. There's some cool rock formation that local kids constructed. Just a modest, local, calm place to catch some sun. Oh and on the first day, we even saw some monk seals that came up to shore!

Loved this beach!! The sand was smooth down to the water and hardly anyone was there. We stayed for…read morethe sunset, just a beautiful secluded beach away from the crowds. Highly recommend