how to spend a week in kauai

a little guide filled with all my favorite recs (+ some I didn’t get to try!)

this most recent trip i stayed in kapa’a for the first half of the trip and princeville for the second. i’ve stayed in poipu on my other trips to kauai so it was nice to explore some different parts of the island. kapa’a was pretty low-key and not a lot going on, which had it’s ups and downs, but princeville was just to dieee and i think might be my new favorite. actually yes, my new favorite. 

so, I broke it down into to eat, to do, and to shop

to eat (first for obvious reasons)

kai bar coffee co. - kapa’a

an awesome coffee menu from blended, to iced, to bulletproof — they really have it all + a bomb food menu. cute aesthetic and right in the middle of old kapa’a town sooo i was basically here everyday. 

kauai juice co. - multiple locations

i tried to break up the alcohol a little bit with a green juice here and there (okay i had two). glass bottles are a win for me + random but they have super good hot sauce?? verde is the best.

ohana juice bar - kapa’a

i stopped here in the mornings after my run for an açaí bowl or smoothie more than once. kind of take a while but so yummy and fresh + outdoor seating i couldn’t complain about a thing.

kenji burger - kapa’a

honestly only came here for the frozen beer !!! so fun + cute + actually tasted so good and refreshing. a must try (+ i heard the furikake fries were drool worthy).

street burger - kapa’a

by farrrr the best service we got on the island + so fucking good. limited menu (mostly burgers + salads) but definitely top 5 burgers i’ve ever had. such a good vibe in there i wish i could have gone more than once! 

hanalei bread company - hanalei

yumminess! right in the middle of the hanalei shops it was busy in the morning but worth the wait. we got breakfast, coffee, and banana bread and ate out on the open air patio. loved it all.

bar acuda - hanalei

another hanalei fave and probably my favorite spot on the island. it was packed for dinner but we grabbed a spot at the bar for a few drinks. the energy was so good, the bartenders were so nice, and the drinks were fueeego. honestly if i had more time in hanalei i’d be here every night.

nourish hanalei - hanalei

they serve bowls, salads, smoothies, and coffee, but the best part of this little shack is the view! we biked up here on our cruisers and couldn’t get enough of it. it’s so quiet and calm tucked back into it’s own little spot — it was truly my favorite view of the coast.

lapperts - princeville + poipu

this is an all-time fave since we were kids. i normally get the kauai pie (must try) but i tried a dairy-free mango flavor this time and it was heaven. a must-go for me every hawaii trip. 

princeville bar - princeville

located at the princeville resort, the ambiance is just insane. if you need cute pics this is most definitely the place. definitely pricer $$$ but it was perfect for a little sunset date night. 

to do

hike hoopii falls

a two mile loop is my kind of hike! it was so muddy but so fun. the end has a waterfall, swimming pool, and a rope swing and was the perfect adventure for us, even in a little bit of rain. (also a super quick drive from kapa’a so it didn’t turn into a whole day trip)

swim hanalei bay

one of my favorite spots! the beach is so long so it doesn’t feel super crowded. the sand is super soft and the water is just shallow enough to hang out and boogie board without running into rock or reef. best part is that we were able to walk into town for lunch, drinks, and more drinks whenever we felt like it. 

surf with blakbear surfing

we booked so last minute and he got us in the next morning. it’s two guys that run it, super low key and local and was perfect for our group of four. they took us out right in hanalei bay and we had a blast. after lessons we walked to the hanalei shops for drinks and then hung out in the bay until sunset. honestly couldn’t have asked for a better last day on the island.

shipwreck beach + hyatt bar

if you’re staying near poipu but need a little escape shipwreck beach seemed much more low key to me. still busy but was easy to get to, had a rockier beach but still swimmable, and an awesome spot to cliff jump! middle of the day we walked up to the hyatt bar to grab a piña colada — they have the best view! 

rent beach cruisers

we had so much fun on ours! one night we took them to a tiki bar for mai tais and in the morning up to breakfast at a lookout over the bay. super cheap and easy way to get around. 

to shop

shipwrecked - kapa’a

attached to kai bar, it’s right in the center of old kapa’a town. they had some of my favorite brands (lacausa, mikoh, acacia + more) + cute guys and kids things. 

seaweed + sage - kapa’a

cute knick-knacky store with fun gifts, stocking stuffers, bags and jewelry. 

i love hanalei beach boutique - hanalei

this store was a dreammm. i walked away with a jen’s pirate booty jumpsuit but would probably have taken the entire store if i could. tons of swim, mumu dresses, sweaters, graphic tees — they have it all. 

the shops at kukui’ula - poipu

this was a fun spot at night to walk around after dinner! + lapperts and fun spots for a drink. tons of shops for the whole fam and perfect way to end the night. 

aloha exchange - multiple locations

love this for a local kauai boutique. they cary some cool casual brands + make some cute branded things themselves. both girls + guys and cute for bringing gifts back home. 

warehouse 3540 - kalaheo

we took a little detour here on the way into poipu and really enjoyed it. it’s a big warehouse with shops and coffee inside + food trucks and seating outside. a little more art oriented but definitely not something i’ve seen elsewhere on the island. we tried kauai poke co. bowls here — so fresh and yummy.

to try

some things i didn’t get to try this last trip but you should definitely if you have time!

wailua kayak to the secret falls

this was my favorite trip as a kid but we got rained out twice this time! perfect combo of hiking, kayaking, and swimming in the falls and a great day trip with a group. 

paddleboard hanalei river

for more relaxed adventure we were wanting to try this but after the storm the river was not in great shape. so many people recommended this to me i have to try it next time!

kauai mopeds

i loved the fact that they pick up and drop off literally wherever you are — how convenient! we didn’t really want to ride in the rain so we didn’t try this time but would have loved to take them up through the canyon to a lookout waterfall. 

the surf shack

i found out about this as i was leaving but have it saved on airbnb for my next trip! if you’re all about the aesthetics you will appreciate this one — it’s the cutest little airbnb tucked back at the end of princeville with a killer view and all without a crazy price tag. love!

other food recs

sushi girl in kilauea for fresh, walk-up sushi

oyster 369 in kapa’a for bubbles and oysters (the same owners as street burger — so it obvs must be good)

saenz ohana in princeville for an awesome food truck breakfast