Your Guide To Visiting The Dole Plantation In Oahu, Hawaii

Many tourists flock in Hawaii for surfing and its amazing beaches. With amazing sunsets and fun nightlife, you may think that is all this island has to offer. There is one attraction that offers both fun and education (and some delicious treats), the Dole Plantation in Oahu, Hawaii.

Spending the day roaming through this beautifully landscaped pineapple mecca is one of the top tourist’s attractions on Oahu. Here are some of the things to do when you head out to the beautifully landscaped and fun-filled Dole Plantation.

What To Do At The Dole Plantation In Oahu, Hawaii?

The Dole Plantation is one of Oahu’s biggest tourist attractions (more than a million visits a year) and it has a lot of great activities that you are bound to enjoy. 

Here are some of the must-do activities when visiting the Dole Plantation in Oahu, Hawaii.

Photo by Edmund Garman from Salem, Oregon, USA

This fun and interactive maze was dubbed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “Largest Maze in the World” in 2008. You can stroll through the 3+ acres of amazing and beautiful flora as you hunt for its 8 secret stations.

Complete all 8 stations and the mystery of the maze shall be revealed. There is an application you can download on your smartphones to track the time it takes you as well as the stations you have located. 

You can purchase tickets for this activity on-site. Although, purchasing them online is highly recommended to save time and it allows you and/or your family to get right to the fun. Below are the ticket prices for this attraction:

Adults: $8

Kids (4-12): $6

Service Members: $7

Groups (25+): $7/person

[Note: Children under 4 are free when accompanied by an adult]

Photo by Tyler Lastovich from Pexels

The cool thing about Dole plantation is that even if you are working with a limited budget and cannot afford to do all or any of the paid attractions, it is free to enter the main complex.

There are also lovely free garden areas to stroll where you may run into some free-roaming wildlife like peacocks. These areas have nice benches to sit on to take in the beauty that surrounds you.

These self-guided tours are a walk through the flora and fauna of the islands that you can enjoy when visiting the Dole Plantation. Here are the eight mini-gardens inside:

• North Shore
• Lei
• Irrigation
• Hibiscus
• Ti Leaf
• Native Species
• Life on the Plantation
• Bromeliads

Each of these gardens is unique and yet equally as beautiful. You will get to see amazing tropical flowers and plants like coffee, exotic fruits, and even chocolate.

Photo from Manish Khatri @ Flickr

Just like most of the paid attractions, it is highly suggested to purchase your tickets online before arrival. This will allow you to avoid the lines and start having fun immediately.

Tickets:

Adults: $7

Kids (4-12): $6.25

Service Members: $6.50

Groups (25+): $6.50/person

[Note: Children under 4 are free when accompanied by an adult.]

Photo by Randy Chiu @ Flickr

This train tour is another option that is great if you have little ones that get tired quickly from walking or just prefer a less strenuous day.

These trains will take you through two miles of educational fun. Plus, you will get to take in the breathtaking scenery of the North Shore of this amazing island. Below are the ticket prices for this activity:

Adults: $11.50

Kids (4-12): $9.50

Service Members: $10.75

Groups (25+): $10.00/person

[Note: Children under 4 are free when accompanied by an adult.]

One of the free activities within this plantation borders is the impressive gift shop.

Here, there is full of trinkets and delicious food treats for you to enjoy. You can stroll through this retail mecca for the pineapple as well as other native foods and fun gifts that you can bring home to your family. You may even find a local giving a demonstration of local art techniques.

Photo by Prayitno from Wikicommons

Grab yourself a local favourite like Loco Moco and then finish your meal off with that famous treat, the Dole Whip. There are plenty of options available on the menu at the Dole Plantation Grill. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy the great view along with your meal too. The Dole Plantation Grill is a great place to end your visit at the Dole plantation or take a break and cool off.

If you are planning to spend the entire day here but wants to save some money, you may want to look at these combination tours:

Train/Garden

Adult: $16.50

Kids: $13

Service Members: $15.50

Train/Maze

Adult: $17.50

Kids: $13

Service Members: $16

Maze/Garden

Adult: $12.50

Kids: $9.50

Service Members: $11.50

Train/Maze/Garden

Adult: $24

Kids: $20

Service Members: $22

How Can I Get There?

By Car

Take H-1 West from Waikiki until you get to H-2N (Ex. 8A). Take Exit 8 toward Wahiawa. Continue Kamehameha Highway (99) until you reach your destination. [Approx. 40 minutes from Waikiki]

By Bus

If you are coming from Waikiki, take bus 13 north until stop #19. Then get on #52 to Dole plantation. The trip will take approximately 2 hours.

If you come from North Shore, take bus 52. It’s a straight shot to the plantation that will only take an approximate of 30 minutes.

Please take note that a one-day bus pass is $5.50.

Final Thoughts…

The Dole plantation is a fun and great way to spend a day whether you are tooling around the island on your own or with your family. So, make sure if you are headed to Oahu that you make this one of your must-do activities. You won’t regret it!

You may also want to try some of the best things to do while you are in Hawaii!