<p>I promise you greenwitch, you didn’t miss a thing. Ugh! Was very hard to keep my mouth shut and not complain the entire time, and I’m a pretty hardy hiker.</p>
<p>That snorkeling sounds awesome, enough fish that you don’t even need a mask! Makes me want to go back…except my H would probably want to do the mud hike again.</p>
<p>Bumping this up
We are going in a few weeks. Staying at Hanalei colony resort on the North Shore.
Absolute must do?
Places to eat?</p>
<p>Kauai botanical gardens (Allerton Gardens) are a must for anyone who likes beautiful garden walks and leading about history:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60625-d131233-Reviews-Allerton_Garden-Poipu_Kauai_Hawaii.html”>http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60625-d131233-Reviews-Allerton_Garden-Poipu_Kauai_Hawaii.html</a></p>
<p>It is just around the corner from this place, so make dinner reservations for your trip back and enjoy the view of the sunset:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60625-d447643-r123852126-Beach_House_Restaurant-Poipu_Kauai_Hawaii.html”>http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60625-d447643-r123852126-Beach_House_Restaurant-Poipu_Kauai_Hawaii.html</a></p>
<p>Dolphin restaurant up there is very good. Heading back towards airport there is a dive burger place on the left. May be called Duane’s char Ono or something like that. It was very good. There is a 17 mile kayak trip of the Napali Coast, that is spectacular if you are in moderately good shape, but it may not start until June. Waimea Canyon is worth the drive if you’re into hiking. </p>
<p>Please report back once you discover must dos. We head back next February.</p>
<p>We’re going next Feb too. 4 days on Kauai and then 2 weeks on Maui. Haven’t been to Kauai in over 30 years. Looking for those reports, too. </p>
<p>I actually live on Kauai. Will try to post more later when I’m on an actual computer (tablet now). Post your questions and I’ll try to answer all tonight.</p>
<p>OK, I see two or three people/families who are coming to Kauai, one “in a few weeks” (so, our summer season), and one or two next February (winter). Just a few things, then if anyone has more questions I’ll be happy to answer.</p>
<p>First of all, it is correct that the bigger surf (and hence more difficult or dangerous swimming and snorkeling) is generally up north during the winter months, and down south during the summer. But you want to check the surf and ocean report every day, because swells can come out-of-season to any part of the island. Here’s the site we usually use: <a href=“Top 17 Things to Do on Kauai (2023 Guide) – Trips To Discover”>Top 17 Things to Do on Kauai (2023 Guide) – Trips To Discover; It will show general trends but is not perfectly accurate.</p>
<p>If the surf reported for a beach is “1-2 feet” or maybe even 1-3, and the visibility is “good”, you will probably be OK snorkeling and likely to see what is there to be seen. If it’s 3-5 or more, and vis is “fair” or “poor,” don’t bother. </p>
<p>Good snorkeling is often (all year round but especially winter) to be had at Poipu Beach Park. There are lots of fish there, especially if you swim out a bit (if you’re comfortable swimming in the ocean), but even in the super-shallow “baby beach” area, you can see cool things. There are eels and we’ve seen several octopi. In summer, if there are no north swells, Tunnels is my favorite, but Ke’e is good too )both northshore beaches). My sister is a marine biology teacher and she and I snorkel a lot (she also dives), so for more info on those activities let me know and I can give you the rundown. Gear can be rented from Seasport, Fathom Five, and many other places, but Seasport has the best snorkels (if they rent the good ones, I think they do if you ask.)</p>
<p>Many places now rent SUPs (Stand-Up Paddleboards), give lessons, etc. You can kayak on the Wailua or Hanalei rivers, or rent ocean kayaks at Poipu or in Hanalei. A popular trip (usually in summer) is to kayak down the Na Pali coast (the “no roads” part of the island). You should probably go with a group.</p>
<p>The blue-colored guidebooks (the “Revealed” series someone mentioned, but the Kauai one used to the called “The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook” instead of “Kauai Revealed” for some reason) are great. We even use them to find stuff to do, new hikes, etc. Another good thing to have is the “Ready Map Book of Kauai” which you can get at Ace Hardware, Longs Drugs and probably a few other places. GREAT map book of ALL roads on the island.</p>
