Looking for family-friendly activity recs in Kauai
by NavyJoe (2019-10-18 23:09:21)
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We are heading to Oahu and Kauai on vacation next month. The Navy was kind enough to send me to Pearl Harbor a number of times so I'm pretty up to speed on what to do there, but I have never been to Kauai and am interested in hearing what y'all have to say.

My kids are 7 and 5 and aren't exactly strong swimmers so snorkeling and kayaking are probably out. I've seen some recs for fishing, boat rides, ATVs and like, but those are all quite expensive (>$600 for the family) and I'd like the BR's take before committing.

Thanks.

Our family was lucky when we went whale watching in January.
by ndlp  (2019-10-21 12:48:43)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

We saw quite a few humpbacks and two of them swam under and around our boat. It was relatively inexpensive. December to May is the season for whale watches.
Go to Hanalei and walk around and eat. Your blood pressure
by madmax  (2019-10-19 21:43:39)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Will drop in half.

Thanks folks. Appreciate it *
by NavyJoe  (2019-10-19 17:34:37)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

North towards Princeville
by Chapelwing  (2019-10-19 10:28:35)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

We did a horse back ride with stops at a couple swimming holes with waterfalls

There is also a zip line park that was pretty fun
The Jack Harter doors off is definitely worth it and
by Stonebreaker9  (2019-10-19 10:11:52)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

The thing to do there, if any.

Great shave ice at Hee Fat general store.

We did the Smith Family Luau and it was great. All you can eat and drink and a show at the end. Nice gardens to meander in before and the offer a shuttle from/to most hotels.
Been years, but some things we did
by ndaero93  (2019-10-19 09:56:01)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Fern Grotto boat tour
Horseback riding
Visit Waimea Canyon state park
Helicopter tour (we didn’t do one, follow the other poster’s recommendation

Kauai is the oldest of the islands and is very green and lush. Also more low key than say Maui. More time for beach and relaxing.

In part based on recommendations found here
by knutesteen  (2019-10-19 09:31:20)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Two of the highlights of our visit last year were the Jack Harter Helicopter tour-door off!-90 minute tour (linked) and a Na Pali Coast boat tour with Captain Andy's: https://www.napali.com/ We did the sunset sail and even though it was April, we still did see a whale breach at the end of the whale-watching season.

The helo tour followed record-setting rains on the northern part of Kauai: "49.7 inches fell at Waipa Garden in the 24-hour period ending 12:45 p.m. on April 15, breaking the previous U.S. record of 43 inches on July 25-26, 1979, near Alvin, Texas, from Tropical Storm Claudette," so we saw hundreds upon hundreds of waterfalls that wouldn't ordinarily exist. The pilot was great and the view was breathtaking. Well worth the money.
Edit: The Na Pali Coast is a must by air or sea, and the experience is different from each perspective.