15 Delightful Days in Kauai ~ A Travel Itinerary

We just returned from our first vacation in 2 long years. Kauai has been calling our names for a long time, if it’s calling yours too, check out our 15 day itinerary. I made notes about what we liked and what we wouldn’t repeat to help you with your travel plans. My notes made after our trip appear in green. Make sure you check to see what the current covid restrictions are. I found the site Hawaii Guide to be a valuable resource for keeping up with the ever changing restrictions.

Being flexible is important because the weather can be quite temperamental. Our helicopter ride had to be rescheduled due to weather. We scheduled it early in the trip so that we would have time to reschedule if necessary.

Kauai Itinerary

Must complete health Questionnaire 24 hours prior to flight – will receive an email with a QR code that will be scanned by screener at airport  (Give yourself plenty of time at the airport prior to your flight to complete the screening process before your flight. Otherwise, you will have to wait in line upon arrival to be screened. We were vaccinated and had completed all the required forms for the Hawaii Safe Travels Program so we were able to be pre-screened before our flight.)

Day 1 – Tuesday, October 26^th – Fly to Kauai

Flight UA – Chicago to San Francisco 10:55am – 1:44pm –

           UA –  San Francisco to Kauai 6:41pm – 9:15pm – (United changed our flight schedule, originally we should have landed in Kauai around 7:45)

Car rental – Enterprise – pick up 8pm – Lihue Airport – 3276 Hoolimalima Pl. – SUV (Make sure you rent your car early. We rented through Costco’s Travel Program. Pick up and drop off were quick and efficient)

Drive to condo –Kuhio Shores – 5050 Lawai Rd. #401, Koloa 29 mins – 14.2 mi (excellent location, fabulous ocean view, air conditioned, beach chairs provided – bathroom did not vent, so was kind of damp, not enough towels – would stay at location again, but in a different unit)

Check in 4 pm, checkout 10am  

Day 2 – Wednesday, October 27^th –

Breakfast – Little Fish Coffee – next to Poipu Beach Club – 2290 Poipu Rd, Koloa (very good, long lines, not a lot of shaded areas to eat – definitely recommend)

Grocery shopping – water, snacks, snorkeling gear

hioceansafety.com – constantly monitors the surf, wind and reports from public safety officials for Hawaiian beaches

Poipu Beach – 5 mins/1.9 mi – snorkeling – monk seals – lifeguards – bathrooms – food/drink (I did see two monk seals at the beach. Lots of room on the beach. Husband said snorkeling was good. There were turtles swimming but not on the sand. Highly recommend renting a beach umbrella as there is not a lot of shade if you want to be in the sand.)

Lunch – Puka Dog – 10 am–7:30pm – 2100 Hoone Road, Koloa (I had the veggie dog, husband had the Polish sausage. I thought it was ok, husband thought it was pretty good. The fresh squeezed lemonade was delicious. It is across the street from the beach and very convenient.)

Check out Brennecke’s Beach for turtles (Kiahuna Beach, Lawai Beach, Turtle Cove and Whaler’s Cove) (We did not see turtles at these beaches and never actually located Turtle Cove or Whaler’s Cove – Brenneke’s is good for body boarding but not snorkeling)

Dinner – Pietro’s Pizza – 4-8pm – 2360 Kiahuna Plantation Dr, Koloa (We had pizza and drinks. Food was ok, live music was great)

Day 3 – Thursday, October 28^th

Eat breakfast in Lihue – Daddy O’s – 4303 Rice St. Lihue – 35 mins/12.5 mi (We were not impressed)

Helicopter Tour – 10:45 – 11:45 – Arrive by 10:10am – Mauna Loa – Check in at 3501 Rice St. Suite 1008, Lihue – 6mins/1.3mi – then drive to airport -may cancel within 24 hours (808) 245-7500 – requires a covid vaccine card – payment at time of booking – check in 35 mins before flight time – need camera straps for phones – pants and wind proof jackets (We did a doors off, private tour. Loved it, the wind was pretty intense.)

Drive to Lookout for Opaeka’a Falls View – 15 mins/7.1 mi – pull out is on the right past 2^nd mm – (another view across the road of Wailua River Valley-Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park and Outbreak filmed in valley) – Keahu Arboretum – 13 mins/5.2 mi – .5 mi RT- Kuilau Ridge Trailhead starts in the parking lot of the arboretum – 5 mi RT-moderate – may be muddy, bring walking sticks – 666 ft elevation gain (The trail was a muddy mess and lots of mosquitoes, but the views going up were beautiful)

Optional – Kilohana Plantation – 3-2087 Kaumualii Hwy, Lihue – 32mins/14.7 mi – free rum tastings, every hour on the hour – on way back to condo – Happy Hour 3-5pm (Ate here but did not do the rum tasting. Food was good, restaurant grounds were lovely – recommend)

Day 4 – Friday, October 29^th

Waimea Canyon – 55mins/28.6mi

Drive to lookouts (lower lookouts may be closed, lookouts have bathrooms) – $20 – pay at parking pay station in parking lot

