We are planning 7 nights in Kauai starting the weekend after Thanksgiving. Will it be crowded in the Poipu area and on the roads (esp. from the South to the North shore)? From what I read I would prefer the North shore, but we have decided to stay in the South because we want to be close to a swimmable beach (and don't mind driving around for the sights). We will probably end up travelling to the North 3 or 4 days out of 7. I don't really care for packing up and change location mid-week, but if Poipu is too busy during that time of the year (lineups at restaurants, crowded beaches, etc.) and the traffic is crazy, I might consider dividing our stay between North and South...
Thanks for your help!

We spent Thanksgiving in Poipu in 2003. I was surprised, but not crowded at all.

Have fun.

MY

My wife and I were on Kauai over Thanksgiving last year. It was less crowded than it is during the Christmas-New Year's season, which is when we've visited the island in the past. You'll face the usual traffic snarls in Kapaa, but otherwise I believe you'll be pleasantly surprised at how uncrowded the island is then.

BTW, there are swimmable beaches north of Kapaa during November, including Kealia, Anini, Kahiliwai, and even Hanalei and Tunnels on a calm day. My wife and I have been to Kauai five times, and now we either split our stay between the north and the south or stay in the north. It's easier to gauge the weather in the north when you are staying up there and, if it looks like rain, heading south than it is to be south and risk driving all the way north, only to encounter rain.

Thank you so much for your replies. I am a bit surprised about the swimmable beaches up north in November, seems like all I see on the boards are warnings about the choppy waters of the North or East shore beaches, starting in October or November for the winter. Any other advice?

You are right; there could be large waves that time of year, but again, maybe not. I would advise grabbing outdoor activities on good days. We waited for our final full day to schedule a tubing trip and got rained out. So don't put off outdoor stuff if you can help it.

MY

To clarify, the waters in the north were calm enough for swimming half our days last November. The other half? Forget it.

Aloha,

We spend Thanksgiving on Kauai every year and we highly recommend North Shore..You can always drive to the SOuth shores and there are a larger selection of places to stay with beautiful views...check out www.800hawaii.com and you'll see what we mean...P & M Kaye....