How To Spend A Weekend On Kauai – A Guide To The Unmissable Spots

UPDATED MAR 2020. Kauai is my favorite Hawaiian island. I love the laid-back vibes, mind-blowing nature, fresh food, and range of things to do. There’s just something special about it. Today I’m sharing a guide on how to spend a weekend on Kauai. I hope it can help you plan your own visit to see the amazing island for yourself.

How To Spend A Weekend On Kauai – A Guide To The Unmissable Spots

Disclaimer

There are affiliate links included in this post. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn a commission if you book through the link.

Basic planning information

Airport: Lihue

Cost: $140USD (varies) from Honolulu

Airline: Hawaiian Airlines

Time: 40-minute flight from Honolulu

Where to stay

I stayed at the Sheraton Kauai on my trip and can absolutely recommend it.

I could not fault the accommodation and it was the perfect place to relax after our adventures.

Having breakfast down at the buffet whilst watching whales swim by was a highlight of the trip for me and it had all the facilities you would expect from a resort.

Poipu was a great location to stay in as well because it was built up enough with things in the area while quiet enough to relax. It was also easy to get around from there.

If you prefer to stay in a different hotel, I recommend searching on Booking.com. I use this to book accommodation when I travel and can always find a great deal through their site.

Do you need to rent a car in Kauai?

It’s best to rent a car for your visit to Kauai to make getting around a lot easier as public transport is limited.

How to spend a weekend on Kauai

1. Go tubing through the jungle

A tubing tour with Kauai Backcountry Adventures is without a doubt a must-do.

You will float through old irrigation channels surrounded by a stunning natural setting and have a fun adventure day out. Be sure to book early so that you don’t miss this popular tour.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can make a full day of it and add on a zip lining tour.

More information: Here is my detailed review of tubing in Kauai.

2. Visit Waimea Canyon

Whether you drive up to the canyon to view it from the lookouts, or take a helicopter tour to view it from the sky, you need to see the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. It is unbelievable!

Allow a full day for this so you can visit all of the lookouts.

Bring your hiking shoes because there are plenty of hikes that will keep you busy and offer you even more incredible views of this natural wonder.

If you are wondering how to spend a weekend on Kauai, you can’t miss Waimea Canyon

3. View Kauai’s famous Na Pali Coast

This is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

There are a number of boat tours that will take you out on the water to see the view of the coast in full. You can also find tours that offer snorkeling as well.

If you are an avid hiker, you could also hike the 11 mile Na Pali Trail. The first two miles of the hike doesn’t require a permit, so this is an option if you don’t want to do the full hike. This portion begins at Ke’e Beach and ends at Hanakapiai Beach.

You can also get some great views from the Kalalau Lookout. There are other hiking trails from here as well including the Kalepa Ridge Trail.

4. Wailua Falls

Wailua Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls on Kauai. The huge size is impressive and it’s easy to access since you don’t need to hike to it. It’s also known for rainbows appearing with the waterfall so it’s all-around magic to see.

You can see the falls from the top lookout or hike to see them from below, though the county does not encourage hiking to the bottom.

5. See the glass beach on Kauai

If you like sea glass it is worth taking a trip to the sea glass beach.

The beach is lined with all sorts of smooth sea glass in all shapes, colors, and sizes. It certainly offers something very different to the usual golden sandy beach.

This is also a great spot to watch the sunset.

6. Go hiking during your weekend on Kauai

With so much beautiful nature, Kauai is a great place for some hiking.

Waimea Canyon has a lot of great trails, there is also the Maha’ulepu Heritage Coastal Trail by Poipu which was really cool, Hanakapiai Falls hike and of course the famous hike of the Na Pali coast to name just a few.

If you’re going to hike just do your research first to make sure it is something that is suited to your abilities. Always be prepared with plenty of water, sun protection, bug spray, and snacks.

7. Soak in the Queens Bath

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to go to the Queens Bath pool during my visit because the surf conditions were too rough. It’s a place I’ve heard a lot about though and I think it’s worth mentioning on the list.

Queens Bath is a natural infinity pool that is big enough to swim in. It’s on the edge of the ocean, similar to the Makapuu Tide Pools on Oahu, and as such is not safe to go to when the surf conditions are rough.

If you do want to take the short hike to visit, be sure to check the conditions first and if in doubt, don’t go out.

8. Have a beach session at Hanalei Bay

Hanalei Bay on the North Shore is a beautiful beach to visit.

I had a quick visit here to take a dip and cool off between adventures, but you stay longer and enjoy the beach area. It’s got gorgeous, clear water to swim in.

There are bathroom facilities and lifeguards stationed there as well, so it’s well set up for families.

9. Spend a weekend on Kauai cruising around

One fun thing to do is to just drive until you feel like stopping. I think this goes for all the islands because they’re such nice places to drive in.

If you see something that looks cool, you can stop to check it out and you get a lot of freedom to find things you might not have otherwise found. One of the highlights for me was just driving around the island and enjoying the views.

Where to eat during a weekend on Kauai

Kauai definitely won me over in the food category and I am sure you will have no shortage of great food to try. Here are some of my favorite places to eat.

Eat from a food truck on Kauai

No visit to Hawaii, in general, is complete without eating from a food truck. Two of my favorites on Kauai were the Kauai Food Truck and Chicken in a Barrel – both of which I highly recommend.

There are also a lot of side of the road stands for juices, smoothies, and acai bowls. I recommend stopping to try some of those too.

Living Foods

Living Foods is like a Kauai version of Whole Foods. There is so much delicious food there and it was great for a quick snack on the go as well as stopping in for dinner.

The salad bar is top-notch and the artisan pizzas are made right in front of you and packed full of flavor.

Get breakfast at Anuenu Cafe

This one is mandatory.

You just have to visit the Anuenu Cafe in the Poipu Shopping Village and don’t leave until you have tried the Haupia Mac Nut French Toast. You will not regret that choice!

Other guides to help you plan your visit

• Beginner Snorkeling Tips For Awesome And Safe Adventures

• Travel Diary Ideas – 21 Thoughtful Prompts For Your Travel Journal

• Travel Photography Tips For Beginners – Improve Your Shots In 6 Easy Steps

I hope this post on how to spend a weekend on Kauai can help you plan your own visit and I hope you love it as much as I did.

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