Nightlife & the Arts in Kauai

Kauai Nightlife

Kauai has never been known for its nightlife. It's a rural island, where folks tend to retire early, and the streets are dark and deserted well before midnight. The island does have its nightspots, though, and the after-dark entertainment scene may not be expanding, but it is consistently present in areas frequented by tourists.

Most of the island's dinner and luau shows are held at hotels and resorts. Hotel lounges are a good source of live music, often with no cover charge, as are a few bars and restaurants around the island.

Check the local newspaper, The Garden Island, for listings of weekly happenings, or tune in to community radio station KKCR—found at 90.9, 91.9, or 92.7 on the FM dial, depending on where on the island you are at that moment—at 5:30 pm for the arts and entertainment calendar. Free publications such as Kauai Gold, This Week on Kauai, and Essential Kauai also list entertainment events. You can pick them up at Lihue Airport near the baggage claim area, as well as at numerous retail areas on the island.