Kauai is the northernmost of the major Hawaiian Islands – and the most unspoilt. Kids love the gentle beaches here, and adults will appreciate the uncrowded, relaxed atmosphere by the water.
With its three navigable rivers, more than 80 kilometres of white-sand beaches, and mile-long list of adventures, Kauai is as much the island of family fun as it is the island of lush botanical gardens. Alighting from the plane is like arriving in old Hawai’i; a land of 1960s Elvis and luaus (traditional Hawaiian parties or feasts), hibiscus and hula.
How to get to Kauai - The Garden Isle
The flight to Kauai from Honolulu is remarkably quick. Twenty minutes in the air – just long enough for a complimentary drink – and you’re back on the ground. Flights arrive at Kauai’s main airport, Lihue Airport in the southeast corner.
On the island you’ll find everything from B&B’s to luxury resorts in the areas of North Shore (Princeville), East Side (Coconut Coast), Lihue (Kalapaki), South Shore (Poipu), and West Side (Waimea).
It’s a good idea to hire a car to get around Kauai. The map is foolproof – there is one main loop road on the island, so once you find that, you’re set.
Where to stay on Kauai with kids
There are good hotels if you want luxury, like the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay (formerly St. Regis Princeville Hotel) or the Sheraton Kauai Resort at Poipu Beach.
The entryway to the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa is magnificent. A sweeping traditional South Pacific-style portico leads into a cavernous foyer filled with elegant tropical flower arrangements, chandeliers and a selection of sitting areas, shops and the check-in desk. There are five pools – a saltwater lagoon, a kids’ play pool and an adults-only pool, plus two other lagoon-style pool, complete with waterfalls and slides. There are restaurants galore – poolside, sashimi, fine dining, casual, breakfast – you name it, it’s there.
If you’re bringing a family, another good choice is to rent a condo. You can find two and three-bedroom rentals all around the Princeville area from between $250 to $350 a night, most with small shared pools.
Things to do on Kauai with kids
The scenery of the island is captivating with its waterfalls, rusty red soil at Waimea Canyon, verdant hills and palm-fringed shores at Hanalei Bay and staggering cliffs along the Na Pali coast. Family activities and outings are seemingly numberless, from swimming and canoe riding to hikes along the shoreline, kayak or riverboat rides, or exploring the botanical garden.
Ziplining at Princeville Ranch Adventures
The ultimate thrill for families, is a unique way to see the island from the air. At Princeville Ranch Adventures, there are nine lines of varying lengths and heights that whizz through the treetops. Kids are clipped securely into their harnesses by the guide to go flying like a bird, looking down at verdant forests, streams and waterfalls, listening to birdsong and feeling the wind and sun. You can even zipline in tandem and take video and pictures of each other.
Waimea Canyon-Kōke‘e State Park
Canyon trails, waterfall trails, short streamside trails, challenging uphill trails, trails through a Sugi pine grove—it’s a hiker’s paradise in the Waimea Canyon-Kōke‘e State Park uplands of west Kaua‘i. At the Waimea Canyon lookout, you might hear the echo of distant bleating goats and glimpse a whitetailed tropicbird soaring overhead. On a clear day you’ll be rewarded with a fabulous view, but don’t count on the weather – as you’re not far from Mount Waialeale, one of the wettest spots on the planet, things can be a little unpredictable.
Kōke‘e Natural History Museum
At the Kōke‘e Natural History Museum, you can see owls, rare honeycreepers, and rare plant and wildlife up close and personal, and you can plan your adventure with the trail maps available at the museum.
Kalalau Valley Lookout
The road ends at the Kalalau Valley Lookout, towering over the spectacular valley of the ancients. Look up, too – rare red honeycreepers flit among the ‘ohi‘a trees and feed on lehua nectar with their delicately curved beaks.
Waimea Canyon cycling
For a unique wheeled adventure, you can cycle to the coast from Waimea Canyon rim, more than 3,000 feet high, in Kaua‘i’s version of the Tour de France. Children 12 and older are eligible for the downhill Waimea Canyon bicycle cruise, led by expert guides over panoramic views of Ni‘ihau and the island’s west coast.
Spouting Horn blowholes
A short drive up Lawaii Road to the west is Spouting Horn, a great spot to see geysers of sea water erupting as the pressure forces waves through holes in the igneous rock.
Gardens for all ages
Adults may prefer to visit the National Tropic Botanical Garden, slightly pricy adventure but worth it if you fancy yourself as an amateur botanist. Kids will probably prefer Na ‘Aina Kai Gardens on the North Shore, with a maze and other delights. Be sure to make tour reservations and check the garden opening times on the website.
Best beaches on Kauai
Worth checking out is Kalihiwai Bay (the eastern part), with its great shaded areas, small surf, and lack of intrusive visitors. For snorkelling, Tunnels Beach is the best choice for safe adventures with fascinating corals and fish (though parking can be difficult). Alternatively, Hanalei Bay is great for little kids and you can park almost at the water’s edge.
On the South Shore at Poipu you can find even more fish, and just below the Marriott’s rock wall frontage is an little-used but rewarding spot if you’re a confident snorkeler. The waves are gentler than on the north or eastern shores, especially in the winter, when those areas are likely to have heavy surf and a great deal of rain.
After this rocky stretch, there’s another sandy spread from the Kiauhuna Plantation to the Sheraton, not great for snorkelling but fine for sunbathing and swimming. Boogie boards, surfboards, fins and masks are available to rent nearby. In summer, a monk seal or two is likely to be sunning on the shore, and turtles also like to hang about here.
What to eat in Kauai
Shave ice, saimin, plate lunches, taro burgers, teriyaki beef sticks, pineapple and mango smoothies, lilikoi sorbet, coconut ice cream—there are taste treats throughout the Garden Isle.
Stop in Waimea for lunch at Island Taco and a shaved ice at Jo Jo’s. Shave ice, a magnet for kids, is an island institution, a mound of finely shaved ice topped with tropical syrups and sometimes paired with ice cream and sweetened azuki beans.
Saimin is the noodle soup that reaches its pinnacle in the small kitchens of this island. Plate lunches—rice, macaroni salad, and beef, chicken or fish in local-style preparations—are the dine-and-dash specialty for Islanders, a Hawai‘i signature available at diners and take-out counters around the island.
Living Foods at Kukui’ula Village serves a variety of fresh and healthy meals including ahi poke, fried Kauai shrimp and grilled local steak.
Enjoy the island’s roadside fruit stands, where fresh chilled coconut can be cracked and served for its cool, refreshing coconut water and freshly picked fruit is blended on the spot for smoothies. Old Koloa Town houses several eateries for a good selection, including a smoothie shop, as well as stores selling Hawaiian shirts and local knick-knacks.
More information
Content contributors: David Fleishhacker, Julie Mahoney, Elisa Elwin
Opening image: Mountain tubing with Kauai Backcountry Adventures
