WHY LIVE ON THE NORTH SHORE?
WHY LIVE THE NORTH SHORE?
Hawaii may be paradise, but the North Shore of Oahu is someplace revered by the people who live in paradise. About an hour from the hustle, bustle and nightlife of Honolulu, Oahu's North Shore is night-and-day different than the condo towers and shopping centers of the island's urban core. Life is laid back and rural on the North Shore — though much of the real estate is beachfront, oceanfront or adjacent to the water, making it some of the most prized property anywhere. On the weekends, the small-town vibe of the area is filled with locals and tourists hitting the beach and its restaurants and food trucks.
Here's several reasons why the North Shore is considered especially prized, in particular.
The Beaches
Sunset, Banzai Pipeline, Waimea Bay — the North Shore's beaches are considered to be among the best in the world. The white sands and year-round warm water of the North Shore's beaches are just several reasons why the houses for sale in the area sit on the most desirable real estate on Oahu, if not the planet.
In fact, you might have seen these beaches on the big and small screen. The North Shore's beaches are featured prominently in movies like North Shore, Blue Crush and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. You might have also seen these beaches and not realize it in Lost or didn’t realize it when you watched coverage of the area's surfing competitions during the winter. Lessor-known beaches that everyone should visit once for their amazing sunsets and long stretches of white sands are Papa’iloa Beach and Kawela Bay.
Speaking of surfing…
The Surfing
Oahu's North Shore is the mecca of surfing in the world. No matter where a surfer is from, they will want to surf the North Shore. The Triple Crown of Surfing — the Reef Hawaiian Pro, the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing, and the Billabong Pipeline Masters — takes place on the North Shore where the world's best compete.
The proximity to what's generally considered to be the best waves in the world means the world's top surfers are also residents of the area. Ke Nui Road, in particular, is famous for its homes (owned by surf companies) hosting pros from around the world from November to January who fly in to compete.
While the waves of the North Shore are demanding, there are areas where beginners can take up the sport or who can start to learn how to surf.
The Eating
If you're interested in living on the North Shore, don't be surprised to see those pros chowing down at the eateries that line Kamehameha Highway along the shoreline, like Giovanni's Shrimp Truck. It's one of the most recognizable and famous spots to get something to eat in the area. A little further from the beach is Matsumoto and Aoki’s Shave Ice, considered by many locals to be the some of the best shave ice in the state.
Median single family home sales price is $826,000 and there's few places that can match the beauty and the beach living the North Shore offers.
*median sales price of single family homes sourced from HBR North Shore median sales price average between January 2018 and January 2019