We will be visiting Kauai in Dec over Christmas time. We have been to Kauai many times and love it but never in Dec. I'm in sticker shock over the prices though, particularly airfare and rentals cars. Ouch! I am continuing to watch the rental car rates but we bit the bullet on the airfares so that is that. Of course the flight costs went down 2 days later by $70 per ticket ...typical ....

My question is - are there any special events this time of year? Any special holiday dinners etc.? Anything popular places that are closed over the holiday week? I'm a planner so I like to know my options! It will be DH,me and 23 yr old DS.

Everything or almost everything will be open over the holidays. I'm sure many hotels will have a special meal for Christmas, as well as a number of restaurants.

You chose the most expensive week of the year to visit Kauai. Many places in the world hotel prices double, triple or quadruple for the Christmas week.

Enjoy! We'll be on Kauai for the month of February.

Hi Kathie - Yes we knew that it would be more expensive when we booked it, but paying the bills are another thing ...

We've done Caribbean cruises over New Years week in the past and that was a pricey thing to do too, but timing of when everyone has a week off ... sometimes it's the only time to choose. We especially need the getaway this year and Kauai is our happy place. Or in this case maybe our less sad place.

I am wondering about a Captain Andy's sunset dinner cruise. Is that too cold, too rough in Dec? And I doubt that they go to Na Pali coast in December. Is that an excursion to wait until summer to do?

I've not done the dinner cruise - nor to I recommend it. I expect it could be pretty rough out there in December. It was pretty rough when we took the boat in March. And you are right, it can be cold.

I hope you find the healing you need on Kauai.

We've been going over every year since '89 (except for the Inkiki year) either in Nov/Dec or Dec/Jan and we feel your pain.

We flew over on Christmas one year and it was nice to have a lot of the plane to ourselves!

We normally use Hotwire or Priceline for car rentals but even they are getting stingier and stingier plus it seems they tack on a whole lotta charges now.
This up coming trip we went thru Costco and got a great deal plus no extra charge to add an additional driver.

Don't recall too many big events at that time but I do recall a lot of nice decorations all over the island.
This might be a start: https://kauaifestivals.com/festivals...r-date=2016-12

ooops....yes they do have NaPali Cruises then and also sunset cruises from Port Allen. Problem with NaPali cruises in Dec/Jan is they sometimes have 20-30ft waves on the NoShore. Beaches are closed then, too. I'd check the cancellation policy before going...and motion sickness pills.

I have some terrific sunset shots taken from Polihale or Kekaha of the sun setting with Niihau in the background and a sunset cruises heading back to port in the foreground.

Puts the ahhhhh in Alohaaaaaaa

85 more days......

Thanks Kal and Kathie!

Ok the sunset sail and dinner is out! No 30 ft waves, cold evening and motion sickness pills for me, thank you!

I guess we will have to settle for daily walks or hikes, beach time with a good book, watching the chickens, enjoying the daily sunsets (drink in hand), looking at rainbows, a lunch stop at Hamura when we arrive and taking in Roy's new Eating House restaurant a couple of times! Maybe a massage at the Hyatt spa, too...

I found the best rental car prices on Costco Travel website. The prices went down once since I booked, so I re-booked, but they have only gone up up up since then.

Mucho mahalos!

Don't totally rule a cruise out.
Maybe see what the weather is like when you get there and then book?

Thx for the heads up on Roy's Eating House.

If it's half as good as his now closed The Tavern in P'ville it otta be ono! Looks like it might be in Jean Marie Josselin's old place in The Round-a-bout Shopping Center as we like to call it?

Guess I should check my Costco rental ressies too!
Double mahalo!