Surf · North Shore
North Shore Waves
Every winter, swells from storms in the North Pacific turn Oahu’s North Shore into one of the most famous stretches of surf in the world, and you can watch it from the sand for free. Here is when the big waves come, the five beaches to watch from, where to park, and how to stay safe while you do it.
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A big-wave rider at Waimea Bay in February 2016. Photo: Anthony Quintano, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a Glance
North Shore Big Surf Quick Facts
- SeasonNovember through April; the biggest swells usually land December through February. Summer is flat to small.
- How big is bigHigh Surf Advisory at 15-foot faces, Warning at 25 feet. Waimea Bay faces are commonly cited at 30 to 40 feet on major swells.
- Best spotsWaimea Bay, Sunset Beach and Pipeline, plus Haleʻiwa Aliʻi Beach Park for easy parking
- ParkingSmall lots that fill by mid-morning on big days. Leave Waikiki before 8 a.m.
- SafetyStay on the high, dry sand, never turn your back on the ocean, and do what the lifeguards say. No swimming on big days.
When the Big Waves Come
Winter is the season. Hawaii Ocean Safety puts it at roughly November through April, when storms far to the north send “consistent huge and dangerous swells” to north-facing shores. The biggest ones cluster from December through February. Swells come and go, so any given week can be huge or quiet.
Summer is flat. From May through October the same beaches are calm enough to snorkel. For the month-by-month picture, see our guide to the best time to visit Oahu.
How big is big. Forecasts measure waves by the face, trough to crest. On north-facing shores the National Weather Service issues a High Surf Advisory at 15 feet and a Warning at 25 feet, per its high surf criteria. Anything in that range is a show from the beach.
Check before you drive. Read the National Weather Service surf forecast for Oahu the night before; it gives face heights by shore. That morning, Hawaii Beach Safety posts current conditions at lifeguarded beaches. Commercial surf-forecast sites are handy too, but the Weather Service is the official number.
Where to Watch: Five North Shore Beaches
All five sit along Kamehameha Highway within a few miles of each other, and every one has a lifeguard tower. They are listed from biggest wave to easiest stop.
Waimea Bay
The North Shore’s marquee big-wave beach. On a major swell, waves break across the whole mouth of the bay, with faces commonly cited around 30 to 40 feet. Watch from the sand, well back from the water. The lot is small and fills early on weekends and big-surf days. Waimea is also home of the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, which runs only on a rare 40-foot day; as of late September 2026, the 2026-27 event had not been announced.
Sunset Beach
A two-mile stretch of sand fronting a powerful, current-prone break, with winter faces up to about 30 feet. There is no overlook here: the beach and the dune are the grandstand. A small free dirt lot fills by mid-morning on a winter weekend; the overflow is the Sunset Beach Support Park lot across the highway, or legal roadside parking. Watch for the Sunset Rip, a current strong enough to have its own name. Early morning brings lighter wind and cleaner waves.
Banzai Pipeline
The North Shore’s signature wave breaks just off the sand at Ehukai Beach Park, so you are close to the action without going near the water. The small lot fills fast. Our Banzai Pipeline guide covers where to stand and the 2026-27 contest dates.
Haleʻiwa Aliʻi Beach Park
The easiest big-surf stop on this list. The reef break off the park can top 25 feet in winter, according to the state tourism site GoHawaii, and a long, low lawn faces it straight on. Contest tents go up here in season. The lot is one of the most spacious on the North Shore, with restrooms, and it sits right in Haleʻiwa town.
Laniakea (Turtle Beach)
Most people stop here for the sea turtles, not the surf. On big days the shorebreak and currents make the water dangerous, so watch from the sand. Highway realignment work is under way, so follow the posted parking signs. Our Turtle Beach guide covers the turtles, the 10-foot rule and parking.
Contest season. Pro contests run at Sunset, Haleʻiwa and Pipeline from mid-November into January. They are held only on the best days of each window, and our Pipeline guide lists the 2026-27 dates.
Safety for Spectators
The danger on a big day is not only for surfers. Shorebreak, waves that break right onto the sand, can knock anyone at the waterline off their feet and drive them into the bottom. According to the state’s ocean safety office, the average wave height when a spinal cord injury happens in Hawaii is just 3 feet. Waimea sees ten times that on a big day.
