25 Best Non-Touristy Things to Do on Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi
For so many reasons, Kauaʻi is my favorite island in Hawaiʻi.
From the towering cliffs along the Nāpali Coast to the long, white, sandy beaches that wrap around the island, there’s truly so many things to do, trails to explore, and great food to eat, making Kauaʻi a paradise for any type of person!
All said, the list below is my favorite things to do across the island, from beaches to restaurants to tours and more. If you get out and explore, I hope that some of these recommendations help you see the fun, local side of Kauaʻi that I love!
Why am I Recommending these Kauaʻi Tours?
One of my favorite things about booking through Viator is the reserve-now-and-pay-later option. As long as you’re booking more than three days in advance, you have the option to book ahead and cancel in the future if you change your mind.
Additionally, I’ve included these tours for two reasons. First, venturing out to some of the local spots that I’ve listed below might not be the way you want to go, but more importantly, some experiences simply can’t be done without booking a tour.
That being said, the tour options that I’ve listed below are a great way to have a 'more guaranteed experience,' which can definitely be safer and more kid-friendly than some of my recommendations.
25 Best Things to Do on Kauaʻi
The following list is written in no particular order of best or worst, but more importantly, I talk about what NOT to do at the end, such as how to keep your car from getting broken into. Don’t skip over the end!
1. Awaʻawapuhi Trail
Distance: 6.6 miles / 10.6 km
If you make time for any trail on Kauaʻi, pick Awaʻawapuhi!
In my opinion, the Awaʻawapuhi Trail is easily one of the best hikes in the world, and if you plan for it, Awaʻawapuhi makes for one of the best sunset trails on Kauaʻi.
Read My Separate Post: Awaʻawapuhi Trail
2. Kauaʻi Helicopter Tour
Since so much of Kauaʻi is so rugged and highly inaccessible by foot, a Kauaʻi helicopter tour will give you the best opportunity to see remote areas of the island that you would otherwise never have the opportunity to see, even by trail.
This includes the opportunity to see Jurassic Falls, which is located on private property. Furthermore, if it has rained recently in the Waimea Canyon, more waterfalls than normal may be flowing, making the experience truly something that can’t be put into words!
3. Hanakāpīʻai Falls Trail (Nāpali Coast)
Distance: 8.0 miles / 12.9 km
Hanakāpīʻai Falls is one of Kauaʻi’s most beautiful and popular waterfall trails on the island.
However, there’s a lot to know regarding the parking/ shuttle reservations to get to the trailhead in Hāʻena State Park, which is why I encourage you to read through the details in my separate post. In this post, I go through all the necessary need-to-know information about the current situation with the state park, so that you can decide what type of reservation will work best for you.
Read My Separate Post: Hanakāpīʻai Falls Trail
4. Kalalea Juice Hale (Best Açaí in Hawaiʻi)
Kalalea Juice Hale has my favorite Açaí Bowl that I’ve found anywhere in Hawaiʻi!
Personally, I recommend the King Kong Bowl, but if you’re on your way to the North Shore for the day, I think stopping for anything on their menu makes for a quick light breakfast before heading out on an adventure!
Yelp: Kalalea Juice Hale
5. Limahuli Garden Tour
Distance: 0.75 miles / 1.2 km
There simply isn’t a better tour on Kauaʻi to learn about native Hawaiian culture and plants than the Limahuli Botanical Garden Tour.
I wrote a separate post below about what you can expect on a tour through this pristine North Shore valley, which makes for one of the best back-to-back adventures with Hanakāpīʻai Falls since they’re so close.
Read My Separate Post: Limahuli Garden Tour
6. Nāpali Coast Boat Tour
Whether you’re more interested in the helicopter above or the boat tour listed here, booking a tour on Kauaʻi’s famous Nāpali Coast is a must-do!
I strongly believe this because each Nāpali Coast tour gives you a perspective that you just can’t get by hiking the Kalalau Trail.
I wrote a separate post about what type of boat tour is the best, but to keep it short, the three boat tours that I’ve linked below are the best Nāpali Coast boat tours for a personalized experience, which I go into more detail in the post linked below.
