The short version: start with an acai bowl and bullet coffee at Sunrise Shack Sharks Cove when it opens at 7 AM, snorkel or watch the surf at Sharks Cove, see the turtles at Laniakea, swim or watch big waves at Waimea Bay, walk Haleiwa town, eat garlic shrimp for lunch and finish with sunset at Sunset Beach.
My brothers and I started Sunrise Shack as a roadside shack on the North Shore in 2016. This is the day we plan for friends visiting from the mainland.
7:00 AM: Breakfast at Sunrise Shack Sharks Cove
Beat the traffic and start at our bright yellow food truck at 59-712 Kamehameha Hwy, right across from Sharks Cove. Order the Acai Bowl (our most ordered item on the North Shore) or the Monkey Bowl, and a Mac Nut Bullet for the drive. If you want something different, the Papaya Bowl is half a fresh papaya filled with granola, banana, blueberries, goji berries, seeds, cacao nibs, peanut butter and honey. Every bowl is sweetened only with fruit and dates, and our kitchen is 100% seed oil free. Parking is along the highway and in the Sharks Cove lot.
8:00 AM: Sharks Cove and Three Tables
In summer (roughly May to September) Sharks Cove is one of the best snorkel spots on Oahu. In winter the surf can be huge and dangerous, so watch from the rocks and never turn your back on the ocean. Ask a lifeguard about conditions.
9:30 AM: Pipeline and Sunset Beach
Drive five minutes toward Sunset Beach. From November through February, Ehukai Beach (Banzai Pipeline) is where the best surfers in the world ride some of the heaviest waves anywhere. Watch from the sand, well back from the shorebreak.
11:00 AM: Waimea Bay and Waimea Valley
Waimea Bay is calm and perfect for swimming in summer and a big wave arena in winter. If you want a walk, Waimea Valley has a paved trail through botanical gardens to a waterfall (admission required).
12:30 PM: Lunch in Haleiwa or Kahuku
Garlic shrimp is the classic North Shore lunch. The famous shrimp trucks are in Kahuku and Haleiwa, and the lines move quickly. If you want something lighter, our Haleiwa shack at 66-526 Kamehameha Hwy, Unit B makes toasts, sandwiches and smoothies; the Turkey Avo Aioli sandwich and the Tropical Smoothie are the local favorites there.
2:00 PM: Haleiwa town, turtles and shave ice
Walk the historic town, browse the surf shops and galleries, and get shave ice, a North Shore rite of passage. Stop at Laniakea Beach to look for green sea turtles resting on the sand, and give them at least 10 feet of space.
5:30 PM: Sunset at Sunset Beach
End where the name promises. Bring a towel, find a spot on the sand and watch the sun drop into the ocean.
Tips from a local
- Leave early. Kamehameha Highway is one lane each way and backs up by late morning, especially in winter.
- Respect the ocean. Winter surf on the North Shore is powerful. If you are unsure, do not go in.
- Bring cash and patience for food trucks and parking.
- Order ahead. You can skip our line with online ordering.
Plan your stops with our Sharks Cove and Haleiwa shack pages, or see all locations. Aloha and enjoy the North Shore.