We were thinking of staying at the Princeville Resort next February...a friend said that he thinks there's no beaches adjacent to there, only drop offs? Is this true?

We've got kids from 12 to 2.5, so they definitely will want to be on the beach...plus safety? I'm not sure I'm up for a drive every morning just to get to the beach......

Any other areas of Kauai that might be better? We've stayed on Maui 5+ times and wanted to see another island....

Thanks, Michele

I stayed at a B&B at Poipu beach and the beach there was fantastic. There was a cove protected by a reef full of fish and on either side there was a beach with small waves and a beach with huge (almost dangerous) waves up to 8 feet. The name of the village and beach is Brenneckes. About 25 minutes to the airport and 1-1/2 hours to the top of the canyon ( a must see). Hope this helps.

My wife and I were on Kauai about 2 years ago and had a wonderful time. We stayed, with out 2 1/2 year old, at the Hyatt Regency Resort Hotel. In my humble opinion, it is hands down the best place to stay on the island. It has five multi-level swimming pools, a man-made lagoon for additional swimming, and private access to a long sandy beach. The food is very good and the breakfasts are tremendous (I believe breakfast is now automatically included in their rates, though it was not when we stayed there - we negotiated it into the rate). The atmosphere is extremely peaceful and serene, and they have a wonderful spa. (The one downside is they don't have a lot of rooms with king size beds. If that is important to you, reserve one ahead of time and make sure they commit it to you in writing.) The hotel is also on the sunny side of the island, whereas Princeville is on the opposite, cloudier side. I hiked around the Princeville area. There's a pretty red sand beach nearby that you can get to by climbing down a cliff, but most if not all of the beaches on that side of the island are more rocky than sandy. Don't get me wrong, however, the Princeville area is also a great place to stay according to those I have talked to in the past. It's all a matter of what you're looking for.

Correction to original message: my wife and I stayed at the Hyatt with our 2 1/2 year old, not with "out" her. The hotel is great for children, and has a camp for kids.

There are plenty of beautiful sandy beaches on the north shore of Kauai, including one on Hanalei Bay at the bottom of the bluff the Princeville Resort sits on. But in February the weather is wetter, and the surf is often too rough for good swimming and snorkeling. That time of year I'd stay in Poipu for the sunnier skies and calmer seas--but definitely don't miss seeing the north shore, the most beautiful place in Hawaii in my opinion.

Hi Michele:
As Hawaii residents, we love the Princeville Hotel no matter what time of the year. It's true that if you are staying in the condos, the nearest water is down a walking path to a cove, not exactly a beach. Beach access to Hanlei Bay is from the hotel itself _ and a fantastic beach it is! Great snorkeling, safe for kids. Poolside at the Hotel is pretty fabulous, too.

Michele, I'd definitely go for the South Shore in February. You could get a lot more rain up in Princeville, and the beaches at Poipu are great for kids (certain areas I should say!) Have a great trip!

Yes, generally winters tend to be wetter in Hawaii, but the last two winters have been an exception to that rule. El Nino followed by La Nina both years have led to drought during the winter months. And, they are predicting this weather pattern to hold. So_ _ February the last two years has been absolutely fabulous, even more so in the "wetter" areas. My humble thought on this is do research, and choose based on the activities you want to do. If you are interested in hiking, the NaPali Coast is a world class location, and the Princeville is very convenient to it. The NaPali coast has great snorkeling and incredible sea coves. There's the National Botanical Gardens where a portion of Jurassic Park was filmed. But then again, your kids might be a bit on the young side to do all that, although your twelve year old would be very impressed. I'd like to add that we love the hotel and were not too impressed by the condos.

However, if you'd prefer to mostly hang out at your resort/condo poolside and maybe do some moderate snorkeling, then the South Shore would be for you. I'm sure you'll have a marvelous trip either way. Kauai is beautiful.

Thanks friends for all the great advice! We were reserving the condos, not the hotel, and I get the feeling that it may not be the best place for us......

No matter if we end up staying in South Shore, we'll definitely have to take a trip to the North Shore! It sounds wonderful.

My older daughter's interested in the snorkeling, surfing and swimming (she's been doing jr. lifeguards for 4 years now in SoCal)....so I think this will be the place for her!

Michele

The Princeville and the Hyatt are the two best resorts on the island. As for the Princeville: The lobby was actually very impressive rivalling even some of the best world class resorts. There is an infinity pool (and if they'd move the lounge chairs you'd get the idea), a beach with somes coral (bring water shoes), and a small kiddie pool. No drop-offs. The service was adequate.
The luau is supposed to be the "best" on the island...whatever. The rooms are spacious and comfortable with a gorgeous mountain & ocean view. The hotel is pricey and filled with "package deal" honeymooners. If don't stay there, at least go for romantic sunset cocktails.

If you go to Kee Beach for snorkeling or hiking in NaPali go early in the morning. Parking at Kee Beach is a mess. We took our time driving, and got there around 11:00AM. There was no place to park.

We just returned from 3-Island trip (Kauai, Big Island, and Maui).I liked Kauai more than Maui. We stayed at the Marriott, which is near the airport. It was fine. If we go back, we will probably stay somewhere near Poipu.