Before mm5 Red dirt waterfall – located off the left side of the road – very close, no hiking – across the street lots of cairns spread across the landscape

Waimea Canyon Outlook (near mm 10), Pu’u Ka Pele Lookout (near mm 13) Pu’u Hinahina Lookout (near mm 13.5) views best in early to mid-morning and very late afternoon (loved)

Waimea – Cliff Trail & Canyon Trail –  Just past mm 14, park opposite of Halemanu Rd. – hike dirt road for ¾ mi to get to trail – Cliff Trail 1/10 mile (right) – go back and do Canyon Trail (left) – 1 mile to Waipoo Falls – 2 miles to end of trail (4mi RT) – bring lunch or snacks for lookout point (muddy nightmare, turned back half way through hike)

Kokee Visitor Center (lunch) – (smoothies were ok, food was not impressive, would not eat there again)

Drive to Kalalau Lookout (mm 18), Pu’u O Kila Lookout (mm19)

Art themed street fair in Hanapepe on Friday nights 5-9pm – Eat in Hanapepe – Unko’s (?) – 1-3749 Kaumualii Hwy (did not eat here, many of the shops were vacant, schedule was rearranged because of helicopter trip so we were not in Hanapepe on Friday)

Day 5 – Saturday, October 30^th

National Tropical Botanical Gardens (McBryde and Allterton)

McBryde  – 4425 Lawai Rd. Koloa – 5mins/1.3 mi – 252 acres – self guided – arrive 30 minutes early – check in South Shore Visitor Center – tour time 10:30am – 1pm – bring water, mask sunscreen, hat, umbrella (?) – may cancel 24 hours in advance (loved)

Allerton– 4425 Lawai Rd. Koloa – 100 acres – tour 1:30 – 4 – check in South Shore Visitor Center – closed toe shoes required – 2.75 hours – may cancel 24 hours in advance (loved)

Spouting Horn – End of Lawai Rd – directly south of gardens (loved)

Day 6 – Sunday, October 31^st

Blue Dolphin Charters 4353 Waialo Rd. Eleele (Port Allen Marina Center) – 22 mins/11.2mi – Check in 8am – Parking in gravel lot marked Blue Dolphin Parking, just past Port Allen Marina Center –  Napali boat/snorkel tour – 8am check in – 5.5 hours – may cancel up to 24 hours before tour – breakfast and lunch – can rent a wetsuit for – barefoot tour – must wear mask in shop and on dock (loved)

Glass Beach – Look for large tanks of gasoline near Port Allen (did not do)

Old Koloa Town – shopping – dinner (only had pineapple dole whips here, they were very good)

Pineapple truck in Waimea from 11-6 at West Kauai’s Visitor’s Center (we were never in their location but we loved Aloha Juice Bar for pineapple Dole Whips and their acai breakfast bowls)

Day 7 – Monday, November 1^st  – 55mins/28.6mi

Waimea Canyon –Pull over on way up at pull outs for quick pics $20 (loved)

Kokee State Park – Berry Flat – 2 mi RT easy through Redwood trees (did not do, too hot, muddy and too many mosquitoes)

Visit art galleries in Hanapepe (most had gone out of business)

Kekaha Beach Park – good for walking along beach and sunset (never looked for)

Day 8 – Tuesday, November 2^nd

Poipu Beach – snorkeling – Brennecke’s Beach (Sea Turtles) – Spouting Horn – rent bikes along Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail (?) (trail was dirt and not for biking, walked a little of it, but was very hot out)

Lunch – Bubba Burger – 10:30am – 9:00 pm – 2829 Ala Kalanika St. Building L, Koloa – 2 mins from condo (did not eat here)

Day 9 – Wednesday, November 3^rd

^{Hoopii Falls Trail – 1.7 RT (moderate 150 ft elevation gain) – 44 mins/24.1 mi – Kapahi Rd, kapaa – very slippery – bring walking sticks (did not do, too muddy)}

^{Check out Lydgate Beach (did not go to)}

^{or Pihea VISTA Trail – 2.1 mi in Waimea Canyon – starts at Puu Hina Hina lookout ends at the Pihea Overlook (just walked a little section of it)}

Day 10 – Thursday, November 4^th

Tunnel of Trees (you drive through it to get to Koloa/Poipu, no need to single it out if you are all ready going there)

Wailua Falls (Fantasy Island) – overlook Rt. 583 (17.1 mi – 29 mins ) (beautiful)

Fern Grotto Boat Ride – 3-5971 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaa – (15 min – 8.7 mi from falls; 30 mins – 18 mi from condo) 11am tour – arrive at 10:45 – 1 hour 20 mins – can cancel up to 24 hours in advance and receive 100% refund – 18 minutes from Wailua Falls – 808-821-6892 (loved)

40 minute drive to lighthouse

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge  – check hours – available two months in advance 10/1 – open Thurs-Sat 10-4 – parking is free – restrooms – may bring water – bring printed copy of entry ticket – may cancel 24 hours ahead of time – 2pm entry time – bring binocular/monocular (loved)

Lydgate Beach Park – snorkeling – lifeguards – parking – showers – toilets (did not go)

Kilauea Bakery and Pizza – 6am – 8 pm – 2484 Keneke Street, Kilauea – 5 mins from lighthouse (pasteries were ok, pizza was not impressive to us, but it is very popular, so maybe we are just Chicago pizza snobs)

Check into new condo –  Sealodge – Nov 4^th – Nov 9^th – 3700 Kamehameha Rd. Princeville – check in 3:30, check out 10:30 (17 min – 7.8 mi from lighthouse) – (two bedrooms, two baths, great view of ocean, washer and dryer – did not have air conditioning, although we were not hot, it rains A LOT here, so the condo and all the furniture always felt damp – would not recommend – if you found a unit with air conditioning, it could be a good choice)

Day 11 – Friday, November 5^th

Hanalei Bay Beach Park – (4.5 mi – 12 mins) – snorkeling – 2 mi beach – Hanalei Pier – parking on mountainside of Weli Weli Rd. – turtles (did not see turtles here, good for surfing, waves were too high for snorkeling – most crowded beach we visited)

Other options based on water conditions:

Haena Beach  aka Tunnels Beach (10.3 mi – 30 mins) – may have food trucks – good snorkeling if low surf – lifeguards, parking, showers, toilet, food and drink – near end of Rt. 560 (liked)

Anini Beach Park – (6.7 mi – 16 mins) – shallow lagoon – good for snorkeling except with high winter surf – parking – showers – toilets – food and drink (loved)

Shopping – Ice Cream at Lappert’s Hawaii 5-4280 Princeville Shopping Center 11:30am-8pm (horribly disappointing!)

Dinner – Kalypso Island Bar and Grill = 5-5156 Kuhio Hwy. Hanalei – Happy hour 3-5:30 – 12 mins from condo (ok)

Day 12 – Saturday, November 6^th

Kalalau Trail – (33mins – 11.2 mi) -1^st mile – Napili Coast – Ke’e Beach – requires reservation and parking fee $20, parking good for a limited time, need to purchase multiple time slots if wanting to stay longer – may buy 30 days in advance – need to bring reservation form – cell service not reliable here – 6:30 am – 5:30 pm (muddy, slippery, rocky trail but amazing view)

Ke’e Beach $ – need reservations – pop, arrive early for parking – parking at end of road – sandy bottom lagoon – good for snorkeling if low surf – current at western edge of beach – great for sunsets – lifeguards – showers – toilets (waves were too high for swimming but we enjoyed a long stroll along the beach – saw a monk seal)

Day 13 – Sunday, November 7^th

Anini Beach or other – snorkeling – Shopping

Day 14 –Monday, November 8^th

Maniniholo Dry Cave – (29 mins – 10.3 mi) – across the highway from Haena Beach Park Rt 560, Haena, right after mm 9 – bring flashlight – can park on the side of the road – cave goes back about 150 feet (liked)

Waikanaloa Wet Cave – visible from highway, up the road from the lifeguard beach; Waikapalae Wet Cave – few hundred yards back, 5 min uphill walk – Western end of Rt 560, Haena – filmed Pirates of the Caribbean here (did not do)

Snorkeling at Haena Beach

Day 15 – Tuesday, November 9^th

Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens Tour – 4101 Wailapa Rd., Kilauea – ( 14 mins – 8.5 mi) – 8:45 am check in – 9am – noon -Stroll and Ride – 24 hour cancellation policy – 808-828-0525 (loved)

Kealia Beach – Rt. 56 mm 10, Kealia – (16 min – 12 miles) – Level paved path, most scenic coastal trail for walking or biking, toilets – (did not do)

 Eat at Lava Lava Beach Club – (13 mins – 5.7 mi) – Light fare from 3-4pm, liquid happy hour from 3-5pm, dinner from 4:30-9pm, live music from 5-8:30pm – 420 Papaloa Rd. Kapa’a (loved)

check out beaches near lihue – (Kalapaki Beach – 5 mins from airport) 

Car return 8 pm – (12 mins – 6.2 miles) – Costco Gas Station near airport – open till 9:30 pm

Flight home UA1746 – Kauai to San Francisco 11:50pm – 7:05am (United changed this flight as well, we should have left at 10 pm)

UA1400 – San Francisco to Chicago – 8:30am – 2:48pm

We purposely planned in one extra day because on our trip to Maui we missed half a day due to bad weather and postponed flights. We also planned on being extremely flexible, knowing the weather would factor in to what we would be able to do each day. Although we knew to expect rain, we didn’t realize that every hike we wanted to do would be a muddy, slippery mess. I only had two disappointments on the entire trip. First, not being able to hike as much as we usually do and second, the condo in Princeville really needed air to get rid of the damp, humid air; however, we were there so infrequently that it really didn’t matter all that much.

My next post will be about the first condo we stayed in and then onto the first beach we visited. As always, wishing you happy travels and fantastic adventures in this thing called life.

(All pictures are available as Fine Art Prints or Digital Downloads for purchase through Alamy. If you see something you like, click on the link. If you are unable to find it, use the Contact Me page and I will make sure the image is available.)

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