Dole Plantation — Attraction in Oʻahu

Nestled in the heart of Oahu, the Dole Plantation in Honolulu is a delightful destination that offers a rich blend of history, culture, and fun for visitors of all ages. Known for its lush pineapple fields and engaging attractions, this iconic plantation is a must-visit for anyone looking to experience the sweet side of Hawaii.

The Dole Plantation's roots date back to 1899 when James Dole, the "Pineapple King," purchased 64 acres of land in Wahiawa and began transforming Hawaii's agricultural landscape. His vision and innovative farming techniques turned pineapples into one of Hawaii’s most famous exports, earning the Dole brand a global reputation.

One of the highlights of visiting the Dole Plantation is the Pineapple Express Train Tour. This charming, narrated train ride takes you through the scenic pineapple fields, providing a fascinating overview of the plantation’s history and the pineapple industry. As you meander through the lush landscape, you’ll learn about James Dole’s legacy, the challenges of pineapple cultivation, and the various stages of growth and harvesting. The train ride is both educational and relaxing, making it a perfect introduction to the plantation.

After the train tour, a visit to the Plantation Garden is a must. The garden showcases a variety of tropical plants, including different types of pineapple, cocoa, coffee, and exotic flowers. Walking through these beautifully landscaped gardens offers a closer look at the diverse flora that thrives in Hawaii’s unique climate.

Another unique attraction at the Dole Plantation is the Pineapple Garden Maze, recognized as one of the largest mazes in the world. This 3-acre labyrinth is a fun challenge for both kids and adults, with paths winding through lush greenery and vibrant tropical plants. Completing the maze is not only a test of navigation skills but also a chance to enjoy the natural beauty up close.

No visit to the Dole Plantation would be complete without indulging in the famous Dole Whip. This creamy, pineapple-flavored soft-serve treat is a refreshing delight that has become a staple for visitors. Enjoying a Dole Whip while exploring the plantation adds a sweet touch to your day.

For those interested in souvenirs and gifts, the plantation’s gift shop offers a wide array of pineapple-themed products, from fresh pineapples and jams to candies and unique memorabilia. It’s the perfect place to pick up a memento of your visit or a gift for someone back home.

One interesting tip for fellow tourists is to check out the Plantation Grille, which serves a variety of local dishes and snacks. The menu features everything from pineapple chili dogs to fresh salads and sandwiches, making it a great spot to enjoy a meal amidst the plantation’s beautiful surroundings.

Additionally, the Dole Plantation offers special events and seasonal activities, so it’s worth checking their calendar before your visit to see if there’s anything special happening. Whether it’s a pineapple-cutting demonstration or a local craft fair, these events add an extra layer of enjoyment to your trip.

The Dole Plantation is not just a tourist attraction; it’s a historical and cultural landmark that offers a deeper understanding of Hawaii’s agricultural heritage. The combination of educational tours, fun activities, and delicious treats makes it a perfect destination for families, history buffs, and anyone with a sweet tooth. Highly recommended for an enriching and enjoyable day...

After visiting the Dole plantation I feel, financially speaking, like I’ve had one of Mr Doles famous Hawaiian pineapples shoved up my rear end (and not the easy way).

Here’s how your trip will probably go..

You’ll turn up early and after struggling to find a parking space you’ll grab a selfie outside the main building (shop) with dozens of your fellow tourists in the background. You’ll then enter the main doors and realise the place is really just a big souvenir shop. Who doesn’t love shopping though? Here you can buy one of many overpriced low quality Dole branded T-Shirt’s so you and all your fellow tourists can return to your respective countries and promote the Dole brand like worldwide human Billboards, only they’re not paying you to advertise their brand on your clothes, you’ll be paying them in the region of $30. Then you’ll head out the back and find there’s 3 activities, all of which require you to purchase tickets. We chose the train ride and garden. Neither were worth it. The train ride was spoiled by the incessant walkie talkie chat of the staff member sat behind us which made us unable to hear the pre-recorded info track they were playing on loudspeaker. We politely asked him to turn it down, which he said he would, but he didn’t. So all we got was blaring radio chat whilst we rode past such interesting things as a banana tree, a coconut palm, a coffee plant and then a field of pineapple plants - you know the ones i’m talking about ..the ones you drive past on the way to the plantation. Underwhelmed we then headed to the garden. Here you’ll see a banana tree, a coffee plant and a few other plants that grow like weeds all over Oahu. With nothing novel here and little/no information provided on any of the plants you’re left wondering what you spent your money on. Also some sections were closed for no apparent reason, yet they were still happy to charge us full fare. After the garden you’ll probably be tempted to go for one of the ice creams you’ve seen all the other guests eating. 15 mins and $10 later you’ll have your ice cream. The ice cream is delicious, the price tag is not. So you’re now about $60 down with not much to show for it and with not much else left to do you’ll probably head to the pineapple demonstration which runs on the hour every hour. Now credit where credit’s due, this may be one of the most spectacular things i saw during my 2 weeks in Hawaii. Here you and the lucky crowd that has gathered will witness one of the gift store cashiers cut a pineapple into quarters! Wow! But the fun doesn’t stop there. No. The gift store cashier will then chop those quarters into ..wait for it ..smaller slices! Be sure to have your camera ready for this one. You’ll then be advised how you can give Dole more money in exchange for mail order pineapples. You’ll then have to wade through piles of pineapple tat to make your way to the exit. You’ll then get in your car and wonder where the last few hours and your well...

Is this a really touristy place? Yes. Did we still enjoy our time? Also yes. If you are looking for an “authentic” experience this is not it, but if you are looking for something fun that you’ve never done before this can fit the bill. Go to their website to see the activities that they have for an extra cost. You can pay extra for the train tour, a garden tour, and a maze. For free you can just walk around a limited area in the grounds and walk around the shop. Parking is also free. They open at 9:30 although they opened the gates at 9:15 so you can go to get train tickets at this time. The train is first come first served so I recommend getting there at 9:15 to get your tickets and get in line to be on the first train. We did this and still we were not boarding the train until 9:50. A little after 9:30 they opened up the queue for the train and we filed in. Then they take every family’s picture which is time consuming, and then they board the train which is time consuming because each bench fits 2 people. There are about 3-4 train cars with about 7-8 rows each so the capacity on this attraction is very low. Once you are on the train it is a 22 minute ride so even though we arrived at 9:15, we didn’t get off the train until around 10:20am and we were on the first train. It is easy to see how the wait gets so backed up as they only have 2 trains running at a time. Definitely plan some buffer time to spend longer here than you expect. The train has a recorded narration and takes you very slowly to the plantation areas and around the property. They actually grow a lot more than pineapple and we were able to see all of the other crops growing as well. We learned that the red soil is great for growing pineapple and that once the cycle of pineapple grows, the field needs to sit empty for a year to regenerate the nutrients in the soil. When we went in November, whatever rotation or harvesting schedule they were on, it seems like they had literally just harvested so we did not see any pineapples growing, only the leftovers of the plants. It was a very chill ride but really the only way to see inside the plantation. Inside the shop they have a café area with food and drink. They also have a large shop area with tons and tons of Hawaii products as well as Dole merchandise. There are also many stands/stalls set up by locals kind of like a street market but in the shop which was an interesting dynamic. We purchased a bowl of fresh cut pineapple and a dole whip. They were quite expensive, but hey, when in Hawaii… They have some pineapple demonstrations as well at certain times. We could have spent more time here if we wanted, but we wanted to go to the North shore and do other things. It is only about a 10-15 minute drive from there. Overall we are glad we visited this time and we checked it off...