Kauai Family Travel: What To Do
Although Kauai may be better known as a romantic destination, there is still plenty for families with young kids to do. I’ve already shared my recommendations for kid friendly beaches, which could certainly keep you busy for a week or longer. But beaches are only the beginning; there are plenty of other things to make the most of your time on this beautiful island - scenic hikes and over the top pools and, of course, spending an evening at a luau. Here are a few of my recommendations for non-beach things to do in Kauai with a young child.
Pools
Frankly, if your kid is anything like ours, pretty much any pool will do. If it’s got enough water to splash in, Harrison is one happy kid. But, if you’re looking for the ultimate pool experience, there is no better place than the Grand Hyatt. The pools here are next level, so spectacular that my beach loving husband who previously couldn’t imagine spending a day at the pool when the beach was right there did just that. And then went back the next day. Although we didn’t have an opportunity to spend time there, the adults only section looked lovely and relaxing. And quiet, oh so blissfully quiet. Maybe next time. Fortunately for this trip, the adults only pool was only the beginning. There was a large, lushly landscaped main pool with slides, a lazy river (with pool floats available at the activity center), a zero entry saltwater lagoon that was a particular favorite with our water baby, and hot tubs scattered throughout. There were cabanas available to rent for a day with various food and drink packages, but even on a busy Mother’s Day, we found the perfect spot to settle in for the day on comfortable loungers with plenty of shade. The food and drinks were good, if spendy. It was a truly wonderful way to spend a relaxing day after a somewhat strenuous hike the day before and an early morning start to take sunrise family pictures. To be fair, Harrison loved the simple pool at our next stop just as much, but the Grand Hyatt pools are worth experiencing despite the high cost of a night there (stay tuned for how we stayed there for FREE). All that to say, even if you’re usually a beach person, there are definitely pools worth some of your precious vacation time.
Hikes
Taking a hike or two will be a highlight of any Kauai vacation. Thankfully, having a little one in tow won’t prevent you from enjoying some of Kauai’s best views. There are several great family friendly hikes, including Historic Kilauea Stone Dame, Kuilau Ridge, and Po’ipu Shoreline. We chose to hike the Sleeping Giant and to Ho’opi’i Falls. We also had a third hike planned, Pihea Trail, but Brandon broke his toe the day before and we had to forgo that much activity. Although they were both classified as kid friendly hikes, Sleeping Giant and Ho’opi’i Falls had some challenging (i.e., vertical) moments.
We celebrated my birthday with a morning hike of the eastern trail of the Sleeping Giant for a steep but incredibly scenic 4 mile hike. I will say, I think I enjoyed it more than Brandon, who was carrying Harrison’s 30 plus pounds on his back. If you’re not carrying your child, then this is probably best for slightly older kids who can handle a 4 mile hike, but I would highly recommend this if it’s right for you and your family. The views of the eastern side of the island were unmatched. This hike alone made the hassle of flying with Harrison’s hiking backpack worth it.
The second hike we planned was Pihea Trail during a day of exploring Waimea Canyon. This short, 2-mile hike seemed like the perfect way to add more views of the incomparable Kalalau Valley to our day of exploring the canyon’s many beautiful vistas. Unfortunately, Brandon had broken a toe the previous day when he stubbed his toes on a rock hidden by sand, so he wasn’t quite ready for any hiking. Thankfully, there were still plenty of beautiful places to see that were easier to access.
The final hike we fit into our week was Ho’opi’i Falls. I think this is probably a good hike for most families. The only particularly challenging portion is climbing down to the second falls, but it is so worth it. We began the hike early mid-morning and had the falls practically to ourselves, but it was getting busier by the time we left. If you’re going to do one family hike, make it this one - it’s hard to beat the combo of a beautiful hike, gorgeous waterfall, and cool swim on a warm day.
To get exact directions and more information about each hike, check out the hiking section of the Kauai Revealed book or app.
Playgrounds
An oft repeated tip for traveling with young children is to find local parks, and for good reason. If you’re visiting Kauai, check out Kamalani Playground at Lydgate Beach Park.
Kilohana Plantation Railway
Funny story. We were booked for a rum tasting at Koloa Rum Co. thinking our kiddo could hang out (with highly distracting and quiet toys buckled into his stroller) because in Oregon you can do that when you’re wine tasting. Koloa Rum is on the grounds of Kilohana Plantation, where we had also wanted to ride the railway because unlike rum tasting, a train ride is actually a family friendly activity, but it hadn’t re-opened yet. Turns out, you can’t bring a toddler into a tasting room in Hawaii. I told Brandon to go ahead with the tasting and I would entertain our son outside. As it happened, they were doing a soft reopening of the train and we were able to buy tickets last second (usually I would recommend buying them online in advance). Just as Brandon was about to have his first sip, I texted him about the train. I can only imagine the somewhat resigned look on his face as he sat down his glass and walked out of the room, fully accepting this new reality of family travel.
Thankfully, we all enjoyed the 40 minute train ride and Harrison especially loved feeding the animals. It was scenic and educational and a nice change of pace from other activities on the island. I highly recommend if you have a kid in tow. To make up for a missed tasting, I bought a sample pack of rum and we did a tasting back home. Also a highly recommended activity to extend your vacation one evening after the kid(s) is/are in bed.
Luau
One iconic Hawaiian activity is spending an evening at a luau. Because this will likely be one of the most expensive things you do on your Kauai vacation, you want to make sure you’re making a good choice. At the time of our visit in May, only the Smith Family Garden Luau had re-opened, but thankfully this was a great option for our family. Because of a transportation mishap I can’t speak to the pre-dinner activities, but the food and drinks were delicious and plentiful and the location was lovely. We thoroughly enjoyed the show in the amphitheater after dinner - Harrison would enthusiastically clap after each performance. There were some hiccups as they adjusted to new Covid protocols and the show was a little rusty, but we had a wonderful evening. Another frequent recommendation for a kid-friendly luau is Luau Kalamaku at Kilohana. Regardless of where you go, this is the perfect way to spend an evening in Hawaii.
West Kauai
I think all visitors to Kauai should make their way to the western part of the island. Although it is technically possible to visit as a day trip from any part of the small island, I’d recommend spending at least a night here if possible. There is the breathtaking Waimea Canyon with many easy to access viewpoints, the quaint town of Hanapepe and its swinging bridge and weekly Art Night, and of course there are more scenic beaches, these with fewer crowds than the rest of the island. On any family vacation, it’s nice to slow down for a day or two and this part of the island is the place to do it.
Adventures
Although our little guy wasn’t quite old enough for either of these activities, slightly older kids are likely to enjoy two of Kauai’s most popular activities - helicopter tours and boat tours. If you’re going to splurge on a helicopter tour once in your life, this might be the place. And by boat is the only way to see the entirety of the stunning Na Pali coastline. Depending on the activity, 3 - 5 years old is generally the minimum age for these more adventurous tours.
Although the Garden Isle may be an ideal honeymoon destination, I would argue it’s also an ideal spot for any family vacation. We loved our week of exploring paradise. What are your favorite family friendly activities to do on vacation?