jinz

Hello, We are all packed ready for our first trip to Hawaii, arriving on 5 January.

This morning we received an e mail from our private guide, who we had booked months ago, letting us know that due to an injury he can longer take us on our day trip to the North Shore.

So unless we are advised against it we are thinking of hiring a car and doing a drive up ourselves. Our main concern is parking and it is what puts off my husband, the driver.

Our main interests in going are to sit on the sand and watch the waves and enjoy fresh seafood from the trucks.

We are very early risers even on holiday so are thinking of getting on the road very early in the hope we will arrive there when some parking is available.

Questions
Would going during the week - say Tuesday 9 January be better than going on Saturday/Sunday?
Where should we park?
Would it help if we booked an overnight stay with a parking spot and then catch cabs to and from the beach?
Are the food trucks with seafood in walking distance to the pipeline and/or Sunset beaches?

Thank you for your help. We are so very excited.

suze

I'm no expert... but have been to Oahu more than a few times. And yes of course you could rent a car and do it on your own.

You could also use a regular tour company like Robert's and do their guided 'circle tour'.

You can stay overnight or not, it's not a far distance. Whichever sounds more fun to you is good.

Are you staying in Waikiki the rest of the time? If you are know that:

"main interests in going are to sit on the sand and watch the waves and enjoy fresh seafood from the trucks"

can also be done right in the heart of Waikiki aloha

Odin

I've no idea why a guide would be needed for the north shore of Oahu. Rent a car and drive it, it's easy. Some of the beaches have parking facilities.

janisj

Heck -- once I even did the north shore by public buses from Honolulu. Absolutely no need for a guide.

NewbE

We enjoyed the North Shore all on our own, I agree with the others that it's easy to do. We happened to catch a surfing competition under way, which was really fun--perhaps you can see if something like that is happening while you're there.

Enjoy!

nanabee

The North Shore of Oahu is easy to drive to - just take the freeway. Stop at Haleiwa before going to Waimea Bay, Pipeline, Sunset Beach. I don't think a guide is necessary unless you aren't able to drive.

January 5 will have the biggest waves (compared to summer) so maybe you can catch The Eddie competition if the waves get to a sustained 20 feet or higher.

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/ai...ithout_150210/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Aikau