The 49 best free things to do in Kauai

This was a great experience for my parents and I. The views were amazing, as were the trails.

I can only imagine the view on a rare and sunny day! I’ll definitely be back.

One of the most breathtaking views!!

Beautiful landscape, pretty good trails. Be aware of the new fee structure: $10 per car plus $5 per each person. Alternatively, if you're just going for the views, use some of the turnouts just before or after the lookout parking lot for almost identical views of the canyon. You can also park on the road in small pull outs close to the park entrance and avoid the $10 car fee. Careful when crossing the road.

You have to see it!!

Amazing.

(Translated by Google) Amazing view! I recommend this over the Kalalau Viewpoint further ahead. (Original) 素晴らしい景色！ ずーっと先のKalalauビューポイントより、こっちの方がお薦め。

Fabulous attraction in Kauai, a magnificent view of water spouting from lava rocks with a horn sound! Joy to watch nature’s wonderful scene.

Our flight didn’t leave until 2100 hours so we decided to see a few sights we hadn’t gotten a chance to see and the Spouting Horn was one of them. It wasn’t exactly what we were expecting but it was fun to see. Just so happen a tour bus arrived there the same time we did, so we had to wait to get as close as you can to the spouting horn. But even with the tour bus there were not too many people. You do have to stand on a cement platform with a metal pole fence around it so you can’t get too close to it. There also were public restrooms at the location.

This is something that if you have time. If you're in the area, see it. If you're not in the area then don't do a big drive for it. Because the original spouting horn no longer exists and it's a newer one that doesn't spit up as high or often.

Very cool little spot with great views of the spouting horn blow hole. Really fun to watch and a free activity.

Nice short stop on Kauai. Enjoy the view and the sound this blowhole makes.

Great view of the ocean and a solid spot for whale watching so bring your binoculars. Also fun seeing/hearing the oceans crash into the horn and creating a rainbow. Plenty of space to sight see and watch the sunset as well. Public restrooms available, and plenty of parking available.

This is a must see if you've got a car you're driving around the islands to see the famous spots waterfalls caves or whatnot. Definitely go though during high tides you can have the best show of the global. Went in the mid-afternoon and we had some pretty good photos we took. Don't forget to look off the right side also for the waves come in it crashes beautifully all night crusted shore. See my photos and videos of both of them.😍🤩

Beautiful waterfalls and no hiking required! If you’re on a chill day after a bunch of adventures like we were, it’s perfect. You literally pull right up to it and park 50 ft away. Beautiful scenic view

Beautiful fall but the views were a bit obstructed due to shrubbery etc. Still enjoyed seeing it but recommended going early as there is little parking and got crowded quick.

Looking for something to see when Kauai? Wailua Falls is one of the best place to see. This place is easy to get to because it is a drive up waterfall. There is parking available and a view for you to look over and see the beautiful view. I wouldn’t recommend walking down because it is unsafe. This is a must see when visiting Kauai. Great for those who are handicapped, cannot hike or with families.

No hiking trail, you can park and just walk up to it. Pretty cool to see! I went around 4-5pm during the weekday and there was a bunch of parking.

Pretty but hard to see from the lookout. Long drive for a roadside view. The drive was very very pretty. A fence blocked the trail going down to the bottom, with signs stating that the ground was unstable. We went there to go to the bottom of the falls, so that was disappointing. Only recommend if you’re looking for something to pass the time.

The Falls themselves are beautiful, but are a little bit hard to see. The parking lot at the end of the drive is very small and it's a one-way in / out. It takes a little bit of automotive gymnastics to get cars in and out

Rainbow 🌈 falls - beautiful view of the falls with the rainbow. Need to improve the access road - it’s narrow with sharp curves and not enough parking space for visitors at the falls.

First off, you need a reservation. I saw nothing about that in anything I read leading up to the trip, but when we arrived, the ticket taker asked what name our reservation was under. She said they've required reservations for a long time. I told her this was the one and only day we had to come and she said Well, it's slow today, you can go in. The cost was 10.00 per person and there was a lot of parking available. It was a decent walk uphill to get to the lighthouse, but the place was basically deserted so it was very easy to take pictures without people spoiling the shot. The views are absolutely spectacular. They have a nice gift shop and we saw several baby birds napping in the strangest places. The birds in this refuge apparently just lay their eggs wherever they happen to be and raise their kids right there beside paths, in planters, beside a rock.... it was nuts.

The lighthouse is closed, which is a bummer. But you can see a ton of birds, and they have binoculars you can use. There isn't potable water, so bring your own. The bathrooms are nice though, the employees at the gift shop are very friendly and well-informed. As you walk along the path, look in the little holes. Those are nests and they may have fluffy babies in them! That was the best part.

What a wonderful experience to have in your calendar. Plan ahead about 6 weeks to get your entrance time. Visit the lighthouse, watch the red footed boobies and albatross. The various birds lay their eggs in the nest along the sidewalk. The babies just lay there while you pass by since there are no natural predators. Visit the gift shop and enjoy the day.

We visited the Kilauea lighthouse & the National Wildlife Refuge on May 31, 2025 and it’s open!! The lighthouse itself is closed but you can stick your head in the door to see the staircase. Lots of great photo opportunities from this location! Lots of volunteers to answer your questions. You will learn all about the birds in this area because it’s truly a wildlife refuge built to protect them. It seems you should book a parking space but we were able to get in without a reservation because their staff is very accommodating. It may cost $10 but we got in free the day we visited. Stop into the 2nd visitor center (next to the lighthouse) to learn more about the wildlife refuge and the lighthouse. They also have a gift shop/visitor center with some good trinkets. And the gift shop is where the restrooms are located — this building is to your left as soon as you enter the park. The views of the surrounding areas are worth a visit to this site!!

No access to the lighthouse. No access to much at all! Some interpretive signs and video but mostly keep out signs. Okay view. Not worth $10 each entry fee. The view is just as good (maybe better) from the upper outlook. Or, take in dramatic views of the lighthouse, cliff, and wildlife sanctuary island from the nearby not-so-secret “Secret Beach.”

Spectacular wildlife sanctuary with a bonus lighthouse thrown in for good measure! $10 entry fee to parking lot then a short paved walk to the visitor center and then on to the lighthouse area. There are multiple mounted binoculars and telescopes so you can take a closer look at the wild birds that cover the cliffs. In peak season you may want to pre-book your tickets online to ensure entrance.

Best views of beautiful blue water and coastline. Great for taking impressive photos. A must see.

Absolutely 💯 stunning views. Great beach to swim in. You can watch the weather change as it goes through the hills around you. Walk out to the end of the pier and jump in the water for a little extra fun.

Beautiful beach with soft sand and nice waves to learn how to surf. Also a really nice place to take photos with stunning sunsets

Iconic, famous, loved…all perfectly appropriate descriptions of Hanalei Bay. If you are visiting Kuai you NEED to spend a day enjoying this bay, its beach, and the town. You’ll experience a stunning scenery never forgotten that will rival any other beach experience in your life! There is a nearby air strip that adds planes to the back drop of the bay. They land and take off on the eastern side of the bay and fly across the outer portion of the bay just above the ocean. There are numerous anchored sailboats that give a nice boating backdrop to what you see looking into the bay. There is a pier for fishing and jumping into the bay. There is also a river inlet along the eastern side of the bay with full access into the bay/ocean. Weather may impact what you see, but it won’t impact it for long. Clouds rolling along the Na Pali mountain line tend to cause showers, but usually they are short lived, and mostly often add a unique appearance to the scenery of the bay as they roll along low to the ground. The mountains themselves are unique in their position along the backdrop of the town and the bay to the western side. They are the start of the Na Pali coast and worthy of playing a starring role in the scenery of this bay. All of these experiences don’t even mention the beach and the water itself. The sand is soft, the waves range from beginner level to more advanced depending on the sea. Everyone will enjoy the Hanalei Bay beach because it offers something for everyone. Experience this bay for yourself, you won’t regret making the time for it!

Softest sand on the island. A great beach to learn how to surf because the waves are smaller, and the water doesn’t get that deep. We love coming here for sunsets. Simply beautiful.

Lovely place for relaxing on the beach, learning to surf, or kayak up the river! We rented a kayak and spent a good 3 hours going up and down that river next to the Bay. Should have turned back sooner because we were exhausted by the end but it was a fantastic experience!

Hanalei Bay is one of Kauai’s true wonders. It’s a beautiful drive to get to this huge bay nearly two miles in length. The Bay is surrounded by iconic, lush and green mountains and you’ll be able to clearly see waterfalls if there was recent rain activity. The ocean here is typically calm and flat, especially in the summer. Winter is really the only suitable time to surf, by the pier especially for beginners. There may be times where you can boogie board, and it’s excellent for SUP. It’s not known for its snorkeling because the water can be cloudy at times and there’s not much reef to see. Plenty of parking options line the bay, though I think black pot parking lot is best because there will more than likely be space and you’ll get the best views of the mountains. Hanalei also has the pier that you can walk down and also jump off into the water. There are showers and bathrooms as well! Hanalei Bay is a Kauai gem.

Beautiful beach, great for relaxing, with a truly golden sand, and cristal water. The beach is very nice and clean, also huge and probably the most important thing, it’s very close to Hanalei town, so you can take advantage of that if suddenly you need something to eat. Love this beach.

This beach is STUNNING. It’s the prettiest beach we went to on Kauai. The views are gorgeous, the sand is nice, and the snorkeling was incredible. We saw SO many fish of different varieties and sizes!

This is really good place for snorkeling but had a lot of rock. Quite depth beach but you can see a lot of fishes and corals. Very clean.

Awesome beach. Fantastic snorkeling. Nice shade trees along the beach. Tunnels parking is very limited. We parked at Haena Beach which is only a short walk to Tunnels along the beach. Haena has bathrooms, outdoor showers, and more parking. You still need to get there early, before 8 am to get a parking spot. Wet cave nearby is also very cool.

This is a MUST DO in Kauai! We had absolutely no idea this beach was tucked back here. There is a beautiful reef on the shore you can snorkel around in. We saw dozens of species of tropical fish and even a sea turtle and eels! The sand was soft, the water was warm, and the scenery was gorgeous. If you only have time for one beach in Kauai, make it this one. You will not regret it. This was an unforgettable experience and I wish we had discovered this beach earlier in our trip. Bring snorkel gear, trust me, you will want it.