Furthermore, if you’re not sure about whether to choose a helicopter or boat tour, know that a Nāpali Coast boat tour is better in the summer because the large winter ocean swells keep the boat captains away from the coastline and the caves that you would normally get to go into during the summer. In contrast, a helicopter tour may be better during the rainier winter months because of all the waterfalls that may be flowing in the Waimea Canyon and on the coast, as mentioned previously.
Read My Separate Post: Nāpali Coast Boat Tour
7. Aloha Roastery
I love coffee for the taste of coffee, which is exactly why Aloha Roastery, located in both Lihuʻe and Kapaʻa, is one of my favorite coffee shops on Kauaʻi.
Personally, I love stopping in for a grab-and-go coffee, as I often find them to be far less busy than others on the island, like Java Kai.
Yelp: Aloha Roastery
8. Kukui Trail (Lonomea)
Distance (Roundtrip): 12.2 miles / 19.6 km
Like the Kalalau Trail, the Kukui Trail to Lonomea is another beautiful backpacking trip on Kauaʻi, but in comparison, it is much less known/ competitive.
This is because most Kauaʻi visitors only drive the road up the Waimea Canyon to Kōkeʻe without having an idea about what they’re missing below the rim.
All said, Lonomea is the best campsite in the Waimea Canyon, and the best part is that there’s only one permit! This means that if you get it, you will always be the only group there!
Read My Separate Post: Kukui Trail (Lonomea)
9. Tunnels Beach (Mākua)
Tunnels Beach, along Kauaʻi’s quiet North Shore, is a beautiful stretch of pristine shoreline away from all the hotels and busyness of Hanalei down the road.
The easiest way to access Tunnels is by parking at Hāʻena Beach Park, not Hāʻena State Park, where you would need a parking reservation.
From the parking lot, anywhere you walk down to the right is considered Tunnels, but in reality, most North Shore beaches past Hanalei will be some of the quietest on the island, so pick any!
Google Maps Directions: Hāʻena Beach Park (Tunnels)
10. Da Crack Mexican Grinds
Da Crack Mexican is a great local build-your-own burrito spot on south shore in Poʻipū.
Overall, Da Crack is not really a great place to sit down and eat, but I love to grab a burrito for the road when I’m on my way out to hike in the Waimea Canyon.
Yelp: Da Crack Mexican Grinds
11. Kuilau Ridge Trail
Distance: 3.4 miles / 5.5 km
The Kuilau Ridge Trail is a beautiful and easy east side trail through the lush, wet, forested side of Kauaʻi!
I say this because Kuilau is one of the most gradual ridge hikes in Hawaiʻi, and, as such, I think that it’s a great hike to do with kids! However, before going, know that the trail can be very muddy if the east side of the island has rained recently.
To learn more about the full adventure, including the connection with the Moalepe Trail, be sure to check out the details in my separate post.
Read My Separate Post: Kuilau Ridge Trail
12. Buying Local Hawaiian Coffee
While Hawaiʻi may have a reputation for its famed Kona Coffee, I found my favorite by a long shot to be 100% Maui Coffee from the Maui Coffee Company! Locally, it can be bought at Safeway stores and Target, but to make it easy, you can order it below on Amazon, so that you don’t have to fly home with it.
In my opinion, Maui Coffee is the best, followed by 100% Kauaʻi Coffee. I put these two before anything grown on the Big Island, which in third I choose 100% Kona Gold Roast by Lion Coffee. This is just one person’s opinion, but I’m only saying to not let the famous Kona name convince you that it’s the best.
13. Kauaʻi River Kayaking Tour
Out of all the islands, Kauaʻi and Oʻahu have the best kayaking tours!
Personally, I think that the Hanalei River is the best option. However, if location matters most to you, know that Hidden Valley is on the south shore, Secret Falls is on the east side, and the Hanalei River, which I recommend most, is on the North Shore.
14. Kenji Burger
With locations found across Kauaʻi, Kenji Burger is my go-to burger spot that I love to visit after any of the adventures mentioned in this post.
Personally, I love their specialty burgers and fries, but if you’ve been out for a hot adventure in the sun, come in for a drink during happy hour, as I’ve found them to be one of the more affordable places to drink on the island!
