Dee

Hello. My fiance and I will be in Kauai early next June for our wedding/honeymoon. We were wondering what the nightlife in Kauai was like? We were hoping to find a bar scene similar to that in Maui. Nothing crazy, as we're in our mid-30s, but some places to have a drink and listen to music other than a hotel would be ideal.

DoOver

Hate to sound like a grouch but wasn't this just discussed a week or 2 ago?

Try the Fodor's "text search" for Hawaii/Kauai/nightlife and you'll probably find a lot of good info.

Not A Fan

Nightlife on Kauai??? Don't make me laugh! Get everything out of your system by 8pm because after that it's time for beddiebye, and I'm not kidding. Kauai is very pretty, but it's also very boring, which I guess makes it pretty boring.

Dawn Ct

As a mother of four boys, the oldest being 23 I picked the north shore of Kauai because I didn't want to worry about the bar scene, night life, etc. It was a great choice! The entertainment at our hotel lounge packed up and left by 8:30 and there was a big audience too. Kauai is for day time enjoyment, nothing like Maui.

Not A Fan

Have you ever wondered what happened to the hippies you went to high school with? Well, the ones who couldn't handle the east coast went to L.A., the ones that couldn't handle L.A. went to Oahu and the ones who couldn't handle Oahu went to Kauai. So take a good look at that woman behind the counter of the Hawaiian souvenir shop (made in China, by the way) - she may have been in your gym class.

BIGfan

No Fan
Let's see.
Being waited on by a hippie in Paradise, or going to Maui, Fla., Cancun, Caribbean with all the other drunken trailer park trash, party animals while being waited on by "too hip for the room" waiters and waitresses who flunked out of NYC and LA life and now they are "artists"?

Tough choice!

And I think no matter where you go, you run into crap made in China so it's not only on Kauai.

Kauai is better off without your kind so keep on posting. Please! It will make all the people who dislike your type go.

Dee-Kauai is a perfect place for a honeymoon. There are a few clubs over there and if you time it right, Kauai is home to a few of rock's most influential people.
(I'm sure they're are not to the liking of "nofan"...probably not incoherrent enough).
You never know when you may run into one at Border's books in Lihue.

Not A Fan

Rock's most influential people??? TODD RUNDGREN???? Name me 3 things he's done since producing Grand Funk Railroad's "We're An American Band" album 30 years ago.

In my world "paradise" doesn't close down at 8pm so a bunch of complacent ex-hippies can get their beauty sleep. But if that's your thing, more power to you.

BIGfan

Todd Who?
Ah ha! Now we know !!!

YOU'RE OLD!!!!!! No wonder why you don't know about any nightlife on Kauai.

By time the sun is setting over Ni'ihau, you've already strapped on the ol' industrial strength Depends, got the teeth in the glass, probably pasted on 2 snore strips and you're looking for the ol' Viagra before Grams falls asleep, too.

But I guess traveling to another time zone poops out you old geezers.

Todd Rundgren. WOW!

Well, since I have to pay for your Social Security payments, I better get to work. Have a good day Gramps...Todd Rundgren...sheesh

Not A Fan

No, I'm not old at all - I just work in the music industry. So then, BIGfan, if not Todd (who lives there), who then are these 'influential' rock people you're talking about? Yeah, yeah, I saw the picture of David Crosby flipping burgers in Bubbas, so you can skip him. You can skip Buffett too - he's more a Caribbean guy.

Remember, a BIGfan can generate a lot of hot air.

Not A Fan

You know what? This is a ridiculous conversation that I want no part of. Doesn't matter who the hell goes there. The fact is, it closes down at 8pm and, although beautiful, it's boring.

Suzie

If you will be there on the weekend Keoki's in Poipu has live music in the bar. It was a fun stop for us. I believe the lack of night life was what we missed when we went there on our honeymoon, but 20 years later we found plenty to do without kids.....

Melissa

I wouldn't say that there is NO nightlife. But the bars & clubs that are there close at the latest 1 or 2 AM, and I do believe most of those are in hotels. Kauai is nothing like Maui or Oahu for nightlife, though. Kauai is a great place to go to relax and take in nature. My cousin and her husband go there every year--it's their favorite island.

