Welcome back to National Parks & other public lands with T! If you are seeing this on Twitter or Facebook, please visit the blog to see all of the photos and read the story by clicking the link.
The Dole Plantation is a tourist attraction on the island of Oahu. We stopped here long enough to get our free sample of Dole Whip (soft-serve pineapple ice cream) and get a little background on the pineapple industry in Hawaii.
Originally a fruit stand in the 1950s, the Dole Plantation became a full-fledged tourist attraction in 1989, complete with a train ride, maze and tour. We didn’t do any of the more touristy things, so I can’t speak to their value.
The Dole family was involved in the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and Sanford Dole was the US territory’s first governor until 1903. Sanford’s cousin James Dole founded the Hawaiian Pineapple Company in 1901. When the US annexed Hawaii, selling produce to the mainland became more profitable…no tariffs.
Pineapples are easily propagated by planting the crowns of other pineapples. From walking the garden, we learned that there are multiple varieties.
If you stop here, visit early as this is an extremely popular and crowded place. And, as our tour guide warned us, do not buy the pearls!
Oahu Posts:
- Kahanamoku Beach
- Fort DeRussy Beach Park
- Green World Coffee Farm
- The Dole Plantation
- Anahulu River (coming soon)
- Waimea Falls (coming soon)
- Hau’ula Beach Park (coming soon)
- Tropical Macadamia Farm (coming soon)
- Byodo-In Temple (coming soon)
- Polynesian Cultural Center (coming soon)
- Aloha Tower (coming soon)
- Diamond Head (coming soon)
- Iolani Palace (coming soon)
- King Kamehameha Statue (coming soon)
- Aliʻiōlani Hale (coming soon)
- Pearl Harbor (coming soon)
Location: 64-1550 Kamehameha Hwy, Wahiawa, HI 96786
Designation: Former pineapple fields of James Dole
Date established/designated: circa 1950
Date of my visit: April 11, 2019
