According to an ancient tale a local woman compared her husbands cruelty to the sharp edge of cut bamboo. And so this place was named Kaneohe.

Still a somewhat rural area Kaneohe is mostly residential with some small flower and chicken farms located at the base of the Koolau Mountains. Kaneohe Bay, known for its beautiful sand bar, Chinamans Hat Island, and leisurely sailing is home to Kaneohe Yacht Club where every other year the transpac race concludes. Coconut Island, once privately owned and host to celebrities in the 1950s now houses the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. There they study and work with dolphins and other marine mammals and other sea life.

The lush flower and fauna can best be seen at Hoomaluhia Park (meaning place of peace and tranquility). In the 400 acres of botanical gardens there are trails to view plants from all over the world, many of which are rare or endangered. There is also a 32 acre lake (swimming not allowed) and permitted camp grounds.

Haleiwa Joes Seafood Grill is located at Haiku Gardens at the base of the Koolau Mountain range. The views are great and the food is good. Windward Mall offers a large selection of shops and dining experiences as well as a state of the art stadium seating movie theaters.

Take the coastal road for a leisurely 40 minute drive up to the north shore and visit famous Sunset Beach and Waimea Bay. Or head for Kailua Beach just 15 minutes away. Both H3 Freeway and Likelike Highway will get you to downtown Honolulu or the airport in less than 30 minutes. .