17+ Cool things to do in Kauai (plus the best beaches)

Hawaii is a favorite winter holiday destination for us North American west-coasters. (Hello, are you nodding yes in L.A. or Vancouver?)

We’ve visited all the Hawaiian islands several times each.

But the “garden island” of Kauai has snagged a special spot in our hearts. It’s just so darn picturesque!

17+ Awesome things to do in Kauai

1) Take a Kauai helicopter ride

How does an exciting chopper ride sound?

Scenic helicopter tours in Kauai are perhaps the best way to get a megadose of the island’s beauty. (Choose a “no doors” chopper – awesome pictures and more fun!)

In 90 minutes, you can see the whole island from the air.

To the west, you’ll soar over the 14-mile-long Waimea Canyon – dubbed “the Grand Canyon of the Pacific” – incised with dramatic red, purple and ochre cliffs.

To the north, gape at the unspoiled Na Pali Coast, where 3,000-foot-high emerald mountain cliffs rise up from the ocean floor.

Movie directors love filming on Kauai. So your pilot may point out the valley cleft where the giant ape cradles the heroine in the 1976 King Kong flick.

Not a boomer? Okay, he (she?) may show you the idyllic Hanalei Bay Beach that George Clooney jogs along in The Descendents (2011) instead.

2) Go tubing in sugar plantation canals

Don a helmet with headlamp and jump into a big inflatable tube. You’re going tubing!

Kauai Backcountry Adventures has exclusive access to the historic ditches and canals once used to irrigate Kauai’s sugar cane plantations.

This Kauai adventure has you floating down gently-flowing waters on former plantation lands in the island’s lush remote interior.

Feel like a kid again as your tube bumps into the lava rock canal walls and twirls about.

Most fun?

Bumper-tubing through five pitch-black tunnels (now you know why you have headlamps).

Definitely one of the more unique things to do in Kauai!

3) Learn about monk seals

4) Savor seafood at Red Salt

Ever since opening its doors in 2009, Red Salt has received rave reviews as one of the best restaurants in Kauai.

The menu focuses on fresh Hawaiian seafood and local flavors. Think spicy seared ahi and ono with King crab hash.

Produce is locally sourced too (the resto’s Kailani Farms mixed green salad is tossed with Big Island hearts of palm, roasted macadamia nuts and avocado vinaigrette).

The setting – creamy travertine floors and granite tables – is spare, though sophisticated and welcoming.

Red Salt is a bit pricey.

But the food sings and is worth the dollars spent.

On a guided tour, stroll through a cool bamboo forest and outdoor “rooms” with fountains and rippling pools.

Also learn about some unique Hawaiian fruits – like the blue-cheese-stinky noni fruit (studied for its medicinal cancer-fighting properties) – and “canoe” plants brought to Kauai by early Polynesians.

Marvel too at the towering Moreton Bay fig trees, whose gigantic roots hid the dinosaur eggs in the Jurassic Park movie.

Read more: Kauai’s Allerton and McBryde botanical gardens are a must to see!

6) See the Spouting Horn blowhole

When you’re down on Kauai’s south shore, stop at the Spouting Horn.

It’s a blowhole in the lava rock through which the surf shoots up, creating a huge plume of water, sometimes as high as 50 feet.

When the water shoots through, it makes a loud eerie noise too.

7) Eat shave ice

On a hot day, nothing tastes better than shave ice!

There are several cool little shave ice stands in Kauai.

And don’t think just fresh pineapple or strawberry flavors (though we love this). You can get the fluffy colorful scoops with sweet condensed milk or macadamia nuts on top.

At Wailua Shave Ice (in Kapaa), the coconut foam topping is popular. Or maybe go bold and ask for your shave ice with whipped cream and fruit nuggets.

Waikomo Shave Ice (in Poipu) uses all-natural ingredients (and you can even get yours in an actual half coconut). Get it topped with home-made coconut cream sauce and local honey.

8) Try SUP on a river

Stand on a specially-designed surf board and paddle up the Hule’ia River with Kauai SUP.

Stand-up paddle boarding is the world’s fastest growing watersport.

And Kauai’s calm rivers are ideal for SUP (as it’s known for short).

It’s easy to learn to SUP in Kauai.

You’re a little wobbly at first, but soon you’ll be happily gliding past mangroves and hau bushes, whose yellow sea hibiscus flowers turn scarlet within 24 hours of blooming.

On the SUP adventure up the Hule’ia River, you can also hike through a jungle of vines and jump from a rope into a deep freshwater pool.

9) Drive through the Tree Tunnel

You can’t miss the famous Kauai Tree Tunnel if you’re driving to Poipu.

This one-mile stretch of Maluhia Road (Highway 520) is the gateway to Kauai’s south shore (Koloa Town and Poipu Beach).

It’s lined with over 500 majestic Eucalyptus trees, planted more than 100 years ago. As the trees grew, their branches linked above, forming the leafy canopy over the narrow road.

(It’s difficult to take pictures of the Tree Tunnel, though, as there are hardly any safe places to pull off and park.)

10) Shop at Kukui’ula shopping village

Shopaholics rejoice. The Shops at Kukui’ula are for you!

They’re tasteful, upscale and blend in with the south Poipu landscape.

Discover several art galleries plus interesting shops selling surfboards, Roxy sportswear, Hawaiian sea salt, unique jewelry and gourmet foods (fresh-baked pie anyone?).

Some great restaurants are here too, including Merriman’s Fish House (for seafood) and the much-loved Bubba’s (a local eatery serving old-fashioned burgers).

And don’t miss the Kauai Culinary Market!