Really pretty! Small waves, saw turtles. Caution: the reef was very high (close to the water surface) to swim out over, be careful not to cut yourself

Truly the best spot in Kauai (especially in summer) for snorkeling! The reef is amazingly close to shore, making it easy to see a stunning variety of marine life. I spotted so many turtles—it felt magical. Parking can be a bit tricky, but I learned from a local that there’s additional parking if you continue down the road. Absolutely worth the effort once you get in the water

My favorite beach with stunning sunset. Also saw a sleeping seal here and double rainbow

We saw incredible turtles around noon time. The beach was a small sand strip and highly overcrowded on both the sand and the water as being a popular destination. Parking was good but there was no place to seat in quiet moment to observe these wonderful turtles.

It’s very popular but for good reason. Parking can fill up at sunset, so get there ahead of time. We swam for an hour or two then grabbed dinner then came back for the turtles. Pretty good sunsets over here too! If you want to beat the line up be ready to move once the sun goes down!

A must-see at both daytime and evening. The evening time is to see the Hawaiian green sea turtles that come up on the beach to take a snooze. It is so cool to watch them come out of the water and take a snooze.

Loved this beach, visited on 3 different occasions during our trip. Beautiful sunsets amazing wildlife, snorkeling is super nice there and huge turtle families come out on the beach in the evenings (we saw some everyday we came) also a monk seal resting just by that beach (saw on 2 occasions). Really nice spot!!

Snorkeling with Hawaiian Green turtles and amazing fish!! At night over 100 turtles sleep on the beach. During the day several turtles hang out on the beach to rest and might swim by you at any time.

Beautiful location. Lots of turtles. Great spot for snorkeling. Not a great swimming beach. Very rocky bottom. Bring sturdy swim shoes. The chicken picture is not photoshopped.

Was too crowded but overall good. Recommend to wear swimming shoes while snorkeling since it has too many rocks. Saw two huge turtles resting on the beach.

Lovely beach! Lots of sandy areas, and calm enough to swim and snorkel. If you go out far enough there are some good surfing spots. Lots of turtles and monk seals which are always nice to see, just keep your distance. The beach was pretty crowded and definitely touristy, but it was pretty pleasant overall.

This is the beach we enjoyed most on Kauai’s South Shore. It has several things to recommend it — a curving beach that is partially protected by a reef, so when the wind is calm, it’s a lovely place both to swim and especially to snorkel. We saw turtles, eels, butterfly fish, parrotfish, Sergeant Majors, and a slew of others. Poipu also has an area where green sea turtles crawl up on the beach to rest each night. A big crowd gathers before sunrise and cheers each time another one emerges from the surf. There are also occasional monk seals that rest here. There are vigilant lifeguards on duty to make sure swimmers and snorkelers are safe. Do be aware that when the wind rises and the surf is rough, being in the water is neither as safe nor as enjoyable. Please listen carefully to lifeguard announcements. There are beachside showers wash off the sand and salt, as well as restrooms.

Poipu beach was such an incredible experience. We were lucky enough to see a green sea turtle come to the beach and rest. The waves were mild but the rip was on the more intense side. The lifeguards were very attentive and had a megaphone. They were able to communicate concerns to the entire beach.

I counted 20 sea turtles on the beach in front of Brenakke's last night. So cool to see them come onto shore for the evening. Everyone was very respectful.

Come during the day to swim with the turtles, come at night to see them sleeping on the beach! During our time here we were able to see so many turtles and even a couple monk seals! Even if you only have a couple hours, bring your snorkel gear and jump in!

Great place to snorkel! You will always see turtles. Huge variety of tropical fish. Lifeguards on duty. Bathrooms. Places to eat. Decent parking situation. Definitely a must see.

We loved getting to see turtles and snorkel here! It’s right across the street from Puka Dog’s, which makes for a great after beach meal 🤙

This is a pretty cool beach, especially if you come with young kids. We visited it on our last day so we didn't actually get to swim in it, but several people were snorkeling and the water was very calm. There are 2 separate swimming areas that are kind of blocked off from waves as you can see in the pictures. Of, course some waves come over the rocks, but nothing crazy. Definitely a good beach to check out just to see or if you are looking for calm waters. You can see in the pictures and video, outside of the "designated" swimming areas you would not want to swim as there is tons of drift wood everywhere and lots of rocks.

The most perfect beach for kids who do not want to get into rough waters, with man-made designated pods for kids to still enjoy the waves and a less rocky floor. Bathrooms and showers are available, but parking can be difficult during peak hours. The sunset isn't really beautiful from here.

We absolutely loved this beach due to the rock barrier. There were so many fish swimming in here that it was amazing. The water was calm, even when the ocean was rough there were shade and benches plenty of picnic tables, nice bathrooms, and showers and lifeguards on duty.

Amazing beach. Perfect for families with little kids. This beach offers 2 ponds/sections; one for smaller kids with shallow water and the larger section for everyone else. Not too deep. Perfect area for snorkeling and spending a day by the beach.

This beach is perfect for kids and novice snorkelers. There is a wall around an area of water that protects it from the waves. It's safe and calm. The snorkeling isn't full of the most bright and colorful fish, but there are lots of fish there in the protected area and the water is clear and clean. There are picnic tables and places to shower off. There's also lots of shade. It's a great place for families to hang out and enjoy the water.

This is a nice beach park with all the amenities, and some protected pools for snorkeling and seeing many fish. It is peaceful to walk here, and the park provides showers, lots of parking, picnicking, a playground, and lots of parking anywhere.

Lydgate Beach Park is an amazing park that has a little bit for everyone! My wife and I walked to it from Kapa'a (~45 minute walk). The park itself has a great walking path from one end to the other. At the north end, there is a bridge for keiki to play on, as well as awesome camp grounds with picnic tables. Midway, there is a disc golf course for those looking to throw some discs. At the south end there is a huge park for keiki to play on, as well as an amazing enclosed lagoon to swim in.

Scenic hiking trail that offers gorgeous coastal views, mixed in with views of the beautiful Poipu golf course. Moderate exercise level with some hills, with little to no shade for most of the 2-hour round trip hike. There are several side trails that can be confusing, but just follow the coast and you won’t get lost. Easiest starting point is to park in the lot at Shipwreck Beach.

My favorite hike. Choose your adventure/path. Go as far as you want, choose your pace, and take in the views.

Amazing trail along the sea. You can watch the huge waves and the view of the rocks. The wind blows here, which refreshes you beautifully. It's a long trail, you can choose how far you go. It's an easy walk. Plenty of parking on the driveway (Ainako stret).

Loves it. Easy trail along the coast. Stunning views all the way. It does get very windy, but isn't an issue.

Insanely beautiful trail the whole way out. Underrated. Stay closer to the shoreline (respect the holy places and the ocean of course) for awesome views the whole way. I rated this hike as moderate because that means that you're taking some dicey steps sometimes (you wouldn't want to need a cane to walk in these spots). There is a sandy trail that avoids all of that, but definitely shove yourself out to the shoreline to see it in all of it's glory. Enjoy the tidepools if safe to do so. We saw a turtle surfing out on our way back too. Amazing wildflowers and wildlife. We saw Nene on the golf course and seabirds in the skies.

A real hidden gem on kaua'i. Easy hike along the south coast with stunning scenery. Best in the morning or around sunset.

Beautiful along the coast. Breathtaking views of the rocks and ocean!

Lots of pull offs on the way up with some spectacular views. Park has three view points and some hiking trails. Note some people weren't paying. Pay to park $10 then pay $5 per visitor. If your not hiking stop is less then ten minutes. Bathrooms on site

Parking is easy and the drive here isn't too long. The view is amazing, similar to the Grand Canyon but with more colors. The only thing we didn't like was how each person is charged extra $5 on top of the $10/car. I wish they would just charge once per vehicle.

Very lovely state park, up high in the mountains with spectacular views of the canyon and Napali Coast. It is a two lane road up to the summit making it a fairly easy drive if you stay in the speed limit. The Koke’e Lodge restaurant and Museum is near the top in a grassy meadow. They lodge has a full restaurant and bar with an adjoining gift shop. The museum has good coverage of the park history and local wildlife. Lots of available hiking trails but both the Waimea Canyon Overlook and the overlook at the very end of the road were closed for what must be repairs. This was a disappointment. Have fun on your visit

Absolutely stunning views! Photos don’t do it justice. The colors of the canyon are incredible, and the drive up is beautiful too. A must-see on Kaua’i.

Really not what I expected as far as seeing the canyon. Maybe we didn’t drive far enough, but we stopped on the side of the road. Walk through the jungle and got some photos.

Beautiful canyon, the drive though was not my favorite would much prefer to hike around but not many options. You have to pay car entrance fee and per person at certain locations in the park? Should be a park entrance fee period.

Nice trails, great views. Lots of driving to get to each spot! So don't get dropped off here unless you have one specific hike in your plans. Otherwise it takes a few hours to drive to each look out. The parking and ticket purchasing system is easy and straightforward. Just be patient if there isn't a spot, a lot of people park, take a pic, then drive off to the next spot. We hiked the canyon rim trail to the waterfalls area. Mind the signs as they do serve as a good warning that some of the waterfall lookouts are on several hundred foot tall ledges. So keep your kids on a short leash!

Wailua River State Park is a must see when visiting Kauai. It is an absolute gem of beauty and wonder that is one of the most photogenic places within the island chain. You will see resemblance views from movie scenes of past. Adjacent to your visit should be the Smith Family Luau as well.

So much rain. Beautiful area. Tour was very quick once we got to the fern grotto, as we were getting soaked. Dancers and songs on boat were wonderful.

Lovely place to take kayak or SUP out, challenging in some areas, overall beautiful, lush, tranquil

Beautiful area! Nice homes to live in further up the area. Cool area to drive around and check out!

This park has a great view of the waterfalls and the river. Scenic overlook worth stoping and getting a good picture. It was not crowded today and the weather was beautiful.

Very beautiful area with lots to see

View of waterfall at top level. Be smart, be respectful, don't stand on the wall to take a picture. Saw two different people do this while we were there last time. It is not safe!!! Enjoy the view as it is intended.

Loved that this shopping area was so close to our condo! Lots of gift shops and restaurants and a grocer with all sorts of ready food and gifts. They also offer a free Hula show on certain days.

