Favorite Kauai Hikes + Adventure
Nopali Coast Trail, Hanalei. 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, Sushi Girl hut in Hanalei about 10 minutes from trailhead has great sushi.
Sleeping Giant Trail, Kappa. Beautiful short hike to include in your day. Great views at the top, and the trailhead is right in the town of Kappa so its easy to get to.
Waimea Canyon. Driving in 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 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.
Bike Path in Kapa'a for a walk, run or bike ride. Park 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. During whale season, which is around Jan/ Feb, this is a great whale watching spot.
Shiva Temple. On beautiful sacred grounds. Banyan trees and a beautiful Shiva temple. Visitors are welcome most days at specific times in the morning. Friday is the community day so it tends to be more crowded. If you can go on another day it’s preferable.
Favorite Places to Chill in Kauai
Kapa'a + Hanalei, both on the north shore. Kapa'a is a cute little surfer town, and Hanalei is a bit more upscale but still pretty chill. There’s not much of a “going out” scene here. Make sure you enjoy the people your with :)
St. Regis Hotel Beach. Afternoon beach hang and/or cocktails on the terrace.. Everything at this hotel is amazing and you can visit totally free and even valet your car as a guest. They welcome you to do so.
And all beaches in Hawaii are public, so you can access St. Regis public beach which is absolutely gorgeous. shown in video. (A bit of a nicer spot to chill 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 Places to Sleep in Kauai
Airbnbs of course. Anything near the water or up in the hills. I’ve done both options.
Kauai Shores in Kapa'a is also great. An updated 70s hotel. What we absolutely loved there was waking up and walking to the ocean to watch the sunrise. The rooms are simple, not fancy but clean and perfect for a base camp. The cafe on site has good food and more importantly ocean front seating. They also have a little fridge in the room which is nice.
Favorite Places to Eat in Kauai - Dinner
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.
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.