76 Best Sights in Kauai, Hawaii

Though it's really not much to look at, visitors enjoy this longtime attraction, perhaps because of the serene boat ride up and down the Wailua River that allows you to see it. The grotto is a yawning lava tube swathed in lush fishtail ferns 3 miles up the river. Though it was significantly damaged after Hurricane Iniki in 1992 and again after heavy rains in 2006, the greenery has completely recovered. The Smith's Kauai tour group is the only legal way to see the grotto. You can access the entrance with a kayak, but if boats are there, you may not be allowed to land.

Guided two-hour walking tours of this carefully restored 80-acre country estate offer a fascinating and authentic look at how upper-class white people experienced plantation life in the mid-19th century. The tour focuses on the original home, built by the Wilcox family in 1860 and filled with a quirky collection of classic Hawaiiana. You can also see the workers' quarters, farm animals, orchards, and gardens that reflect the practical self-sufficient lifestyle of the island's earliest Western inhabitants. Tours of the homestead are conducted twice a day, three days a week. To protect the historic building and its furnishings, tours may be canceled on very wet days.  With a six-person limit per tour, reservations are essential.

Built in 1892, the historic Hanalei Pier can be seen from miles across the bay and is a great spot for photos or taking a leisurely stroll; it attracts a gathering every sunset. The pier came to fame when it was featured in the award-winning 1957 movie South Pacific. Fishers fish here, and picnickers picnic. The pier was refurbished after flooding in 2018.

This narrow, pedestrian-only bridge may not be the biggest adventure on Kauai, but it's enough to make your heart hop. What is interesting is that it's not just for show: it actually provides the only access to taro fields across the Hanapepe River. Considered a historic suspension bridge even though it was rebuilt in 1996 after the early-1900s original was destroyed—like so much of the island—by Hurricane Iniki, the bridge was also repaired following flood damage in 2019. If you're in the neighborhood, it's worth a stroll.

From this roadside lookout, you can take in the farms on the valley floor with the majestic mountains and misty valley as a backdrop. The dramatic canyon-like divide and fertile river valley once housed a thriving Hawaiian community of taro farmers, with some of the ancient fields still in cultivation.

This 1½-mile self-guided walking tour takes you to 14 plaques with historic photos and stories mounted on buildings throughout Hanapepe Town. This little main street had a colorful past––it was a portside "free town," not governed by sugar plantation company rules or decorum, and a deadly labor battle known as the "Hanapepe Massacre" happened here in 1924.

Rice grew in the taro fields of Hanalei Valley for almost 80 years—beginning in the 1880s and ending in the early 1960s—and today this history is embodied in the Haraguchi family, whose ancestors threshed, hulled, polished, separated, graded, and bagged rice in their 3,500-square-foot rice mill. It was demolished once by fire and twice by hurricanes, and damaged by flooding in 2018 and 2021. Rebuilt to the standards of the National Register of Historic Places, the mill—with neighboring taro fields—is typically open for tours on a limited schedule mainly due to endangered-bird nesting areas. At the time of writing, tours were not available, but check the website or Instagram (@HanaleiTaro) for updates. The family still farms taro on the onetime rice paddies and also operates the Hanalei Taro & Juice Co. kiosk in Hanalei Town; see  hanaleitaro.com. All proceeds from the historic rice mill go to nonprofit education programs.

You wouldn't know it today, but this beach on Kilauea Bay was once an interisland steamer landing and a rock quarry. Today, it's a fairly quiet beach—although when the surf closes out many other North Shore surf spots, the break directly offshore from Kilauea Stream near the abandoned quarry is still rideable. For the regular oceangoer, summer's the best bet, although the quickly sloping ocean bottom makes for generally treacherous swimming. The stream estuary is quite beautiful, and the ironwood trees and false kamani growing in the generous sand dunes at the rear of the beach provide protection from the sun. It's a wonderful place to observe seabirds. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; surfing; walking.

This ocean overlook is perfect for spotting whales during their winter migration. In fact, during their annual whale count in 2023, volunteers with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary spotted 64 whales here in one day. It's easy to hop on the cement bike-and-walking path just below for a coastal stroll or ride. Most days you can see clear to Lihue and beyond, and it's a great spot to watch the moon rise.