Yelp: Kenji Burger
15. Shipwreck Beach
Shipwreck Beach on the south shore of Kauaʻi is a beautiful white sandy cove located conveniently near many of the best places to stay in Poʻipū and Kōloa.
On top of this, Shipwreck Beach can also one of the best places on Kauaʻi to go cliff jumping, but only if you’re a good swimmer to make it back.
Warning
The cliff jump at Shipwreck Beach should only be attempted on a calm day and by those who are good swimmers.
From the point where you land in the water, it’s a considerable swim back to Shipwreck Beach, which is the only safe place to exit the water.
Google Maps Directions: Shipwreck Beach
16. Iliau Nature Loop Trail
Distance: 0.4 miles / 0.6 km
Out of all of the trails on this list, the effort-to-reward ratio for Iliau Loop Trail is second to none!
The Iliau Loop is one of the shortest trails on Kauaʻi for some of the best views of the Waimea Canyon, which is why I recommend pulling over for this quick and easy little trail.
Read My Separate Post: Iliau Nature Loop Trail
17. Da Booze Shop (Waimea)
The Da Booze Shop in Waimea is about as local as food on Kauaʻi can get. Anything you order will always be a ton of food, which is why I always come here for a traditional Loco moco!
Additionally, if you have the time to talk, I recommend staying for a while. The folks that own Da Booze Shop have a great family story behind the restaurant, which is something I’ll leave out for an in-person visit.
Yelp: Da Booze Shop
18. Whale Watching Tour (Winter Only)
These are Humpback whales that have migrated down from Alaska during the winter months to the warmer Hawaiian waters, where mothers will give birth to their calves.
However, it goes without saying that whales in Hawaiʻi are very season-specific, meaning that if your trip is too early or too late in the winter, they may not have arrived yet or may already be on their way back to Alaska.
In any case, the best way to experience the whales on Kauaʻi during the winter is on the water, as there’s truly nothing quite like an up-close experience through one of the local operators!
19. Sleeping Giant Trail (Nounou)
Distance: 2.2 - 3.8 miles / 3.5 - 6.1 km
The Sleeping Giant Trail is a Kauaʻi local favorite because it’s relatively short, conveniently located, and the summit makes for one of the best sunrises on a clear morning!
The reason why the distance varies on Sleeping Giant, unlike other trails, is because there is both an east and west trail to hike up Nounou Mountain.
Personally, I prefer the west trail, but click on either to read my comparison of the two.
Read My Separate Post: Sleeping Giant (East) / Sleeping Giant (West)
20. Kēʻē Beach
Kēʻē Beach is the very last beach on Kauaʻi’s North Shore, signifying the start of the Nāpali Coast (Kalalau Trail).
For non-Hawaiʻi residents, visiting Kēʻē Beach requires the same parking/ shuttle reservation as the trail does. However, despite this hassle, the reason why I have Kēʻē Beach on this list is that it doesn’t get nearly as busy as the trail despite all the people visiting Hāʻena State Park.
This is because most people in Hāʻena are there for the trail. On top of this, Kēʻē Beach is one of the best beaches on Kauaʻi to see the sunset, which by that time, most visitors will have left the park.
Google Maps Directions: Kēʻē Beach
21. Kalalau Trail (Nāpali Coast)
Distance (Roundtrip): 22.0 miles / 35.4 km
Side-by-side with Awaʻawapuhi, the Kalalau Trail is easily one of the best hikes on Kauaʻi!
The 11-mile (17.7 km) out-and-back trail traverses Kauaʻi’s stunning and world-renowned Nāpali Coast, where those who secure a permit will have the opportunity to camp along the beach of the remote Kalalau Valley, with the potential to visit Honopū during your stay.
The Kalalau Trail, beginning within Hāʻena State Park, has the same parking/ shuttle reservation situation as Hanakāpīʻai Falls and Kēʻē Beach. The one difference regarding Kalalau is how to obtain the highly competitive camping permit, which you can read more about in my separate post.
Read My Separate Post: Kalalau Trail (Nāpali Coast)
22. Limahuli Cold Pond
Located just outside of the entrance station for Hāʻena State Park is a little-known swimming hole called the Limahuli Cold Pond.