Nice shopping area! There's a bunch of restaurants and souvenir shops, and even a grocery store market. It's a beautiful area and well maintained, and there's a lot of parking throughout. Great place overall, and we found some good souvenirs here while looking around.

We stayed in an Airbnb close to Lae Nani Beach. Coconut Marketplace is fantastic. Shopping, restaurants, a convenience store. We at dinner here at 3 different places here including at the ABC store. Thursday they had a farmer's market.

The ABC store here is the best! Bigger and cleaner than the others. Nice selection of cheap food that's good quality! I loved the Musubi here and the Malasaka. So delicious!

Great local produce, friendly vendors.

An open air marketplace with shopping for everyone. It’s a lovely place to spend an hour or two looking for those special trip souvenirs. Stay a bit longer for coffee or to grab a bite to eat.

Definitely a great spot to stop. Plenty of great restaurants, cute shops for souvenirs, and even has a market with great Hawaiian products to try (recommend the Malasadas there- there were a few flavors which of course we had to try all). Delish! Some shops are definitely more expensive than others for souvenirs so recommend shopping around before purchasing. Overall Very clean and well maintained. Restrooms available. Even had free hula show. Great way to pass time before heading back on plane.

Their coffee is to die for. The aroma abounds around you at the Plantation. They also features some great pastries and yummy ice cream! Don't miss tasting all the flavors they have to offer and take home some beans to grind, like we did. Thank you, John & Karen D. (San Marcos, Ca USA)

The best coffee ever!!! We stopped by for vanilla iced coffee every single day that we could. It's that good. We also bought some to take home. The gift shop is very cute as well. The views from the back deck are breathtaking. Can't wait to go back.

Such a quick and fun stop for coffee lovers. I can confidently say our kids would have been bored to tears but my husband and I loved walking the grounds, tasting all of the coffee varieties and of course, spending too much money in the shop. Totally worth it though and they shipped our goodies home for free!

Kauai Coffee is a delicious, scenic, ethical place in the middle of paradise. We loved it so much that we visited twice (and we didn’t even stay on the South side of the island!). The self-guided tour and one-room museum are both worth it, and I highly suggest sampling the various coffee flavors offered at the patio. This is a must-visit for coffee lovers and non-coffee people alike.

This was an amazing visit... because I love coffee (self proclaimed coffee snob). The establishment was very clean, staff was attentive and friendly, the prices were average (but you get it cheaper if you're kama Aina me me me), the coffee samples were FRIKIN awesome. Drink as much as you want. I purchased a $60 bag of bourbon barrel Aged whole bean micro batch coffee ) they don't sell it anywhere but here on kauai). This coffee slaps you in the face with the sweet, smooth, caramel, vanilla, oaky char smell before you even take a sip. The taste is SURREAL. I highly recommend a trip to the Kauai Coffee company on Kauai if you enjoy coffee.

We took the tour and so glad we did! Genny was our guide and Edgar was our driver, and they were awesome! I learned so much about coffee (and I thought I knew a lot before but I had no idea)! One hour tour in an open air vehicle, no walking but you do have to walk up about 4-5 steps to get in (they have have accommodations but I'm not sure), but once you're in sit back and relax (a few bumps but not strenuous). Even my kids (12 and 15) thought it was cool. Beautiful views and loved seeing how my favorite beverage is made! Try the coffee ice cream after (there are other flavors too if you don't like coffee or for kids), and the blended iced coffee was delicious! Get your kids a iced mocha and they'll run back to your hotel all on their own lol!

Good drinks, free coffee samples, and a nice gift shop. They do tours too and have photo ops placed throughout the area. Nice spot

Totally worth the short hike ( 0.8 Mile Round Trip ) to enjoy the scenery and crystal clear queens bath. Parking is tight so you might want to get there between 7 and 7:30 am to make sure you don’t have to wait for a spot. Water flows in from the sea into the bath/pool. A few spots to jump into the pool. We were told it gets scary and not safe for kids but second pool felt very safe. I could see it being the case if you swim in the first spot with the waterfall as it is open to the sea.

Queen’s Bath is one of Kauai’s most fascinating and picturesque natural spots — a lava rock tide pool with crystal-clear water and incredible ocean views. The short trail down (about 0.8 miles round trip) can be muddy and slippery, especially after rain, so wear good shoes and take your time. The setting is stunning, but conditions can be very dangerous during high surf or winter months — waves can crash unexpectedly over the rocks. Always check the surf report before going and avoid entering the water when seas are rough. On calm days, it’s absolutely beautiful — a peaceful spot to sit, watch the waves, and enjoy one of Kauai’s most unique coastal landscapes. 🌊🌴☀️

Only for the brave. People have lost their lives here, so take this one seriously. The hike in is no joke — steep, muddy, and not for beginners. If it’s raining or you’re not experienced hiking on this island, wait for a dry day. Always check the tides — the water here moves fast, and those pools can fill up in seconds. But when it’s calm and the weather’s perfect, it’s pure magic — one of the most breathtaking experiences you’ll ever have. The hike in and out is intense but so worth it. Pro tip: Teva sandals are a must on the island — perfect grip, quick-drying, and they’ll get you through even the muddiest trails. 🌿🌊

There is a lot of differing information online about this place. First, the trail down to the bath takes about 10 minutes. I saw some places say a much as 25 minutes. I have a bad knee and I am not a hiker of any sort. Second, the area is not closed, or at least it wasn't in August of 2025. It is a stunningly beautiful area and WELL worth the drive from anywhere on the island. It's about an hour from Koloa and Poipu Beach, and 5-7 minutes from Halanei Bay and Pier. We did so much on the island and saw all the major spots. Because of concerns about crowds and parking, we almost didn't go to the North Shore. I'm so glad we did. Hanalei Bay and Queen's Bath were the highlights of the island for us.

must visit if you’re in Kauai. we parked in the neighborhood and it can be quite a wait for parking as there’s only a few spots. but it’s very worth it. it’s a small hike down, maybe 15 or so minutes. be prepared to get muddy if it’s rained recently and watch your footing. the views are incredible though and anytime we have visitors we take them there

Get there early! There are a total of 12 parking spots. We got there at 7:30 am and there were 2 spots left. It is a short hike to Queens bath but it is uneven ground so make sure you are able to hike. Go during low tide so you can swim in the bath. There were a ton of turtles in the ocean. This really is a must see.

One of the highlights of Kauai! There is a small parking lot and it’s worth waiting for a parking spot. The hike takes 10-15 minutes, you see two small waterfalls, and then you get gorgeous views of the ocean and lava rocks. The water creates these pools that you can swim in. Some of them are big and some are small. We even saw some teens jumping off the cliffs and into the deeper pools. Absolutely incredible and would highly recommend!!!

Beautiful serene place. Well worth the stop, even if you’re not Hindu. We did a walking tour and were able to see a service, I think it’s called a Puja. Amazing temple carved from granite. The grounds were lush and green with a river and waterfall.

Visiting the Kaua’i Hindu Monastery was one of the most unique and peaceful experiences I have had in Hawaii. Nestled along the Wailua River and surrounded by lush greenery, the temple feels like stepping into another world, a place where nature, spirituality & architecture blend seamlessly. The monastery grounds are beautifully maintained, with meditation gardens, banyan trees and quiet spots that invite reflection. The highlight is the Iraivan Temple, an intricately hand-carved granite temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Knowing that every piece was carved in India and shipped here adds to the sense of wonder and devotion behind the project. What really stood out to me was the atmosphere of serenity. Even though it’s open to visitors, it never feels crowded or touristy. it’s very much a living monastery, with monks who welcome you warmly but encourage mindfulness and respect. It’s not just a sightseeing stop; it’s a genuine spiritual sanctuary. If you are on Kaua’i and want something beyond beaches and hikes, this is a must-visit. Whether or not you practice Hinduism, the peace and beauty of this temple will stay with you. 🌿🙏

Absolutely beautiful. A sacred peek into one of the worlds largest religions. The land is peaceful and calming. I loved the sacred forest and the bamboo pathway. Signage educates and guides visitors about the simple tenants of the faith and is respectful. This is a spectacular sanctuary for any visitor. The symbolism helped me self reflect in my own self mastery. I loved the meditation tree. Incredible. The temple is only open 9-12. Donations are recommended. The Forrest and the bamboo path are open 8-4. You can register in advance to enter the temple, but there is no cost.

Visiting the Kauai Hindu Monastery was a peaceful and meaningful experience. The grounds are absolutely beautiful lush, serene, and filled with a deep sense of spirituality. It’s a place that invites quiet reflection and gratitude. I spent some time reciting mantras and journaling in the environment. I met a magical human being ❤️. I felt very welcomed during my visit. Whether you go for the stunning temple architecture, the natural surroundings, or simply to experience the tranquil atmosphere, it’s truly a special place.

Probably the best place on the whole island. Very peaceful and magical experience. So sacred and divine. We took the tour and went further down into the Irivan temple.

OM Namah Shivaya. From here to eternity ……Shiva’s Mandir/Temple with the Banyan Tree, greenery, Murthis in the garden, and the Wailua river in background is blissful, serene and transcendental. The Rudraksha Forest is one of its kind with Maruti carrying a replica of Iraivan Temple. Meditating under the Banyan tree was an experience filled with peace and a state of mindfulness. A shrine for religious fervor and spiritual elevation. Need reservation for Darshan inside sanctum Santorum.

A must see if you are visiting Kauai. Very peaceful and quiet. Located in 300 acres of paradise.

This is a beautiful stretch of road, lined on both sides by high, arching trees that create a stunning tree tunnel for about half a mile. There's no designated parking, only the side of the road, so be careful if you pull over as it's a busy area. It's truly beautiful to drive through.

Our favorite ride in Kauai! All naturally occurring and wonderful regardless of day or night. Definitely worth the drive, not only to enjoy the minute it takes to get through the scenery, but also if you’re going to Koloa, it’s a direct way to get there! Note that there are no pull-offs or scenic spots during the ride. You have to keep moving through this ride. The speed limit is 25 mph so stay on the speed limit and enjoy it while you can.

Great views, cool to drive through, but wouldn’t drive more than 20 minutes out of the way.

Had to do it. One of those touristy things that's "On the list". Just so happened to be on the road we needed to get to a beach we were looking for. Very nice distance of tree canopies covering the roadway. No place to stop and take photos even if there was not lots of traffic using the road.

