A fru-gal's guide to Kauai
don't worry, the eating and views were nothing short of lux
I know we all have holiday season top of mind buuut…
I just got back from a trip to Kauai and I want to drop some hopefully helpful deets about it. My husband and I travel a lot, though it’s not the kind of travel you’re imagining. Think more: near-monthly flights to New Jersey, sleeping in guest rooms, and surviving primarily off of carbs and caffeine. Anywho.. point is we were due for a bonafide trip and were determined to squeeze one in before the end of 2024.
While we both were looking for something with the laid back vibe of the Caribbean, it’s just not practical for west coast folks to vacation there on short notice. Enter: Hawaii, duh! We went with Kauai because it’s supposedly the most chill of the Hawaiian islands. As first timers, I can’t say for sure if it’s the “most chill” of the islands but I will tell you I’ve never been as relaxed on a vacation in my adult life so probably some truth to that.
We scheduled our trip for the week before Thanksgiving which I do believe gave us a leg up on pricing since we were sneaking in during that pre-holiday lull.
If you’re planning a trip to Kauai you’ll come across a lot of talk about North Shore vs. South Shore. The North Shore is cooler, lush, more secluded, rainier, and generally more nature-centric. The South Shore is warmer and sunnier, a bit busier, more ‘beachy’, and has more resort options. I wanted North (I prefer trees and cooler weather), my husband wanted South (he likes hot), so we settled in the middle and went with the East Shore ;-). This wound up being the right choice since we both wanted to explore the North and South shores and staying on the east shore gave us more equitable access to both.
onto the deets
where we stayed
We decided to stay at Kauai Shores in Kapa’a. We chose Kauai Shores because of its central location, affordability, tons of positive reviews, and while unfortunately not locally owned, we preferred it for its less corporate feel. I would recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Kauai for the first time looking to stay within a reasonable budget and have easy access to both the North and South shore. It was comfortable, quiet, and situated on an amazing strip of the east shore with insane sunsets. Kauai Shores is home to the Lava Lava club which made incredible cocktails with an ocean front view. My go-to was the Tahitian Limeade (coconut rum, coconut water, fresh lime juice). Another plus is Kapa’a is where a lot of locals live, versus more resort-heavy areas, so we had easy access to plenty of local food shops.
booked fun
We kept our booked activities to a minimum because we really wanted to maximize beach time and were looking forward to not having much on the agenda.
This was incredible. No other way to put it, it was hands down one of the most beautiful and breathtaking excursions I’ve ever been on. We were in a retired Navy Zodiac raft that whipped us down the coast while we sat on the edge of the raft with our feet securing us under floor straps. We opted for the morning tour, which is supposedly less bumpy than the afternoon. I do think we got a particularly smooth and clear day, lucky us! We left from the Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor on the far west side of the south shore and boogied for about 40 minutes before hitting the beginning of the Na Pali coast. The raft was fast, wild, fun. Our captain and crew were knowledgeable and made us feel safe and welcome. We went into three different sea caves (terrifyingly exciting), hung out with hundreds of Hawaiian spinner dolphins, and stopped to snorkel in crystal clear waters full of beautiful tropical fish. They even had some treats on board for us to snack on. 10/10.
If you’re a fruit lover and looking to do something a little off the beaten path I can’t recommend this tour enough. The tour takes place on the Moloa’a Organica’a farm and the fruits change with the seasons. The tour was about 2 hours long and we cruised around the grounds trying different in season fruits as we came upon them. Our tour guide, Adam, was super engaging and knew a lot about the farm, it’s history, and the area.
where we ate that I would absolutely recommend:
North Shore
$16 rolls that were the equivalent of 2 regular rolls, super fresh and perfect for lunch. We split 2 rolls between us for lunch, and went back a second time!
If you’re in the north shore, don’t skip this one. Smaller cuts of fish which I think a lot of people appreciate from a chew/texture perspective. Melt in your mouth. We split 1 order and got the one with watermelon and raw onion. I miss it.
Tried the Hanalei Sweetie which was lilikoi (passionfruit) flavored ice over vanilla ice cream topped with sweetened condensed milk. Unreal.
