When you think of Hawaii, you have to think of the pineapple. The juicy, sweet, and flavorful fruit conjures up images of beaches, palm trees, and everything Hawaiian. So we had to visit the Dole Pineapple Plantation in the center of Oahu, where my personal quest was to fine all-you-can-drink pineapple juice.
Our friends told us that it would take approximately 45 minutes to reach the plantation. In reality, we reached it within half an hour. When we arrived at about 10am, we found that the tour busses had already started arriving and the large gift shop, which greeted guests, boasted a long line at the checkout counter. We meandered around the store, finding day-old baked goods like pineapple strudel and pineapple bread. I discovered the salad dressing tasting bar, where I sampled a few flavors. Finally, I chose the Maui Onion Dressing and bought it for $6.95. Later, I found an identical dressing at the grocery store for $4.
My friend from Honolulu ran over and showed me her latest treasure, chocolate covered pineapple on a stick. I partook in a juicy, fresh pineapple slice bathed in chocolate and floated away in a blissful trance. We also tried a Dole Whip smoothie. If you’ve ever tried Dole Whip at Disneyland’s Tiki Bar, it’s the same stuff. The non-dairy dessert overflows with flavor and makes for a sweet smoothie, which our daughter loved.
The Pineapple Variety Garden behind the gift shop featured several pineapple plants from all over the world. I did not know about pineapple varieties from places like Vietnam but this garden taught us more about pineapples than we ever knew possible. A small train station allowed guests to embark on a train ride around the plantation. This was a separately ticketed attraction and since we were short on time, we skipped it.
A farmer’s market set up outside the gift shop, which sold locally grown fruits and vegetables. The stall opened at around noon so we had a while to wait. We chose to explore the gift shop instead.
Unfortunately, we also skipped the maze in the gardens. Should we had gotten lost in the maze, we would have never seen the rest of the sights we saw that day. Parking, exploring the gift shop and gardens do not cost any fees so take advantage of the cost-friendly attraction. Sadly, I did not find the fountain of all-you-can-drink pineapple juice at the plantation. But I did enjoy the plantation nonetheless and hope to return someday. Allow for at least 2 hours at the Dole Pineapple Plantation in order to come away with learning about Hawaii’s most famous export.