Two Days on Oahu's North Shore

Get energized for your North Shore adventures. Fill up on a bowl of locally-grown acai, farm-fresh smoothies, and freshly-squeezed juices at Kahuku farms. If you would like to know the secrets of how your smoothie got to be so tasty, take their smoothie farm tour, where you will see row after row of papaya and banana trees.

Next, head to Hans Hedemann Surf School, also in Kahuku, to check surfing off your bucket list or to learn some new tricks. They offer classes to surfers of every stage, including children. If you want a slightly less athletic option, take a SUP (stand up paddleboarding) lesson.

If a quiet day at the beach is more your style, dip your feet in the sand or swim in the ocean at Hukilau Beach. Let your worries go as you reminisce about your earlier surfing adventures.

Shrimp trucks on the North Shore are an iconic staple. Your trip won’t be complete without biting into crunchy, coconut-y, buttery, garlicky shrimp. Aloha Shrimp has some of the most delectable shrimp plates on the North Shore.

Spend the rest of the day immersed in an engaging lesson about the Polynesian Islands, including Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, Aotearoa, Tahiti and Tonga. There, you will learn about Polynesian traditions through food, music, art, and exciting activities like the Tahitian spearthrow, Maori Poi and canoe paddling.

The Polynesian Cultural Center offers one of the best luau ceremonies in Oahu. It’s held outdoors and features music, hula, fresh flower lei chains, and of course the highlight of the event -- a court procession, followed by the presentation of succulent slow roasted pork.

If you want a nice sit-down breakfast with pancakes, eggs, waffles and all the fixings, start your day at Cafe Haleiwa. They also have freshly squeezed juices from tropical fruits like guava and pineapple. Or try layers of fresh fruit, nuts and honey, at Haleiwa Bowls, especially if you have made it this far without sampling an acai bowl.

The surf shops in the North Shore are a visual smorgasbord of colors, designs and textures. Browse One Love Surf Shop and Surf N Sea to see the styles of different boards, then shop for souvenirs and beach apparel.

There is shave ice, and then there is Matsumoto’s Shave Ice. People flock here from all over to try their sweet rainbow swirls, pineapple or mix berry flavors on hot days.

Unlike Lanikai Pillbox Trail, Ehukai Pillboxes is a bit of a local secret. Before you reach the first pillbox, you will find a lovely picnic table embellished with hand prints by the local elementary school kids. Continue to the second pillbox for the grand finale -- a panoramic view of the entire North Shore coastline.

Have a nice meal, you deserve it. Grab a delicious poke bowl or fresh fish sandwich at Aji Limo Truck, close to the beach. Or try Ray’s Kiawe Broiled Chicken, hot and fresh off the grill.

After your hike, feel free to reward yourself by doing absolutely nothing. In the winter, watch surfers ride big waves at Ehukai (Pipeline). If you want more thrills, head to Shark’s Cove to snorkel with colorful fishes.

Stroll through botanical gardens, swim in a pond at the bottom of a waterfall, or catch an outdoor movie when the sun sets in the Waimea Valley. Then, end the day with a delicious dinner and fruity cocktail at the Proud Peacock Restaurant.