Dole Plantation, Oahu
Take a walk through history, commune with nature and enjoy great outdoor views. You can do all these and more at the Dole Pineapple Plantation in central Oahu, a site attracting close to a million visitors per year. The sprawling complex gives visitors a peek into the daily grind at the world's leading pineapple grower. The plantation has long played a significant role in Hawaiian history and livelihood.
Easily one of the most popular attractions of the plantation is the Pineapple Maze, listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest maze. The maze spreads out over two acres and features over 14,000 varieties of Hawaiian plants. The 2.46-mile trail is a real puzzle - you'll have your share of loops, dead ends and wrong turns. But finish the maze and you get a coupon worth a 15% discount for any Dole merchandise.
You can also take part in the Plantation Garden Tour, a walking tour that takes you to eight attractive mini-gardens. Each garden showcases a variety of crops and plants, many of them native to Hawaii. Of course, you'll also come across a vast number of pineapples and can see how they are picked, processed and packed every day.
Don't feel like walking? Try the Pineapple Express - a two-mile ride aboard a miniature train around the famed Oahu pineapple fields. During the 20-minute ride, a guide talks about the history of the pineapple production and agriculture in Hawaii, as well as the fascinating story of James Dole and how he built his empire.
