I visited the Wailua Falls in Līhuʻe, Kauaʻi, Hawaii [Maalo Rd; Hwy 583] on Saturday, 01/24/26,…read morearound 3:30 PM. Wailua Falls offered an incredibly close view, which made the experience feel special. I was able to truly appreciate the waterfall's beauty up close. One fun highlight was spotting a rooster sitting right near the edge, which was such a classic Kauaʻi island moment because roosters are everywhere on the island. I also noticed a touching memorial sign dedicated to Kavika Luna, "Mr. Aloha" - The Flying Hawaiian (May 1960 - September 2024). The message spoke about rainbows appearing as he chanted and the magic of Wailua Falls coming alive. It felt meaningful because I actually caught a mini rainbow during my visit, which made the moment even more breathtaking and memorable. Overall, I was very pleased with this stop. Wailua Falls is absolutely worth checking out for its natural beauty and history.

First stop when we got to Kauai as it was 10-mins away from the airport…read more First impressions, parking is difficult as the road is narrow because of the cars parked on the side allowing a car to pass at a time. Smelly as I'm sure kids at night are drinking in this area and peeing wherever they like. However, the view of the falls is worth it. I do wish they would cut down some of the weeds as it was a bit tall. Luckily, a fellow tourist that took our family photo was tall and so he was able to capture a photo of us and the fall. I do recommend visiting but just know that the parking is chaotic. Oh, and it is free.

10/30/24 Stunning, unspoiled beauty, one of the smaller beach parks but definitely worth a visit…read morefor swimming, snorkeling & picnics. This beach park is located adjacent to an actual salt pond that is operational for locals. There are a few benches & shaded structures you may have a barbecue or picnic. There is a manned lifeguard tower. Parking is plentiful. There is a homeless encampment here, you don't bother them, they won't bother you. Enjoy the beach!

Very nice beach with shower and bathroom. I like that there are a lot of palm trees for shade on a…read morehot day. Also some tables and shaded areas here.

Initially coming here to kill a little time before a reserved tour, my wife and I really admired…read morethe planning and execution of the building/landscaping of this family park. Named after a pillar in the community who came to Kauai in the late 19th century, Lydgate Beach Park is 62 acres, with the Lydgate Park pathway encompassing 2.5 miles, a small part of the much larger Ke Ala Hele Makālae costal trail. There is plenty of parking, with both dedicated surface lots and street parking on the paved road. We immediately noticed surfers on electric surfboards out pretty far, even on this windy day. At the northern part of the park is where most people gather, close to modern facilities and a manned lifeguard station and a large covered event area with plenty of parking. Closer to the shore, we saw a seal just lying on the land, bathing in the sun, completely ignoring the people milling by. The very large safe man-made swimming/tide pools are great for the kekei and others, with constant refreshing of sea water over the lava rocks. There are picnic tables nearby as well with a lot of green space. My favorite feature are the man-made protected swimming pools, What I loved about it was how spread out everything was, with so many amenities. It just never felt crowded, even if a lot more people came. As we were leaving, my wife mentioned that Lydgate Beach is one of those rare parks where an ocean-loving family would intentionally live close by, just to be near this park.

Hands down probably the best Beach park and kids playground in the world with both combinations…read more Has a very large covered area for groups and events. Smaller covered area for public rental and reservations. 2 playgrounds next to each other. One very extensive and large playground mostly wooden and older. The other one is more modern, "smaller". Recently they added more shaded areas over parts of that playground. Lots of parking, great beach area.

As you're driving into Koloa, you'll notice what looks like a giant Tylenol on your right. Step…read moreinside and you'll see that it is a monument which commemorates the different ethnic groups who immigrated to Kauai during the boom of the sugar days - the Chinese, Filipino and Japanese as well as Portuguese and Africans. Each of them contributed to the tapestry of the culture, history and cuisine on this island. Take a minute inside. This is very cool.

