FAVORITE KAUAI HIKES/ ADVENTURE

Hike the Nopali Coast Trail. It is unbelievably gorgeous and I think I could hike it a million times before it gets old. Spectacular views starting early on.  On the way back, stop at Sushi Girl hut for the best local sushi.

Visit Waimea Canyon. The driving that area is spectacular. There's only one road in from the south, so you can make stops along the way and see it all from little rest stops on the side of the road. The hike we did was mostly under the canopy of the trees until the very end where you see me with my backpack overlooking the water. The view at the top is amazing! Around 4-5 miles round trip. Make sure you bring enough water!! (we didn't) There is nothing up in this area. 

Walk or Bike the Bike Path in Kapa'a. We parked at Kealia Beach one day for a run and ran south. Another day we visited early in the morning and walked north along the path to see the sunrise which is also gorgeous. That's what's in the beginning of the video.

 

FAVORITE PLACES TO CHILL IN KAUAI

Visit Kapa'a + Hanalei. Kapa'a is a cute little surfer town, and is our favorite town there. Hanalei Bay is also cool. 

Afternoon hang at the St. Regis Hotel Beach + cocktails on the terrace..  Everything at this hotel is amazing and you can visit totally free as a guest, they welcome it. You can even valet park free. First check out the lobby, as it is unbelievable. Probably the coolest hotel lobby I've ever seen. 

And all beaches in Hawaii are public, so you can access St. Regis public beach which is absolutely gorgeous. shown in video. (much nicer than the Hanalei Bay beach right next door which is the town beach)  Swimming here is also great because a lot of the beaches in Kauai have big waves + currents. The water here is typically calm.

Perched up high on the cliffs, it's the most epic place to watch the sunset + surfers.

 

FAVORITE PLACE TO SLEEP IN KAUAI

Kauai Shores in Kapa'a. This place feels like an updated hotel from the 70s. What we absolutely loved there was waking up and walking to the ocean to watch the sunrise. The rooms are super simple, it's not fancy. But perfectly clean + livable. The cafe there is also great and every meal we had there was awesome. They also have a little fridge in the room which is nice. We are not paid by them btw. We just had really great experiences there and think it's a great value + cool experience place.

 

FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT IN KAUAI DINNERS 

Dolphin Sushi. Right at the beginning of town in Hanalei. Great for dinner and outdoor dining experience. Apparently celeb sitings of George Clooney and the like can also be found here.

Postcard Cafe. In Hanalei. Super cute local place. on the pricier side. Great food and great people. Really chill.

Sushi Girl Sushi. North of Hanalei. Great little hole in the wall place off the side of the road on the way to Nopali Coast Hike. Just north of Hanalei Bay. We ate there after the hike and was awesome. Super fresh sushi.

Cafe @ Kauai Shores Hotel. Kapa'a. Even if you don't stay there, it's a sweet spot to visit since it's on the beach. Nice for daytime or dinner.

 

CASUAL/ LUNCH

The Coconut Cup Juice Bar + Cafe. Just north of town in Kauai. It's a small little hut with outdoor seating. Really fresh + high quality salads + smoothies.

Papaya's Natural Foods + Cafe. In Kapa'a. Great salad, soup + sandwich bar if you're looking for something super healthy. This is THE health food place of Kauai. Everything is vegan. It's also a supermarket with all the healthy goods, local produce, etc. It's also in the same shopping plaza as Safeway.