Kauai, Hawaii
Stay
WorldMark: located on the east side of the island i felt it was in a good location. not only were we able to explore the east side we we relatively close to the north side and south side which made for some fun day trips. honestly the island is fairly small and easy to get from place to place (beside the occasion traffic - which we could not seem to figure out the better times to get to and leave different towns by). aside from the location in relation to the island as a whole i loved how the condo was in a quaint and fairly quiet area near a nice spot to jog across the beach and water. the condos also have a shared pool, hot tub, and pool chairs that look out to the water (such a relaxing spot to tan). condo was clean and homey! would stay at again 100 percent!
Eat
Tiki Tacos: in all honestly it was not one my favorite fish taco that i have had to date. don’t get me wrong it was still a decent taco, but there just wasn’t something special to it and the fish was a bit too overcooked for my liking. the experience, however, was still quite fun as there were a couple roosters hanging around. they weren’t all in your face, but if you did drop something they were there to help pick it up!
Tropical Dreams: me and mum had decided to make a stop here one night after walking along the beach near by. i wasn’t completely in the mood for ice cream seeing i try to stay away from any extra dairy as it usually does not sit well with my stomach, but to my surprise it did not upset my tummy. the ice cream was smooth, tasty, and a nice way to cool down (even at night).
Kenji Burger: tasty place to grab a bite. i wasn’t in the mood for a burger so instead got one of the bowls, but my parents did get burgers so you know i had to try a lil. both were flavorful and filling!
Kauai Food Truck: i don’t really remember this one too well as am pretty sure this day i was fighting a headache and not sure what i was in the mood to eat. i want to say i had a loco moco and it was good, however, my parents ate at one of the other food trucks and I was definitely eyeing their food more lol
The Right Slice: quick dessert stop on the way home from adventuring. this pie place was very yummy. i was not in the mood for dessert so I ended up ordering the mini pies and both were absolutely amazing and just the right amount to satisfy a sweet tooth while not feeling stuffed. as for my parents they both enjoyed a nice piece of pie topped with whipped cream. we all enjoyed it very much! oh and it had a cute old time vibe to it.
Al Pastor Tacos (Food Truck): super yummy tacos with just as yummy beans and rice! the fish was cooked to perfection and the flavor was very tasty. after eating we were full, but not stuffed. it was the perfect way to refuel after a day full of hiking and swimming. would definitely go back!
Sunrise Coffee (Food Truck): açaí bowl towering with lots of fruit. this bowl was overflowing and so delicious. it was hard to decide what we wanted but we were very pleased with the one we choose. good size too for sharing!
3 Girls local grill: we could not get enough of this and we wished we ordered more. we decided that the three of us would share but we definitely were all fighting for the last bites of it.
Aunty M’s Paradise Pies & other Treats: pina colada empanada and orange passionfruit empanada! what??! we recommend. honestly enough said.
See
Queen’s Bath (Princeville): take a dip in the unique tide pool on the North Shore of Kauai. although technically a sinkhole with indigenous rocks surrounding this beautiful location is perfect for a relaxing swim, that is if the weather is in your favor. we went in early november of 2019 and the water was pretty rough which meant no swimming unfortunately. there is also a little hike into Queen’s Bath and although not a tough hike it can be a pretty muddy one depending if it has been raining or not. thankfully the weather was not too bad, regardless the trail was still a bit slippery, but well worth the little track down. there is a marked spot for the trail, but depending on the water conditions it may or may not be open. there is another entrance a little ways down the road. we went this way and so did many others. despite not being able to swim it was a nice area for some photos. next time, hopefully, the weather is in our favor and we will be able to swim in it!
not a lot of parking, dirt trail, would recommend closed toed shoes as when we went we were wearing sandals and my father tripped/stubbed toe. let’s just say he was not too happy and we did not stay long after that.
Waimea Canyon: We did not actually get to hike while we were here seeing we did not really plan it well, although, i would suggest doing so. i have a good feeling it is worth the trek and i am pretty bummed i myself did not get to (gives me a reason to come back right?). regardless, i would say it is worth the drive even if it’s just to check out the lookouts! also be sure to check out the Red Dirt Falls in Waimea Canyon (another one we did not do - i found it afterwards). from the sounds it is a lesser visited spot, but worth the stop!
Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge: we happened to stumble upon this lookout on our way to Queen’s bath. we didn’t stay long but if you are already headed that way it is well worth a stop to view the gorgeous greens of the taro fields.
Tree Tunnel: quick stop while on our way to.. honestly i’m not too sure where we were headed (i think to Waimea Canyon though). this spot is quite picturesque although it was rather hard to stop off and get a photo. there are a couple different spots where you can sort of pull off to the side of the road, but because it is a main road there are constantly cars driving both ways. i would suggest waking up early to check it out if you are hoping to freely get some shots. it would be a cool location for some portrait shots!
Spouting Horn Park: this was another quick stop. we stopped and watched the blowhole spout water. the day we went it was spouting although not as much as it can.
Hanapepe Swinging Bridge: when we reached this spot i had a headache so i wasn’t as excited to stay long, but having gotten there around the time the sun was starting to set was a beautiful time to do so as if gave it a nice golden glow. after crossing the bridge there is a trail. we were not too sure were it lead, but having been out and about all day and knowing that it would be getting dark we did not adventure too far.
Polihale State Park: the road to the beach is absolutely treacherous as there are pot holes everywhere. we had a small compact rental so we were driving at a snails pace. all of us were hungry and growing crankier by the second. we had spend over an hour heading down the road only to end up turning around without having reached the beach. it was growing foggier and getting later and later. it was a bummer because from our research it looked to be one of the places to go. we, however, were not prepared nor did we plan well. our time though was not a complete bummer or waste as we were greeted with a beautiful sunset and rainbow that we stopped to see.
Experience
Ho’opi’i Falls: this was by far one of my favorite things we did and well worth the slippery and muddy hike. we traveled in October and there were times it was rainy so it made the trail take a bit longer to hike than if it had been sunny for days. the hike is a bit confusing to get to as there are really no signs. we parked along the road and made our way to a gate were you can see a little pathway. aside from the muddy path the trail is absolutely beautiful; from the canopy of trees to the ferns and vines to the river, waterfalls, and lagoon it feels as if you are in a movie (which could be because Jurassic Park was filmed there). the there two different spots you can stop at, we however, not completely sure only went to the second spot which has a waterfall, lagoon, and rope swing. at first i was a bit nervous to tackle the rope swing, and especially because when we showed up there was a decent amount of people, but to our luck they are leaving shortly and for a bit we had it all to our selves. after i tired i didn’t want to leave. we had so much fun hanging out and taking pictures. when it was time to go we dried off and made our way back before the rain came or at least it looked like it was about to rain. somehow we managed getting a bit lost on the way going out and it took us a little longer to get back to the car, but we followed the field with grazing cows and returned to our rental car safe and sound.
Sleeping Giant: another fun hike for you and the family although towards the top i wouldn’t say is very kid friendly. near the top you are basically scaling and climbing up cliffsides. again, when we went it was an absolute slippery mess, but the view at the top was well worth it all. we spent a good amount of time at the top taking in the view and it was quite funny because we meet someone who traveled frequently to our hometown because his uncle i want to say owns one of the grocery stores in town. we also meet his sweet smiling pup!
Polynesian Drum and Firedancing class w/ Phil (thru Airbnb): 12/10 would highly recommend. truly such an enriching experience that i will never forget. Phil was so welcoming and encouraging throughout the whole process of the course. Phil shares his knowledge of the culture, experiences, and humor in a way that you feel as if you have known him for a long time. on top of teaching us Phil invited us all over for dinner (rice and the best kalua pork). you are darn right i had seconds too!
Ride the Rim Helicopter Tour: this was such a disappointment, and not because the tour is bad, but because we ended up not getting to go. unfortunately, the weather was not in our favor so when we went the first time our trip was cancelled even before we took the bus to the actual spot we would be leaving from. thankfully we were able to reschedule. when we went the second time we were so excited because we signed the paperwork, got weighed, took the bus over, hopped on the golf cart that would drive us over to the helicopter just as the propellers started to power off. our driver immediately turned us around and we got back off only to shortly find out that the weather once again had shifted and it would not be safe for us to fly. we were so bummed and we were leaving the next day. even though we have yet to experience the ride the rim helicopter tour ourselves i would still recommend. even from the people you were before us (those who had just finished their tour) were beaming from ear to ear smiling about the time they had. the views look amazing am sure it would be well worth every penny it costs.