You're driving and then all of a sudden you're surrounded by trees in a tunnel-like fashion. It's surreal, but not worth pulling over to the side of the road to take pictures. Don't go out of your way to visit this site. You'll probably go through it anyway to get to the southern part of the island.

Cool if this is on your way to something else, but don’t recommend going out of your way for it.

Really cool to drive through the tree tunnel on the way to Poipu! You can’t miss it. It’s such a long strip of trees that basically touch all the way along. Note: It’s free. But there is nowhere to stop for photos, (would be dangerous to do that), so the person who isn’t driving can take the photos.

Hiked the 11 miles all the way back to the beach. Hike was a little difficult but so worth it. The beach at the end was so pretty. We camped for 2 nights there and then hiked out. There is a water pump down there with fresh water.

We took 15 family members on the hike from Ke’e beach on the Kalalua trail, on a four mile in and back trail. This breathtaking trail took us up and down, with 1200 feet of elevation gain. The views were unmatched. The climb was challenging but so rewarding. I wouldn’t recommend small children coming, if they can’t walk it, they can’t come. No kids in carriers are allowed. I brought my walking sticks and it was especially helpful on the steep decent down. We had a few elderly and young toddlers with us who enjoyed staying at the beach while we hiked. ADA accommodations were made for parking close to the beach. 10/10

The most gorgeous place, it’s a Do Not Miss! Sea lions spinner dolphins sea turtles and beautiful snorkeling. Zodiac tour was the best way to experience this!

One of the most beautiful views on the planet! It’s a good hour drive/2 hours up the mountain with many a winding turn, but well worth it! (Be prepared to pay $10/ car, plus $5/person.)

Amazing view of NaPali Coast: This is an all-in one Nature’s beautiful package of blue water, splashing waves, magnificent and colorful lava rock mountains, beautiful green cliffs and wedges, mysterious caves, dancing and curvaceous falls. It was a great experience.

Difficult trail with steep sections, (slippery sometimes) roots, rocks, and streams. Great overlooks for the first two miles to a beautiful beach. This beach (at the end of the hike) is the most dangerous on Kauai. Continue the hike inland for two more uphill miles to a great waterfall with swimming available. Start the hike at 7am to get back for the last shuttle. Assume about 1 mile per hour even if you're a strong hiker.

Such a beautiful place. We've hiked it. We boated around it. We swam in the oceans and scuba dived. It's incredible.

Love Hanapepe Art Walk, all shops open,addtional food and art vendors come town, music and ist just fun for an evening eat, browse meet new people support the Artists. Good times for sure

Great art shops, good food. Hippie Style feeling. Eat early as the good stuff runs out by the end of the market. The art shops are great and you can see art you might have not seen before. If you like LILO and Stitch or have children with you there are several places where you can take pics that refer to the movie. It was a nice evening well spent.

Not as many vendors as I am used to when I am home, but it was a nice way to spend a couple of hours on a Friday night. The local artisans had some nice pieces for sale. We bought a beautiful hand carved wooden drum from one of them. The food smell delicious, but we had already eaten. I recommend going there with an appetite.

Most of the shops are closed. Some food vendors are here. Parking is a nightmare. There is almost no place to sit. I was asked to move just sitting on an unused step. There are no bathrooms. Hawaii has interesting health codes. One is that restaurants don't have to provide restrooms unless they serve alcohol. Gross, huh? A honeybucket (see photo) really is your only option in Hanapepe.

cute little town, lots of art galleries you can walk into and food trucks all around! good vibes. tried poi balls (deep fried mochi balls) and japanese grandma nearby.

If you’ve got time to spare on the western part of the island, come check it out. Only one fruit vendor, a few live musicians, truly mediocre food with glacially slow service. There ARE some very talented artists here displaying their wares here which made the whole thing worthwhile for us.

The art and vibe here is amazing. We really enjoyed ourselves. Yes, there’s a wide variety of food presented for everyone however, be mindful that food is an art form as well. I really loved the art crystals and pieces here, especially from sister goodies!

Good shopping center. The burning 🔥 lets off a propane smell. Not as busy accept for the Thai restaurant, it was packed. Okay selections. Decent parking.

Many new shops and restaurants over the last few years. Some old favorites are gone (such as the toy store), but many are still there (Whalers and the gelato shop). Many places are short-staffed, so be patient and kind to the staff - you're rich enough to go on vacation, they are working hard for not a lot of money in a place that makes Manhattan look cheap. Show some aloha. It's often hard to park on the Keoki's side of the mall (toward the street) anytime near dinnertime, the back side of the mall is usually easier.

Sweet stop to pick up souvenirs and grab a coffee. Music in the courtyard with Hawaiian appeal. Found great gifts for the grandkids. The Main Street is traveled daily when out and about making this a sweet start or finish to drive to pick up food or beverage while on vacation.

I recently purchased a necklace from Wai Kai jewelry Design and in two weeks the whole thing came apart. I tried contacting the store, the mall manager, etc But was ignored and nothing was done about it. All I wanted was for them to repair it. Have never seen a such a horrible customer service. Be careful spending money specially as a tourist there, once you leave town you have absolutely no way of resolving any issues.

Cool shops, nice little variety of restaurants/eateries, general store. People are super friendly and the place is well-kept; easy to spend a couple hours here.

Favorite store at this place was the whalers store. 5.00 t shirts. Lots of souvenir stuff as well. They have a free hula show twice a week that was really fun and interactive. Out of the coconut marketplace, grand Hyatt and this hula show, I liked this one the best!

We always visit Poipu shopping village while staying on Kauai. We like the many restaurants and shopping stores. Starbucks is a daily thing

So many chicken at the park. Once the car stop, they are rushing out from every directions. Be careful, don't ever feed them as the fine would be very high. The Sprouting Horn observation platform is few steps from parking lot. It is like a small sibling of the Old Faithful.

The spout was unique and what brought us, but the other sights were also very enjoyable. The variation in blue colors across the water was awesome, I would recommend some good polarized sunglasses and a low cloud cover. I could hangout there for hours and watch the waves crash along the rocky shore. We also saw a sea turtle down in the cove of the spout. The only downfall is that here isn't a lot of space where everithing can be seen, so we felt like we had limited time in the viewing area.

Very nice accessible park located near the Poipu area of Kauai. The main attraction is the Spouting Horn which is a blowhole with a big jet of water that looks much like a geyser. Thhe blowhole is very easy to drive to and observe, unlike the one on Maui. If you are near the park you should plan on a visit. There are picnic tables and real flush toilets in the park. Enjoy the visit.

Spouting Horn is a beautiful and unique natural wonder on Kauai’s south shore! When the waves hit the lava rock at just the right angle, water shoots dramatically into the air through a blowhole, often reaching impressive heights — and sometimes you can even hear a deep, roaring sound. 🌊 It’s an easy stop with free parking, restrooms, and a short paved path to the viewpoint. There are also local craft stalls nearby if you want to pick up souvenirs. Sunset is especially magical here, with golden light reflecting off the spray. A quick but memorable stop — great for photos and a perfect addition to any south shore drive. 🌴💦📸

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spouting Horn Park – A Must-See Natural Wonder on Kaua‘i Spouting Horn Park is one of those iconic Kaua‘i stops that absolutely lives up to the hype. We visited recently and were blown away by how beautiful and unique the entire area is. Parking was surprisingly easy, which made the visit even more enjoyable — you can pull right in, take your time, and soak in the views without any stress. The overlook area offers a perfect vantage point of the famous blowhole, and watching the ocean force huge bursts of water through the lava rock was truly spectacular. Every wave brings a slightly different show, and the sound — a deep whoosh followed by a soft roar — adds to the energy of the place. It’s amazing to stand there and witness nature’s power up close while still feeling completely safe and comfortable. The surrounding coastline is equally stunning, with deep blue water, rugged rock formations, and panoramic views that make for great photos. There are also local vendors nearby offering handmade crafts, giving the stop a fun and welcoming atmosphere. Spouting Horn Park is an easy, quick visit, but one that leaves a big impression. As a Local Guide, I highly recommend making time for this spot — it’s accessible, beautiful, and a perfect example of Hawaii’s natural magic.

Really a great place to visit before sunset at the wall. Met some kittens and the usual chickens. A nice place to end my time on Kauai before returning home.

Really fun and quick place to stop by. It’s easy to park, then just walk left to see the waves shooting up through the lava rock! 🌊 Super fun to watch and makes for a great photo op ◡̈

Absolutely beautiful views, so many different types of birds! They had ample signage and information about the different kinds of birds. The only thing that would have made it better is if the lighthouse had been open to visitors. Not too pricey, money well spent, wonderful way to enjoy the wildlife.

Kīlauea Point is one of the most scenic and peaceful spots on Kauai! The views from the lookout are incredible — dramatic cliffs, turquoise ocean, and the historic Kīlauea Lighthouse perched perfectly on the edge. You’ll often spot seabirds like red-footed boobies, frigatebirds, and even nēnē (Hawaiian geese), and during winter months, you might catch glimpses of humpback whales offshore. 🐋🌊 The refuge is well maintained, with helpful rangers and educational displays about local wildlife and conservation. A must-visit for nature lovers and photographers — calm, breathtaking, and uniquely Kauai. 🌺📸🕊️

What a beautiful place to watch all of the sea birds and take in the views. If this were whale watching season, we would have been for hours. Be sure to make reservations in advance. It’s a busy place. But you have time and space to see the lighthouse and take in the views.

Very cool place, worth the $20 ticket. You can't get up into the lighthouse, but it's very cool to see the wildlife and awesome coral views.

As spectacular in real life as in the photos. This is a lovely must-see in Kauai - not just for the birds and the views but also to support our National Parks! An annual pass works here - no fee, no reservation.

Beautiful lookout and very nice Lighthouse. This spots photos look like postcards. Amazing spot.

This was closed by the time we got there but it is beautiful even if you cant get down to the light house

Scenic beach with a mesmerizing view. Amazing place to observe sunset! The water was clear and the waves were not that harsh(at the moment when I visited). Amazing to sit under the trees and observe Mother Nature. Must visit!! I believe there is a reservation for parking and it’s free after 5:30pm. The board walk before the beach was also amazing.

The walk from the shuttle to the beach was 5 minutes but it was a tropical experience. Had the feeling of a beautiful hike but was a short little stroll. The beach itself is not big but the sand was amazing. Standing in the water looking back at the beach you see the impressive mountainside hovering above you, reminding you that Hawaii is King. Amenities were pretty nice considering you were in a somewhat remote park.

