Hawaii’s Dole Plantation: Activities and Tips for Visitors

Hi, I’m Katie! Are you new here? I’m a travel advisor with The Magic’s Yours Travel! I send clients on vacations of all kinds all over the world but my specialty is Disney travel. Want to work together? Check out my website katievtravel.com to request a vacation quote or email me at katiev@themagicsyours.com with any questions. I’d love to make your vacation dreams a reality!

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In July 2019 my husband and I took a week long trip to Hawaii. We visited the islands of Kauai and Oahu including a stay at Aulani: A Disney Resort and Spa.

Click here to check out all of my Hawaii blog posts: Hawaii Posts

Why Hawaii?

Really why not Hawaii? It is absolutely beautiful, has tons to do, offers something for every aged or type of traveler. Plus is you are coming from the mainland US you won’t have to worry about passports or changing money or any of the hassles of international travel. But you will feel like you are somewhere very different from home. 

We chose Hawaii as part of our journey to visit all 50 states as a couple, this was state 47. This was my second trip to Hawaii and my husbands first. 

What Is The Dole Plantation

The Dole Plantation located in Wahiawa, Oahu is a top attraction for vacationers. The Dole company started in 1900 when James Drummond Dole, recently arrived in Hawaii, bought a 61-acre tract of land in Wahiawa, including today’s plantation. He was not the first to grow pineapples on Hawaii but he was the first to produce them on a large scale and eventually created a global agricultural empire. By the 1920’s Dole had huge plantations across Oahu and Lana’i. The company grew to the household name it is today. Currently the vast majority of Dole pineapples are grown in South America but some are still grown in Hawaii today including at the Dole Plantation in Wahiawa. Today you can visit The Dole Plantation and see how pineapples and other fruits are grown and also enjoy several other experiences. 

Getting There

The Dole Plantation is in Wahiawa and is about a 40 minute drive from Waikiki. If you plan to visit the North Shore the Dole Plantation is on the way. The simplest way to get to the Dole Planation is to drive there, and parking is free. You can take public bus transportation but the trip will take you much longer. Most resorts likely offer a visit to the planation as an excursion as well. We drove from Disney’s Aulani Resort and found the drive easy, it took around a half hour. 

Tickets

While you can visit the store and the dining opportunities without paying admission if you want to do any of the activities you will need to purchase tickets. Each activity, described below, has a separate cost, and you can bundle them in anyway you would like. Each activity costs $12 or less per adult and $10 or less under per children. A military discount is available. Children under 4 are free. You can purchase tickets before your visit on their website or once you arrive. 

The Plantation Grille & Store 

The Plantation Grille is your only dining option at the Dole Plantation. Here you will find a counter service dining location with outdoor seating. They offer a few breakfast and lunch options, many featuring pineapple of course. The stars of the show here are the desserts most featuring pineapple. Their signature Dole Whip is available here and it’s my favorite of the offerings. (This frozen treat is even dairy free) You may recognize Dole Whip from Disney Parks as they are an iconic treat there. My recommendation would be to plan to absolutely grab a dessert here but make sure you are interested in the lunch or breakfast menu offered before you plan to eat a meal here.  

In the same building you have the retail store where you will find all of the Dole and pineapple themed souvenirs you could possibly imagine plus some finer local items. There are lots of packaged food items perfect to take home. In the store you will also find pineapple cutting and cooking demonstrations. There is also a coffee bar.

Pineapple Express Train Tour

The highlight of a visit to the Dole Plantation is the train tour. You board one of the adorable vintage, trains for a 2 mile, 20 minute fully narrated tour. Be prepared to wait in line before you board the train. We were there during a summer day at mid-morning and we waited in line (under cover) about 30 minutes to board our train. As you board they will take a commemorative photo for you that you can choose to purchase upon your exit. During the tour you will see pineapples, bananas, and several other foods growing and learn how they are harvested and eventually make their way to your grocery store. I found it very interesting to see how all of these foods grow and the kind of machinery that harvests them. If you visit the Dole Plantation the train tour is not to be missed in my opinion. 

Plantation Garden Tour

The garden tour allows you to wonder through eight different gardens and get an up-close and personal view of many of the foods you saw on the train tour from coffee to tropical fruit to colorful cacao pods. The gardens include many flowers you’d use to make leis like plumeria, pikake, and pua kenikeni. You can even use the Dole Plantation app to listen to Hawaiian folklore stories while you walk. If you are a big garden fan this is a great opportunity. We chose not to participate in the garden tour but did find that the landscaping around the grounds in general was lovely. We were able to see pineapples up close in the general landscaping between the train boarding area and the store. 

Pineapple Garden Maze

This giant garden maze is over 3 acres and is crafted with many Hawaiian plants. Enter the maze and seek 8 hidden stations where you can stamp your maze map. As you find each station you will learn facts about Hawaii and start to unlock the mystery of the maze. You can even enhance your journey with the Dole Plantation app. Our time in the maze was enjoyable but we did lose interest before completing our map and finding all 8 stations. I think this would be a much more enjoyable experience for those traveling with children. If I were to visit again with just adults I would have choose the garden over the maze. Of course you can always choose to do all three experiences as well. 

Who Should Visit?

Though it is certainly a tourist attraction and that can turn some visitors off I recommend making a stop at the Dole Plantation if you have access to a car, or resort shuttle during your stay. There is something that everyone can enjoy between the three activities. 

I would recommend this destination most highly for families. There’s alot for kids to enjoy here. Also for those who are big gardeners, it’s an opportunity to see lots of tropical plant life. 

Keep in mind that you will be outside for almost all of your visit and plan to dress and prepare accordingly. 

No matter who you are make sure you try at least one of the pineapple treats from the Plantation Grille!

That was our visit to the Dole Plantation! I hope you found this interesting and informative. Considering a trip to Hawaii? I’m a travel advisor and would love to work with you! Check out my website katievtravel.com to request a vacation quote or email me at katiev@themagicsyours.com with any questions. I’d love to make your vacation dreams a reality!