Five minutes south of the airport in Lihue, you'll find this wide beach and sandy-bottom bay fronting Marriott's Kauai Beach Club. It's almost always safe from rip currents and undertows because it's around the back side of a peninsula, in its own cove. Tons of activities take place here, including all the usual water sports—beginning and intermediate surfing, bodyboarding, bodysurfing, and swimming. In addition, two outrigger canoe clubs paddle in the bay, and the Nawiliwili Yacht Club's boats sail around the harbor. Kalapaki is the only place on Kauai where double-hulled canoes are available for rent (at Kauai Beach Boys, which fronts the beach next to Duke's Kauai restaurant). Visitors can also rent snorkel gear, surfboards, bodyboards, and kayaks from Kauai Beach Boys, as well as sign up for surf lessons and sunset boat tours. A volleyball court on the beach is often used by a loosely organized group of local players; visitors are always welcome. Avoid the stream on the south side of the beach; it often has high bacteria counts. Duke's Kauai is one of only a couple of restaurants on the island actually on a beach. The restaurant's lower level is casual—even welcoming beach attire and sandy feet—making it perfect for lunch or an afternoon cocktail. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (limited, no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

A winding road leads down a cliff face to picture-perfect Kalihiwai Beach, which fronts a bay of the same name. It's another one of those drive-up beaches, so it's very accessible. Most people park under the grove of ironwood trees, near the stream, where young kids like to splash and older kids like to bodyboard.  The stream carries leptospirosis, a potentially lethal bacteria that can enter through open cuts. In winter months, beware of a treacherous shore break. Summer is the only truly safe time to swim. The local-favorite winter surf spot off the eastern edge of the beach is for advanced surfers only. Toilets here are the portable kind, and there are no showers. Amenities: parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: solitude; surfing; swimming; walking.

Stone masons are rebuilding the walls of this largely intact 13-acre Hawaiian village dating back to the mid-1400s. Fishponds, taro patches, a temple, and a festival arena eventually will be restored, serving as a cultural learning center for residents and visitors. You can walk around the outside and check out the statues and signage; restoration is in phase three and the interior is set to open in 2025.

This beach was relatively unknown—except by local fishers, of course—for a long time, hence the common reference to it as "Secret Beach." You'll understand why once you stand on the coarse white sands of Kauapea and see the solid wall of rock that runs the length of the beach, making it fairly inaccessible. For the hardy, there is a steep hike down the western end. From there, you can walk for a long way in either direction in summer. During winter, big swells cut off access to sections of the beach. You may witness dolphins just offshore, and it's a great place to see seabirds, as Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and its historic lighthouse lie at the eastern end. Nudity is not uncommon, though it is illegal in Hawaii. A consistent onshore break typically makes swimming here very dangerous. On big-surf days, don't go near the shoreline. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; sunrise; walking.

Tree-lined and grassy, this arboretum in the Lihue-Koloa Forest Reserve is a perfect spot for a picnic—and there are lots of picnic tables scattered throughout the parklike setting. A typically shallow, cascading stream makes for a fun spot for kids to splash, although the water's a bit chilly. After crossing the stream on the bridge, the 1-mile walking trail meanders through mango, monkeypod, and exquisite rainbow eucalyptus trees. This is usually a peaceful place, but pay attention to the weather as the stream can flood quickly.

Adjacent to the highway heading north out of Kapaa, ½-mile-long Kealia Beach attracts bodyboarders and surfers year-round. It's a favorite with locals and visitors alike. Kealia is not generally a great beach for swimming, but it's a nice place to sunbathe and enjoy the beach scene. The safest area to swim is at the far north end of the beach, near the lava jetty. The waters are often rough and the waves crumbly, due to an onshore break (no protecting reef) and northeasterly trade winds. A scenic lookout on the southern end, accessed off the highway, is a superb location for saluting the morning sunrise or spotting whales during winter. A level paved section of the Ke Ala Hele Makalae bike path, with small covered pavilions, runs along the coastline here and is popular for walking and biking. Amenities: lifeguard; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; surfing; swimming; walking.

This is one of the premier spots on Kauai for sunset walks and the start of the state's longest beach. We don't recommend much water activity here without first talking to a lifeguard. The beach is exposed to open ocean and has an onshore break that can be hazardous any time of year. However, there are some excellent surf breaks for experienced surfers. If you'd like to run or stroll on a beach, this is the one—the hard-packed sand goes on for miles, all the way to Napali Coast, but you won't get past the Pacific Missile Range Facility and its access restrictions. Another bonus for this beach is its relatively dry weather year-round. If it's raining where you are, try Kekaha Beach Park. Toilets at the west MacArthur Park section are the portable kind. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; surfing; walking.

