5 DAYS IN KAUAI: BEST THINGS TO DO

This is my first time exploring Kauai, and I have to say, it is one of my favorite islands. If you’re looking for a small-town atmosphere, Kauai is the place to visit. It’s a short 20-minute flight from Honolulu.

Kauai is one of the oldest Hawaiian Islands, with lush scenery and many iconic scenes from movies like Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean, and so much more.

Ryan and I spent 5 days in Kauai. We based ourselves in the South Shore on Poipu Beach and loved it. There is so much to do on the island, you can easily drive from the South to the North Shore in an hour. 5 days is doable but another day would have been great. Here’s a list of the best things to do in Kauai.

WHERE TO STAY

KOʻA KEA RESORT

We stayed at Koa Kea Resort and loved it. It was just renovated in 2022 the property is stunning with an amazing restaurant, Red Salt. I highly recommend an oceanfront beach room; the property is on Poipu Beach, known for sea turtles. We saw a few including monk seals on the beach too.

1 HOTEL HANALEI BAY

One of the most luxurious hotels on the island and located on the North Shore is 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay. The hotel has an infinity pool, with amazing sunset views along the cliffs.

WHAT TO DO IN KAUAI

NAPALI COAST BOAT TOUR

A must is a day exploring NaPali Coast and snorkeling with Blue Dolphin Deluxe NaPali. Seeing the NaPali Coast is stunning, the boat tour includes a light breakfast and lunch. I highly recommend taking Dramamine if you get seasick as the waters can be a little rough.

WAIMEA CANYON STATE PARK

A must when visiting Kauai is Waimea Canyon State Park. It’s considered “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific”, with panoramic views. The elevation is high so it can be hit or miss with cloudy weather. We went in the morning and it was foggy, I would recommend checking the weather and going mid-day. Make sure to look for a view of the waterfalls. Fees are $5 per person and $10 per vehicle.

KOKE’E STATE PARK

After Waimea Canyon, drive north to Koke’e State Park. If you like to hike, the park offers roughly 45 miles of the best hiking trails. Some views also lead to views of Waimea Canyon.

KOLOA ZIPLINE

Go ziplining with Koloa Zipline. They also offer ATVs if that is something you love to do. We had a lot of fun ziplining, they offer 8 ziplines and the guides were awesome.

KAUAI COFFEE COMPANY TOUR

The Kauai Coffee Company is the largest coffee farm in the U.S. They offer free walking tours, to learn about how the coffee is grown, harvested, and roasted. A great tour for coffee lovers.

HANAPEPE TOWN

Just a few minutes away from The Kauai Coffee Company, make a stop in Hanapepe Town. It’s a cute little town with local shops.

KOLOA HERITAGE TRAIL

Koloa Heritage Trail is a 14-stop, self-guided 10-mile tour of the Koloa and Poipu area’s most important cultural, historical, and geological sites.

NATIONAL TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN: BEST OF BOTH WORLDS TOUR

We did the Best of Both Worlds Tour, which is a 2.5-hour guided tour. There are a lot of movies that have been filmed in the Allerton Garden such as Jurassic Park and Pirates of the Caribbean.

WAILUA FALLS

Make a stop at Wailua Falls on your way to the North Shore. It’s a quick stop with a viewpoint of the falls.

OPAEKA’A FALLS

Opaeka’a Falls is also on the way to the North Shore. We did not stop here but it is another viewpoint of a beautiful waterfall.

WAREHOUSE 3540

A creative community marketplace with local shops, baked goods, and coffee located in Koloa.

BEST BEACHES ON KAUAI

POIPU BEACH

I loved Poipu Beach. It has amazing snorkeling, it’s also known for turtles and we saw two on shore along with monk seals. It’s a crescent-shaped beach with many oceanfront hotels.

Poipu Beach Sunset — Poipu Beach Sunrise

Poipu Beach Turtles — Poipu Beach Monk Seal

HANALEI BAY

Many people visit Hanalei Bay for sunset, it has beautiful views of the mountains and a pier. On the way to Hanalei Bay, we also found a lookout with views of the taro fields.

ANINI BEACH PARK

We had plans to stop by this beach after Hanalei Bay, it’s only about 15 minutes apart but we decided to skip it. It features miles of white sandy beach protected by a huge coral reef, definitely on my list for my next trip.

TUNNELS BEACH

Also located on the North Shore, Tunnels Beach is another highly recommended beach to visit. It gets its name from the lava tubes and has a beautiful lush backdrop. Parking here is limited, best to arrive early.

WHERE TO EAT IN KAUAI

Plantation House by Gaylords – This is a must. Plantation House by Gaylords is historic and on a plantation estate with farm-to-table dishes. After your meal, walk around the property, or go on a rum safari adventure. Make sure to order the fried brie!

Anuenue Cafe – One of my favorite breakfast spots is Anuenue Cafe for the Kalua Pork Fried Rice. I recommend going early, they close at noon and always run out!

Little Fish Coffee – This super cute coffee shop. It’s on the main road of Koa Kea Resort.

Puka Dog – This was highly recommended and located on Poipu Beach. There was a line when we went but it was so worth it!

Keoki’s Paradise – This restaurant is beautiful. It does make you feel like you’re in paradise here. I recommend the Coconut Shrimp!

Coconut Corner – This was a spot I randomly found on the side of the road on the way to Waimea Canyon. The shaved ice was amazing, they also served Thai food and fresh fruits.

Koloa Fish Market – I did not try this spot but it’s highly recommended.

Eating House 1849 – If you’re looking for something fancy, make a reseration at Eating House. We did not get reservations but it’s owned by famous chef Roy Yamaguchi.

La Spezia – If you want Italian, head to La Spezia. We dined here on our last night and loved it.

Sushi Girl – If you’re on the North Shore, Sushi Girl is a great spot for poke bowls.

Hapa’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice – While you’re at Sushi Girl, get shaved ice after from Hapa’s! It was really good.

Have you been to Kauai? Let me know your favorite spots, I can’t wait to return in the future. If you’re headed to Maui, we loved the all-adults Hotel Wailea.