Help! I'm sooo overwhelmed planning this trip. There are just too many islands and too many things to see!

In trying to figure out which area to stay in on Kauai I haven't been able to find a resource to tell me how far apart some of these attractions are. For instance, if I stay on the Cocoanut Coast, can I easily drive to Waimea Canyon and the Napali Coast?

Is the island small enough that it doesn't matter? Or would I be looking at driving several hours if I pick the "wrong" area to stay?

Any help would be much appreciated.

While Kauai isn't very big most of the roads are two lane so if you hit rush hour it can take awhile. Should be able to go from Princeville to Waimea in 1.5 to 2 hrs. Most of the traffic seemed to be from Poipu around the east coast of the island.

Kauai is pretty small.

From a brochure I have:

From Lihue Airport to:

Princeville - 1 hour
Ha'ena - 1 hour 15 minutes
Waimea - 45 minutes
Waimea Canyon - 1 hour 15 minutes

As a resident of Kaua`i, I can tell you that the mitigating factor in your travels will not be the miles, but the traffic.

Kapa`a is a bottleneck. If you don't need to stop at any of the shops/stores/restaurants in Kapa`a, take the bypass road (well-marked on all Kaua`i maps now). If you must stop in Kapa`a, make the drive _very_ early in the morning, or in the early afternoon, or in the late evening. We live on the northshore, and make our treks to Kapa`a/Lihu`e either before 7a.m., or after 6p.m. That drive through "town" should be renamed "The Kapa`a Krawl"! 8-)

If you stay in the Cocoanut Coast area, you'll be in the middle of Kapa`a. But it's a great jumping-off point for travels around the island. From Kapa`a to Ke`e Beach (end of highway on the north end) -- barring traffic congestion -- is an easy 30 minute drive. From Kapa`a to the top of Waimea Canyon, will take about 90 minutes.

And remember that even if the traffic is s-l-o-w, the views are magnificent.

Thank you all so much for your responses. I'm still not sure if there's one area that would be better to stay in than others: Poipu, Coconut Coast, North Shore, or another area?

There is no "wrong" area on Kaua'i.

When are you going? For how long? What kind of place ya looking for? Resort? Condo? B & B? House? Is being on a beach important to you? What is your budget? Without knowing this stuff it is going to be hard to help.

-Bill

I agree that there is no "wrong" place to stay on the island. The 3 main areas are different and there should be lots of threads that discuss it. Some people have very passionate feelings about where is the best area to stay.

Poipu - This is my personal favorite. You have easy access to outstanding (though sometimes crowded) beaches, top notch condos and hotels, restaurants and a resort feel. Koloatown is a short drive away for shopping and is quaint and interesting. You are closest to Waimea Canyon. The weather is generally sunny but the landscape is more dry and not as lush although the resorts are lush.

Eastside or coconut coast - The condos are right along the main highway and so doesn't have a resort feel. You do have easy access to shopping and the beaches although the beaches aren't all uniformly safe for swimming. There is lots of traffic through here and is too commercial for my vacation. It has equally easy (or hard) access to the north and south shores. The best values can be found here. The weather can be a bit wet with brief rainshowers.

Princeville/North shore - this is another planned resort area which is very manicured and IMO pretentious. Hanalei is a quaint town. The condos and hotels are pearched above the water on cliffs so you get outstanding views, but access to the beach is down steep paths or by car. The beaches are amazing and the landscape is very lush and beautiful. However you'll get brief showers all year long.

Alan

Songdoc

It doesn't matter where you stay. The island is 20 miles by 30 miles and there is only one major road in a circle that doesn't even go all the way around it. It deadends at the NaPali coast on both sides.

The North Shore and Poipu will be more inconvenient in general because they're more remote than the Coconut Coast but they have their own benefits to offset that inconvenience.

There will be traffic jams at rush hour times of the day and in areas where there is some construction going on.

You should say what would be your dream locale and budget and the members here can give you some good advice.

If you want a luxury resort hotel or a family condo for instance.

I won't say you won't have any problems but we went in April and let me tell you, based on a Southern California standpoint, there was NO traffic in Kauai. Besides, you'll be so everwhelmed by the scenery that you won't notice anyway.

STAYING on the Coconut Coast/East Shore is much more enjoyable than driving through it. I've stayed on the North Shore and South Shore, too, but really like the Kapaa/Wailua area for convenience and ease of day trips in any direction. Convenient shopping and lots of restaurants in all price ranges. There's a quiet little side street behind Coconut Plantation that has some nice condos. We enjoyed Lanikai, but Lae Nani is excellent, also. Even better are some of the cottages up in the hills behind Kapaa. We prefer a casual "at home" atmosphere to the more resort-y condos and hotels, and like to minimize precious vacation time spent in the car getting from one end of the island to another.

Barb,
Don't you know the CocoCoast is "ugly"?

Kauai is one place where, like Auntie sez, sometimes you don't mind getting stuck in traffic.

If you get pizzed, you shouldn't be on Kauai. Not your kinda island, bragh. >-

Kal,

Welcome back cowboy! Ain't nuthin on that thar island that's UGLY, partner. Except my skinny white legs before that magical sun does its magic, that is.

-Bill

Darn it, Kal! Now is a heck of a time to find out that the Coconut Coast is ugly!

T minus 2 days 17 hours 57 minutes
8-)

Yeee hawwwwwwwwwwwwww, billlaaaay.

Remember, too expensive, too many bugs, helicopter is the state bird and the CocoCoast is ugly.

jammer,
I forgot...where yah staying?

Last I heard the Sand Bar was STILL closed.
THAT makes it real ugly!

Thank you all so much for your responses. It really helps.

I'm not a fancy "resort" kind of guy. I'd much prefer a quiet, less touristy B&B in a scenic setting. For me, the main considerations are the distance to the attractions -- and staying in a beautiful setting (maybe with a gorgeous view!). I don't need anything extravagant and would prefer to pay under $250/nt.

I'm relieved to learn there's no "wrong" area -- but it does sound as if Princeville/North Shore would not be my favorite.

By the way, I'll be there late July/early August. I'll be vacationing prior to my participation in the Kauai Music Festival. (If you're interested, check out: www.kauaimusicfestival.com)

Again, thanks so much. What would I do without this forum?

skinny??????????what you talking about bbq?

Songdoc...stay on the Coconut Coast...it's great. Great restaurants and downtown Kapaa is cool to walk and browse and hop into Olympic Cafe for some good grub.

I would tell ya how many days til I get to go to the hh, but I don't have enough fingers and toes.

Don't stress over Kauai and don't make strict plans.

i'2

Kal........I am staying at the best place on the island, my daughters house in Kapaa(FREE). She has great rental car rates too(FREE). Also spending about 5-6 days at a timeshare in P'ville(FREE courtesy said daughter)

I think it is only fair that Hawaiian Airlines should give me a rebate since the Sand Bar is still closed.
8-)

jammer,
"Hate" is such an ugly word but......
hahahahahaha....

If the Sand Bar is still closed, drop by Tradewinds at Happy Hour...no view but good people.

I hope you and SongDoc both have an onoliscious time!
We expect pix and a TR.

I'2,
The Olyyyyyyy....

songdoc,

Don't lump Hanalei and Princeville together, as they are completely different animals. Hanalei is the classic Hawaiian beach town and Princeville is a planned community. At the time of year you are going, I'd forget about your concerns for drive times and stay on the north shore in a cottage or house rental. There are plenty of rentals in your price range in and around Hanalei.

Here are my pictures from our stay in Hanalei last year. It was Terrible!

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bquarr...en%3as,1%3af,0

-Bill