Our Kauai Travel Tips: all the best things to do with a family

We just got back from Kauai!! So I thought it would be the perfect time to update our blog post from 2 years ago (Hawaii Vacation as a family of 8) with our current faves. 

Kauai has become a really special place for us and we are so thankful to be able to go back!

LET’S START WITH SOME OVERALL TIPS

Travel: We used our trusty orange suitcases (easy to pack and carryon and spot)(link here) and the boys each carried a backpack with airplane snacks in a gallon bag labeled with each person’s name (packed by Nana- her tip is no crackers or chips or cookies that can make a huge mess on the plane!). We also take various small games and books and devices to share and watch cartoons and shows on the plane. I’ve linked our favorite items we pack in our ‘Road trip to Utah‘ blog post. 

Packing: If you need any tips on sunscreens or laundry projects or just items to make your trip with kids easier here’s the link to my ‘20+ things to add to your summer vacation packing list’ blog.

Cars: This is our 4-5th time using TURO for our rental cars and we have had great experiences every time. We rented 2 SUV’s and along with that 2 car seats/boosters in each car (we only brought Lucy’s). We also rented boogie boards, beach chairs, and umbrellas. All from Turo. For us this was a cheaper option than renting from the resort and we had them everyday already loaded into the cars. *Check the ‘extra’ section in the Turo app where they list everything you can add to the car rental. 

Other extras that I’m glad I brought: 

These laundry sheets are great for travel

My crossbody bag is my favorite 

These mesh seashell/rock bags for the boys were a hit

Puddle jumpers for the pool 

These Swim hats for the little ones 

My favorite sunglasses 

ACCOMMODATIONS

Resort: We stayed at Koloa Landing Resort again. The boys loved it here and could barely wait to get back to the pools and slide! It’s more expensive than a traditional hotel but we love that they have more options for 2 and 3 bedroom villas for a family. Plus, I always look for a spot with a kitchen (we eat breakfast and lunch in our room) and laundry! We spent a lot of time pricing Airbnb and home rentals and for what we wanted this was comparable pricing. Plus you get the amazing pool and all the amenities this resort has to offer right by the ocean and a short walk to a beach. If you are flexible- my tip is to book on the Black Friday sale for the next year. That’s what I did and it was a huge savings!

This resort is on the south side of the island which is much drier/sunny and therefore tends to be a bit more expensive all the way around than the north, more rainy, side. The sun and dry are important to us but there is a lot to do and see on the north side also. 

ACTIVITIES

This trip we did some things we’d done before but a lot of new too. We had such fun! If you get to Kauai hopefully these will give you some ideas of fun to do!

Kaua’i Sugarloaf Pineapple Tour (website here)

Great information and sweetest couple/owners who give the tour. Lots of fun and facts PLUS the most delicious treats at the end!! We were all in pineapple heaven! It will be the best pineapple you’ve ever tasted guaranteed. 

Drive up the island to the north side.

It takes about an hour. On the way be sure to stop at the Kilauea Point Lighthouse. The view was stunning. We had hoped to do the little hike clear out to the lighthouse but it was closed for a holiday. Most people stop at Hanalei which is so beautiful and I recommend. But you can also continue driving through that town and it will take you to Tunnels Beach (a favorite spot from our last trip). We hoped to swim there but there was a ‘no swimming’ warning posted due to large waves so we just enjoyed the scenery and the cave/tunnel.

Island Helicopters (website here)

Papa and Nana did this exciting adventure and said it was truly a bucket list item checked off! A one hour tour of the island, including close up flying inside a volcano crater and right up to the falls filmed in Jurassic Park. They came back in awe over the scenery they saw! This company was much more affordable compared to others as well. 

ATV tour at Kipu Ranch

Tim and I and the older 2 boys (age limit is 9 and older) did this! My review: great views, fun history…a little slow for what we were hoping for in the ATV driving. Nothing thrilling if that is what you are looking for.

Historic Old Town Hanapepe

Papa and Nana grabbed an hour to look around here. They said it was unique and fun shops to browse in. They loved walking across the Hanapepe Swinging Bridge. The Midnight Bear Bakery was there also and they bought sourdough loaves of bread which were delicious! We had seen them at the Farmer’s Market and I would’ve loved to get there early and try some of their other treats. 

Farmer’s Markets

We went to 2 different ones and had such a fun time at both! A must from us! The Farmer’s Market at Kukui’ula Shopping Village is on Wednesdays and so much to try: sugarloaf pineapple frozen spears, sugarcane juice, macadamia nuts and honey, fresh fruit, specialty salts, ginger beer and Lilikoi lemonade! 