I'm a big fan of public art especially when it is used to commemorate a moment in time, or as a…read morerepresentation of a way of life. The Island of Kauai had a long run producing sugar cane, but that has faded along with the government subsidies. Now, the island is seeing the land being converted to coffee plantations. But back in 1965, this site of a former Sugar Mill was designated as a Historic Place. 20 years later, this monument was built to commemorate the history of the area. The monument includes contributor plaques as well as six informational plaques that tell all about the sugar industry and local history. But the eye-catching focus of the monument is the full-sized depiction of numerous sugar mill workers cast in bronze by artist Gordon Fisher in 1985. The native people are shown performing certain tasks, some standing, some seated. It is a beautiful piece dedicated to capturing the look of the island people at the height of the sugar trade. Review #2412

This is a great beach right across from the broiler. Good spot to walk after dining and drinks…read more We saw sea turtles and monk seals in a natural setting. Lots of picnic benches. And clean beach restrooms. Feral chickens abound.

I have old memories of this beach. Before hurricane Ewa, this beach was the bomb! Good size waves…read morefor bodyboarding and body surfing. After hurricane Ewa, the personality of the beach changed. Ewa brought in a lot of rocks. The waves had become timid. No more bodyboarding and bodysurfing. To my surprise, today I see decent size waves And a good amount of bodyboarding and body surfers! Perhaps hurricane Iniki returned back to its ole' self? Well something happened! Maybe one day I'll enter the water once more here... after 39 years:)

What a great park for rest, relaxation and golf in Lawai but close to Koloa too. The McBryde estate…read moreincludes a golf course, Japanese garden, acres of park, a Mexican restaurant (Paco's Tacos) and disc golf as well. A respite from the outside world, come here to relax, enjoy Mexican food, play golf or just go for a walk!

The staff was very friendly and the views were spectacular. A special thanks to Robert Medeiros,…read morethe manager! He took a few minutes of his day to tell us all about the history of Kukuiolono!

While researching things to see on Kauai, I came across the Kapaia Swinging Bridge. But it wasn't…read moresomething I found right away. It took me a while to find it which is great because that means not too many other tourist know about this. So the day we fly to Kauai was a holiday. As soon as we got the car, we headed straight to Waialua Falls. Once done there, we made our way to this swinging bridge, less than 10-mins away. It's in a small neighborhood. And parking was nonexistent. So I pulled into a business' parking lot and told my family to go look around and I'd stay in the car and wait for someone to tell me to move. But I got out of the car for a bit just to look around real quick when I noticed the sign on the business said they were closed for the holiday. Then I realized, that day WAS a holiday. And so I was able to enjoy the grounds with my family. And, no other tourist were around. Just a homeowner working on his surfboard. The surroundings are beautiful. Super quiet. Bridge was a bit shaky. And then I walked up the stairs at the end of the bridge where it took us to the church where there's plenty of parking. So if you plan on visiting, park at the Immaculate Conception Church. Yes, highly recommend.

You can easily miss this hidden gem. Right off the highway…read morebut you'll feel like you walked into a little serenity spot. Beautiful place and well maintained. Not clear where to park so we just pulled in where it seemed likely. Once you cross the bridge you can follow the path up the hill to an old church and you can read a bit of the history behind this area. Short bridge but a quick fun stop. Love the swaying motion of the bridge.

I visited ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls in Kapaʻa, Kaua'i, Hawaii [Hwy 580] on Saturday, 01/24/26, around 2:45…read morePM. This waterfall offered a truly beautiful and scenic view. Right off Highway 580, there was a convenient parking area where visitors could park and take a short walk to the overlook. Although the falls were viewed from a distance, the sight was still absolutely breathtaking and well worth the stop. I also appreciated seeing the Wailua Heritage Trail sign, which shared meaningful history and cultural background about ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls and the Wailua River Valley. It added a thoughtful and educational element to the visit. Overall, this was a quick stop with gorgeous scenery. I highly recommend pulling over to take in a piece of Kauaʻi's natural beauty.

Although paths to Opaeka Falls are officially blocked off for safety reasons, you can view the…read morefalls from a distance from the safety and comfort of Opaeka Falls Lookout located along Kuamoo Road. The Lookout is easily accessible by car and offers free parking and restrooms. This is a good stopping point before heading off to the much more well known and impressive Wailua Falls.

A Secluded, peaceful pavilion on the eastern most corner of KCC campus. You can easily see it from…read morethe highway set back on the huge lawn. It's always clean and never crowded. I've seen groups here on occasion doing Tai Chi or Yoga sometimes. Not much else than a nice place to do Tai Chi, exercise, read a book or run your dog around the big lawn... I didn't notice a restroom or a water faucet, so keep that in mind if your planning on spending the afternoon there.