Worth a visit. If you are not from Hawaii then you have to make reservations to enter the park or you could just want the beach from some point down the coast. The water is calm. There didn’t seem to be a lot of fish to see and there is a good view a little ways down the beach. Next time I will have to hike to the other beach.

This was one of my favorite beaches. First, you will need to get a pass for the park. These are timed entry tickets and you can look online to see how to acquire those. It's a short hike to the beach itself, but we carried our snorkels, chairs, and backpacks no problem. Snorkeling is very good, but there are two big rules: avoid the left side, where there are powerful currents, and do not stand on the coral! When you first get in, you will be in an open, sandy area with little marine life besides some nearly invisible quarter-sized crabs in the sand. I recommend going almost straight out and a bit to the right and hanging around where the sand meets the coral. I saw many fish/eels here that I never saw at other beaches. It wasn't too crowded, but the beach was plenty busy and I never felt like I was snorkeling alone. Lots of shade on the beach as well, which was a lifesaver.

I'd say this is the best beach on the island. It's nice, beautiful, not too crowded, and chill... we loved it there. Plus, we saw a sea turtle, a seal, and tons of fish...

A paradise after finishing the hanakapai falls! Snorkeled for a bit here, not deep until you go really far! Really beautiful beach !

Beautiful beach location. We watched the sunset from here. It was incredible view. Also saw a couple of turtles and some seals

This beautiful garden Island is filled with waterfalls, and we were blessed to see more than 5 falls from this scenic lookout. We were also able to see the plantation in the valley. Breathtaking scenery view.

Such an amazing view. This is a great place to stop and check out Hanalei Bay. Good for sunsets as well

Beautiful stop on the way to Hanalei beach. A little crowed at times but worth waiting few min for everyone to leave.

Great drive and several lookout points! Very beautiful

Picturesque view point. One of the best valley look point in the island. Must visit. I felt like I never want to leave from this view point. Mesmerizing!

It's fine. The view is nice. It would be great if they had a sign explaining something about the taro fields below. We weren't sure initially what we were looking at

Nice view of the taro fields below and the mountains in the back. The viewpoint is pretty much a quick pull-out off the main road so it is well worth the stop.

Kōkeʻe State Park is a paradise for hikers, photographers, and anyone looking to experience Kauaʻi’s raw, untamed beauty. The views alone make the trip worthwhile, but the combination of serene forests, challenging trails, and diverse wildlife ensures that every visitor leaves with a deep appreciation for this special place. Just be prepared for changing weather conditions, and bring plenty of water and layers for cooler temperatures.

Nice views, especially from the lookout at the end. If you go around the fence on the left side you can go to another nice trail with even better views (stick to the right when you run into another fence, there'll be a small door).

A very nice and scenic park. The nature is incredible. Can be combined with a visit of the famous Waimea Canyon.

This place was pretty awesome! It did take some time to get up there but the views were great and the atmosphere was wonderful. The only reason I'm giving it four stars instead of five is I got motion sickness on the way up and I was pretty miserable the whole time. My wife had a great time and loved it!

Long journey up a mountain, but it is worth every single second!! Great family day!! I do hope they use the tourist money for park access to get some of the potholes fixed soon. With no service at the top, you really hope your car doesn’t blow a tire on some of those. They are deep and large!

Even if you go just to take in the views at the overlooks, it’s worth it! Lots of great trails in the park, too, of course. Beauty everywhere you look! A must do. The lodge is a nice stop for lunch and live music if the timing works out. Remember there is nearly 0 cell service; download offline maps if you’ll be relying on GPS.

This place is beyond beautiful! If you make it to the island of Kauai you have to visit this place! There are quite a few lookout points to see, but it is possible to see them all in one day. There is a site for picnics and there are cabins as well. The museum is small, but definitely worth seeing. There are some really nice hiking trails also, but be careful if it rains, as they can become very slippery. Some of the lookouts have a price you have to pay to enter. They are $10 per car, and $5 per person. Absolutely worth it.

We love old kalian, the first time we came to the island we stayed not too far from here and spent a lot of time. The dive shops are expertly run and the souvenir shops are reasonable and have a great selection. Add in the restaurants, coffee shops, and food trucks and it's got a small town feel, with an incredibly unique island vibe. 10/10

Awesome vibe, delicious options from outstanding coffee to tasty burgers. The @KauaiIslandBrewery serves a homemade salsa that is out of this world delicious and very addictive. Can’t wait to try their homemade pizza!

Very nice and unique shops. Kauai Petite Sweets has the most amazing banana bread you will ever taste!! AND Old Koloa Mill Ice Cream has flavors you won't find anywhere else!

Tourist trap! There is a bunch of overpriced and overrated shops and restaurants here and if you can't cook, like getting ripped off or buy the 5 star reviews then have at it but know this...there are definitely better places on the island! One last note, not sure if the locals that work in these shops all dislike tourists or just people in general but smiles are hard to find here! Oh and BTW...we went to four restaurants, two grocery stores and three boutique shops and we spent over $1200 in four days, can't say we didn't try!

I loved this little town and I wish we had taken pictures. There are shops and the grocery store is also a combined ABC Store. Definitely try the food trucks behind the red shops - Baja Chalupas best fish tacos I have ever had. There and ice cream store with delicious ice cream too. Try the UBE or coffee you wont be disappointed.

Great low key town. Plenty of places to eat and shop.

Excellent food AND coffee AND service ..fully recommend stopping here!

Such an amazing place to adopt from abroad. We were vacationing in Kauai visited the Humane Society. All dogs and cats appeared to be well taken care of, despite the fact they were at capacity. Cages where clean. We adopted two cats and they took care of all the arrangements so we could pick them up at the airport in Seattle 2 days after we arrived home.

I’ve adopted an older cat years before and spent many good times with her. She passed from old age and I decided to adopt a kitten this time. He is now settled and a part of the family and has really shown his personality and I love every bit of it. He loves cuddles and being tucked in for bed! Also gets along great with the resident cat and only took a few days after adoption to be comfortable with her.

We got to take a nice dog named Etouffee out for the day. The field trips are great ways to get these dogs out for a bit. Super great idea! The customer service was also great and you can tell everyone who works there genuinely cares.

They love their doggies. I love them for that. We took Rhonda for a few hours today. She was the bestest girl. Heart melting smile and a heart shaped nose. She’ll be someone’s loyal family dog. Praying she doesn’t have to wait too long. Not sure how I’m leaving the island with you. She loves ice, fetch, tug of war, doesnt pull on a leash, checks in with handler, can sit, gets the zoomies with water, chills out, not reative with other dogs or chickens :-) I love you Rhonda ❤️

Wonderful place that is rescuing lots of animals! Go to the doggie field trip where you can pay a donation and take a dog out with you to get them out of the shelter. We looked at kitties and they were all so friendly and sweet. In September 2025 they have a sponsor in case you want to adopt an animal and fly it back to the contiguous us it's only $100 instead of a 700 donation.

Took a pup for a day field trip! Such a great program. I'm sure he'll find a forever home and I'm happy that I was able to help share his personality and get him out for the day. When I get home I'll ask my resident dogs if we can fly him home (cause that's a possibility if you fall in love with a pup and live outside the island 😉)

We did the doggie field trip and it was awesome! My wife surprised us all with this adventure, we'd had no idea this was going to happen until the day before. Staff was great, Carol the female doggo was so cute and amazing! We took her to the beach, she loved the sand but steered clear of the waves. Got some shaved ice for us all, hers unflavored of course. Then to a jungle hike trail which she loved even more. The HS loads you up with a backpack full of treats, bowl, toys, everything you'd need right down to baggies lol. Highly recommend!

Visited a day after Gale Warning was in effect in the area and the trail was in a bit rough condition, lots of debris but still doable with two kids in carriers. Little muddy but not slippery. Beautiful views all the way. Really enjoyed it.

Our time hiking was lengthened significantly by frequent stops to bird. We heard Japanese Bush Warblers almost the entire time. I can see how the trail can get muddy quickly, but luckily, we benefited from relatively dry conditions. The out-and-back is up first, then down, so by the time you turn back around, the hike gets significantly easier. The incline is gradual and not strenuous for most.

Pretty nice and relaxing hike, but some areas had a ton of mud. My ankle height boots had mud all over them. Would recommend shoes over sandals unless you're ok with getting your feet extremely muddy.

Nice hike, but not much parking. No bathroom. Still a great hike with a gradual climb. Beautiful scenery. Picnic tables and shelter. We dealt with mud and slipping on the decent, so trekking poles helped. This is not a must do, but a should do hike if you have at least some level of fitness.

Beautiful hike through the forest and along a mountain ridge, with several scenic vistas offering incredible views of Kauai. Overall, a fairly easy and straightforward hike, with few steep sections and well-kept trails. One thing many people get confused on is the ending point, as the Kuilau Ridge Trail goes right into the Moalepe Trail, and if you continue to the end of that trail your hike will be significantly longer, as it does not form a loop but would still be an out and back. There is a clear marker for the end of the trail though, and if you turn around there or even go a little farther, your hike will be on the shorter side. There’s plenty of free parking near the trailhead, which also happens to be a beautiful arboretum featuring eucalyptus trees, and just down the river is a hidden gem of a swimming hole, even complete with a rope swing. You can’t go wrong with a hike on Kuaui, but in my opinion, Kuilau is special in comparison.

Beautiful creation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Easy-Medium hike. Once you reach picnic area with seating tables, youll see trails diverge into 3 trails, TURN sharp RIGHT and from there it will lead you to a bridge, where this trail will end. Lots of refreshing aromas from all the greenery

Decent parking. The hike was fairly easy. It was gradual uphill most of the way. We never knew when to turn around so we just kept going thinking we would find an obvious turning spot. There was not. One thing we loved was that the hike was almost entirely in the shade.

This mountain is one of the best and only peakbagging hikes in Kauai, and the mountain has 2 main summits, and the rocky barren summit provides the most amazing views of the whole east side area as far as Lihue.

