How to See the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Surf Contest at Waimea Bay
Last Updated on December 1, 2025 by Charlotte
The first thing I remember about the 2024 Eddie is the way the earth shook. Every time a wave detonated on the reef, the sound would thunder down the valley and vibrate up through the sand and rocks and into my feet. At one point, an extra-large set closed out across the entire bay – I swear I felt the cliffside tremble beneath me. Do you know how big waves have to be to close out Waimea? TOO BIG. Seeing “the Eddie” in person was incredible, and the energy from the crowd was electric, like attending the Woodstock of our time. We stood shoulder to shoulder with thousands of other starstruck spectators, cheering, hugging, crying. The surfers were fearless, riding straight down the faces of the waves. The wipeouts? Terrifying.
Today finally felt like winter on Oahu, with massive 25 to 40-foot waves rolling in to the North Shore – which reminded me I never wrote you all a guide on how to see the Eddie in person. For us Oahuans, the Eddie is the Super Bowl of surfing. Expect over 30% of the island to flock to Waimea Bay, bumper-to-bumper traffic, and people camping overnight just to save a spot on the sand. If you ever get the chance to go, take it. Here’s how to actually pull it off.
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How to Plan Your Visit to the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational
The Eddie Big Wave Invitational was created in honor of Eddie Aikau, the first lifeguard on the North Shore who was a championship athlete, a waterman, and the person who would save those needing rescue when no one else would go out. While the first contest was held in 1984, it has only been successfully run eleven times in the 41 years because the conditions have to be just right to get the green light.
How to Know if the Contest is On
Every winter, the organisers of the Eddie set a “go” period, which is typically December through March. This year, the contest window is from December 5th, 2025, through March 6th, 2026. If the swell is looking promising, a notice is sent out to all of the contestants, who drop everything and have only 12 hours to fly to Hawaii from all across the world.
To get a green light to run, the faces of the waves need to be at least 20 ft (6 m) Hawaiian, which is closer to 40 ft (12 m) if you measure from the trough to the crest, as most people do. You can keep up with the latest updates from the contest organizers here.
How to Get to Waimea Bay on the Day of the Eddie
To have the best odds of actually making it to the Eddie, you need a plan before you go. When crowds grow too thick, the police often shut down the part of the road near the Waimea Bay Beach Park to cars. Plus, parking around Waimea Bay can be notoriously difficult, and fills up as early as the afternoon before with people willing to camp out on the beach overnight.
No matter which mode of transit you take, be warned that you should expect to have to walk a lot. My friends who wore sandals ended up with a ton of blisters by the end of the day.
Best Bet: Drive + Shuttle Combo
In our opinion, mixed-use transit is the way to go to skip the traffic and roll up to the beach so easily that it feels like you broke the law.
For the 2024 Eddie, we drove up from Urban Honolulu and parked our car along the road near the Puaena Point Beach Park, right next to a bus stop. 5 minutes later, one of the special Waimea Bay shuttles that runs from Haleiwa to Waimea Bay pulled up, and we only had a short 10-minute ride to the edge of the bay. To ride the bus, you do need to get a Holo Card, but these are sold at most 7-11s and ABC stores.
Driving All the Way In? Here’s the Catch
If you do choose to come by car (the whole way to the bay), your best bet is to arrive the afternoon before and camp out, or expect to pay to park and walk a long way if you attempt to drive on the day of. The Waimea Valley, Sts Peter & Paul Church Mission at Waimea Bay, and many homeowners sell parking spots on their properties for the day, although it is usually for a super high fee. We saw people asking for over $100 / day to park.
Coming from Waikiki Without a Car? Try Da Bus
For those coming from Waikiki or Honolulu, Da Bus runs a few special “Eddie” shuttles that depart from Ala Moana Center as early as 4 AM. However, as you can expect, the demand for these shuttles greatly outpaces the number of seats, with many unhappy visitors left behind once these buses fill up. As always, you should try to get your hands on a HOLO Card so you can pay for your bus fare in advance. HOLO Cards are sold at most 7-11s and ABC stores on the island, and you can learn more about the different length pass options on the HOLO website.
The Best Spots at Waimea Bay to See the Surfers
Once you make it to the bay, you’ll see people covering the cliffs, rocks, and every inch of available sand like little ants. In our opinion, you actually get the best view from up on the cliffs and along the road rather than down on the beach.
It sounds silly, but 40 ft waves make HUGE white wash, which can sometimes conceal your view of the surfers. Up on the cliffs along the road, you get more of a bird’s eye perspective down the line of the waves.
One thing to keep in mind is that no matter where you go, if the sands or the rocks are wet, the waves are reaching up there! Stick to dry spots so you don’t get swept out to sea.
Facilities Around Waimea Bay (or Lack Thereof)
Unfortunately, the North Shore does not have facilities set up for tens of thousands of people to visit all at once, which means you should expect a ton of traffic, crowds, and porta-potties.
Do you see why I said that there will be no place to put your beach chair or umbrella? Just look at these crowds!
Toilets and Portapotties
In past years, the city and event organizers have coordinated to haul in a ton of porta-potties for the spectators. While there is usually a line, we found them to be decently clean. Just bring your own TP and hand sanitizer.
Food and Water
If you can brave another hike, the Pupukea Foodland Supermarket is a short 10-15 minute walk from the beach. They have food, water, sunscreen, and beach gear if you need it. We personally chose to pack a lot of snacks from home to save on money.
Cell Service
We found our cellular reception to be pretty shitty on the day of the Eddie. While we were able to make calls and send SMS messages, we had trouble loading web pages using data.
Merch
There are usually merch tents on the beach, although alas, these lines were super long too. If you miss out on merch, you can usually find the same sweatshirts or hats online after the fact.
What to Pack
I suggest that you treat your Eddie experience like wilderness camping, and don’t count on having access to the shops. It was also super important to wear comfortable walking clothes, since you might end up walking a lot more than you expect. In terms of temperature, the beach tends to be super cold at night, and then boiling hot once the sun comes up. Now that we know all of this, this is what we would pack:
- Towel
- Sneakers
- Sweatshirt
- Long-sleeve rashguard or lightweight shirt
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Binoculars
- Camera
- Swim suit
- Tissues or toilet paper
- Hand sanitizer
- 2 L of water per person
- Snacks
- Inflatable butt pillow
- HOLO Bus Card
We’d suggest leaving your beach chairs and umbrellas at home, since they are bulky, hard to carry, and there will literally be no space to set them up.
