Hawaiian Chaos: Three Kids, Endless Shave Ice, and a Shark Cove Adventure 🍍👶👶👶

Aloha, friends! 🌺✈️

On 9/10/21, our little squad—me, my husband, and our three tiny tornadoes under 10—set out to conquer a full day in Hawaii. Did we survive? Barely. Did we eat our weight in sugar? Absolutely. 🍦

🥥Stop 1: The Nut House (Macadamia Nut Farm)– Kaneohe🌰

We kicked off the day at The Nut House, officially called Tropical Farms – The Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet, tucked beneath the dramatic green cliffs of the Koʻolau Mountains on Oahu’s Windward Coast. 🌿🏞️ This little roadside gem started as a family-run farm back in 1987, and now it’s basically paradise for anyone who loves nuts… and chaos. 🥜✨

The farm is famous for free samples (cue three children pretending it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet 🐿️). The kids zipped from flavor to flavor like sugar-fueled squirrels—cinnamon, vanilla, Maui onion, honey roasted—while my husband tried to sneak in sips of their Kona macadamia nut coffee ☕before someone screamed, “HE TOOK MY NUT!” 😂 There went Dad’s fleeting moment of zen.😂

(For those who have extra time, the farm offers the Aliʻi Tour 🚤🌴—a guided stroll through their lush grounds and historic fishponds, complete with cultural demonstrations like coconut husking 🥥🔥 fire-making, and a little boat ride. It sounds like a blast, but we decided to skip the tour this time so we’d have enough time for our next adventure: the Dole Plantation.)

Inside the tasting room, the fun never stopped. Vintage macadamia nut huskers, shelves stacked with every nut product imaginable, and chocolate-covered mac nuts 🍫 kept both kids and adults entertained. Of course, the kids begged for souvenirs—nut butters, lotions, jewelry 💍— We may have indulged and gave in-a little-to leaving with the chocolate-covered mac nuts. 🥜 They were delicious! Hubby grabbed a few bags as well, but he's all about the unique flavors, I can't remember which ones he grabbed. All I know is our hands were full of NUTS.

By the time we left, I was convinced the Nut House isn’t just about snacks—it’s an experience that entertains kids, caffeinates parents, and sneaks in a little Hawaiian culture, all without ever leaving the building.

And the best part? It really does live up to its name—three kids under 10 + endless free samples = full-on nut house vibes. 🥜🏠😂

🚂🍍 Stop 2: Dole Plantation – Wahiawa

Next up: Dole Plantation, aka Pineapple Disneyland, land of the pineapples and sugar highs. 🎢🍍

It all began as a humble fruit stand in the 1950, but now it’s one of Oʻahu’s biggest attractions.

We boarded the Pineapple Express Train Tour 🚂, a 20 minute ride through pineapple fields and tropical crops. (cue the kids chanting “choo choo” until my brain melted). Fun fact: pineapples take almost two years to grow. TWO. YEARS. I suddenly felt guilty for hacking mine up in 2 minutes flat. 😬 Those pricey grocery pineapples now make sense.

Then came the Pineapple Garden Maze—a giant, three-acre puzzle shaped like a pineapple that at one time held the Guinness World Record for the largest maze. Cute idea until our kids bolted in three different directions yelling, “Race you!” 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Ten minutes later, we were questioning our life choices. I think we also picked the hottest day of all of vacation to do this maze.

Salvation arrived in the form of Dole Whip. 🍦🍍 That tangy swirl of pineapple soft serve is parenting fuel. It was so creamy and tangy it quickly reset my parenting patience. We inhaled it, recharged, and pretended we hadn’t just considered abandoning our children in a pineapple-shaped labyrinth. 😂

Of course, no trip was complete without a walk through the souvenir shop, a pineapple-themed wonderland. 🍍✨ Shirts, candies, jams, even pineapple pens—you name it, they had it. The kids, of course, each wanted one of everything. I found a cute pair of pineapple earrings 💛🍍 and couldn’t resist. We left with sticky fingers, semi-sugary children, and the realization that pineapples are somehow way cooler in Hawaii. 🍍

🍓🥥 Stop 3: Haleiwa Bowls – North Shore

By now, we needed real food. Enter Haleiwa Bowls, this place has been serving up colorful bowls since 2011. Its a tiny surf-shack-style smoothie hut in the heart of historic Haleiwa. 🏄‍♀️🌴 With its thatched roof, surfboards out front, and palm trees swaying, it felt like stepping into a tropical postcard.

