Ouch -- We ate at Scotty's one day for lunch. Great views and not a bad seat in the restaurant as the seating was tiered.

As for the BBQ -- they claim to have smoked it for 15 hours. We had the BBQ sandwich, and it was dry with no smoked flavor at all. I was sure glad they had sauce. I use hickory -- I don't think they used anything.

Maybe they just had a bad day?

Thanks! We will give Scotty's a try (hopefully, Budman, it was a bad day!) My husband loves pulled pork, so I know he's gonna want to check it out. We will also check out the burger place! Gotta have a great burger...no vegans here!

Rider-thanks again for the detailed info on the hike and snorkel. We will check out Ke'e beach after the hike. Maybe we'll go to Tunnels after the hike?!?! Also, I like your suggestion of the two beaches on Friday. This forum is full of great advice!

You all have been such a great help! I am trying to finalize plans now, because I am taking my GMAT in less than 2 weeks, and grad school apps are due a little before we leave Yikes! DEFINITELY looking forward to the vacation. I will probably have more questions before we leave, thanks for all the help fodorites!

JennaJ...tell me what part of the country you live in and eat pulled pork in and I think we can determine whether or not your SO will like Scotty's or not.

Something I have vowed to do on my next trip...motorized hang gliding!

http://www.birdsinparadise.com/

and my favorite "tour" adventure of all time...outfitters kauai KIPU FALLS adventure, it was 8 hours of kayak, hike, swinging from ropes into the water and running off the top of the falls, zip line, ranch ride...amazing fun!

their website is:
www.outfitterskauai.com

just click on the Kipu Falls link!

Have a great time, Kauai is paradise no matter what you do!!!

We live in NYC and get pulled pork from Dinosaur. My in-laws are from Philadelphia and we get it there as well!

My husband wants to try the Birds in Paradise. If there is time, he's gonna do it!

As for the kayal recommendation, I would LOVE to do that, but since we are going late October, the advice I have gotten is that the water is too rough for beginners!

Keep the rec's coming!

This was just the info we were looking for too! Thanks JennaJ for starting this topic. We will be visiting in January and I just started researching activities and hotels. If anyone has a preference on a great hotel please let me know. We are torn between the Hyatt and the Princeville Resort. I would love to hear opinions. Thanks for the input.

wow, I couldn't read all these posts, but I would definitely take a motorized boat trip up the Na Pali coast. that was the highlight of our trip. well the 2ns highlight. It is simply gorgeous and you'll be fed lunch and get drinks all afternoon. Quite fun and a little too relaxing. We got back to our hotel at 3:00 for a nap and slept straight through till the next morning!

Our helicopter flight was by far my favorite experience, EVER. but I also don't think the waterfall landing would be a must. You'll see plenty of waterfalls while you're out there.

Yes, JennaJ....then you will like Scotty's BBQ.

We stayed at the Aston Islander in Kapaa, we tend to be gone so much doing everything that we prefer to be very central, easy access.

The beachboy "resort" in Kapaa has fantastic condo rooms if you get the one bedroom. Right next door to the Islander but not a compound resort so the access is the same.

I was there in October, 2004 just as the renovations at the Islander were starting so we had a very nice room, great pool and pool bar and were 30 seconds from our car and everywhere we wanted to go.

If I had to choose between the 2 you mentioned I would probably pick Princeville as it is easiest access to everything in comparison to the Hyatt (in Poipu right?) thats too far from everything but Poipu.

Still, we went up there for the view of Bali Hi and remember saying that I wouldn't stay there...too long to from the hotel to the 56. Although, you are talking to someone that put 800 miles on a car in 12 days on an island!!!

Budman, would love to know how the stay at the Islander was!!! Did they finish the renovations? Pool open? All good?

I read this thread before I went to Kauai and I went on the Outfitters zipline tour - canoe, hike, zipline, water fall.

I was really disappointed. Canoeing was great, beautiful moutains, green everywhere. Then started the "hike", which was basically walk to the wagon and drove around to the next destination. We ate pack-sandwich at the place where you zipline.

The zipline was short and low, which wasn't what I expected at all for $145. It wasn't going through the jungle above the trees with nice views, it was just jump off 15 foot platform across a small creek on the other side, whole thing took about 1 minute.

Everyone got to do it once, then we took a 5 minute walk to a "water fall". It was a medium sized hole with a small cliff where water drift down. I was just waiting for people to finish swinging off the rope into the water, and then leave.

I don't think all zipline trip in Kauai are like this. Some of it looks pretty high up and much longer. I would suggest finding out more about other companies. This trip was not worth it. The "wagon" drive was on the private Rice ranch, which the other tour I took with ATV (Kipu Ranch Adventures) went through the same ranch so I've seen it twice, it was much much more interesting riding on ATV.

The highlight of my trip was definately snorkeling. I snorkled near my hotel, Mariott at Poipu Beach. It was great! A giant sea turtle swam right past me and I was only 20 feet out from the beach! North side snorkle was fun too.