Best Free Activities On Kauai
Posted on Tue, Oct 9, 2007 by Sheila
I’m not sure how the quote “the best things in life are free” initiated, but this phrase is certainly true of Kauai’s wonderful sight seeing. Kauai is arguably the most scenic Hawaiian island. (Hey, there is even a song about Kauai aptly entitled “Beautiful Kauai“!)
Kauai is stunningly beautiful with its rugged green cliffs of the Na Pali coast, uncrowded beaches and Waimea Canyon. You’ll practically find a picture postcard everywhere you turn. If you don’t believe me then check out our Kauai photos, which are only a sampling of the real untouched photos that my husband and I have personally taken.
You really don’t have to budget much money for tours on Kauai. You can stay busy for days just sight seeing independently. Just grab a good guidebook Here are my top picks for free or nearly free things to do and see on Kauai:
1. See Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Parks
These two adjacent parks are phenomenally beautiful and not to be missed. For more information, see these details and tips for visiting these two parks.
2. See the gorgeous waterfalls.
Now, who doesn’t love a waterfall? Kauai has many picturesque waterfalls and most of them are easily accessible. The photo above is of Wailua Falls is my favorite. It’s located on the East side of the island near Lihue. Another pretty East side waterfall is Opaekaa Falls. When you are on the North shore around the Princeville and Hanalei area, be sure and look towards the mountains to see many tall, skinny waterfalls.
3. See the Beaches
I particularly love the quiet North shore beaches. Kee, Tunnels, Hanalei Bay, Anini, and Lumahai beaches are all real beauties! Be careful as North shore beaches can have dangerous waves and currents, particularly in winter months (generally, October through May). When in doubt, it’s best to watch the waves from the shoreline rather than get into them. Always check the Hawaii Beach Safety site for up to date conditions and warnings.
4. See Kilauea Lighthouse
This North shore site is another picturesque point worth a visit. See this link for a photo, directions and tips for seeing Kilauea Lighthouse.
5. Hiking
You must not forget to pack your hiking shoes for Kauai. This island is loaded with many miles of rewarding hiking trails. My favorite hike is the Kalalau Trail along the Na Pali Coast Unless you’re super fit and like living on the edge, I wouldn’t advise hiking any further than the first two miles in and then back out. (Beyond the first two miles, the trail is a bit treacherous. A friend told me she had to grasp onto the side of a cliff and walk sideways at one portion of this trail that’s beyond the two mile mark.)
Another favorite hike of mine is the Canyon Trail at Kokee State Park. It is a beautiful trail that takes you into Waimea Canyon for a 360 degree view of the canyon. You can find more details on that trail and the others in the park here.
6. See Spouting Horn
Spouting Horn blow hole is probably the most dramatic blow hole you’ll find across Hawaii. It is also one of the easiest to find and access.
7. Watch sunset
Okay, I admit I may be sounding like a broken record, but watching sunset in Hawaii is something I advise everyone to do. It’s such a relaxing and beautiful event to watch. It can be even more memorable when you have a sunset picnic. I particularly enjoy watching sunset from Princeville with the “Bali Hai” peak in the background. (Click here for a photo of sunset from Princeville.) Another place that’s great for sunsets is Poipu Beach. We took the photo on the left during a sunset picnic at Poipu Beach.
In Conclusion
So, as you can see, there are plenty of free activities on Kauai. You could stay busy for days just looking at beaches and waterfalls and hiking. Please pardon this non-free moment, but I feel that I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there are some paid tours that you really must do when you visit Kauai. You must see the Na Pali Coast either by boat, catamaran, kayak, or helicopter.
The Discover Kauai web site has some useful information. You can order a free Kauai Travel Planner.
This article is the third in the series of the best free or almost free things you can do in Hawaii. In case you missed them, you can also read my top picks for Maui and Oahu free activities and Hawaii’s Big Island.
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Your great list of free things to do on Kauai would work for any of the Hawaiian islands–visiting the state parks, beaches, hiking, and viewing the sunset. You can even find a lighthouse to see on every island. This link has several Hawaii lighthouses and descriptions.
http://www.lighthousefriends.com/pull-state.asp?state=HI
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Well, I sort of agree, but I hope you’ll agree that I have taken the time to highlight each of the top spots for each island individually. (Not just a generic “go to the state parks, etc.”) I’d invite you to and take a look at the Maui post. Notice that it doesn’t include hiking, because it doesn’t have an abundance of great hiking trails (in my opinion). Kauai, on the other hand, does have an abundance of tremendous hiking trails. There are other examples, but I won’t bore you with them now.
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I have enjoyed all of those things on all of the different islands and I did not mean that your list categories are a generic one size fits all. Of course I rely on Go Visit Hawaii to tell me the best place to do all of those things on each different island!
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No worries at all!! As always, I appreciate your comments.
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[...] how overwhelming it can be to narrow down the activities. (It) may (be) helpful to review my top picks for Kauai. Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and [...]
What oceanside condo is that in your pics in Princeville. Thanks
John
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Hi John – that condo is at Puu Poa in Princeville. It’s located just next door to the Princeville Resort Hotel. It’s unit number 409. It was a wonderful condo and I’d stay there again in a heartbeat.
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I haven’t made it to Hawaii yet, but this post gives me plenty of ideas on what to do when in Kauai. Thanks! And I must say, the sunset photo is one of the most beautiful sunset pictures I’ve seen.
By the way, I like your new design. Haven’t been here since last year. When did you redesign?
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Hi Erica,
You’ll love Hawaii when you go! Watching and photographing sunsets never gets old.
Glad like the new design! We changed about 2 weeks ago.
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Thanks for the great list. We’re taking our first trip to Hawaii (Kauai & Oahu) in June. We can’t wait!
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I love this site. Now I really have to get to Hawaii.
@corettajackson
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Aloha Coretta and welcome to Go Visit Hawaii. It’s music to my ears to hear that you want to go to Hawaii. It really is a special place. Please feel free to ask questions as you prepare for your trip to paradise!
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Hi everyone!
I live on kauai and somehow stumbled upon this page.
I would encourage any visitors to:
-Hike down into wailua falls
-Go to polihale, mahaulepu, hanalei pier, loop road and queens bath
-Visit kokee and hike alakai swamp
-Hike sleeping giant and hanakapia
Noone can really see all of the beauty of kauai but those are the best places that i would reccomend.
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I am addicted to Kauai and love every inch of it!
One of my favorite places to visit on the island is
“Allerton Gardens”. It is not free but it is worth the cost.It is one of the most beautiful botanical gardens I have ever visited. Be sure to call ahead for reservations.
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This is a great site, I just wanted to thank you for the list compiled on what to do in each island. I visited all the four islands last month 10/09 and did most of my research via the list you had provided.(Practically i knew what to do in all the islands via your travel blog). As a reader mentioned you should include a visit to the hanelei pier in kauai which I would say you should try and see.
Thank you for all the information
Regards
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sheila Reply:
November 12th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Aloha Satish -
Mahalo for your kind comments. It’s readers like you who take the time to let me know that my articles helped you have a great vacation, that inspire me to continue writing.
Appreciate you echoing Hanalei. It is gorgeous there for sure!
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