My favorite island is the Big Island (Hawaii) but Kauai is a close second. We’ve done the big island so much that we figured we’d switch it up and take the kids to Kauai this year for spring break since it’s been awhile since we last visited. Below are a ton of things you can do both with and without kids!
Things to do without kids:
Tubing: You can find a great tour here. I am dying to do this but our youngest daughter is 3 so she is too young for the age cut off (which is 5 years old). You four-wheel to the former Lihue Plantation and launch from there. The tour is 3 hours and after you lazily tube down the river, you have lunch and can swim in a natural swimming hole before ending your adventure. The tour costs $126 and if you plan on doing it, bring water-friendly shoes (not flip flops), sunscreen, a swimsuit, a towel, and dry clothes to change into for your ride back.
Kauai Beer Company: Who am I fucking kidding? We are going here with our kids. But you folks without ankle biters tagging along will appreciate this brewery even more. You can check out the beer list here and they also serve standard bar food if you want to make lunch or dinner out of it.
Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours: My husband and I used this same company when we did our tour on the Big Island and looooved it. It’s expensive as hell though, so be warned. It’s also something I wouldn’t bring young kids on because I think it’s pricey for something they won’t remember and probably won’t enjoy after they’ve just spent 7 hours in a plane flying to Kauai from Denver. It’s $309 for a 45 minute tour and you can book it here.
Fern Grotto Boat Tour: This tour is one hour and 20 minutes in total and it goes two miles up the Wailua River which is the “only navigable river in Hawaii.” After cruising down the river, you get to take a short nature walk to the Fern Grotto. You can purchase tickets here.
Things to do with kids:
Kauai Plantation Railway: We are going to do this in March and I know the kids will love it. It’s a 40 minute narrated ride around the Kilohana Plantation. At the end of the train ride you can feed the wild goat, sheep, and pigs. You can get tickets here and tickets cost $19.50 per adult and $14.00 for kids 3-12. Kids under 3 ride free. It’s open every day but keep in mind the tours just run once an hour starting at 10 am and ending at 2 pm, so this is not an excursion you can do late in the afternoon.
Kilauea Point: Vince and I went to this wildlife refuge without the kids but it’s a great family-friendly activity. Be warned it has limited hours of operation. They’re only open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Admission is $10 per person and kids 16 and under are free. It’s great just to hike around and see if you can spot a nene (the Hawaiian state bird). You can find more information here. It’s also home to a very cool lighthouse with a helluva view.
Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park: Known as “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific”, the Waimea Canyon is another must-see in Hawaii. By car, there are two ways to visit Waimea Canyon. From the coastal road (Hwy 50), you can turn up Waimea Canyon Drive (Hwy 550) at Waimea town; or you can pass through Waimea and turn up Kokee Road (Hwy 55) at Kekaha. The climb is very steep from Kekaha, but Waimea Canyon Drive, the rim road, is narrower and rougher. A few miles up, the two merge into Kokee Road. The first good vantage point is Waimea Canyon Lookout, located between mile markers 10 and 11 on Waimea Canyon Road. From here, it’s another 6 miles to Kokee. Vince and I didn’t check out Kokee State Park even though it’s only 6 miles up, but it is supposed to be an entirely different world from Waimea Canyon and full of lush, tropical rain forests. Entry to the state park is $5 for non-residents.
Chocolate Farm Tour at Lydgate Farms: I booked this tour as part of a Christmas gift for Vince. It’s a 3-hour educational farm tour that includes tasting/comparing chocolates. They also have on their website that they have a tent on site with coloring books and toys for kids that need a break from the tour, and I’m all about having back-up plans in case our three year old doesn’t comply. The tour is $95 per adult and kids 12 and under are free. You can get more information on their site here.
Shave ice: As I mentioned in my blog about the big island, this shit is called “shave ice” not “shaveD ice” so don’t make a fool of yourself. You’ll see every location claiming it has the best shave ice on the island, much like you see 1000 places in New York City claim they have the best New York style pizza. To each their own. Here are a few different great options since you can’t go wrong wherever you go: On the Eastern side of the island: Wailua Shave Ice. On the West side of the island, try JoJo’s Shave Ice. (There is also a location on the North side as well.)
Ice Cream at Pink’s Creamery. They are on the North side of the island in Hanalei and they have the best ice cream on the island. This time around I also intend to try their grilled cheese, the only other thing they serve besides ice cream concoctions! Check out the menu here.
The Best Beaches to hit up in Kauai:
Hanalei Bay: In March, we are staying in Princeville (which is on the very north side of the island) and this beach is one of the closest. It’s also very family friendly since it’s a gentle cove that is great for beginning snorkelers. As is the norm in Hawaii, the water is so clear that you don’t need to be deep at all to see tropical fish! If you’re a scuba diver, this is where you want to explore as you can dive near a sunken shipwreck!
Tunnels Beach: Also on the north shore is this gem! It’s a crescent shaped bay with some of the best snorkeling on the island. You can frequently spot sea turtles here as well. There aren’t restrooms on site and parking is limited, so try to show up before 9 am and hold in your pee.
Baby Beach and Poipu Beach: Poipu beach is split by a sand bar and on the west side of the sand bar is Baby Beach. Baby Beach is a bit rocky right by the shore, so keep in mind you’ll have to go past the rocks to get to smoother sand. Both locations are great for kids though, as you’re almost always guaranteed to see Hawaiian Monk Seals! Poipu Beach frequently has lifeguards on duty and they also have a parking lot close by, but it does fill up early. There are also bathrooms here which is always a plus if you plan on making a day of it. (Don’t be fucking disgusting and pee in the ocean man!)
Kiahuna Beach: Also on the south side of the island, it’s an ideal beach for swimmers and beginning surfers. It’s not always the clearest for snorkeling though.
Where to stay: This question can be a hairy one when you have kids. I always prefer getting an Airbnb or VRBO over a hotel when we are in any given location for longer than a few days. To me, I’m totally cool with not having daily housekeeping and room service if it means we have more space, a couple separate bedrooms, a kitchen, and a washer and dryer. (I mean, who says I can’t have it all?) So this time around we are staying in the Puu Poa Condos in Princeville. My husband and I liked the photos of what was included in the condos, and since there were so many for rent in one building, he then did is own google search to find the best deal. These condos share a private beach with the St. Regis Hotel and they also have their own swimming pool and hot tub. You can check them out here.
Hotels: If you are wanting to stay in a hotel instead, I recommend checking out these top 10 hotels on Tripadvisor.com. I love TripAdvisor because they list what the hotel rates are through every different site so you can choose the best deal. Plus you get honest reviews, photos from travelers that aren’t staged, and can easily compare them to one another without hopping around a hundred different websites.