Kapa’a/Lihue area
Sleeping Giant Grill - Kapa’a
This spot was right next door to our hotel and honestly, I could have eaten a meal here every day. The food was simple and fresh and they had daily specials. We wound up going twice and were able to try the garlic shrimp plate, the grilled mahi mahi plate, the habanero chicken plate, and the passionfruit cheesecake.
Konohiki Seafood - Lihue
This was our first stop after landing and it was one I wished we’d had the time to return to before leaving. There is a large display case filled with many different kinds of poke and other seafood salads. They also had fried chicken which looked amazing, luau pork, mac salad, homemade mochi and other desserts. Super affordable, fresh, delicious. Definitely try to get there early!
Musubi Truck - Kapa’a
Split a Katsu double-wide musubi and it was that perfect post-beach, pre-cocktail treat.
Wailua Bakeshop - Kapa’a
Best coffee we had throughout the entire trip, and we tried a new spot every day (until we found this one). They also sold malasadas and was overall very well-priced. $4.50 for a large iced latte, unheard of!
Passion Bakery - Lihue
Malasadas. That’s all you need to know! They only do Malasadas on certain days so check the schedule ahead of time.
South/Western Shore
Stumbled into this spot while exploring Hanapepe after the Ne Pali coast boat ride. We first stopped next door for a coffee and pastry after our adventure when I noticed the bakery was attached to a bumping little diner-type spot. Full of locals enjoying their plate lunches and I knew something tasty was there for us. There was a lot of variety on the menu and fair prices. We split the garlic shrimp lunch plate which came with a side of poke and salad. Another spot I’d wish we’d made it back to!
Garage Poke Man - Waimea Canyon Road
Saw a sign for fresh poke on the side of the road on our way up to Waimea Canyon on Waimea Canyon Road. On our way back down we decided to stop and check it out. This guy and his buddies fish for the tuna and he does the poke-out-of-the-garage thing. It was the best seasoned of all the poke we had, and the fish was suuuper fresh and had an amazing texture. My only note is that it was a little pricey ($5/side of white rice), but I’m always down to support the hustle.
places we didn’t get to but I wish we had
Common Grounds Regenerative Farm
This was the number one thing I wanted to make it to on the island. Unfortunately, they were booked for a private event the entire week we were there. Next time, for sure.
We made a grave error and planned to go here on a Saturday, not realizing they were closed on Saturdays. They do plates, lots of hand rolls and musubi options, luau pork, tons of seafood salad options. We were SO sad to miss this spot.
Mark's Place - Lihue
Very sad to have missed this place especially because they’re known for some seriousness in the desserts department. But the operating hours were just not working in our favor and we couldn’t find a time to get there that they were open and we weren’t prioritizing beaching.
We have no excuse to not have hit this spot up. We were standing directly in front of it twice that I can recall. Reviews are high, menu looks fire, and I am always game for a hot dog! Soft Hawaiian buns, polish sausage, special lemon-garlic sauce, lilikoi mustard, hawaiian fruit relish. Ugh, I’m mad at myself for the miss just typing this up.
snorekling a day keeps the seasonal depression away
We rented snorkels, fins, beach chairs, and an umbrella for the week from Boss Frog's. We snorkeled every day we were there and having full-time snorkel equipment in the car made things very simple. Some beaches we loved:
Anini Beach
Shallow beaches that bump up to calm waters that are perfect for snorkeling. We packed some snacks and beers and kicked it for hours at this little strip of paradise. Here we snorkeled and saw a lot of incredible fish and sea turtles!
Tunnels Beach
Way up at the top of the north shore, past Hanaelei Bay, this was my favorite beach in terms of sheer beauty. Huge lush cliffs bump up against this semi-secluded beach. We extended our trip an extra day pretty much so we could come back here a second day :)
Salt Pond Beach
I don’t know for sure but this had a very local vibe. We came here twice and the water was amazing and the beach had a good amount of people but it was very relaxed. In the afternoon locals were filling the parking lots, barbecuing and just kicking it. Loved this little spot.
Poipu Beach
Not necessarily where I’d go to hang out or swim, but every day at sunset the beach fills with sun bathin sea turtles! Dozens of these majestic giants just hanging out on the sand, getting their lay on. Absolutely worth checking out.
There is so much more to say but I’ll leave you all here. If anyone has any specific questions, hit me up! I want to talk about it and more than anything, I want to go back to Hawaii.
xoxo