First, there are three trail options. Apparently many of the comments are about the west trail (not as steep, not as long, no crazy bouldering). We did the east trail, because we didn’t know there were three and were very confused about how much more difficult it was compared to the comments. However, we did do it and the views are well worth the effort. If you take the east trail our advice is schedule 3 hours, bring poles for the hike down, make sure you have enough water and snacks, it is a constant ascent, there are sections where you are crawling up rocks. Keep going until you see the shelter and picnic tables then continue to the summit. I am in my late 60s, my daughter is late 30s, both of us are moderately active and did it by going slowly and being careful.

nice trek, takes 1 hour to the top👍

This was an AMAZING hike. I went with my mom, and it took us 1 hour up to get to the very top, and 1 hour back down, so it’s a solid 2 hour hike round trip. There is some minor bouldering/ rock scrambling but that’s only if you want to go past the bench area to the two higher up viewpoints (it’s definitely worth the scramble). You get to see TWO full 360 degree viewpoints, it is GORGEOUS! I definitely recommend doing this hike!

Awesome hike! Beautiful things to see.

This was the First thing we did upon arrival to the island! Beautiful view, Flora, terrain... Great little workout too! 2 miles up and 2 back for a solid 4 mile hike. This is a moderate hike.

Great hike. Not easy, but doable for those in moderate shape.Super great views! worth the effort! Take plenty of water. Rest when needed.

Beautiful Freshwater Wailua River. Red dirt gets kicked up following flash floods in the evening and morning hours. Our guide said it looked like a Chocolate River due to that, today. The lookout is pretty. You can see the river and the beach.

Beautifully green valley of wailua river. The word wailua means "two waters" in Hawaiian, and is an accurate name for this area surrounded by both rivers and the ocean. If you notice in the picture, two ways with two different colors ate merging into one. A good lookout and a Vista point.

Spectacular views. Came to see Wailua Falls and came across this overlook of the river.

Most beautiful scenery at Kauai

Great experience kayaking up and down river. Good for beginners, as I was! Hike to secret waterfall moderate. Be prepared to get muddy if it's recently rained. Slippery and messy but totally worth it! Once you arrive to waterfall, you feel peace and accomplishment!! So amazing. I high recommend water shoes for entire trek. I had a $20 pair from Amazon that worked great. I brought hikers and never used because water shoes did the hike and waters perfectly.

We kayaked the river and walked to the secret falls with no guide. Super easy to do and fun. It takes like 4hours to do the round trip and enjoy the waterfall, but I definitely recommend it!!!

Near-can't-miss experience on Kauai. Certainly a can't-miss if you're in the area. We rented kayaks from Kayak Kauai. All the kayak rental shops on the Wailua have a limited number of independent kayaks they rent out every day (reserving most for guided tours). So make sure to book a few days in advance. We kayaked up the river, and hiked the 1mi to Secret Falls. Slippery, with some river foot crossings. Best to have water shoes rather than flip flops or hiking shoes.

We had an amazing time the other day on this tour! They were right, it was a great rainy day activity! Our guide Jess was amazing, very knowledgeable, friendly and funny! Despite the downpours that we encountered everyone on the tour had a great time thanks to Jess! We learned so much about craft chocolate, tropical fruits and plants. It was so interesting to get to taste chocolate in all its stages and forms

We tried their Inside the Hive honeybee tour and it’s just as amazing as the chocolate. You might not hear as much about it because it’s newer, but don’t sleep on this tour. You get to walk through working areas of the farm and see the cacao trees and sample the great chocolate. But you also get to don beekeeping suits and taste honey straight from the comb! It’s an awesome tour only made better by the great hosts we had with Alex and Jules. Cannot recommend enough.

What an amazing place. We have been on many tours and this was among the best. Lydgate runs a thorough educational session, not only a fun presentation. Jess is a kind and knowledgeable guide. The craft chocolate is of course delicious. We got to taste a lot and took home a bunch. It is also expensive. I would thoroughly recommend this experience to all.

Hands down the most informative and best tour on Kauai. We loved our guide, Jess. She was amazing. I would love to go back and do another tour. The chocolate is to die for. I ordered more when I came home to the main land. 10/10 highly recommend.

This was a great tour. I highly recommend it. We learned a lot about chocolate and what it takes to get to that stage. We tried all of the chocolate and saw the beautiful farm. The farm only allows visitors via the tour.

What a phenomenal time my wife and I had at the chocolate farm! Shannon was the perfect guide and host for our experience in tasting what 'real chocolate' should taste like. It is a real eye opener to see how Cacao beans are grown and prepared for their journey to our stomachs. They have won the 'Gold medal' for the #1 chocolate in the World! Beating out all others that you may know of, like; Hershey, Lindt, Toblerone, See's, Godiva's, and all the other Swiss Guys you may know of. Go, Enjoy, Experience and get your fill of Chocolate! Thank you, John & Karen D. (San Marcos, Ca USA)

Lydgate Farms in Kauai, Hawaii, offers an outstanding and educational experience that is both relaxing and engaging. The 9 a.m. tour is highly recommended, as the morning temperatures are cooler, making it more comfortable for guests to explore the farm. Since much of the tour takes place under covered areas, weather conditions such as light rain do not affect the experience. Guests spend most of the time seated in shaded or covered spaces, allowing for a pleasant and comfortable visit. The farm is well prepared for visitors of all mobility levels. An electric golf cart is available to assist anyone who may find the terrain or hills challenging, which makes the experience accessible to nearly everyone. The guides provide clear and detailed explanations about the chocolate and cocoa-growing process, from the cocoa plant to the finished chocolate product. The information is presented in an engaging and easy-to-understand way that keeps guests interested throughout the tour. Lydgate Farms feels like a combination of a working cacao farm and a botanical garden. The property spans more than 40 acres and is home to a variety of plants and trees. Visitors are introduced to the farm’s vanilla plants, which require each individual flower to be hand-pollinated to produce a single vanilla bean pod. This process is fascinating to witness and demonstrates the care and precision that go into the farm’s production methods. The tour also includes views and tastings of many tropical fruits grown on-site, such as dragon fruit, longan (similar to lychee), and other seasonal fruits. Guests are encouraged to sample the fruits, which are fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. In addition to the fruit, the chocolate tastings are generous and delicious. Visitors can sample various types of chocolate produced directly from the farm’s own cacao trees. Each tasting is thoughtfully explained, giving guests a deeper appreciation for the flavors, textures, and production steps. There is no shortage of chocolate to enjoy, and guests leave with a new understanding of the skill involved in chocolate making. The tour guide, Jess, is extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. Her enthusiasm for the farm and the products shines through in every part of the presentation. All the staff members are equally welcoming and ensure that every visitor feels comfortable and cared for during the tour. Lydgate Farms is located in a central area on the island, making it convenient to reach from many locations. For those staying in Kapaa, the drive is only about fifteen minutes. It is recommended to arrive about fifteen minutes early, as the tours begin promptly on schedule. The farm provides water stations and bathrooms throughout the tour area, along with umbrellas for those who may need them. Rain should not deter anyone from visiting, as the combination of covered seating areas and available umbrellas ensures that the tour remains enjoyable regardless of weather conditions. Overall, Lydgate Farms provides a top-quality experience that combines education, nature, and indulgence. The setting is beautiful, the staff is exceptional, and the tastings are unforgettable. This experience earns a solid five out of five stars and is highly recommended for anyone visiting Kauai who wants to learn about chocolate, explore tropical plants, and spend a delightful morning in a stunning environment.

It is an incredible hike with lots of great scenic views. You are walking inside a rain forest the hole time. It took us most of the day to finish the hike. Even though it's not too difficult, the mud definitely made the journey difficult for us. At the end of the trail I was covered with mud. I almost fell couple of times and my husband fell once. But we didn't give up and made it to the top. There were incredible birds and bird sounds on our trail. We often stopped and listened to them. But beware: birds and mosquitoes are working together because everytime we stopped i had additional a few bites- even with the bug spray. So definitely apply bug spray before and during the hike. Also some places were a little too intense, we literally did some bouldering in some places.

One of the best hikes I've ever gone on, seriously. Loved the strawberry guava berries (the pink berries) you can eat along the trail, the round protruding roots everywhere, the Causarina trees with their drooping branchlets, the free-range wild chickens, the reddish dirt, the large monarch ferns showing their seed patterns, the expansive views of the valley with the water in the background. All around 5 star hike and completely worth it. We turned around at the shelter -- 3 miles was enough. Recommend that you hike early as it gets muggy/warm later in the day. Note: The East trailhead is steeper with more zigzags. The West trail (which we didn't take) is more suitable for families and is less steep with fewer zigzags. If you have kids or aren't the most agile/fit, take the West trail. BTW, Google Maps said this trail didn't open until 7am, but there was nothing restricting entry before then, nor did I see any signs indicating that opening time. I'd say, start at 6:30 am.

The East trail is easy. All the way to the top is the only place you have to climb over any rocks and that's if you want to get all the way up to the summit but even the little climb is very simple. Almost everybody including children are going to be able to do it easy. The giant trees are on the west side, not the east side.

Awesome views at the top after a moderate hike. Go early, it gets pretty warm the first half of the hike. Highly recommend

Pretty straightforward hike consisting primarily of switchbacks and some climbing. It wasn't muddy at all when we went, but it did get mistier later in the morning.

This was the best hike! Gorgeous views! It was difficult at times but fun rock climbing a little bit!

Great hike and required a bit of skill to navigate. It was raining and slippery so that added to the thrill!

I really enjoyed the museum and learning more about Kauai. There’s so many cool things to see and learn. I really wish I had more time there, but had to catch my flight home. The best part of the museum was the wonderful ladies in the gift shop. I truly enjoyed chatting with them and they helped me pick out some beautiful pearl earrings for myself. I was really emotional, not wanting to leave the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. The lady was so nice and gave me a hug, truly so kind, I felt comfortable to openly ask questions and she just felt like family. I only wish I got her name and address so we could be penpals until I move there one day. ❤️ If you read this…please let’s try to keep in touch!

Wonderful local museum that covers a broad range of Kaua'i history. Really worth visiting if you have an interest in local history as it relates to the crafts, ocean navigation, agriculture, surfing, immigration, royal family, and natural history.

Lovely local museum, carefully recreating life and history on the island of Kauai. Many artifacts. Lovely antiques. Lots of enticing photos of people, animals, movie stars. We spent over an hour in the museum…and 30 minutes in the gift shop!

This place provided me with a fantastic historical experience for the state of Hawaii and the royal lineage that unified and governed the Hawaiian islands long before the US showed up. I highly recommend this museum to all locals and tourists.

