When staying on the island of Kauai in the summer, there are so many fun things to do! From breath-taking nature to welcoming small towns to learning the history, the adventures are endless. Whether you are traveling solo, or with children, this was my amazing experience in paradise. 

Last year, my dad was working in Hawaii, so I took the opportunity to move myself and my family out to stay with him for a month over the summer while I was between leases at home. I put most of our belongings into storage and flew over with a couple suitcases for each of us. I brought my husband and three small boys, ages 5, 3, and 18 months. We stayed in the town of Waimea, which is referred to as the gateway to the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Most of our days were spent exploring the island. 

Here’s what it is like to stay in Kauai, Hawaii in the summer:

As the plane approaches the island, you can begin to see the breathtaking mountains of the Nā Pali coast. These cliff-like mountains were formed by lava eruptions millions of years ago, with the strong waves of the Pacific Ocean carving out the valleys. Once off the plane, you’ll begin to notice there are chickens everywhere.

The temperatures are perfect, often between 70-80 degrees.

The overall mood of the island is laid-back, with people in swimwear almost everywhere you go. 

How to get around

Navigating the bus system is fairly easy; there are set schedules with a convenient app you can download. The bus drivers take their schedules very seriously, as my husband and I discovered one night while witnessing a driver stand up to a demanding passenger. Once on the bus, you can get to each town on the island. My kids had lots of fun riding along, and the buses have room for you to bring a folding stroller. 

Once off the bus you can walk almost anywhere you’d like to discover.

The island is very pedestrian friendly, with crosswalks heavily featured throughout. 

I had a great time one day walking from Wailua to Kapa’a along a gorgeous bike trail next to the ocean.

Fascinating Natural Scenery

There are many helicopter and small plane tours that fly over the island daily, giving spectacular views that you wouldn’t otherwise see. 

If you are exploring on foot, some of my favorite sites on the island were the Spouting Horn and the Makauwahi Cave. 

The Spouting Horn is a natural phenomenon that occurs due to waves from the Pacific crashing into what is known as a lava tube. The water pressurizes, causing it to shoot up out of the holes and high into the air, often accompanied by loud hissing noises. When I was there, I was able to see a rainbow in the mist coming out of the hole! 

Further along the coast is the Makauwahi Cave - part of a limestone cave system that collapsed around 7,000 years ago, leaving a gorgeous clearing in its wake. It is a great activity to hike along the top down towards the bottom where you have to climb through a small opening in the wall to get into the garden area. 

The town of Hanapepe

As far as exploring the towns on the island, there are so many great places to visit. Hanapepe, which is the town Lilo and Stitch was based on, hosts an Art Night every Friday night, with local artists and vendors. It is so much fun to walk along the main street there visiting all the cute shops…and if you are brave, going across the bridge! My four year old described it as “super wiggly,” and although he was hesitant to go at first, he made it all the way across and back.

Beach Time!

If you love to see wildlife, head down to Poipu beach for a chance to see green sea turtles resting in the sand.

Meanwhile, over at the Salt Pond Beach, you might get lucky to spot an endangered Hawaiian Monk seal taking a nap! 

Salt Pond Beach was my oldest son’s favorite place to visit, as there is a rocky outcropping keeping the big waves at bay and forming a small pond that is safe for small children. 

Another great beach for children is over at Lydgate Park, which also has a huge wooden playground next to it. While at the beach, it is a lot of fun to do some snorkeling and see what fishes you can find, or just taking in the sound of the waves crashing into the shore. 

One of my favorite ways to end the day was strolling down to the black sand beach at Waimea and watching the sun set.

Hungry?

The best food to try on the island is the Kalua pork, which is traditionally cooked for 12+ hours in a pit wrapped in banana leaves. Most eateries on the island offer this dish, with others offering other local favorites such as katsu chicken, poi, and spam musubi. My oldest son’s favorite thing to eat were the snowcones! We didn’t eat out every day, and would often go down to the local Big Save to get groceries. 

Shopping

Like many visitors, I enjoyed perusing the shopping centers around the island. Kukui Grove is not far from the airport, containing many mainland shops and a kids play area. 
If you go up the coast, you will discover Coconut Grove, a great place to buy tourist goodies. My favorite place to shop was along the main street in Kapa’a, due to the amount of local artists and wares. 

With so much to see and do on the island, I recommend making a list of everything you would like to do and then plan each day in advance. Make sure to wear lots of sunscreen, drink even more water, and have the best adventure!

Emily Morton is an Architecture & Engineering student at UVU. Having grown up in Texas, she is well-traveled and loves to explore new places. She has three small boys and tries to include them in her adventures as much as possible. 

All photos courtesy and copyright Emily Morton, published with permission