We also did the Saturday Farmer’s Market in Lihue! Ate and enjoyed our way through that one too: scones, breads, suckers, honey (Papa said best he’s ever had), plus lots of other foods! My fave was the kabob stand! 

BEACHES

Kiahuna Beach– also called Shipwreck Beach – our favorite. We could walk there in 8 minutes from our resort and it has everything we want! Sand and waves and not over crowded. Perfect for boys boogie boarding or little ones just floating in the waves with us. 

Poipu Beach– this was recommended to us by so many people but we found it super crowded and just not the greatest beach area for our family. Probably worth seeing once but again, not our favorite. Having said that- make time to see it at sunset when all the huge turtles come up on the beach everyday to rest till early morning. That is worth seeing!

Salt Pond Beach in Hanapepe – we had a ton of fun here. Spacious park, nice showers and bathrooms and fun beach area. Our second favorite beach! Bonus: we saw Hawaiian monk seals up close here playing in the water and laying out. That was really neat. 

Hanalei Beach Park & Tunnels – I mentioned this one above. It’s gorgeous and the drive to it is a MUST DO for the scenery and fun (complete with one-way bridges, Hawaiian style!). Hanalei beach is stunning and great for families. Tunnels beach is beautiful but the possible no swimming and high waves is a factor to consider. 

FOOD AND EATING OUT

Tip: we made reservations just about everywhere because we were a large group of 11. And I usually did times like 4:45pm trying to beat the crowd and catch our kids before they might be extremely hungry. 

Tip 2: We do all our grocery shopping right after we land before heading to the resort. We get everything at Costco and Walmart but there is also a Safeway and Target if you prefer those. 

Lilikoi Bar and Grill (in Lihue) – We ate here right after getting off the plane and before grocery shopping. Found it based on reviews online and it definitely was good. Service was over the top and make sure you grab a Lilikoi cheesecake to go. It’s a MUST and I ended up going back for more a different day!

Keoki’s (in Koloa)- We ate here 2 years ago and loved it for the great food, fun, and live music. Didn’t disappoint us this time either! You will always get good food here in my opinion. Note: we found the kid’s meals to be just about the exact same every restaurant we were at. 

Chicken in a Barrel (several on the island) – A must for us because we loved it last trip! Same great food! Bbq meats and more. 

Jojo’s Shave Ice (north side) – Hands down best shave ice!

Beach House (in Koloa) – Not a place we would probably go back to because we felt the food was very mediocre for how overpriced it is. But the view at sunset was amazing if you can get a good spot to watch it. 

Eating House 1849 (in Koloa) – This is Tim and my favorite spot! Everything we’ve ever had here was delicious and unique and definitely worth the reservation. 

Kountry Kitchen (in Kapa’a) – We had lunch here and it was so good! I think we all ordered breakfasts and honestly they were over the top yummy! Fun little ‘hole in the wall’ place!

Brenneckes (in Poipu) – We’d heard that dinner here was especially fun because you walk across the road just before sunset onto Poipu Beach and see the turtles as they come up on the beach! We ate (good food), walked across, and the turtles were there. It was super fun for the boys (and us too)! Our youngest 3 boys actually bought little stuffed animal souvenirs in Brennecke’s gift shop for super reasonable prices so check that out too! 

Porkys (in Koloa) – Our favorite last trip and tastes so amazing. They changed locations to Koloa and are worth a stop for lunch or dinner. I love the number 4 and make sure to buy a bottle of their sauce to take home. It’s incredible! 

Koloa pizza Kitchen (in Koloa) – This was a new spot for us and we were pleasantly surprised how delicious it was. GREAT pizza and all other food plus a wonderful atmosphere and amazing service! 

Lapperts (in Koloa) – A must do ice cream shop! All flavors-amazing but make sure you get the Lilikoi ice cream! 

Little Fish Coffee (in Koloa) – Tim brought himself, me and Nana açaí bowls a couple times from here and they were awesome! He said great coffee too! 

Anake’s Juice bar (in Koloa) – Find this in the back of a little grocery store and they also make amazing açaí bowls and smoothies!

Da Crack (in Koloa) – This is another little shop where we like the Mexican food! Walk up style and take your food somewhere else to eat. I got a yummy burrito bowl there!

Hope you enjoyed a little look into our Kauai vacation! I’m already dreaming of our next. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that we stayed 8 days plus travel days! I felt like a little longer than a week was just perfect for us and if I’m flying that far with so many little kids I try to make the most of it. For everything we want to do and the downtime around the pool and snorkeling and hanging around the villa this amount of days fits our family well! 

Have any questions or need a different link? Comment below! 

Aloha!

xo, Sarah