If you land in Honolulu for a Hawaiian vacation and don’t have plans to go hiking, you will be missing out on one of the most amazing experiences in Oahu. The busiest of the Hawaiian islands has many famous hikes, like the trail up to Diamond Head Crater that looks over the shore of Waikiki.
If you’re wary of encountering crowded lookout points or taking on something too difficult, a shorter hike like ‘Ehukai Pillbox Trail on the North Shore is the perfect solution for a packed itinerary. Not only is this trail considered to be one of the easiest pillbox hikes on Oahu, but it tends to be less crowded than other areas. The two main lookout points face west, which means it is the ultimate spot for watching the sunset — just make sure you have a flashlight for getting back down after dark — but the views are pretty spectacular during the day with a bonus view of the world-renowned Banzai Pipeline. Bring your binoculars if you want to watch some top-class surfing.
Here’s what you need to know about finding your way to and along the ‘Ehukai Pillbox Trail, plus the reason why pillbox hikes have the best views in Hawaii.
How to hike the ʻEhukai Pillbox Trail
Located on the beautiful stretch of scenery known as the North Shore, the trailhead is located about 40 miles north of Honolulu and the drive takes about an hour, give or take traffic. It’s best to rent a car when you’re there, because the public bus will take about twice as long. Parking is available at the Sunset Beach Neighborhood Park, which is right next to the trailhead. Avoid parking in the elementary school next door and disrupting the local community…