Seth Casey travels the world as senior marketing manager for the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC), but he’s always grateful to come home to Oahu’s North Shore, where he was raised.
“I love that I can drive for just 45 minutes from the North Shore to a great urban experience in Honolulu, then return to the pace of the country lifestyle,” Casey said. “It’s the best of both worlds, and the attractions on the North Shore understand this balance.”
Within its rural landscape of beaches, pastures, forests and mountains, Oahu’s North Shore presents a dynamic range of attractions for many types of travelers. For instance, culture-minded clients are a perfect match for PCC, a showcase of Pacific Island traditions. Recently, PCC debuted a Polynesian cooking experience, where guests harvest and prepare a feast as in days gone by.
Polynesian Cultural Center immerses clients in Pacific Island traditions through activities such as Tongan drumming.
Credit: 2019 Polynesian Cultural Center
Nature and history fans find inspiration in Waimea Valley, a place of spiritual significance to ancient Hawaiians. Clients marvel at its mesmerizing waterfall and botanical gardens, and watch skilled practitioners share time-honored crafts.
Foodies savor attractions such as Kahuku Farms, where wagon rides spotlight the North Shore’s agricultural past and present. Nearby, food trucks dish out mouthwatering meals made with shrimp grown in adjacent aquaculture ponds.
Bird lovers flock to James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge, home of endangered Hawaiian waterbirds. Sports-centric clients, meanwhile, will be thrilled by the action at Hawaii Polo Club and during winter surf contests.
Shoppers discover sense-of-place riches at attractions such as Waialua Sugar Mill, a former factory that now sells North Shore products like soap, chocolate and coffee. And at Haleiwa’s weekly farmers market, clients browse local produce and artworks.
Thanks to the North Shore’s proximity to Honolulu, clients can visit its attractions for the day, but visitors seeking a multiday experience can stay at Turtle Bay Resort, a convenient home base for exploring the destination in depth.
Travel advisors can become experts in North Shore attractions through the Oahu Visitors Bureau’s online training and tools such as niche webinars. In their own communities, advisors can demonstrate their North Shore knowledge at events focused on soft adventure and cultural, sustainable or romance travel.
“The full spectrum of tropical beauty is on display on the North Shore, and our attractions tap into all of it,” Casey said.
The Details
Oahu Visitors Bureau
www.visit-oahu.com