<p>You’ll probably want to spend a day going to the Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park. That is where someone mentioned you can hike out to the Alakai Swamp, which is the highest-elevation swamp in the world. There are also lots of other nice hikes up there, or you can just picnic at the park. The canyon is just an overlook or two that you stop at on the way up to Kokee. If you drive all the way to the END of the road (PAST the first “overlook” at the top, all the way to the top), there is a GORGEOUS overlook over the Kalalau Valley. I think (IIRC) that is where you hike from to the swamp, also. MANY days it is ‘socked in’ with clouds, so if you get there and it’s not, you are lucky! I’ve been there about 3 times when the view was good (one time with rainbows - ooooh!) It’s definitely a whole-day trip from wherever you’re staying. The swamp hike is not always wet, but can be.</p>
<p>Some nice things to see on the south side are the cliffs at Mahaulepu (nice beach too, often are seals there), Spouting Horn, the Allerton Gardens.</p>
<p>It can be nice to stay on the east side (where I live, so I’m partial), because it’s not too long a drive to either the south side (Poipu) or the north side (Hanalei). The accommodations aren’t as ritzy as some available in Poipu or Hanalei/Princeville, but it’s convenient. On the east there are nice hikes (one to a falls called Hoopii is nice, or you can hike up Sleeping Giant (Nonou) Mountain to get awesome views), kayaking on the Wailua, Lydgate Park (nice beach and playgrounds for the kiddies).</p>
<p>Going up north from there, you might want to check out Queen’s Bath (only when the surf up north is CALM! Many people have drowned when they get swept out to sea from the rocks, when the surf is up), Hideaways Beach (a hike down a steep trail, don’t want to carry a cooler or lots of stuff there!), Ke’e Beach (the “end of the road”) and the Kalalau Trail (also a nice day hike in to Kalalau Beach and back), the dry and wet caves. If you want to go ziplining I’ve heard Princeville Ranch is the best place (I haven’t been there yet).</p>
<p>If you have 4 days, I’d suggest one day going up to Waimea, one day at the north side, one day at the south side, and one day of ‘whatever’. A sail along the Na Pali coast is definitely a good thing to do (we even went on one for our anniversary a couple of years ago, even though we live here!); you can do a day trip where you stop and snorkel, or a sunset trip. There is one company that sails from Waimea, it is a shorter trip along the “boring part” than the companies that sail from Port Allen. Some also come down from the north, I don’t know how that goes.</p>
<p>Port Allen (where many of the boats sail from) has a great chocolatier (yum!) and a brewpub, Kauai Island Brewing. If you like microbrews, though, don’t miss the Kauai Beer Company, which is located in downtown Lihue. Great beer and great people! They are currently open Wednesday through Saturday, 3-8, but will be expanding their hours and their menu soon. If you want to go there and would like a personal tour and introduction to the brewers, PM me and I’ll arrange it.</p>
<p>This is getting long so I’m going to do another post or two about restaurants, accommodations and other stuff.</p>
<p>Sweet beet- thank you.
Where would be the best place to buy a beach umbrella.
I like botanical gardens- is Allenton the one to see?
We live on the coast in Ca. H and I don’t agree on what we are looking for in a beach. I like calm, he prefers a bit more wave. He is just back in the water after neck surgery. He hasn’t yet got back up on a surfboard and I am hoping to keep it that way for a bit longer. </p>
<p>Kauai Restaurants.</p>
<p>Kauai Pasta is very good, reasonably priced. I prefer the Lihue location, but Kapaa is OK too.</p>
<p>For great Mexican, try Verde! on the east side. Y-U-M!</p>
<p>Olympic Cafe in Kapaa (east side) has great breakfasts, and a very broad menu of sandwiches, pasta, entrees, salads, wraps, etc. for lunch and dinner. One of our favorites for casual dining with or without kids.</p>
<p>The Kilauea Lighthouse Bistro is good. (I forgot to mention the Kilauea Lighthouse, and nearby hikes, in my last post. Definitely worth a stop a the lighthouse for great views, and there are some good shoreline hikes outlined in the blue guidebook in and near Kilauea.)</p>
<p>I haven’t eaten at many of the resort or more upscale restaurants, sorry. I have heard that Red Salt at the Koa Kea resort is very good. I’ve had decent meals at Keoki’s Paradise (south side) and the Hukilau Lanai (east side). We have a ‘Roy’s’ which I’m sure is good. Merriman’s (south side) is good.</p>
<p>Someone mentioned Duane’s Ono Char Burger. VERY GOOD burgers!!! WAY better than “Bubba’s” which is a big tourist thing but I think their burgers are terrible.</p>