The Hawaiian name for this stretch of beach, Keoneloa, means "long sand," but many refer to this beach fronting the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa as Shipwreck Beach. Both make sense. It is a long stretch of crescent beach punctuated by stunning sea cliffs on both ends, and, yes, a ship once wrecked here. With its rough onshore break, the waters off "Shippies" are best for bodyboarding and bodysurfing experts; however, the beach itself is plenty big for sunbathing, sandcastle building, Frisbee throwing, and other beach-related fun. The eastern edge of the beach is the start of an interpretive cliff and dune walk (complimentary) held by the hotel staff; check with the concierge for days and times, and keep an eye out for snoozing monk seals below. Parking is limited. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; walking.

This estate—once a much larger plantation and now a farm and visitor attraction—dates back to 1850, shortly after the Great Mahele, the division of land by the Hawaiian people. Plantation manager Albert Spencer Wilcox developed it as a working cattle ranch, and it was also a sugar plantation. His nephew, Gaylord Parke Wilcox, took over in 1936, building Kauai's first mansion. Today the 16,000-square-foot Tudor-style home houses specialty shops, art galleries, the Koloa Rum Company, Luau Kalamaku, and Gaylord's, a pretty restaurant with courtyard seating. Nearly half the original furnishings remain, and the gardens and orchards were replanted according to the original plans. You can tour the grounds for free or take a 40-minute train ride, which includes a chance to feed farm animals while learning the agricultural story of Kauai and viewing a working farm. A more expensive train tour includes lunch and fruit-picking in the orchard.

A great place to start your visit in Kokee State Park, the museum has friendly staff who are knowledgeable about trail conditions and weather, as well as informative displays and a good selection of books about the area's unique native flora and fauna and social history. You may find that special memento or gift you've been looking for. Note that there's generally no cell phone service in the park.

This 4,345-acre wilderness park reaches 4,000 feet above sea level, an elevation that affords you breathtaking views and a cooler, wetter climate that's in marked contrast to the beach. You can gain a deeper appreciation of the island's rugged terrain and dramatic beauty from this vantage point. Large tracts of native ohia and koa forest cover much of the land, along with many varieties of both native and introduced plants. Hikers can follow a 45-mile network of trails through diverse landscapes that feel wonderfully remote—until the tour helicopters pass overhead. The small nonprofit museum provides park information, and the lodge offers hearty lunches. Note that there's generally no cell phone service in the park.

Throughout the South Shore, you'll find brass plaques with details of historical stops along the 10-mile Koloa Heritage Trail. Start at Spouting Horn in Poipu and bike it, hike it, or drive it—your choice. You'll learn about Koloa's whaling history, sugar industry, ancient Hawaiian cultural sites, the island's volcanic formation, and more. Pick up a free self-guided trail map at shops in Koloa Town or download a PDF from  poipubeach.org.

Translated as "Torchlight of the God Lono," Kukuiolono has serene Japanese gardens, a display of significant Hawaiian stones, a meditation pavilion, and spectacular panoramic views of the south and west shorelines. This quiet hilltop park is one of Kauai's most scenic areas and is ideal for a picnic or easy hike through an ironwood grove. The nine-hole golf course has the island's least expensive fees, and there's a new minigolf activity. If the café is open, it's a good spot for lunch with a view. Nongolfers can explore walking paths with interpretive signage; just stay alert.

This is a great beach to sit and people-watch as diving and fishing boats, kayakers, and canoe paddlers head out to sea. Shore and throw-net fishermen frequent this harbor as well. It's not a particularly large harbor, so it retains a quaint sense of charm, unlike Nawiliwili Harbor or Port Allen. The lawn is a good picnic and ball-tossing spot, and the bay is a nice protected area for limited swimming, but with all the boat traffic kicking up sand and clouding the water, it's not good for snorkeling. Outside the breakwater, there is a decent surf spot. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: picnics; sunset; swimming.

The long wide fringing reef is this beach's trademark. The waters near shore are generally too shallow for swimming; if you go in, wear a rash guard to protect against prickly sea urchins and sharp coral on the bottom. This area is known for its tricky currents, especially during periods of high surf, and has been the site of numerous drownings. It can be dangerous to snorkel here. There's some nudity at the western end. Accessing this long strand of coarse white sand requires hiking down a steep rocky trail that is slippery when wet. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; sunrise; walking.

