Our Favorite Table on the North Shore Isn't a Table at All

Our absolute favorite thing to eat on the North Shore was poke from Foodland.

Foodland in Pupukea looks like it was dropped straight out of the late '70s or early '80s. It's an old-school local market, nothing fancy, and there was always a friendly guard out front smiling and greeting people as they came and went.

We'd go straight to the poke counter.

There are so many kinds that we'd usually get a few different ones, often by the quarter pound, and grab some mango too. Then we'd take our little containers down toward Shark's Cove.

But not into the crowds.

Our landlord had told us about a spot behind the fire station, just south of Shark's Cove, and it became one of our favorite places on the North Shore.

We'd sit on the rocks and eat our poke looking out at the water.

No table. Just poke on the rocks.

And this little stretch of coastline had another secret.

It was one of the best snorkeling spots we'd found.

While everyone else was packed into the pools at Shark's Cove, almost nobody seemed to be snorkeling here. We'd get into the water from the rocks and snorkel along the reef, often with hardly anyone around.

When the conditions were right, the water was beautiful and there were fish everywhere.

It felt like we'd been let in on a secret. Maybe that's why we loved it so much.

We could have our favorite meal, sit on the rocks, swim and snorkel, and barely see another person in the water.

That was our North Shore.

Notes from the North Shore

On the beaches

The North Shore can get crowded. Really crowded. Traffic can be terrible and parking at the famous beaches can become its own adventure.

Our solution was simple: keep driving.

We loved Three Tables, where there's a little shelf for getting into the water, and we swam there often. Sunset Beach was another favorite, partly because parking was easier and there was a lifeguard.

Pua'ena Point was lovely for walking. We'd wander under the palm trees, along the sand and then out toward the rocks where the waves come crashing in. It's shaded, green and much quieter than some of the big-name beaches. You can walk from here up to Turtle Bay.

Waimea Bay is spectacular in winter, when the giant waves arrive and the big-wave surfers come out. In summer, when the water calms down, it's a beautiful swimming beach. Just expect CROWDS.

And if you keep going north, Turtle Bay is worth the drive. The beach in front of the Ritz-Carlton is public, even though they rope off a section for the resort's chaise lounges. You can walk right onto the beach and swim.

We'd swim, walk the coastal trail down to the pill box and sometimes stop for a chic cocktail at the Ritz-Carlton. I'm a sucker for the smell of a fancy hotel, not to mention their incredible view.

On coffee

Our favorite coffee stops were Sunrise Shack, right down the road from us, and Saylor's in Haleiwa.

Saylor's is in a beautiful old building that dates back to 1927 and was originally a bank. You can still see some of the original details, including the old windows and bank vault.

On Haleiwa

We loved walking around Haleiwa, especially early in the day before the traffic became ridiculous.

The old architecture is part of the charm: colorful wooden buildings, old storefronts, little shops and restaurants, all strung along the main road. It has a wonderful, slightly faded North Shore character that makes you want to wander rather than just drive through.

It's touristy, of course, but it doesn't feel overly polished. There are surf shops, galleries, cafés and places to eat tucked into those old buildings, and we could easily spend an hour or two just wandering around.

And one more thing you'll notice:

Everyone is beautiful. And happy.

The surfers, the families, the people working at Foodland, the people walking around Haleiwa. Everyone seems tanned, fit with that easy Hawaiian smile.

Maybe it's the sun. Maybe it's the ocean. The magical trees. Maybe people just look better when they spend their days outside.

Whatever it is, the North Shore has it.

And for us, it was indeed very fine living:

Good coffee. Great beaches. Fantastic snorkeling. Foodland poke. And a rock for a table.