When planning a trip to the paradise island of Kauai, take a good look at an ariel map in order to appreciate all the island has to offer. Check out this Kauai Itinerary of our trip to paradise. We spent seven full days on the island and feel like we could have spent seven more days discovering all this beautiful place has to offer.

North Shore

The island of Kauai can be separated into four sections: North, South, East, and West. An abundance of flora is evident on the North shore as well as spectacular views. Accommodations are luxurious here without the significant price tag of the south shore.

We stayed in the area of Princeville in a three bedroom, two and a half bath condo known as the Villas of Kamalii. This condo community has a wonderful BBQ, pool, and hot tub area to hang out and relax. Nearby pristine golf courses afford amazing views in every direction.

Favorite locations along the North shore are: the town of Hanalei, Hanalei Valley Lookout, Tunnels Beach, Wishing Well Shave Ice, and Tahiti Nui. This quaint town is filled with little shops to explore and lots of tucked away beaches.

Things to do on the North Shore:

For fun things to do: visit any and all of the local farmer’s markets. Locations of farmer’s markets change depending on the day. The Hanalei Valley Lookout is a pull over spot and doesn’t require hiking to view the stunning views of the valley. Be forewarned, Kauai is known as the Garden Isle because of its lush flora which flourishes because of its abundance of rain. I share this because sometimes beautiful views may be blocked by clouds and fog. Put Hanalei Pier on your to-do list – it was a great beach to hang out at all day.

Shave Ice is a thing in Kauai – and it is “Shave Ice” not “shaved ice”. Wishing Well Shave Ice was my personal favorite place to aquire some pretty unique concoctions of shave ice. I recommend The Local.

While exploring, we hiked a portion of the Kalalau Trail. Our intention was to view the Hanakaepei Falls; however, we only made it about 1 3/4 mile in before we circled back for a total of 3 and half miles of hiking with increases of 600 feet above sea level elevation. Even though we did not make it to the falls, this hike was one of our favorite activities because every view was absolutely stunning. Below is one of our snapshots along the hike.

East Shore

While the east shore of Kauai is more budget friendly, the vibe is more industrial instead of island. We spent a little time here driving by the Wailua Falls, visiting Lydgate Beach, and attending the Smith Family Luau.

We did enjoy a trip to Costco while here – ha! We could get to anywhere on the island within an hour to an hour and a half so it was no big deal for us to explore during the day then return to our condo. A majority of the island is not accessible by road.

South Shore

Kauai’s south shore holds lots of luxurious resorts as well as one of our favorite activities – Capt’n Andy’s! Capt’n Andy’s is a boating company that offers a variety of nautical experiences while on the island of Kauai.

The beach at Poipeu is a popular location for sightings of monk seals and sea turtles sunbathing. My youngest and I actually got to swim with a sea turtle.

Na Pali Coast

The west shore houses the magnificent Na Pali Coast. Viewing of the west shore of Kuaui is mainly possible by boat, helicopter, or plane. Movies such as Jurassic Park make the Na Pali Coast easily recognizable.

Sailing along the Na Pali Coast with the dolphins, sea turtles, fish, and even one sighted hammerhead shark was a treat! Our boating excursion was an all day event that included breakfast and lunch.

Visiting beautiful sights across the world and country is such a treasure! Looking for more travel itineraries? Check out our Greece Itinerary if you want to visit this ancient country one day.