Dole Plantation: By mid-morning we were all packed up in the van and on the road again, this time headed up to the north shore of Oahu. Before completing the ride across the island, we stopped at the Dole Plantation. Here, they grow pineapples, which are not a native fruit of Hawaii, that are then shipped out. Dole used to operate a cannery in Honolulu, on the south shore of the island, but shut those facilities down in 1991.
While at the Dole Plantation, we completed the Pineapple Garden Maze, the largest maze in the world, and rode the Pineapple Express, a train ride carved through the growing fields of the plantation. The ride was accompanied by a narration of the history of pineapple farming on the island and of James Drummond Dole and his company. Although not the first and not the only grower of pineapples on the island, Dole recognized their potential and used new canning techniques to perserve and ship pineapples across the world.
Waimea Valley Adventure Park: From the Dole Plantation we continued north and then east until we reached Waimea Valley Adventure Park. After getting some lunch at the restaurant near the parking lot, we purchased admission tickets and started the hike through the botanical gardens until we readed the waterfall. Swimming was allowed in the 30 feet deep pool at the base of the falls, although life jackets were required. The water was cool but bearable, and the challenge of the swim was to climb up on the rocks at the base of the waterfall. After a nice, refreshing fresh water swim at Waimea Valley, we walked back down to the van and headed over to Sunset Beach for some salt water swimming.
Sunset Beach: We spent the remaining daylight hours playing in the surf and sand of Sunset Beach. We even had the opportunity to observe some whales spouting water near the horizon before catching the setting sun dip below the ocean waves.