Accommodations

Kauai offers a nature and beach getaway with a variety of condos, vacation rental homes, hotels, and resorts. Choose an accommodation near any of Kauai's local beaches and attractions that offers comfort while making the most of the beautiful beaches and attractions at affordably priced rates.

View our Kauai Vacation Rentals or Kauai Resorts

Activities

Dominating Kauai's west side is Waimea Canyon, over a mile wide and 3600 feet deep. The red, green, blue, gray and purple hues of its walls makes Waimea Canyon a must-see attraction. Located in the Lawai Valley, the National Tropical Botanical Garden is the only tropical garden in the U.S. to be chartered by the US Congress. A tour of the grounds, adorned with a colorful variety of plants and flowers, includes ancient Hawaiian stone walls and taro terraces. Fern Grotto is a picturesque fern fringed cave that is only accessible by boat ride up the Wailua River. The emerald green grotto, complete with the soft strains of Hawaiian music, is often the setting for weddings. The northwest coastline of Kauai is the Na Pali Coast, one of the most awe-inspiring places on Earth. The boat or helicopter trip to Na Pali features 2,000-foot sea cliffs, cascading waterfalls, playful dolphins and, in the winter, magnificent humpback whales.

Events

The Waimea Town Celebration is an annual party on Kauai's southwest coast that celebrates the Hawaiian and multiethnic history of the town where Captain Cook first landed. This is the island's biggest 2-day event, with top Hawaiian entertainers, sporting events, rodeo, and lots of food are on tap. The twice yearly Kauai Polynesian Festival takes place in May and August. the Festival features a pageant, dinners, entertainment, crafts, dance competitions, seminars, and more. Koloa Plantation Days is a weeklong tribute to Kauai's plantation heritage, with events like the Sunset Ho'olaule'a, Paniolo Rodeo, Plantation Tennis Tournament, Hapa Road Walk, Hawaiian Olympics, Golf Putting Tournament, Craft Faire, and ethnic cooking demonstrations.  Where would Hawaii be without coconuts? The Coconut Festival highlights the cultural, social, and historical importance of the coconut, with unusual coconut foods, coconut crafts, games with coconuts, and contests.

Water Sports

The Pacific Ocean has a long history of attracting surfers to the local shores and Kauai offers many beaches with excellent surfing. Kauai also offers whale watching tours, boating and deap sea fishing. The local beaches are perfect for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, tanning, or windsurfing.

Golfing

Kauai offers challenges for golfers of any skill level. The Pacific Ocean is your water hazard and the lava fields define the rough. Play through palm trees, mango forests, and immaculate greens on courses created by some of the world's best designers. So pack your clubs, your golf shoes, and a bottle of sunscreen, but for the serious golfer, a swimsuit is optional.

Beaches

The entire Hanalei Bay is ringed with a white sand beach. The surrounding mountains embrace this bay and, in the early morning when the ocean is like glass, it mirrors the beauty of the cliffs. The surfing in this area is excellent and many locals visit the area. The Hanalei Pier is located on the east side where the Hanalei River enters the ocean.

Kalapaki Beach is a crescent-shaped sand beach that opens out to Nawilwili Bay, the Harbor and the Hoary Head Mountains. The sand gently slopes and the bay is partially protected, making the beach very popular with locals and tourists.

Kalihiwai Beach is a great sandy beach on Kalihiwai Bay. During the summer months, the ocean is usually calm and swimming is good here, even for the kids. During the winter the waves make this spot popular with surfers. Shady ironwood trees make this beach comfortable for picnicking and relaxing.

Located literally at the end of the road, Ke'e Beach is probably the most visited beach on Kauai. The Kalalau Trail leading along the Na Pali Coast begins at the western end of the beach. Ke'e's inviting lagoon is teaming with fish and perfect for snorkeling.

Po'ipu is the major beach on the South Shore. Swimming here is almost always safe especially on the left side of the beach. A small strip of sand divides this section of the beach from the rest.

Tunnels Beach is the superb snorkeling spot on the North Shore. The center portion has a huge half-moon shaped reef just 1/8 mile offshore where snorkeling is the best. Deep water caverns are located close to shore making it a great dive site, too.