Normal price is $15 admission for adults but seniors have a $12 rate. Children's have another one but I don't recall what it was. Very interesting artifacts and history of the island. I highly recommend it if you are interested in learning about where you travel to. You just self tour yourself around. I've posted lots of pictures as you can see in my review of this museum. The staff was very friendly. We went on a Wednesday around 1:00 and there was absolutely no wait. We ran across another visitor that gave us a few more explanations about other items which was rather interesting as well that he learned going through the museum. Where you go in or exit from there's a nice little gift shop with random miscellaneous souvenirs and history books and whatnot. As usual some of the history was pretty sad in the past, some of the things that happened to the people.

Lovely little museum that captures Kauai history. The museum is pretty small and could be explored in 1-2 hours. The initial building has lots of history ranging from initial discovery and inhabitation to colonial times. There is lots of reading available to learn about the history of the island and the area. Lots of cool native artifacts to see. The second building had the history of plantations, surfing and sports, and war world 2. Interesting stuff on migration cycles and influences on the island from the 1800 on. It was a good break in the middle of the day. Has a small gift shop.

Wonderful place to go during a storm or to escape the heat. Staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Local made gifts in the small store. Not as kid friendly as other museums, no interactive areas and lots of tempting objects with no touch signs.

Limahuli Gardens and Preserve was a great experience! It was a bit of a drive to get to, and there were many one lane bridges, but it was well worth it! The staff is super friendly and you can tell they are passionate about their work by the way that they talk. We took the self guided tour where we were given a guide book that walked you through the entire garden. It teaches you everything from what the different plants/flowers were used for to who once lived there. The view from the top is amazing! Be sure to make a reservation as parking is limited.

Great tour by Sharon. She gave us so much valuable information. So much great history and knowledge about the grounds and plants. If you do get Sharon allow extra time. Her tour lasted 3 1/2 hours. Well worth the price. The grounds are well kept and beautiful views.

Oh my goodness, there aren't even words to describe the beauty... this was our favorite adventure of the trip. Our almost 3-year old did the whole hike himself, we saw the most beautiful plants, views, little waterfalls... This is a MUST SEE if you come to the island. We did self guided and had a phenomenal time.

We had a beautiful time at Limahuli Garden and Preserve! The self guided tour was so nice and we loved learning about the history of the island and the legends. We also loved seeing the unique plants native to the island the learning about conservation efforts.

We found this garden by chance and I’m glad we did because the staff were super nice and accommodating. We paid $30 each for admission and parking, you can save $10 by taking the shuttle instead and getting dropped off. The visitor center has a water station so don’t buy water and bring your refillable water bottle for their 7-stage purified spring water for free. They give you a guidebook and it’s a self guided tour. The garden was lush and green and the views of the ocean is breathtaking. It was a great walk after breakfast when it wasn’t busy and the weather was a little cooler.

Beautiful gardens that teach you a lot of fascinating information about Hawaiian culture through the ages, from the plants they ate, the plants they wore, the plants they used as medicine and the plants that others brought to the Islands and the effect they had on the local biodiversity. From taro patches to mango trees and plumeria to screwpines, you'll get to know and recognise all the plants you'll see on your travels around the island, as well as some super rare plants that the Preserve is trying to keep from extinction. The tour is self-guided - you'll get a really detailed booklet when you check in. Once you've walked through the shoe cleaning stage, to ensure you aren't bringing anything harmful into the gardens, the pathways will take you from one clearly numbered area to another. Beyond the plants, the views of the mountains and the ocean are equally stunning, and there are loads of benches dotted around the gardens where you can sit and enjoy the views. Well worth a visit.

Absolutely stunning place to visit! 🌿 The gardens are beautifully maintained, with an incredible mix of native Hawaiian plants, lush tropical landscapes, and breathtaking mountain and ocean views. Walking through feels peaceful and educational at the same time—you really get a sense of Hawaii’s history and natural beauty. The staff is welcoming and knowledgeable, and the self-guided tour is easy to follow. Highly recommend if you want a mix of scenery, culture, and serenity.

People here are very friendly and knowledgeable. Great place to visit. Check dates when tours are given. Take your camera. Very impressive place. Reasonable prices.

Visited the place in the morning with some family. I ordered the tickets online. You need to have the QR code to scan when you arrive. Thankfully there is free wifi at the gift shop to get online and download the tickets. I should have done that before and I got there and forgot. I had no cell service there which was also really nice! The garden is a big space to walk around and enjoy. Many friendly staff working around the area to explain things and point things out. There are lots of bronze statues you can find around the garden. It was a really fun place to walk around for over an hour. It’s a fun place to checkout some nature if you get a chance.

A lovely place with lots of trees to see. We were a bit disappointed in the variety of other flora, but the riding tour was a great bargain. Knowledgelable tour guides with interesting history and stories.

Absolutely wonderful guided tour was fantastic. Our guide Julie loves what she does. The history, the plants everything about the botanical garden. It's a really large garden. My suggestion is absolutely do the tour otherwise you will never see it all in one day. There such wonderful information to be learned from this beautiful garden.

We thoroughly enjoyed visiting Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens during our Kauai vacation! There was so much natural beauty, culture and history to take in. We did the guided tram tour and saw so much. Our guides, Luane and Roger, were so friendly and knowledgeable, and really made our tour so special. They even recommended a favorite dinner spot of theirs that we were able to make reservations for and enjoy! Cheers to them from Corinne and Rich Vaughn Vancouver, Washington!

Beautiful gardens. We did the guided bus tour. The guide was amazing. There are a lot of species of trees here and you get to hear about them in a very interesting way. We also got to see the albatross babies, mating dance and parent albatross gliding through the air.

Although the property is pretty. I am only giving a three based on the mannerism of the staff when I visited last week. Being treated that you cannot even be on the property unless you have a reservation. When you are visiting the island, how are you to know you’re not even allowed to enter the property. Then the only available Reservation I was informed with $60. Don’t get me wrong I took the reservation however it definitely was not worth the price. The guide picked flowers and leaves and opened them, etc.. which I didn’t feel was appropriate however if it is allowed then that is the gardens rules. However, I will pass visiting this location on my next visit.

Pretty water! This place is one of those places you look at and think man is this real? Parking is TRICKY there isn't much of it there! The current is strong and this is a great spot to boogie board. There are showers hidden from sight behind a white wooden thing next to the public restroom. There is a cool cave across the street Definitely take the time to walk across and into the cave.

Beautiful and spacious beach, the parking was limited but we were able to find a spot, even on a Sunday afternoon. Not an ideal spot for swimming with the shore break in some spots. Tunnels beach is just a short walk up the sand and you will pass the dty cave along the way. ⛱️⛰️

Shuttles were on time and picked us up on the way. This is the start of the Kalalau Trail. Great hike to the 300 foot Hanakapiai Falls. A challenging 6.5- 7 hour hike. A little tricky if wet. Well worth the effort.

I could sit here all day and just watch the surf. You have to bring your own shade, though. Nearby cave was fun to check out.

Absolutely gorgeous beach for sunbathing or reading. Would not reccomend swimming due to dangeous current. Walk a little ways down to Tunnels Beach for an absolutely unreal snorkeling experience and a beautiful swimming and gold sand beach! Definitely add this to your Kauai itinerary!

Really nice beach with ample parking. In October the surf was too dangerous to swim 6'+ waves the day we visited.

Kauai is beautiful and this beach is no exception. Warm water, body surfing, and the surrounding botanical beauty is unmatched.

Very easy trail with a little ups and downs but nice scenes. It connects to the beach trail as well. There's a bridge to cross where you can see from tortoises. There was small loops that breaks off but all end back on the main trail. There is a small trail that is there a scene in Pirates of the Carribean is taken. For some reason the sign said it does not loop but it does loop back to the cave trail itself.

Easy hike that leads to an ancient cave. It has a beach access too but waves could be rough There is a little patch where you can tortoises. Fun for adults and kids

This trail was fun and relatively easy to do. The cave was easy to get through. You do have to crawl through a little hole to enter the cave. It also leads to the beach. Saw people riding horses and we also took a dip in the ocean. Didn’t get to see the tortoises but still a great time! We spent about 2-2.5 hours here.

This is a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. It's a little off the beaten path, but a nice walk to the cave. Crawl through the entrance and you enter a tiny little world contained in a sinkhole. It is very unique! The tortoises are also worth the brief walk to see.

Easy trail for the whole family! Really enjoyed the guy that gave us a short tour and told us about the spiders living back in the cave. This is the only place they live and he told us there are only 12 spiders they know that exist! You have to check out the tortoises as well!

A great, easy hike and gorgeous views. Fairly easy hike for families with young kids, easy to get to the cave and the beach at the same time.

For as short of a hike as it is, this is an amazing trail. The cave really is one of the cooler things on the island to see I thought. It also gives you access to a fairly secluded beach. Four wheel drive not needed, but you’ll have to walk just a bit further. Trail is very well marked and fairly level.

Wonderful experience! Our guide Ash was knowledgeable and engaging. The other guide Troy was also great and we enjoyed learning more about the chocolate processing from him. Beautiful grounds, lovely fruits and great guides! We really enjoyed it!

I really enjoyed this tour. And this is coming from someone who is not crazy about plants. But you can tell our guide Ash was passionate and I always love tour guides like that. The information I learned about plants, chocolate, ecosystems and our impact as humans is a lot more than what it was going in and that’s a win for me any day of the week. Not to mention you see beautiful flowers and try delicious fruits. Sure there are some mosquitoes in parts but it’s a tropical garden and the owners provide you a safe spray to keep them at bay so can you really complain.

This beautiful garden is not your typical tour and we so appreciate the owners who share their “yard” with others. The operation is well run and organized starting with email communications prior to entry and throughout the tour itself. Tour guides were very knowledgeable and friendly, answering the many questions from those of us not familiar with this environment. Tastings along the way were fun with the chocolate tasting being the highlight. Walking felt good but, as they are clear about, it does require a level of ability management the hills. We enjoyed the morning very much and highly recommend!

This was such a fun experience! We did the tour with chocolate tasting! Our guide was very knowledgeable and fun! The fruit tasting was great as well as the chocolate tasting! Such a beautiful place! It is by appointment/tour only!