I went with the Hapa Bowl—acai, banana, berries, honey, and granola—a perfect mix of sweet and crunchy. My oldest, ever the trendsetter, chose the Blue Majik Bowl—vibrant, turquoise, and Instagram-ready 🌊✨. Meanwhile, the youngest decided that the granola topping was the perfect catapult for airborne blueberries. 🍇💥

Pro tip: upgrade to the reusable coconut bowl 🥥💜—totally unnecessary, totally fun, and somehow makes eating a smoothie feel slightly more sophisticated while dodging flying fruit from the littles.

By the time we left, sticky fingers and smoothie mustaches all around, I realized Haleiwa Bowls isn’t just about acai—it’s part snack, part minor chaos, part magical tropical memory.

🐠 Stop 4: Shark’s Cove – Pupukea/ North Shore

Fueled by fruit and chaos, we braved Shark’s Cove—Don’t worry—no actual sharks, just a playground of lava rocks perfect for exploring. 🦈➡️🚫. This spot is part of the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District, protecting all the colorful fish, coral, and critters that call it home.

It's a must-do on Oahu’s North Shore. The cove has two zones: the shallow tide pools (perfect for kids who want to splash and spot fish without swimming too far) 🏖️ and the deeper snorkeling area with lava rock tunnels and caves (amazing if the ocean is calm) is perfect for the brave. In summer, 🌞it’s paradise. In winter, with giant North Shore swells, it’s a different kind of adventure 🌊.The kids absolutely loved it! Equipped with goggles 🤿, they searched every rock for critters—tiny fish, colorful sea urchins, and even a sneaky sea cucumber 🐌. The oldest was in heaven, spotting sea cucumbers, shells, and anything else hiding under the rocks. Dad got to take a little snorkel adventure with the oldest, and they emerged like proud marine biologists, waving at their “discoveries.” 👨‍👦💦There’s something magical about a place where little hands gently explore the tide pools, eyes light up at every new creature, and everyone pauses for a moment to simply be together in the wonder of nature. Shark’s Cove wasn’t just fun—it was a day we’ll treasure forever, a reminder that adventure is even better when shared. 💛🌊

❄️🌈 Stop 5: Matsumoto Shave Ice – Haleiwa

After the salt came the sugar. Enter Matsumoto Shave Ice, 🍧🌺 a Haleiwa legend since 1951.

It started as a grocery store, then Mamoru Matsumoto decided “Let’s freeze some water and cover it in rainbow syrup” and boom—history made. Now they serve 1,000 shave ices a day. That’s a lot of sticky faces. 😋 This Haleiwa legend has been serving up rainbow-colored shave ice since 1951, and yes—it’s basically heaven in a cone. The lines can be long, but the payoff is worth it: fluffy ice piled high, drenched in tropical syrups✨.

Every bite was a burst of fruity sweetness, and it wasn’t just the ice that made us smile—it was the joy of watching our kids savor their treat and laugh over their inevitably messy faces 😋💛.

Pro tip: Bring napkins… or twenty. And maybe a camera—you’ll want to remember those happy, sticky little hands forever. 📸

Matsumoto Shave Ice isn’t just dessert; it’s part tradition, part treat, and all-around family magic. A sweet pause in a day full of adventure that reminds you how much fun it is to just be together. ❤️

🍣 Stop 6: Doraku Sushi – Haleiwa

After a full day of running, climbing, tide-pool exploring, and sticky fingers, we finally started to slow down and make our way home. 🏝️🚗 Early dinner was a must before the kids hit meltdown mode. Enter Doraku Sushi, a modern Japanese restaurant & izakaya, the perfect spot for a family-friendly, lively meal.

My kids absolutely love sushi—so watching their faces light up as they dug into fresh rolls was priceless 😋🍣. We tried the ahi tataki with crispy garlic, creative specialty rolls. It was the perfect place to collapse after a day of chaos and savor a little calm amidst the family whirlwind.

All three kiddos fell asleep on the ride back to our friend’s house 😴, only to wake up later for another snack (because, of course, these kids are never full). They played outside with the other kiddos, exhausted but happy, and eventually it was finally time for bed. 🌙💛

As we tucked them in, it hit me—Hawaii isn’t just about beaches, pineapples, or shave ice. It’s about the laughter, the tiny discoveries, the sticky hands, and the moments you share together. A day of adventure, exploration, and chaos, and somehow, all of it left us with memories we’ll treasure forever. 🌴❤️

Hawaii reminded us that the best adventures aren’t about the places you go—they’re about the people you share them with, the joy in tiny hands, the wonder in little eyes, and the memories that grow stickier (and sweeter) every day. 🌴💛Until the next adventure… hopefully with a little less mess, but just as much magic. 🌊✈️💫