Santa's By The Sea

Looking for that home away from home for your summer vacation? Troop to Oahu’s north shore and there you’ll find the home of Gary and Cyndie Quinn, and one of the best bed and breakfasts Hawaii has known -- Santa’s by the Sea.

Opened in 1984, the B&B has housed hundreds of guests from all over the world. It’s a quaint, beachside cedar home that’s just north of Waimea Bay and 33 miles from the Honolulu airport. The warm, cozy house is perfect for those who want a change from the usual hotel-resort vacations.

The hosts are retired Pan Am/UAL flight attendants and both enjoy woodworking, crafting, long beach walks, cooking and missions work. They speak Tagalog, English, German, and Spanish.

Room rates and amenities

Santa’s has a one-bedroom apartment for guests underneath the innkeepers’ home. It is full of Santa figurines and unique Christmas decorations. It has one bathroom and a fully-furnished kitchen. Other amenities include a beautiful beachfront gazebo, lava-rock outdoor hot/cold beach shower, deluxe stainless steel barbecue, beach chairs and beach towels, complimentary washer/dryer, color TV, DVDs, HBO, free long distance telephone, Hi-speed Internet computer, music cassettes & CDs, books, games, toiletries, and linens.

A generous tropical fruit basket welcomes guests to a fully furnished kitchen, which the hosts make sure to stock with delicious food guests will need during their stay.

Room rates range from $225-$250 a night, both for single and double occupancy. The rate for additional persons is between $10 and $25.

No minimum stay is required. Children are allowed although childcare will not be provided. Pets are not allowed at Santa’s, and so is smoking inside the room. However, smoking outside is perfectly fine with the innkeepers.

Activities and other features

Since Santa’s sits just in front of the beach, guests will never run out activities. Bicycle rental, bicycle riding trails, bird watching, boating, canoeing, fishing, golfing, hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, mountain biking, scuba diving, jet skiing, surfing, shark cage diving, snorkeling, sailing, shopping, sightseeing, swimming and all the other water sports are just a few feet away from the B&B. After a day’s worth of frolicking, guests can sit and watch the majestic sunset.

Guests can also roam around town and immerse themselves in local Hawaiian culture all on their own, much like true explorers. There are dozens of dining, shopping and entertainment places waiting to be discovered.

Santa’s main attraction, however, isn’t the Christmas decorations or the beach -- it’s the seclusion. It’s the perfect place for honeymooners (first time or not), because it’s a guarantee that guests won’t be sharing their space with anyone else.

Families who want to spend a little quality time will also find Santa’s by the Sea an ideal vacation retreat -- without the distraction of everyday life, they can just sit, talk, or enjoy all of the different beach activities together.

So if it’s a real getaway you’re looking for, call Santa’s. Not only will you feel Christmas in summer, you’ll also have the perfect summer escape.

Santa’s by the Sea is at 59-461 Ke Waena Road, Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA.