Hawaii's Hidden Gem: Kauai
Sunday [sunrise: 7:17am; sunset: 6:08pm]
Landed at airport around 1pm. Chickens everywhere. We decided to rent a car for this trip and it is very much necessary in order to explore the island.
We picked up our car to drive to The Princeville which was about 50 minutes from the airport on the north side of the island. We drive through Kapaá to get to the hotel and we got The Spot Acai Bowls which were so so great. We figured out the area had a lot to see and do so it was a great spot to find.
Driving to the hotel there is a 2 mile stretch from the start of Princeville to the hotel entrance where there is a golf course and beautiful places to look at. The views are amazing and the property is very secluded. It was the most recommended resort to stay at when we were doing our research on the island of Kauai. The Kauai resort overlooks Hanalei Bay and the Na Pali coast. Starwood Capital acquired the Princeville Resort in 2018 and renovations were completed in 2021.
We checked into our hotel and received welcome leis upon arrival and soaked in the beautiful views and lobby. The amazing staff gave us pineapple ciders and chocolates for our engagement welcome! We then walked down to the pool area but the weather was a bit cooler than expected so we decided to go to town for dinner in Hanalei which was about 15 minutes tops from the hotel spot.
We went to Kalypsos for dinner and got a bunch of items to split then walked over to the grocery store for some snacks and water for the week. Kalypsos was a full bar lots of people and seems fun was recommended by a few different people as a casual tavern with a bamboo bar & porch seating offering a Hawaiian-style menu & tropical drinks.
Jetlag hit us big time and we were asleep by 8pm.
Monday [sunrise: 7:17am; sunset: 6:08pm]
We woke up at 6:30am and did yoga in the ballroom looking out at the cliffs with our instructor Max. It was amazing and a private class since nobody else was up that early!
We changed and went to the pool area for the day and sat on the beach where it rained on and off but we had some beautiful views. Took in the relaxing day with some reading of wedding magazines!
We decided to go to Kauai Juice Co for the first time as recommended by many people and picked up fresh juices and kombucha for the next day. I can not say enough great things about this spot. We visited multiple times on our visit and we have recommended it to every person we know who has gone to Kauai since. The staff is so friendly, the products are so healthy, and their social media presence is impressive.
We had dinner at Paco’s Tacos in Kilauea which is about 15 minutes from the hotel. Chickens everywhere. Food was yummy and big plates! It has been fun to explore these little towns on the island and all of their unique charm.
Asleep by 9pm for big helicopter tour the next morning! Very nervous being first timers!
Tuesday [sunrise: 7:17am; sunset: 6:09pm]
Woke up at 5:45am for helicopter tour and drove to Lihue airport to check in. As you enter the airport entrance you will see three flag poles. The road will split, stay to your left. Go thru the first stop sign. The office is on the left of the 2nd stop sign, so make a left turn and then make an immediate left into the parking lot. The parking lot has free parking.
If you are coming down from the north shore you may want to consider using the Wailua Bypass which saves about 15 minutes on your commute. As you enter Kapaa town you will see “Kountry Kitchen” on your right and the bypass is immediately after on the right. Bear off to the right, then make a right at the stop sign. Go ¼ mile, enter the roundabout and exit ¾ mile around. Stay on this road until; it will end at Kuhio Highway. At the stop sign make a right turn and stay on Highway 56 back to the airport.
The winds were strong but not terrible so we were able to go up for 20 minutes and see some views! Unfortunately, we were unable to do the landing and the rest of the tour due to the weather. Winds were strong and the helicopter was shaking a good amount so the pilot landed us. This was a bit scary to experience as helicopter rides on the island are known to be dangerous yet thrilling. We are thankful we were able to go up for a bit at least and to experience a new thing that we had never done before and that we landed safely!
This tour was meant to gently lift off from the Lihue Airport daily and provide a birds eye view of Nawiliwili Harbor and the Kauai Marriot Resort within the first few minutes of flight. Your first air destination is the tropical Hanapepe Valley which is known for its fantastic rainbows. Next you will see the 400 ft. high Manawaiopuna Falls made famous in the movie ‘Jurassic Park’ and enter Olokele Canyon, the gateway to the ‘Grand Canyon of the Pacific’, Waimea.
Then explore in detail the spectacular and isolated NaPali Coast. See majestic mountains, cascading waterfalls, secluded beaches and pristine cathedral cliffs from beginning to end. As your flight continues past the ancient caves and terraces your pilot & guide will share great legends of Hawaii and its people. Also see Bali Hai and Lumahai Beach made famous in the movie South Pacific.
It’s then on to Hanalei Bay & Valley with a view of Princeville Resort. Finally this tour flies inside the crater of Mt. Waialeale volcano where waterfalls cascade thousands of feet to the valley below. Many other fantastic locations are seen on this tour including Wailua Falls.
It would’ve been a great tour but we are glad the staff took into account our safety and stopped the flight. After leaving the ariport, we went to the town of Kapaá which has become a frequent stopping spot for us and we had breakfast at a bar on the second floor which looked out at the mountains as we watched the rain and sunshine come and go. Our waitress was from Haverhill, MA! What are the chances.
We drove to the Sleeping Giant Trails to hike which we did the east side hike. It was VERY MUDDY to say the least but super cool to do. There were even some rock ledges we had to climb up to get going farther. We reached the picnic tables and looked at the view. The hike was in total 4 miles up and down. Thank goodness for my walking stick! Our sneakers were in the trash after this trail but well worth it!
We got dressed and went to PV Eats a new restaurant in Princeville overlooking a golf course and right at the sunset. Scott had the best burger ever there and my steak was also fantastic. The waitress screamed out loud when she found out we just got engaged!
Wednesday [sunrise: 7:18am; sunset: 6:10pm]
We woke up and had a private yoga class again at 8am looking at the cliffs. It was simply beautiful to listen to the rain while we practiced with the doors open.
We walked to the Makai golf course which was right up the road from The Princeville to be able to hit some balls at the driving range. The course was beautiful and if you are a golfer, a must see.
It was raining a bit still so we then walked to The Spot in Princeville for some of their blended yogurts and acai bowls as well as a super good bagel. The walk was a little over 4 miles there and back and a beautiful one.
We found the dirt path to look for Hideaway Beach which was so cool to find and see. We were told it was a great secret spot if you can find it. It was a hidden dirt path that we could walk and then slowly climb down while holding ropes. You could hear the waves crashing as we walked down and found a truly hidden beach with huge waves surrounded by cliffs. Amazing.
After this we cleaned up and went to the pool for a little bit to read and potentially get a little bit of sun. We got burgers from the beach shack and ate them as the sun went down. So peaceful and romantic.
Since we had an early dinner we went for a dessert at the hotel Makana Terrace where we had a brownie sundae and a pineapple cheesecake which was a great end to the night!
Thursday [sunrise: 7:18am; sunset: 6:10pm]
Woke up and drive to Halanei to get on the 730am shuttle to get to Ha'ena State Park the Hanakapi'ai Beach via the Kalalau Trail. This trail is part of a longer trail that requires camping overnight but the weather was not appropriate for sleeping outside during the month of January.
It was very dark upon getting there and windy as you follow the trail that warns you various times of the danger involved.
It is 2 miles to the beach and we made it to the river but the park ranger warned us that the waters were too high. 30 people were swept off the beach by a rogue wave last week from how high the water was. We watched two people cross the river and it was higher than their waste so we turned back and head the 2 miles back to the start.
The views were amazing and the trail was very cool. There were all rock portions then all mud portions it varies depending on the turn. Sometimes it was pouring rain and sometimes sun. It was really a moment to remember.
After the fantastic hike we went to Hanalei Bread Company for an early lunch of grilled cheese and avocodo paninis and they were the best most yummy sandwiches ever. The bread was so fluffy and perfect. This was my favorite meal of the trip by a long shot.
We drove back to the Princeville and rinsed off our mud and packed up our things. It was pouring rain so we decided to check out and head to Kapaá since we loved that little town so much.
We went to the south side of the island to a friend’s apartment which was located at the Marriot Kauai about 7 minutes from the Lihue airport. It was waterfront and amazing. There was prosecco waiting for us with a sweet note and we took the glasses out on the deck to drink some while read. The view was perfect when it wasn’t raining! We did not know that it was rainy season before coming to Kauai at this time but we have been making the best of it.
We wanted to explore the south side of the island which is called Poʻipū. We had dinner at Pizzetta in Old Koloa and we do not recommend this place unfortunately, but theres an ice cream shop next door that filled us up for the night!
Friday [sunrise: 7:18am; sunset: 6:11pm]
We had a bit of sunshine so decided to sneak into the Timbers Resort around the corner which was beautiful. We pretended to be guests and laid out by the infinity pool. The views are amazing and you can tell that this resort is the epitome of luxury.
We then decided to go for a drive to Poipu Beach. This drive was about 40 minutes from Lihue and considered the most southern point. We pulled up to the beach called Shipwreck Beach to watch surfers come for the end of the day surf. The waves were HUGE and we understood now why so many people were going there.
We had some fantastic BBQ at Kiawe Roots in Poipu Beach. It was a cute shopping area that had a ton of shops and restaurants to walk around and explore. This was one of our best dinners.
Saturday [sunrise: 7:18am; sunset: 6:12pm]
We went to Aloha Aina juice cafe in Lihue and the bowls were HUGE! There was a line to get them and we understood why when we saw how much you got for the price.
We decided to drive west to Waimea Canyon which is compared to that of the Grand Canyon on the mainland. The drive itself was filled with sunshine which was nice! We got to see little towns as we passed through and drove along the ocean edge.
We saw various lookout spots along the way to step out and see the amazing canyon. The best view is at the top which unfortunately it was raining when we got up there and covered in fog. You could still tell how majestic it truly was though with the fog. Amazing and huge. It was a great last day activity. If it wasn’t raining, we would’ve done some hikes in the area for sure.
After getting back to the house we relaxed a bit and read in preparation of the flight ahead. We washed up and went to Cafe Portofino in Lihue for dinner which was next to Dukes in the Marriot. Dinner was filling which was great for the flight and we headed back to grab our bags and head to the airport.
There were outdoor airport areas when we arrived which was really cool to not be waiting indoors the entire time and we took off at 1130pm at night. Back to reality.
Overall, the place is amazing, we just would recommend to not go during rainy season to be able to do more outdoor activities on this magical island.
