Hi, I'm planning for 3 days on the North Shore. I'm sure 3 days is not enough!! What should I hit? And what should I skip? I'd like to find cheap restaurants...a few places where the locals hang...type of activity you enjoyed...any easy hikes you liked...a favorite beach and/or sunset spot...a great cocktail...I'm traveling with my husband and two girls who are 13 and 10 and we are staying at the Princeville Resort. Anything you'd like to share would be great!! ALOHA!!

OH YEAH, A GREAT COFFEE SHOP!!

For a beautiful beach with very calm waters I recommend Anini. For cocktails I recommend the Bali Hai Restaurant at the Hanalei Bay Resort, definitely try the Lava Flow. Limahuli Gardens are worth the time. Other highlights: Hanalei - the town and pier, Ke'e Beach, Ha'ena Beach, Makua Beach (often referred to as Tunnels), Kilauea Lighthouse. And for a breathtaking sunset just sit back and watch from the Princeville grounds.

I'd tell you our fave "coffee shop" on the No Shore but Auntie Maria may wake up and kill me.

Favorite beach: Makua
Easy hike: Walking back and forth along Hanalei Bay. A great way to start the day.
Local hang: Tahiti Nui
Cheap eats: Polynesia Cafe in Hanalei and a cafe there in town who's name escapes me right now.

If you are there on a Tuesday or Saturday, check out the farmer's market in Hanalei and pick up some fresh flowers for your room at the hotel or fresh fruit to munch around the pool.

-Bill

My favorite restaurant in Hanalei is Zelo's. Casual, friendly service; good food at reasonable prices.

I like having a nice glass of wine at the Living Room (right at the Princeville). Its fun sitting on the big comfy couches and just people watching.

We were not overly impressed with the Kalalau Trail but liked Kee Beach. The Kilauea Lighthouse is easy to get to and is worth an hour or so.

It should take about an 1.5 hours to drive to Waimea Canyon and my favorite spot on Kauai, the Kalalau Overlook.

You can see my pictures at: www.mikehoneycutt.com

We really enjoyed the food and view from Scotty's Beachside BBQ.

Mike Honeycutt

auntiemaria just recently posted about a new Mediterranean restaurant on the north shore where Charo's used to be.

Recommendations from this northshore Kaua`i resident:

Must-sees are the beaches everyone's mentioned. Watch the surf though -- never turn your back on the ocean, stay off slippery rocks, and follow our ocean rule of "when in doubt, don't go out".

Cheap restaurants -- none on the nortshore, sorry. But with your kids in tow I'd suggest:

Hanalei Gourmet (burgers, salads, fresh fish (open from lunch thru dinner)

Polynesia Cafe -- "gourmet dining, on paper plates" (open from breakfast thru dinner).

Hanalei Snack Shop -- for real Hawaiian plate lunch (open from breakfast thru lunch).

Mediterranean Gourmet -- oceanfront in Ha`ena, with a menu that runs from falafels to salads to burgers, chicken and fish. Open 11a.m. to sunset (closed Sundays).

We've got pizza parlors in Hanalei, but visitors are appalled at the prices ($25 or so for a large pizza), so you might want to skip 'em.

Foodland in Princeville has a great deli section -- hot dishes, salads, soups, and made-to-order sandwiches, plus fresh sushi. Load up, and take it back to hotel for lunch or to the beach for a picnic while you swim, snorkel, snooze. Open 6:30a.m. to 10pm every day.

When we want a "real" dinner, we usually head to CJs Steakhouse in Princeville Shopping Center -- steaks, prime rib, and awesomely large (pricey) lobster. Great salad bar, too.

As mentioned, the bar/lounge area at the Princeville Hotel is lovely, especially at sunset -- and definitely a kids-allowed place. They've got a bar menu which is hamburgers, munchies, and great sushi. Pricey, but what the heck! 8-) Downstairs has 2 restaurants -- both of which are ocean- and bay-view. Cafe Hanalei serves all 3 meals, plus large Sunday brunch and equally large Friday seafood buffet. La Cascata is quasi-Italian-Mediterranean dinner-only, with a menu ranging from steak to duck and beyond.

Excellllennnnnt Auntie M! :-"

Thank you, Auntie M,

The Mediterranean Gourmet sounds new, I am trying to remember where it might be, last October when we drove up to North Short, we stopped for shave ice from the truck and I do not recall any restaurants in the immediate area.

If I recall correctly from Auntie' M's other posts it's in Charo's old restaurant next to HCR.

Hanalei Mixed Plate in Ching Young center in Hanalei has good meals for $6-7. It is a small place with a couple of picnic tables outside on a porch. Have eaten there on several different trips and always enjoy it.

Thanks for all the great suggestions!!