Hale'iwa (Ha-lay-eee-va) is a small beach town on the North Shore of Oahu. It's the most built up of the towns in the region, has some of the better restaurants, and is generally the place to go if you're staying within half an hour or so of here.

Get in

By car

From Honolulu or Waikiki: Or if you have a car, take the H1 west to the H2 north, follow signs for the North Shore and you'll end up on the Kamehameha Hwy. Look for signs to Hale'iwa. The journey is about 40min.

From Schofield Barracks Area: There is a sign on Highway 99 indicating where to turn to reach Hale'iwa.

From Waimea Bay: Head west on Kamehameha Hwy, and take a right turn at the sign for Hale'iwa.

By bus

From Honolulu/Waikiki, it's pretty easy to bus it instead of driving. Catch the Number 52 bus at Ala Moana Shopping Center, or the Number 55 "Kaneohe/Circle Island" and get off in Hale'iwa to stretch your legs. Help the planet, help reduce Oahu congestion and don't rent a car, catch the bus. You'll save money and meet real people who really live here.

You might want to take a jacket or fleece with you since the air conditioning inside buses is often pretty fierce.

Get around

The town is small, and best seen on foot. However, there are several other options to see the town, and the whole of the North Shore. You can rent a dune buggy , a bike, moped or even an Uber if need be. With the North Shore being visited by over half of the visitors that come to Oahu, you will want to take advantage of nimble transportation.

Do

• Hale'iwa Art Festival. Held each July, is a treat. 
• 1 Aloha Buggies (Aloha Buggies), 66-145 Kamehameha Hwy, ☏ +1 808-377-6683, toll-free: +1 844-442-8449, rentals@alohabuggies.com. 10AM-6PM. Great way to get around the North Shore or even the island. Dune buggy rentals and/or tours that use convertible looking jeeps. Pretty cool (updated May 2016)

Buy

• North Shore Chocolate Factory, 66-470 Kamehameha Hwy, ☏ +1 808 637-3000. Handmade chocolates without preservatives. Be sure to say hi to Jigs, the resident watchdog. JulieAnn and Dave can provide advice on local eats and activities. Large truffles $2.50. 
• Rainbow Bridge Gift Shop, 62-620 Kamehameha Hwy (just across Rainbow Bridge and across the street from the Chevron), ☏ +1 808 637-7770. Beach towels, snorkel equipment, surf boards are just a few of the items for sale or rent here. Handmade Ukuleles can be found here. You might be lucky and find Pettra in the store. If so, Pettra sometimes plays a Ukulele and sings--a real treat. 

Eat

Budget

• 1 The Beet Box Cafe (in Celestial Foods), 66-443 Kamehameha Hwy, ☏ +1 808-637-3000, beetboxcafehawaii@gmail.com. M-Sa 09:00-17:00 Su 09:00-16:00. Lacto-ovo-vegetarian, natural foods $10.50 & under. 
  • 2 The Beet Box Lunch Wagon (at Waihuena Farm), 59-414 Kamehameha Hwy (closest dirt road on Haleiwa side of Sunset Elementary School, c. 1mi towards Kahuku from Foodland Pupukea, near Banzai Pipeline), ☏ +1 808-366-8666, beetboxcafehawaii@gmail.com. Sa-W 11:00-17:00 (weather permitting). Lacto-ovo-vegetarian, natural foods 
• Grass Skirt, 66-214 Kamehameha Hwy, ☏ +1 808 637-4852. Until 6PM. Popular with the locals, excellent food for the price. Three types of fish steak dinners (ahi, mahi, or ono) with rice, side salad and locally grown greens. Or opt for a sandwich. Take-out is available. $8.95. 
• Kava Roots (next to Foodland,). Get the delicious Acai Bowl, with fresh bananas, granola, and honey. $7 Acai bowl. 
• Killer Tacos, Kamehameha Hwy. Daily 10AM-8PM. One stop taco joint. Tasty and cheap. Sells Tacos, Burritos, Nachos, and Taco Salads. Friendly and helpful staff. Motto is "Let us roll you a fatty!". $2-10. 
• Matsumoto's Shave Ice, 66-087 Kamehameha Hwy, ☏ +1 808 637-4827. The best place to get shave ice on the north shore. For a twist on this local favorite, try it with ice cream, azuki bean or both. Also a great place to pick up crack seed (preserved fruit candy), souvenirs or a signature t-shirt. Expect a long line during peak tourist season. 
• Shrimp Trucks. Kahuku's shrimp farms provide fresh shrimp for many trucks scattered between Kahuku and Haleiwa. A good place to get a relatively quick and cheap lunch plate on the north shore. less than $10. 
• Ted's Bakery, 59-024 Kamehameha Hwy. A must-visit for anybody on a north shore day trip. Their food is pretty good, but the cream pies are the main draw. They are celebrated for the chocolate-haupia pie, which is world-class. 

Mid-range

• Banzai Sushi, ☏ +1 808 637-4404. Tasty sushi in the heart of Hale'iwa. 
• Cholos Homestyle Mexican, 66-250 Kamehameha Hwy, ☏ +1 808 637-3059. Mediocre but popular, it's the place to be for dinner if you're lookin' to get your tequila on. 
• Hale'iwa Eats, 66-079 Kamehameha Hwy, ☏ +1 808 637-4247. Really tasty Thai food, in a cute little roadside restaurant with a nice vibe and decent atmosphere. Be warned though, if you ask for spicy they'll give you Thai spicy!!! 
• Hale'iwa Joe's, 66-011 Kamehameha Hwy, ☏ +1 808 637-8005. A popular seafood grill in the heart of town. 
• 3 Cholos Homestyle Mexican, 66-250 Kamehameha Highway, ☏ +1 808 637-3059. Cholo's has been around the North Shore for almost twenty years. Cholo's has been a long time favorite among locals, military, kama aina, and return tourist. It was important for the owner to create an ambience similar to those that she has experienced while traveling throughout Mexico. . The décor, music, intention to create a friendly festive atmosphere, where people would gather to meet and make friends, enjoy good food and drinks at a great price. 

Drink

• WikiWiki Java (near the 76 Station on the right as you come into town). 
• Island Vintage Coffee (Island Vintage), 66-111 Kamehameha Hwy #503, Haleiwa, HI 96712, ☏ +1 808 637-5662. 6AM-6PM. Great place for latte's, coffee, breakfast or healthy lunch. The best option I personally think for coffee drinkers. (updated May 2016)

Sleep

• Backpackers Vacation Inn and Plantation Village, 59-788 Kamehameha Hwy, ☏ +1 808 638-7838, fax: +1 808 638-7515, bpacker@maui.net. Dorms, rooms, and cottages. Walking distance from three great beaches (Sandy, Wahamai Beach & Waterfalls, and Shark's cove). $27-30 per person. 

Go next

From Hale'iwa it is 13.5 mi (22km) to Turtle Bay Hilton, 16 mi (26km) to Kahuku, 17 mi (27km) to Malaikahana and 19 mi (31km) to Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie.

• Waimea Valley - Stunning botanical gardens and waterfall. 0.5 mi (1km) stroll to waterfalls, reasonable prices for admission and lunch. Thursday and Sunday at 2PM, the Native Plant Tour is offered. Also look for Full Moon Walks and Historic Hawaii Living Tours.