<p>If you like Pho and don’t mind a TOTAL “hole in the wall”, Pho Kauai is in a shopping center on Rice Street in Lihue. Great Pho and super-cheap.</p>
<p>A lot of people love Hamura Saimin. It’s OK, a little salty for me but hey, it’s saimin. They do have an awesome Lilikoi Pie.</p>
<p>For pizza, Brick Oven has good, but expensive, pizza. They used to have an all-you-can-eat buffet on Thursday nights which was pretty good, not sure if they’re still doing that. Locations on the east side and in Kalaheo (nice place to stop on the way back from Waimea, though the Kauai Island brewpub in Port Allen is good for that too).</p>
<p>For nightlife (good luck!), there’s the Tahiti Nui in Hanalei, and Trees Lounge on the east side (behind the Coconut Marketplace, a “down and going” (opposite of “up and coming”) half-empty shopping center. </p>
<p>Oh, I forgot to mention that the Kauai Beer Company has this thing called “Food Truck Thursday” where they have 2 or 3 food trucks come and park outside the brewery. You can get food and then eat it with your beer, inside the brewpub or at their outside tables. Some of the food trucks are very good. There are a few of them that park in Kapaa (that ‘east side town’ someone mentioned) or a little farther north at Kealia Beach or in Anahola. The greek one (Little Greek Town, I think) has great gyros.</p>
<p>Accommodations.</p>
<p>Really depends on what you are looking for. I think a weekly vacation rental is the best deal, especially if you have more than 2-3 people (so would need two hotel rooms or more), and don’t mind doing some of your own cooking.</p>
<p>If I wanted to stay at a ‘tippy top’ resort, it’d be the Hyatt in Poipu. </p>
<p>If you have a question about a particular hotel or resort, ask and I’ll tell you what I know.</p>
<p>OK, what else would you like to know about Kauai? I’ve lived here for 6 years and love it. It’s a small enough island that I’ve been to most parts of it. I hike and snorkel a fair amount. Traffic, what things you can fit into a day, special requests (looking for a 25-yard lap pool? There’s a Y with a gorgeous pool that you can get a day pass to for $5. Looking for a place to do quilting while you visit? Got that too. Want to stay at a cute “bed and breakfast” way out in the country? The Kauai Museum? Need to rent oxygen or a scooter while you’re here?). Just ask and I’ll do my best. Aloha!!</p>
<p>Two things I forgot. Every Friday evening in Hanapepe (southside) they have an art fair, with street vendors and whatnot. Hanapepe has some nice galleries and shops. And, the first Saturday of every month they have a big street fair in Kapaa (east side). The Kapaa one is growing, last night there was an antique car show. there are always street musicians, craft vendors and stuff like that. I was there at about 5 pm yesterday and it was getting going.</p>
<p>I was in Kauai last June. Poipu park was great for snorkeling and swimming. Just to the left of Poipu there was another beach that was great for surfing. I can’t recall the name, but we really enjoyed this area as there was something for everyone.</p>
<p>We also stayed on the east side. Lots of casual resorts. I think we stayed at Kauai beach villas. The beach was beautiful but not swimable. We spent a few nights in the hotel and a week in a condo. Condo guests can use the hotel facilities or the condo facilities. It was nice to spend some down time having lunch at the pool or appetizers in the lounge at the hotel. </p>
<p>The place we rented snorkel equipment from also rented all sorts of beach stuff. With a one week rental you could get one free accessory. So with our 5 snorkel rentals we took 3 beach chairs and 2 boogie boards free! There is also a walmart on the island where you could buy any beach equipment you might need.</p>
<p>We did ALOT of hiking! And then more hiking! We kayaked and then hiked to Secret Falls (not very secret but a good warmup for hiking), then Alakai Swamp trail, then Kalalau trail. Bring lots of water and lunch to eat on the beach before the hike back. We also found a swimming hole with waterfall that was only being used by a few local kids! That also required a short, but very steep hike. We also did a snorkeling trip that involved riding up the Napali coast in a hard bottom raft. It was quite an adventure but probably not good for someone with recent back/neck surgery. </p>
<p>Olympic Cafe was great and had super huge portions. Brick Oven Pizza was also good. But our favorite find was Chicken in a Barrel…Amazing BBQ at a little roadside stand with mismatched outdoor tables and chairs.</p>