This culinary farmers market held every Wednesday afternoon, with live music and chef demonstrations.

11) Sail the Na Pali Coast

Sailing trips up the spectacular Na Pali Coast are also popular in Kauai.

(Just take precautions if you’re prone to seasickness, as the swells can be wicked, especially in winter.)

As there are no roads accessing this coastline, the only way you can visit these wildly rugged shores is by boat (or from above on a helicopter ride).

Spinner dolphins like to race along at the bow.

A snorkeling stop is often included – keep an eye out for sea turtles!

12) Watch the Kauai sunset

Sunsets are quite magical on Kauai.

You can enjoy the sunset in Kauai most places on the island. But Hanalei is the ultimate Kauai sunset spot.

Plant yourself on the beach at Hanalei and drink in the gorgeous golden scene.

13) Hike the Kalalau Trail

The Kalalau Trail is an 11-mile path fringing the Na Pali Coast cliffs in northern Kauai.

You join the trail at Ke’e Beach.

If you hike the whole trail, you end up at Kalalau Beach, which can only be accessed by foot. Note, however, that you need time (a minimum of two days) and camping permits to hike the Kalalau Trail, difficult and epic – to say the least!

Most people just tackle the first two miles to Hanakapi’ai Falls, then retrace their steps back.

If you love hiking, this short section of the Kalalau Trail makes for a great day trip – the views of the dramatic sea cliffs are stunning!

Note: It’s not a beginner hike though. And expect to get dirty, as the trail can be muddy in sections.

One time we went, no matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t wash the red dirt out of our socks and shorts (scrambling = bum contact), so we simply had to throw these clothes away.

14) Kayak a river

Kauai has the only navigable rivers in Hawaii. That means great kayaking in Kauai!

The Wailua, Hule’ia and Hanalei rivers are calm picturesque waterways, sprinkled with sea-hibiscus flowers.

Kayaking or stand-up paddling combined with hiking, swimming and/or ziplining are offered by several outfitters.

Wailua River adventures usually include a two-mile roundtrip hike to Sacred or Secret Falls. The 120-foot falls aren’t exactly a secret anymore, but hey, a cool dip in the freshwater pool at the base is still a treat.

Or if you choose a Hule’ia River excursion (which starts near the cruise ship pier), make like Tarzan at the end by jumping from a rope zipline into a deep jungle pool.

15) Graze at Bar Acuda

It’s worth dining at Bar Acuda in Hanalei for the chance to taste lots of creative dishes.

Serving a Hawaiian take on tapas, the dishes are meant to be shared. Delight in the local cucumber salad with crispy garbanzo beans and feta, seared scallops with butternut squash and Hanalei bison-and-pork meatballs.

And for dessert? The creamy Lilikoi cheesecake is always a hit.

The setting is casual, but reservations are a must.

16) Take a dip in the Queen’s Bath

The Queen’s Bath is a natural tide pool of sea water, carved into the lava rock shoreline in Princeville, on the north shore.

The size of a swimming pool, this rock pool was once used in ancient times by Hawaiian royalty to bathe and relax.

The water is usually calm in the summer time, and this is the best time to visit the Queen’s Bath.

17) Gape at Waimea Canyon

Nickhamed the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” Waimea Canyon is another of those Kauai attractions you absolutely must see (along with the Na Pali Coast).

If you’ve rented a car (recommended for exploring Kauai), plan a driving day trip to see this craggy, mile-wide canyon with its dramatic red and ochre cliffs.

There are lots of scenic lookout points along the rim.

Trails off Koke’e Road offer opportunities for hiking too.

Bonus: Hit the best beaches in Kauai

Well, we did say we’d cover what to do on Kauai besides beaching.

Then again, you can’t visit the island and not go to any Kauai beaches. After all, relaxing on a beach is one of the best things to do in Kauai, right?

So let’s cover them anyway!

The first point to note is that different beaches in Kauai are calm and good for swimming at different times of the year.

In general, beaches on the north shore (e.g., Hanalei Bay) are best in the summer months (June to August).

Beaches down south (e.g., Poipu Beach) are generally best in winter (December to February).

Hanalei Bay:

Located on Kauai’s north shore, Hanalei Bay is right at the top of the list of best beaches in Kauai.

This is where you want to be in summer for swimming and stand-up paddle boarding, as the bay is calm this time of year.

Set against a backdrop of lush green hills, Hanalei Beach boasts two miles of soft powdery sand.

There’s lots of room to shake out your towel here, and the beach never feels crowded.

Poipu Beach:

On the south shore, Poipu Beach – named by the Travel Channel as one of “America’s Best Beaches” – is a great hot spot in winter.

Dry and sunny, the Poipu area has its own micro-climate. Even when the rest of the island is cloudy or drizzling with rain, Poipu can be sunny with blue skies.

Poipu Beach is a series of golden sand coves.

Protected by a reef, a smaller crescent offers shallow swimming that’s perfect for wee ones to splash about in. A larger bay is great for swimming and boogie-boarding in the waves.

If hunger strikes, make your way to Brennecke’s Beach Broiler. Right on the beach and with a great surfer-hip vibe, it’s the ideal place for a casual lunch (or dinner) with an ocean-view.

Kalapaki Beach:

The gold sand crescent of Kalapaki Beach is just a short walk from Nawiliwili Harbor on the east coast, where cruise ships dock.

Protected from the surf, its calm waters are ideal for swimming. Or try stand-up paddle boarding; you can rent a board from a beach vendor.

It’s also fun to see the cruise ships pass by (usually late in the afternoon or at sunset).

Read next: Aloha! Check out these Hawaii cruises for families!