Spend a serene morning in Lawai Valley, a pastoral corridor that joins verdant hills to the beach where Queen Emma (1836–85) had a home. In 1904, Japanese plantation workers created a miniature version of the famed 88 temples of Shikoku so they could complete a sacred pilgrimage despite being far from home. This is the only replica of this temple route outside Japan and one of the country's oldest Buddhist sites. Ancient Hawaiians built a heiau (temple) in Lawai, and then each group of immigrants that followed––Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and Filipino––built their own places of worship in this area known for its healing waters.

Engulfed by vegetation for decades, this hillside dotted with knee-high shrines was excavated and restored by volunteers, who now offer bimonthly tours. After a welcome of tea and manju (Japanese cookies) and a short presentation, you can borrow a walking staff to wind your way up an orchid-lined path for a silent stroll; be sure to peek into the handmade shrines that house small statues---some are historic, and others were made during the pandemic by Hawaii's most well-known artists. Afterward, visitors may enter the 13th-century-style Hall of Compassion, built without nails under the guidance of Japanese master carpenters.  Reservations are required by phone, text, or email. Arrive 15 minutes early and wear comfortable shoes.

Named in honor of the first Native Hawaiian schoolteacher, this beach is on the western bank of the Waimea River. It is also where Captain James Cook first came ashore in the Hawaiian Islands in 1778. If that's not interesting enough, the sand here is not the white powdery kind you see along the South Shore. It's a salt-and-pepper combination of pulverized black lava rock and lighter-color reef. Unfortunately, the intrigue of the beach doesn't extend to the waters, which are reddish and murky (thanks to river runoff) and choppy (thanks to an onshore break). Don't swim here after heavy rains. Instead, watch the local outrigger canoe club head out or stroll the Waimea State Recreational Pier, from which fishers drop their lines, about 100 yards west of the river mouth. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; walking.

Famous as the beach where Nurse Nellie washed that man right out of her hair in South Pacific, Lumahai is picturesque, with a river and ironwood grove on the western end and stands of hala (pandanus) trees and black lava rock on the eastern side. In between is a long stretch of olivine-flecked sand that can be wide or narrow, depending on the surf. The beach can be accessed in two places from the highway; one involves a steep hike from the road. Avoid swimming and water activities here—the ocean can be dangerous, with a snapping shore break year-round and monster swells in the winter; in addition, the current can be strong near the river. Parking is very limited, along the road or in a rough dirt lot near the river. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset; walking.

Hawaii is the only state in the country where Theobroma cacao grows—the tree whose seeds become chocolate—and the Lydgates are on a mission to grow enough cacao on their multigenerational family farm that one day they will produce an identifiable Kauai homegrown chocolate. For now, you can tour this 46-acre farm (in addition to cacao, they grow vanilla, timber trees, bamboo, and many tropical fruits) and learn how chocolate is made, "from branch to bar," as they put it. The three-hour tour includes, of course, plenty of chocolate tastings. Reservations are required for the morning tour, which runs weekdays at 9 am.

This is by far the best family beach park on Kauai: the waters off the beach are protected by a hand-built breakwater, creating two boulder-enclosed saltwater ponds for safe swimming and snorkeling most of the year. Heavy rains upriver do occasionally deposit driftwood and clog the ponds, and strong trade winds can cause waves to wash over. The smaller of the two ponds is perfect for keiki. Behind the beach is Kamalani Playground; children of all ages—that includes you—enjoy the swings, lava-tube slides, tree house, and open field. Picnic tables abound in the park, and pavilions for day use and overnight camping are available by permit. The Kamalani Kai Bridge is a second playground, south of the original. (The two are united by the Ke Ala Hele Makalae bike and pedestrian coastal path.) This park system is perennially popular; the quietest times to visit are early mornings and weekdays. Amenities: lifeguards; pavilions; camping; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunrise; swimming; walking.

Across the highway from Haena Beach Park is Maniniholo Dry Cave, a place steeped in legends. You can walk for a few minutes through a 30-yard-long cave, which darkens and becomes more claustrophobic as you glide across its sandy floor, hearing the drips down the walls and wondering at its past. Legend has it that Maniniholo was the head fisherman of the Menehune—Kauai's quasi-mythical first inhabitants. After gathering too much food to carry, Maniniholo's men stored the excess under a cliff overnight. When he returned in the morning, the food had vanished, and he blamed the imps living in the cliff's cracks. He and his men dug into the cliff to find and destroy the imps, leaving behind the dry cave.