A Week in Kauai: Where to eat, drink, and play

We stayed on the south end of the island near Poipu beach and loved the location. Kauai is pretty small so if you rent a car (which I kind of feel is a must) you can drive all around the island during your stay. The stunning landscapes, beaches, and range of activities were the star of Kauai for me. It’s on the quieter side compared to the other popular Hawaiian islands, I 100% recommend if you want a relaxed and rejuvenating vacation. I still dream of Kauai, it’s break taking.

ACTIVITIES:

Watch Sea Turtles and Monk Seals sunbathe on the beach at Poipu
Ahi Uila Fire Show: This is one of the most amazing performances I have ever seen and the owner shares the history of the indigenous Polynesian people before each performance which is beautiful.
Snorkeling: The snorkeling at Lawai Beach is AMAZING! I felt like I was inside finding nemo, I saw over 40 varieties of colorful fish and swam with a sea turtle here!!! The water is calm and the fish are right off the beach so you don’t have to go far. You can rent equipment from the snorkel store right next to the beach entrance. Highly recommend for a couple of hours. There’s a great spot to grab drink next door too when you’re tired ;).
Kauai ATV Tours: This is the muddiest I’ve ever been in my entire life but so. much. fun. The guides take you on a 3 hour long group tour through beautiful scenery where iconic movies where shot such as Jurassic Park. Each Polaris can fit 2-4 people, we did the two person which was perfect because we could trade off driving. Again, prepared to get muddy… this is backcountry.
Farmers Market: If you can go to one of the farmers markets early in your trip to stock up on local goodies to enjoy throughout. There is one going on most days of the week but the locations vary so look online ahead of time.
Hike Nā Pali Coast: We didn’t get a chance to do this but it will definitely be top of my list when we go back. It looks stunning and I got tons of recommendations for this.
Kayak to Secret Falls
Hanalei Valley Lookout: One of the most photographed spots on the island
Golf: There are ample golfing options in Kauai. Kiahuna Gold Club is where we went and the course was beautiful.

BEACHES:

Hanalei Beach (North Shore): Hanalei is sooo beautiful, it almost feels unreal. The lush green mountains framing the ocean are truly a site to see. It took us a little over an hour to get from Poipu where we were staying to Hanalei Bay (mostly because of one lane roads not the distance). When we go back we will probably stay on that side of the island; March-November is the best time of the year for Hanalei, it was rainy when we were there in December.
Poipu Beach