There is no sport more popular to watch on the islands of Hawaii than that of surf competitions. You’re talking about the mecca of epic waves. People – both professional surfers and viewers – travel from all over the world to visit this water. The beaches get packed, the crowds cheer and the surfers feel alive with each champion wave they catch.
As much as you might think watching surfing competitions on Oahu is as simple as plopping on the beach and viewing the waves, there are some tips we want to throw your way to help you have the best experience possible. With this in mind, here’s our list of 7 invaluable tips for getting the most out of this famous North Shore sport.
1. Head to the competitions early.
If you’re looking for free parking and your pick of beach real estate, we cannot emphasize enough how important it is to show up early to any of the surf competitions on Oahu. We arrived around 7:30am for the Vans Pipe Masters 2023 and Pipeline Beach was about 1/4 full with people. Parking was also nearly full along the streets (where it’s free). The city sets up 2 paid parking lots near the beach that are strictly for the competitions and run about $20-30 per car.
In fact, we have personal experience with this. Last year we regrettably arrived to the surf competition at Pipeline around 11am. Both street parking and parking lots were full. We finally found a parking spot a mile down the road and ended up at the tail end of the wave, “Off the Wall”. Surprisingly, a wave shoved Kelly Slater all the way down by us and we got to see an epic surf from our distant location. See the photo below!
2. Bring water, chairs and snacks.
Equally important to arriving early to surf competitions on Oahu’s north shore is to bring chairs, water and snacks. There are several heats for each day of competition, lasting around 30 minutes each. There is no specific set time of how long an entire day of competitions last, but each day starts at 8am. Day 1 of the Vans Pipe Masters comprised of 10 heats for the men and 5 heats for the women. We didn’t stay for the entire duration, but by the end of the men’s 6th heat it was already 11am to give you a rough idea of the timeline..
Most people plan on hanging out for a few hours, and we promise you’ll be most comfortable in a beach chair. Tommy Bahama beach chairs are the best due to ease of carry and zippered pockets.
Additionally, there are no stores or shops within walking distance of the beaches. So if you’re planning on walking to get drinks or food, your only luck may be a rogue coffee truck. We recommend coming with a small supply of hydration and nourishment to tide you over for the morning. Afterwards, be sure to hit up some of the best food on the island while you’re on the north shore. We have our favorites listed out in this blog post.
Bonus tip: there are no soap in the bathrooms. Bring hand soap or hand sanitizer if you want access to some.
3. Sit near commentators and surfers.
If order to have a terrific view of the heat, the best place to sit is near the commentators and surfers staging area. The surfing usually happens directly in front of the tent, so you know the closer you are the better view you’ll have. Of course, if your desire is find a spot closer to the bathrooms, merchandise, vehicles, etc, then you’ll be farther away from the surf.
Make sure to note, the closer you are to the staging area, the closer you are to the speakers. And they are set to volume “high” so even the participants can hear during these surf competitions on Oahu!
Bonus tip: Do not sit too close to the water. There’s a high chance you’ll get washed out as the waves roll in. (Trust us from experience.)
4. Wear sweatshirt and hat.
Perhaps you think this is an odd tip considering we are talking about surf competitions on Oahu. In truth, it gets chilly in the winter Hawaiian mornings. When we rolled up to Pipeline Beach it was a cool 66 degrees out. Sitting in the shade on the beach, you’ll appreciate a sweatshirt. However, with the sun reflecting on the water and sand, you’ll also appreciate a hat. Trust us when we say more than half of the people attending these events are bundled up Hawaiian style.
5. Enjoy the amenities with your keiki.
Many of these Hawaiian sporting events create environments that the whole Ohana enjoys. Our keiki personally enjoyed playing ping-pong at the Sun Bum tent. Smaller keiki learned how to connect with the land here to create more sustainable living environments at another tent. Some surf competitions have tons of activities, others have just a few. In any case, don’t skip over them. Especially if you have keiki who get bored sitting on the beach for long periods of time without being able to run in the water or dig holes.
6. Bring money for gear.
Generally, we are not the type of family to purchase souvenirs. We knew that we would want something more than photos to represent our time at one of the competitions though. This time around, we ended up purchasing some gear. Gerardo and I got tshirts, while Leo chose some boss Vans slid-on shoes. Bonus – they fit me too so I’ll steal them from time to time!
The bottom line is, you’ll most likely want to snag something like most people do. You’ll have shirts, hoodies, towels, shoes, hats and umbrellas to choose from. Everything ranges from $25-$65, so plan accordingly based on your family.
We will say that the quality of what we purchased is also good. Nothing feels too cheap or chinsy (do people still say that?). The shirts are 100% cotton and the shoes are the same Vans slid-on shoes you’d find at any store that sells them.
7. Don’t forget to enjoy the show.
By and large, the whole reason you are there is to enjoy the surf competition. Don’t miss it by constantly being on your phone, buying gear, worrying about food, or anything else. Sit back, relax and remember that this is the most chill and exciting sport to soak in.
Although there will be lulls based on what the swells are doing, when a surfer does hop on their board, it’s worth the view. Especially when they come out of the barrel!
Bonus Tip:
Did you know surf competitions are scheduled for certain days but not always “on” even though they’re scheduled? Based on weather and swell conditions, competitions may be called for the day. Check out World Surf League on Instagram or on their website to know whether or not the competition is on for the day. They put the information out by 8am each day.
