Kauai is such a peaceful, magical island…specifically the North Shore. My favorite area is Princeville…I’d love to retire there someday.
Where to stay:
The St. Regis for all-out luxe or the Westin (both in Princeville). All of the Westin rooms are suites with huge whirlpool tubs and the hotel is affiliated with the St. Regis so guests are free to use the pool there (nice perk).
Must eats (mostly on the North Shore):
Postcards Café in Hanalei for a fresh fish dinner (in an old, non-descript high-ceiling house).
Restaurant Bar Acuda in Hanalei for a romantic atmosphere and small plates.
Dolphin Restaurant in Hanalei for a casual lunch outside (fish tacos or heard the sushi was good).
Hanalei Gourmet for a super casual lunch like chicken salad in an avocado bowl (stop by the super cute clothing store next door for sundresses).
Stop at the little juice/acai bowl truck in Hanalei and any of the following small little places across the street like the coffee cafe, the burger joint and the shave ice spot.
Down in Poipu (if you are staying down there), there’s an outdoor shopping/restaurant area sort of near the hotels…that’s where there’s a Puka Dog café for the best hotdogs (wrapped in the roll with their famous sauce inside).
Must dos, must-visits or things to consider:
Get a seat early at the St. Regis to watch the sunset and have a drink (they also serve sushi on the patio). It’s so breathtaking…
Hike Napali Coast (grab a walking stick that people have left at the beginning)…very tough but so gorgeous and fun. I know people also take boats out and I would consider that too.
On the way to Napali Coast, stop at Tunnels Beach (parking, bathrooms, cool little waterfall).
Take a surf lesson or just chill at Hanalei Bay Beach (it’s a few blocks from Hanalei town…beach where scenes from “The Descendants” were filmed).
In Princeville on the North Shore, there’s a little spot to park your car and you can take a 10 min hike down to Queen’s Bath. There’s a tide pool and crazy breaks hitting the black lava rocks. Be careful if the waves are huge (don’t get too close to the edges). Really cool though.
