Things to Do in Kauai, Hawaii

Allerton Garden, located on Kauai’s South Shore is an 80-acre botanical garden created and transformed over the years by an eclectic group of gardeners. Through its history, the garden has passed from a Hawaiian queen to a sugar magnate to an architect and an artist.

Named among the ‘50 Places of a Lifetime’ to visit, this is an architectural landscape masterpiece. Parts of the garden, including the giant Moreton Bay fig trees, have appeared in famous movies. Visitors can expect lush garden rooms, exotic plants, water features, and sculptures. Guided tours are 2.5 hours long and depart from South Shore Visitors Center hourly.

Allerton Garden, 4425 Lawai Road, Koloa, HI, Phone: 08-742-2623

Fern Grotto is a natural amphitheater on Wailua River in eastern Kauai. The lava rock grotto is covered in luxuriant ferns, and has long been a location for live music performances due to the incredible acoustics. After flooding in 2006, the Hawaii DNR closed Fern Grotto to visitors because of safety concerns. Even though the grotto walls have been artificially reinforced, visitors can still only access the grotto by water. Several bout tour companies provide this opportunity. By land, visitors can view Fern Grotto from a designated observation platform. It remains a popular place to hold romantic outdoor weddings, but now they must be held on the observation deck.

Fern Grotto, Wailua River State Park, Nalu Road, Kapaa, HI, Phone: 808-933-0416

Grove Farm Museum is a 100-acre homestead commemorating the legacy of Kauai’s sugar cane production. Located in the heart of Lihue, visitors to the farm will see the original plantation house, an owner’s cottage, an old office, a guest cottage, and plantation workers’ homes. This active farm is flush with gardens, farm animals, banana trees, and grazing pastures. Leisurely two-hour guided tours led by Kauai docents familiar with sugar plantation history are available by reservation. An onsite gift shop is open on tour days. This historic site is also available for weddings.

Grove Farm Museum, 4050 Nawiliwili Road, Lihue, HI, Phone: 808-245-3678

Ha'ena State Park is located on the extreme end of Kaua`i’s north shore, and is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. One of the biggest draws is the turquoise cove with its 4,000-year-old wet sea caves. Other things to do at the park include winter surfing, beach activities, picnicking, shore fishing, and beachcombing the shoreline or strolling the vegetated sand dunes of Maniniholo Beach.

Swimming is not recommended as the surf is high and currents are powerful. It is, however, the perfect spot for views of the dazzling Na Pali Coast. Visitors who bring a flashlight can go across the street to explore Maniniholo Dry Cave. There is also an 11-mile hiking trail at the park.

Ha'ena State Park, State Highway 56, Kapaa, HI, Phone: 800-274-3444

Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge in Hanalei River Valley is the oldest refuge on Kaua`i. At 917 acres, it serves as a feeding and nesting habitat for endangered water birds. Five are protected by the Endangered Species Act – the Hawaiian duck, Hawaiian coot, Hawaiian moorhen, Hawaiian goose, and Hawaiian stilt. There are also 45 other bird species that are at home in the refuge making it a superb destination for bird lovers. Visitors will appreciate valley and waterfall-draped mountain views from the wooded hillsides that surround the habitat. To protect the endangered birds, Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge itself is off limits to the public.

Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge, Ohiki Road, Kapaa, HI, Phone: 808-828-1413

Kauai Museum is dedicated to Kauai indigenous and immigrant cultural heritage. Multicultural artisans from Kauai and Niihua that include craftsmen, sculptors, and artists, are represented in museum collections.

Visitors will learn about Hawaiian monarchy, native Hawaiian life, the geology of Hawaii, and Captain Cook and crew in Waimea. Tours are typically self-guided, but docent-led tours can be reserved upon request. Admission includes a week-long pass that enables visitors to return for more exploration. That’s a great thing, since there are three floors in two buildings, plus a movie. Kauai Museum is an interesting mix of Hawaiian history and local artistry.

Kauai Museum, 4428 Rice St, Lihue, HI 96766, Phone: 808-245-6931

Pacific Humpback Whales migrate to the waters surrounding the islands each winter for mating and birthing their young. Good tours bring passengers to open waters near where whales and dolphins play without disturbing them. Curious dolphins and whales, however, sometimes approach tour boats. This provides visitors with spectacular opportunities to photograph them up close. Some tours include underwater hydrophones that allow passengers to listen in on whale songs. Blue Dolphin Charters provides some unique tour options.

Kauai Glass Beach embodies the saying ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.’ After years of using this industrial area as a dumping ground for trash, Mother Nature turned mass numbers of glass bottles into millions of pieces of beautiful sea glass. Unfortunately, the amount of sea glass on this tiny beach has dwindled due to the avarice of sea glass collectors. Another notable area near the beach is the lava beds on the beach’s southern end. Some sea glass has been embedded in the lava rock with surreal effect. Those brave enough to venture out onto the lava beds should be cautious of strong incoming surf.

Kauai Glass Beach, Ula Street, Eleele, Kaua`i, HI, Phone: 808-245-3971

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is one of Kauai’s best places for wildlife viewing. The dramatic steep cliffs that plunge into the sea only add to the allure. Visitors should expect to see nesting seabirds, spinner dolphins, Hawaiian geese – an endangered species and Hawaii’s state bird, Hawaiian monk seals, and an assortment of coastal plants. Daniel Inouye Kilauea Point Lighthouse tours are available on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The iconic 100-year-old lighthouse is open to tours as far up as the Watch Room. Other Kilauea Point amenities include interpretive panels with epic views, interpretive dioramas in the Visitor Center, and the Kilauea Point Natural History Association bookstore.

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Kilauea, HI, Phone: 808-828-1413