8 Free Things To Do on Oʻahu’s North Shore

Oʻahu’s North Shore  attracts professional surfers from around the world, lured by the massive swells that arrive every winter. But it’s also become a top destination for nonsurfers, with top-notch restaurants, trendy cafés and chic boutiques, all of which can be a bit pricey. However, you don’t have to spend a cent to have a memorable day there. From touring a coffee farm to watching professional surf competitions, here are eight things to do for free on Oʻahu’s North Shore.

1. Explore Wahiawā Botanical Garden

The 27-acre Wahiawā Botanical Garden is a hidden gem.
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

If you’re driving to the North Shore through Central Oʻahu, it’s easy to pass right through the small town of Wahiawā without ever stopping. But that would be a mistake. Here you’ll find vintage stores, a hip coffee shop and the Wahiawā Botanical Garden. The 27-acre garden is a bit of a hidden gem. It’s not nearly as Instagram-famous as Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden on the Windward Side, and it doesn’t get nearly as many visitors, either. Here, you can take a peaceful stroll on paths lined with native plants and towering trees. Admission is free.

READ MORE: Discover the Hidden Wahiawā Botanical Garden

2. Tour a coffee farm

Green World Coffee Farm welcomes visitors to see how coffee is cultivated at no cost.
Photo: Grace Maeda

Continuing on your journey to the North Shore, you’ll pass Green World Coffee Farm, which sits at a triangle of converging roads. The 7-acre farm is a great place to stretch your legs and stroll through rows of coffee plants—Green World Coffee Farm welcomes coffee connoisseurs to explore the orchard at no cost. And you can get your caffeine fix at the farm’s café. But that’ll cost you.

3. Visit the Dole Plantation

You can learn even more about Hawaiʻi’s agriculture history by stopping at Dole Plantation. Here, you’ll discover how pineapple has become one of the Islands’ most popular fruits. There’s no fee to enter Dole Plantation and there are plenty of free activities, including pineapple-cutting and chocolate-making demonstrations.

4. Volunteer with a local organization

Mālama Loko ea Foundation is dedicated to preserving traditional Hawaiian aquacultural  practices and restoring natural resources at the North Shore fishpond.
Photo: Courtesy of Mālama Loko ea

Volunteering in Hawaiʻi can be an impactful and memorable experience for travelers. Across the island you can find numerous opportunities to get involved. On the North Shore, the Mālama Loko ea Foundation is dedicated to preserving traditional Hawaiian aquacultural  practices and restoring natural resources. The organization hosts community workdays on the third Saturday of every month. The nearby Kōkua Learning Farm also invites the community to workdays, on the first Saturday of each month. Projects include weeding, trimming, planting and harvesting.

5. Climb to the top of the ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail

The ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail is a favorite on the North Shore for its bird’s-eye view.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

Exploring Oʻahu’s diverse trails is a great family activity, and it’s free as long as you’re not hiking in a state or national park (some of those have entrance fees). The ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail is a favorite on the North Shore for its bird’s-eye view of the Seven Mile Miracle. It’s a short but steep trek with rewarding vistas.

READ MORE: How to Trek North Shore’s Scenic ʻEhukai Pillbox Hike

6. Hit the beach

Swim in the crystal clear waters of Waimea Bay for free.
Photo: Getty Images

It’s been said the best things in life are free. In Hawaiʻi, that means the beach! From spotting honu (Hawaiian green sea turtle) at Laniakea Beach to swimming in the crystal clear waters of Waimea Bay, there are plenty of golden-sand beaches to choose from.

7. Snorkel at Shark’s Cove

Snorkel at Shark’s Cove and explore the tide pools and rock formations.
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

Summer is an ideal time to grab a snorkel and fins and check out the spectacular reefs lining the North Shore. Many hotels and resorts provide snorkel gear to guests. Once you have your gear ready, head to Pūpūkea Beach Park, where you can snorkel at Shark’s Cove and explore the tide pools and rock formations, and watch as humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a and other marine creatures go swimming by.

READ MORE: Everything You Need to Know About Shark’s Cove, Oʻahu

8. Watch a Surf Contest

Throughout the winter, you can set up a seat on the beach and watch the best surfers for free.
Photo: Grace Maeda

You’ll want to forgo bringing snorkel gear to the North Shore during the winter months. Instead, settle in on the beach and watch some of the best surfers in the world as they ride some of the world’s biggest waves. From November to February, the waters are filled with professional surfers. ʻEhukai Beach Park, with its famous Banzai Pipeline, is known for barreling waves and for hosting international contests like the Triple Crown of Surfing and the Billabong Pipeline Masters. And unlike other sports events, you don’t have to pay for a ticket to watch. Throughout the winter, you can set up a seat on the beach and watch the best surfers for free.