You might consider taking in another island in addition to Kauai for your honeymoon, just to get the full range of activity available in Hawaii.

kal

TO: Not a Fan, I must be old since I actually remember Todd Rundgren?

I've run into David Crosby, Graham Nash, Jackson Brown, Sheryl Crow and a few others some young friends said "I should know".

Also, after 50 weeks of nightmare, 2 weeks of BORING isn't that bad. Diff strokes-diff folks.

As mentioned already, Keoki's has some nightlife, Rob's Goodtime Grill, Brennkke's, The Whaler, Sushi and Blues, The Beach House, the main hotels, but if you want real nightlife, like MTV or E!'s "Wild On", go to Mauai or Oahu.

To: BIG fan, You're not very nice...but a pretty funny post. Sorry no fan.

To: Suzie, Was there really plenty to do after 20 yrs? ha! Try 27 and still going strong!
Nothing like Kauai and the city of "R" to keep it real, yah?

Mahalo,
Kal
75 more days until I'm bored to death !
Yipeeee.

Holly

While I agree that there is not a lot of wild and crazy nightlife on Kauai, some people here are painting a picture of it is a place where there is nothing to do other than sleep or relax all day OR night. There is unparalleled hiking and mountain biking, a lot if which is not suitable for sendentary types.

Suzie

To Kal:

Trying not to be so jealous of your upcoming trip to paradise. "R" has been too real since we returned from Kauai. In Kauai there was no soccer or basketball practice, no dance or PTA. But there is plenty of other stuff to see and do. Since I have nothing like Kauai to look forward to I'm anxiously awaiting the Nov 1st (1:00 pm)opening of the R Parkway instead. whoo-hoo. Party on.

Dee: Like Kal says there are places in Kauai to find some night life but if you want something more than what you'd typically find in a small town you might consider Maui or Oahu instead.

Patrick

Been to Kauai 3x and love it because it is on the quiet side. There are handful of large hotels, been to two of them. Their lounges were very nice, but not wild. What we do love is finding a nice secluded beach from a list of many. We bring our lunch or dinner, some local brew or a wine, and chill out while gazing at the ocean and being with each other. Hey, we are in our 40s and I admit we are slowing down. But Kauai can have a seductiveness about it.

Terry

Now I know I am sounding harsh, what I mean to do is give you a different perspective on travel. I don't understand searching for a bar scene on Kauai. If you are really seeing the island as it should be seen, hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, more hiking, swimming, snorkeling, diving, boating you will be too tuckered to kick back booze at sunset. Extend your evenings and you no doubt will be shortening your mornings and no doubt loosing the cool morning walks. Kauai has some of the most unique landscape in the U.S. Such a pity people will never venture into the Alakai swamp, find an isolated trail along Waimea Canyon, Kayak up the Hanalei river, explore the Kalalau trail, but instead pack in their vacation with beach days and bar filled evenings. Ever lay out on a recliner and wonder at the stars on the west coast of Kauai, difficult to appreciate in a smoke filled bar. Just something to consider of course fill your vacation with the things that you enjoy just think about what you are canceling out with the choice you are making here. Good Luck and Happy Travels

x

There must be a bar scene there somewhere, but after looking for 7 days straight I could never find it. Hard to believe that an entire island hits the sack at 9 after a day of hiking, kayaking, snorkeling and whatever else they do, and if they do perhaps someone should consider opening a Geritol stand.

kal

Terry, Great post.
We try and find a happy medium on our visits to Kauai.
Since we have done most of the outdoor activities, (still want to do the ATV tour and the microlight motorized hang-gliders) we use the time to unwind from the whole hassled filled year. We shy away from having a case of the "To Dos".

We usually tell all of our "party hardy" friends to go to Maui.

Ahhhh...laying out on Polihale looking up at a sky on fire from all of the stars!
Mucho mahalos,
Kal
4 days but who's counting?

Terry

Kal pop us a line if you can and tell us how it is going when you are there !!!

Bars in all the main hotels where all the truely boring are welcome. ... There is generally live music. What I recall most recently was Hanalei Bay Resort, Happy Talk Lounge. There is also a brewery in Waimea. Again more choices than this but I was not looking only noticed when I was in search of dinner.