Jackass Ginger Pool/Judd Trail

This is a very short hike that leads to a pool where there is a natural rock slide and a little cliff you can jump off of.  To get there, take the Pali and then turn right (if coming from the Waikiki direction) at Nuuanu Pali Drive and then park alongside the road when you see the Judd trail marker sign on the right.  After you start hiking, cross the stream right when you get to it and then take a right through the bamboo forest.  This is a great activity if you want a quick hike with something fun to do at the end of it. 

Bamboo Forest

The falls at the pool

Blake making sure it's deep enough that we won't die if we jump in

Getting ready to do the slide

How it looks in the pouring rain.  It rains often along the Pali.

Halona Cove Beach AKA Cochroach Cove AKA From Here To Eternity Beach

This beach is fun because it is somewhat hidden.  To get here, you park at the Halona Blowhole and then walk down on the more southern side of the parking lot along the highway.  You have to climb down some rocks, but it isn't that difficult.  Once you're down to the bottom, there is a sandy beach, a little cove, and a cave that was supposedly created by lava flow.  This is a fun beach to hang out at, and can be fun to get into the water too.  Be careful though, the waves get big here, especially during the summer.  This beach is great for exploring and relaxing.  The occasional spray from the waves feels fantastic when you're laying out.

Walk up and down along these rocks

The path down to the beach

The view of the beach from the lookout

Waimano Falls Hike

Waimano Falls is a somewhat longer and in some parts a harder hike than many that we have done.  A good description of how to get here and what paths to follow can be found here: http://www.haolejuice.com/waimano-falls.  This trail goes through lots of different scenery and you can even pick and eat strawberry guava on the way.  It has a portion of the hike called 'cardiac hill' that certainly earns its name, not just because it's steep, but because it is full of loose rocks and leaves and the only stable thing you have besides dirt are tree roots.  It's an interesting hike because you start it by hiking down into the ravine and then have to hike up to get out.  I prefer to do the hard part first.  The waterfall and pools at the end are lovely and it is a great place for cliff jumping.  There are some small spots to jump off of as well as super high ones.  If you are looking for a slightly more challenging hike that could take up a good portion of a day with some fun swimming at the end, this hike is for you.

Laniakea Beach

Whenever we would drive by this beach, traffic would always slow down and there would be tons of people standing on the beach staring at the water.  We had no idea what they were looking at until we visited the beach ourselves.  There are a ton of sea turtles frolicking in the waves at this beach all the time!  It is a beautiful beach itself, and it is lots of fun watching the sea turtles glide through the waves.  I was lucky enough once to get to watch one climb out of the water.  They really are fantastic creatures.  There are always 'Honu ladies' around making sure no one touches or bothers the turtles, so try not to upset them.  If you're traveling around the north shore and have some extra time, stop by this beach and spend a few minutes watching the sea turtles, it's definitely worth your while.

Makapu'u Lighthouse Hike

The Makapu'u Lighthouse trail is a straightforward hike up a mostly paved trail.  To get to the trailhead, turn off of Kalanianaole Highway where there is a sign that says 'Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline' and find a parking spot.  The trail goes right up the mountain from there.  If you do this hike in the winter months, be sure to keep an eye out for whales.  We were lucky enough to see a bunch of them spouting just off the coast while we were hiking.  This hike isn't too difficult and has spectacular views from the top.  It can be a little hard on the knees and joints on the way down though, so be prepared for that.  I think it's a great choice for a shorter hike that has a high payoff. 

Whale spout!

The view from the top