What a beautiful, educational experience. Our guide was so knowledgeable about the plants and her enthusiasm was contagious. We especially enjoyed tasting all of the local products and the chocolate. We would definitely recommend this tour for anybody who loves nature and wants to learn more about Hawaii.

Thank you Princeville Botanical Gardens!! We had a wonderful time today at the gardens. We are so sorry that we were late but were so thankful you all were so accommodating to us being a tad late. Darn GPS. We loved every aspect of the tour. Troy was so thorough in his knowledge of all of the plants in the garden. The tastings along the way was a delight especially when tasting the various chocolates. We will be back again!!

The guides were so engaging, had samples of the fruits as we passed by the plants, and the chocolate sampling told us about how chocolates differ from what part of the world they come from. My favorite was all the blooming trees and flowers. After our helicopter ride around Kauai, this was my #2 favorite place to go. If sold out, put yourself on the waitlist.

The tour here was awesome! Everyone from the bus driver to the tour guides were very educated and happy to talk about anything we were looking at. I really enjoyed learning the history of the place and seeing the statues and antiques that had been brought in from all over the world. I would definitely recommend going on this tour! We both had a great time

These gardens are wonderful and there are a variety of tours you can take. This year we did the sunset tour of the Allerton Gardens where you get to tour the grounds of the estate located down by the beach. You also get a box dinner to enjoy down at the house before you’re whisked up to the top to (hopefully) see the sunset. We went on an overcast day so no sunset, but lovely time anyways.

We had a great time going to McBryde gardens. Our bus drivers name was Makana and we found her to be very knowledgeable on the way from the Viator center to the garden. We do wish we were able to see Allerton Garden as well but this is an additional tour that we were not aware of. If we go back we will definitely be doing the guided tour of Allerton as well!

PLEASE STOP telling people to get there 30 minutes early when it takes 2 seconds to check in. Yes I know some people will be late, but stop wasting people's time on vacation! If someone is late, that's on them. Now that I got that off my chest, the McBryde park is nice but know that the self guided tour will take you a minimum of 3 hours and you can't end it quicker because they shuttle you to the park and don't pick you up until almost 2 hours later. So add on getting their early and the drive time and it's a solid 3 hours. Don't expect to see many flowers either. The price is a bit steep but the shuttle driver is entertaining and there are worse ways to spend 3 hours than in nature, but if I had known all of that, I'd probably do something else on vacation with limited time.

The gardens are beautiful though not as much as the gardens in the Big Island. The instructor was very knowledgeable. But at $70 per ticket, I can't imagine this is worth the money for a family. Also at this price, I would think they would warn us about the mosquitos that ate us alive in the first part of the trip (by the waterfall) and provide us with mosquito spray. In conclusion - beautiful gardens, especially the Allerton ones (McBryde was just a bunch of fruit trees), but honestly not worth the price unless money is not an issue.

Had a nice time during the guided tour of the botanical gardens. Our volunteer guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the gardens and area. We all enjoyed it. Although there was a lot of shade, highly recommend going in the morning for cooler temps. Also, I wished I brought 2 water bottles per person. There is a water refill station where the tour begins, but we drank ours way before the tour ended and all felt a little dehydrated afterwards. Highly recommend the visit!

We had the most enjoyable time on our 3 hour tour! Ron, our tour guide, was amazingly informative & funny! They do wonderful work here & your support is greatly helpful.

An epic drive that takes you to an even more epic view. Construction on the mountain road takes traffic down to one lane at times. Parking at the lookout is limited. It seemed as if there was a charge to go to the lookout spot from the parking lot (even though it is only 100ft from the lot). This was not enforced afaik. The views are incredible and unmatched. It is picture perfect and looks great with or without the fog.

The dead end Look out on your trip through the Waimea Canyon and kokee State Park scenic driving. To get to the famous Lookout point takes about an hour drive with no Stops. I was really hoping to see this famous overlook of the Na pali coast. However, it was raining and full of fog when I went. I realize halfway up the drive, but I was committed to hopefully see the clouds part and see some Beautiful scenery. Either way it was a really nice drive and I got to see nice fog. Just kidding when I was ready to walk back to my car it started pouring rain thank you to the restroom for giving me shelter. Definitely coming back here again. Just remember to pay for your Parking. $5 For each person plus another five for your car

This beautiful lookout provides a stunning view of the Na Pali Coast from above. It's incredible to see how high up you are, even spotting small tour helicopters far below. The view is truly spectacular. This particular lookout offers picnic tables and restrooms. We visited in early May, and this was the last point accessible by car; the road ahead was closed. You can reach the other lookouts only by hiking.

Amazing views of the Na Pali coastline from this lookout. This is the last parking lot on the way up since the rest of the road was closed. We also visited this place twice in one day since the first time the clouds rolled in and you couldn’t see much but on our second visit the clouds disappeared and the view was beyond description!!

There is Hawaii and everything else. In Hawaii there is Kauai with its famous Na Pali Coast. What Mark Twain wrote at the end of XIX century is what most people experience right here. It is so vivid that I feel I am still there: "its summer seas flashing in the sun; the pulsing of it surfbeat is in my ear; I can see its garland crags, its leaping cascades, its plumy palms drowsing by the shore, its remote summits floating like islands above the cloud wrack; I can feel the woodland solitudes, I can hear the splash of its brooks; in my nostrils still lives the breath of flowers that perished twenty years ago.”

Just because there isn't an attendant doesn't mean you don't have to pay. Please pay for the parking and entrance fees. I think that out of the 10 cars that were there, I was the only one who paid for parking and the two of us in the car.

What an amazing view!!! We saw it first by boat and next by land. Well worth the drive up the winding road.

Its a short walk (10 minutes) through lush green surroundings to get from the boat (water transport is the only way to get here) to the Grotto itself. The path is flat and paved and highly accessible, as are the boats that bring you here. You cant stand directly underneath the grotto as it is a protected area and potentially hazardous. The acoustics were demonstrated by our local guide.

This is a nice place that is very developed and maintained. Go on weekends to avoid the large crowds that the Smiths boat tours bring. To access it without the boat tours, paddle up the Wailua River and land and the kayak area. Then just hike up the grotto viewpoint. Sadly you cannot access the grotto anymore beyond the viewpoint.

Nice boat ride to the fern Grotto. It was nice but wasn’t overly impressive. I’ve seen a lot more impressive ones than this one. I enjoyed the walk to the Grotto and back to the boat more. Some singing entertainment on the way back from the grotto.

This beautiful historic site was a delight. The waterfall is a mere trickle, but the ferns hanging from the rocks are dazzling. They hang like green beads strung on wire hanging from the rock face above the cave mouth. Many people come here to get married or recommit their vows. The path leading up to the grotto is lined with beautiful flowers and bamboo groves. It is a medium length walk from the boat landing to the grotto, so wear appropriate shoes.

A really pretty and serene state park! We kayaked in and had the place to ourselves. Can be tricky docking the kayaks maybe for beginners, but if you are with a guide I’m sure it would be fine! Restrooms on sight. Beautiful plants and birds and gorgeous grotto! Loved it

The Fern Grotto in Kauai was a wonderful experience. The boat ride was serene, with warm spring rain in early May that dried quickly. Though it felt a bit crowded and the weather limited the view at the end, the walk and lush surroundings made it all very enjoyable.

Water access only. 15 minute boat ride (we took Smith's Fern Grotto boat tour) or kayak to get to the park then it's a 10 minute walk to the Grotto. The path is paved and fairly flat. It is wheelchair accessible. There are restrooms near the bottom of the path but up a flight of stairs. Beautiful location. No access is allowed to the Grotto itself. There is an overlook deck.

Beautiful pilgrimage decorated with wonderful orchids

Went today for the Pilgrimage of Compassion. Very beautiful place. The event had all kind of demonstrations (Calligraphy, Origami, Lei making, bonsai exhibit, etc). This year Grandmaster Riley Lee ( a world-renowned shakuhachi flutist) played while you walked the 88 shires. If you have time while visiting Kauai this is a very unique place that you won’t find anywhere else. Info from website: Lawai International Center, a non-profit community project, is an archaeological and cultural treasure in a valley that has long been recognized as a healing sanctuary. In 1904 the first generation of Japanese immigrants built 88 shrines replicating an ancient pilgrimage of 88 temples in Shikoku, Japan. Today, it is the only such site existing outside of Japan and is one of the oldest Buddhist temple sites in the country. Volunteers are bringing these shrines and this valley back to prominence as an international center for compassion, education and cultural understanding.

We joined the Sunday tour and learned quite a bit from the founder Kimmi about the history behind this place. Worth a couple hours or so for meditation and to try finding your own inner peace. Bring bug sprays.

It’s free just do it! They gave us jasmine pearl tea with homemade biscuits the moment we arrived. This was so warming and welcoming. Their porta potty has been the most fanciest one I have ever seen! They had real lavender, photo frames, plants, and oil diffuser! The shrines are cute and I enjoyed the mindful walking 🙂

Hidden gem on Kauai. Lovely valley amazing temple. Meet locals, learn the history, even volunteer and help the crew. Friendly people will turn you on to places to see, and locations to eat.

very nice place and grounds. if you are spiritual this is a nice place to visit

Just an amazing experience of kaua'i Japanese culture. A story of timeless dedication.

Great beach, nice lifeguards, and fun place to snorkel with lots of reefs. Showers were hard to find, but they are within a small white fence for privacy. Waves were intense in October but we still got out to swim and snorkel and visibility was surprisingly good.

Some of the most beautiful water I've seen on Kauai... when not from a helicopter :)

Gorgeous shades of blue water and great walking beach. Lifeguards are actively reminding beach goers that there are RIP tides and unsafe to swim. One area is good for snorkeling, other area is for chilling and reading book or napping.

One of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The water is mint green with coral rocks with purple veins. You can see to the bottom in 30 feet of water. In the movie The Thornbirds with Richard Chamberlain and his love scene was filmed on this beach. My portrait was taken here near the mountain where the Kahunas consider it sacred. You must come and see it for yourself. It is a magical place

One of the greatest beaches on Kauai for sunset. It is not crowded, there is limited free parking available and the mountain range is a great back drop!

Sadly we came on a windy and rainy day, but the beach is beautiful and water is turquoise. There’s a cool cave across the street to spend a few minutes exploring. There is limited parking so would advise arriving early in the day

Very serene and lovely beach that despite the popularity was not overcrowded and was easy to get to.