Dole: The Complete Pineapple Experience

Pineapple is no longer the lifeline of Hawaii’s agricultural industry that it once was, but you can still get the whole Pineapple Experience with a visit to the Dole Plantation, just an hour or so north of Honolulu. The Dole Plantation is about as touristy as it gets, but it is also a lot of fun.

POP QUIZ

Q: What is a pineapple?

a. The hanging fruit of the pineapple tree.
b. The underground root of a spiky-leafed plant.
c. The fruit of a terrestrial bromeliad flower stalk.
(Hint: The answer in is the image below.)

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This is tough for me to admit, but until I went to the Dole Plantation, I had no idea how pineapples grew. I was humbly reminded of the time, while taking a class on curriculum development in college, I learned about how some inner-city children needed to be taught that carrots came from the ground and milk came from cows. I was incredulous: who doesn’t know that? I’m sure small children in Hawaii would think the same thing of me and my ignorance about pineapple cultivation.

We took a ride on the The Pineapple Express, which carries visitors through a through a working plantation of pineapple and other crops, featuring fields in all stages of growth, from planting to harvest.

We also managed to make our way through “The World’s Largest Maze” – it took us just under an hour, which I learned is about average. The maze stretches over three acres and includes nearly two and one-half miles of paths crafted from 14,000 colorful Hawaiian plants. (I’m pretty sure that the Corn Maize on Portland’s Sauvie’s island is bigger, but who am I to dispute the folks at Guinness World Records?)

Our stroll through Dole Plantation’s eight different educational gardens gave us a glimpse at a wide variety of beautiful and useful tropical plants. The Bromeliad Garden was particularly striking.

There was also a large pond that held some seriously large koi.

Local artisans were on hand as well.

Our last stop started with a brisk walk through the Dole Plantation Store, which has more pineapple-related stuff for sale than I ever imagined could possibly existed. We headed straight for the Plantation Grille – for cup of their a world-famous Dole Whip! So, so, so good, especially on a hot day!

Check out my recipe for 4-ingredient Pineapple Ice Cream {A smooth homemade soft serve created in the spirit of Dole Whip}

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