The Cold Pond is nothing more than quick place to enjoy a cold swim, but it’s a nice quick stop because parking on this little stretch outside of Hāʻena is legal for a short visit only.
If you try to park here for Hāʻena State Park or the Limahuli Garden, you will be ticketed and possibly towed. This stretch of the highway is now strictly enforced following the implementation of the shuttle service.
Google Maps Directions: Limahuli Cold Pond
23. Waimea Canyon
Simply recommending the Waimea Canyon is a bit of a loaded topic, but driving the 19-mile (30.6 km) Kōkeʻe-Waimea Canyon Road to the Puʻu O Kila Lookout is, without a doubt, one of the best things to do on Kauaʻi!
The scenic drive out of Waimea is a great way to spend one or a number of days enjoying the various lookouts, little pull-over spots, and trails—many of which I’ve highlighted in this article.
Google Maps Directions: Waimea Canyon Lookout
24. Kauaʻi Lūʻau
This is one of those things where there’s no non-touristy way around it.
However, I hope you have taken a number of my recommendations from this list because if so, give yourself a nice night out at one of these Lūʻaus.
Below, I have provided a number of Lūʻau options to choose from, which can be found on Kauaʻi’s south and east side.
25. Weeping Wall - Blue Hole (Mt. Waiʻaleʻale)
Distance: 6.2 miles / 10.0 km
Without a doubt, the Weeping Wall is one of the most beautiful and epic hikes in the entire world!
That being said, Mt. Waiʻaleʻale is not for the faint of heart. The trail requires good navigational skills and most importantly, good weather!
To learn more about this challenging but beautiful adventure, I encourage you to read more in my separate post.
Read My Separate Post: Weeping Wall Trail (Mt. Waiʻaleʻale)
What NOT to Do!
Don’t ever leave bags or anything valuable visible in your car.
Treat Kauaʻi like you would any crime-ridden city, and you will be fine. Smash and grabs happen often, especially to cars that are obviously rentals. Some of my favorite trailheads have glass all over the place because people just don’t understand this.
Don’t look like a tourist.
This is a hard one, but hear me out. I’m recommending some local things in this blog that will potentially take you to parts of the island where you don’t want to stand out, and this goes back to my number one under this section. Tourists are good, easy, and vulnerable targets for crime and petty theft.
So how do you not look like a tourist? Try not to make your rental look like a rental. Don’t have your rental full of suitcases, beach toys, and towels that you just got from the ABC store in Kapaʻa.
Take any rental car stickers/ logos off the side of the car. I’ve seen rentals with stickers over the door seals to show that it has been through enhanced cleaning.
I’m really just trying to come up with things that come to my mind when I can obviously spot a tourist. To me, tourists really stand out to me when they pronounce the names of other islands wrong.
Do NOT approach or harass our native wildlife.
This happens all too often with visitors harassing our endemic and endangered Hawaiian Monk Seals. There are strict penalties for doing this, and visitors have been hunted down and prosecuted because of social media posts in the past.
The Hawaiian Monk Seal, among many other native Hawaiian species, are on the federal list for endangered species. This also goes for sensitive mountain environments like the Waimea Canyon that are home to some of the rarest species in the world. Please use common sense.
Native Hawaiian Plants on Kauaʻi
I wanted to include this last section on this post because this is a subject that’s personal to me.
The native plant biodiversity in Hawaiʻi is insane! 90% of the native plants that you will see around the islands are found nowhere else on earth, and I say these things for two reasons.
The first is that I ask that you please do everything you possibly can to minimize your impact on our trails because so many of our native plants are at risk of extinction. The second is that if you have personal interest in the subject or may be curious about something that you found, I wrote a separate post entirely about native Hawaiian plants. I wrote it to help others around Hawaiʻi ID anything that you might be curious about.
For example, this species in the photo below can only be found on the island of Kauaʻi and nowhere else on earth.
Read My Separate Post: Native Hawaiian Plant Guide
Visiting Other Islands
If you are heading to another island on your trip, check out some of my personal recommendations here for Oʻahu, Maui, Molokai, and Hawaiʻi Island (Big Island) in my separate posts.
If you’re trying to decide which island is right for your visit, check out my overview about each island in the post below.
Read My Separate Post: What is the Best Hawaiian Island to Visit?