- Stay on the high, dry sand. Pick a spot well above the last wet line and stay there. Stay off low rocks and the edge of the dune.
- Never turn your back on the ocean. A calm-looking shore can change when a bigger set arrives. On the biggest days, sets can wash over the beach and into the parking area.
- Do what the lifeguards say. Every beach here has a tower on the city’s lifeguard tower list, and lifeguards move people back when the surf turns dangerous.
- Believe the signs. Hawaii beaches use standard warning signs for dangerous shorebreak, strong currents and high surf.
- Stay out of the water. No wading, no swimming, no jumping off the Waimea rock. At Sunset, the named rip current pulls hard even on moderate days.
A Big-Wave Morning from Waikiki
The beaches line up along one highway, so the route is a straight run up the coast. About 32 miles gets you to Haleʻiwa: roughly 45 minutes with no traffic, closer to an hour and ten on a normal morning, and slower on a big-surf day.
Rental Car
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A car is what makes the early start work: you are on the sand at Waimea while the bus is still in town, and you can move down the coast as the lots fill. DiscoverCars searches the island’s rental agencies in one go. Compare Oahu rental cars on DiscoverCars.
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- Leave Waikiki before 8 a.m. Every lot on this list fills by mid-morning when there is real swell in the water.
- Haleʻiwa Aliʻi Beach Park. Park easily, use the restrooms and get your first look at the surf.
- Laniakea. A quick look, and turtles if you are lucky. Follow the parking signs.
- Waimea Bay. The main event. Settle in on the sand while the light is soft and the wind is light.
- Pipeline at Ehukai Beach Park. Next along the highway. Watch from the high sand.
- Sunset Beach. The last stop. Head back the way you came, or keep going around the island.
Check the road first. The state closes Kamehameha Highway between Haleʻiwa and Turtle Bay when waves reach the road itself; if it is closed, the surf is too big to be near. Separately, the highway at Waimea Bay has had slope-repair lane closures in 2026. Check HDOT before you drive.
No car? TheBus Route 60 runs along Kamehameha Highway past all of these beaches. It doesn’t start in Waikiki: transfer at Ala Moana and allow 2.5 to 3 hours each way.
Our Oahu Drive Map plots this stretch with the rest of the circle-island route, and our guide to what to do on the North Shore fills in the afternoon. To skip the drive entirely, our guide to where to stay on Oahu covers the North Shore alongside Waikiki. Come back in summer and the same coast turns into snorkel water; Shark’s Cove is the pick.
North Shore Day: Waimea Waterfall and Turtle Snorkeling
★★★★★ 4.9 · 2,050 reviews · From $168
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The tour above is a full North Shore day from Waikiki that runs up this same coast, with a waterfall hike and a turtle snorkel stop. Its listing doesn’t promise a stop at Waimea, Pipeline or Sunset, so on a big-swell day when watching the surf is the whole point, drive yourself.
North Shore Waves Questions
When are the big waves on the North Shore?
Winter, roughly November through April, when storms far to the north send swell to Oahu’s north-facing shores. The biggest and most consistent swells usually arrive December through February. From May through October the North Shore is mostly flat to small.
Where is the best place to watch big waves on Oahu?
Waimea Bay on the biggest days, when waves break across the whole mouth of the bay. Sunset Beach and Pipeline at Ehukai Beach Park put powerful surf close to the sand. Haleʻiwa Aliʻi Beach Park has the easiest parking and a lawn facing the break.
How big do North Shore waves get?
Big enough that the National Weather Service issues a High Surf Advisory for north-facing shores at 15-foot faces and a Warning at 25 feet. On major swells, faces at Waimea Bay are commonly cited around 30 to 40 feet.
How do I check North Shore waves today?
Read the National Weather Service surf forecast for Oahu the night before, and check Hawaii Beach Safety for current conditions at lifeguarded beaches. When you get there, ask the lifeguard.
Can you swim at the North Shore in winter?
Not on big days. Shorebreak, strong currents and sets bigger than the forecast make the water dangerous for anyone who isn’t an expert surfer. Watch from the high, dry sand and follow the lifeguards.
Can you take the bus to the North Shore beaches?
Yes. TheBus Route 60 runs along Kamehameha Highway past all of these beaches. It doesn’t start in Waikiki: transfer at Ala Moana and allow 2.5 to 3 hours each way.
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