Hawaii has been on my bucket list for a while! Ever since we moved to LA three years ago, we knew that we wanted to plan a trip to Hawaii since it’s a six-hour flight from LA rather than double that if flying from NYC. Kauai is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to. The water is so blue, and the grass is so green. The contrast of the blue and green is stunning!
Helicopter Tour:
I highly recommend doing a helicopter tour of Kauai! Everything here is truly gorgeous, and you get to see all of Kauai from a bird’s eye view. Seeing the Na Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon, Manawaiopuna Falls from Jurassic Park, and all the lush greenery & blue waters was incredible. We saw many mountains, waterfalls, beaches, and cliffs.
This was my first time in a helicopter. We were in a seven-seater helicopter with the pilot and four other passengers. I was a bit nervous once I sat down in the helicopter but after that I was pretty carefree just taking in the beauty around us. The takeoff and landing were very smooth. The helicopter goes pretty low so you’re able to see everything clearly. This tour is a must!
Hiking:
One of the reasons we chose Kauai over the other Hawaiian Islands was because of the hiking! There are SO many trails to choose from. Sleeping Giant was our first hike and right by our first hotel. It is a mountain ridge located west of the towns Wailua and Kapaʻa. It was muddy in a few spots but luckily, we didn’t fall! Throughout the hike, you have a wonderful view of the island. Next to Sleeping Giant, you can drive to Opaekaa Falls which is an easily accessible waterfall. It is a 151–foot waterfall that flows over basalt from volcanic eruptions millions of years ago.
Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail is next to our second hotel Grand Hyatt Kauai, and it’s a fairly easy trail along the beach. It’s a great coastal hike that starts at Shipwreck Beach and goes along sand-dune cliffs, limestone formations, and rocky inlets. For the entire hike, you have a beautiful view of the ocean and cliffs. I learned that it’s the last stretch of accessible coastline on the south shore that has not been developed which makes it even more meaningful.
Our favorite hike was Waimea Canyon Trail. During our helicopter tour, we saw people hiking this canyon and knew that we wanted to hike it too. Kauai is home to one of the driest places on earth and one of the wettest. The southern portion of the island receives very little rainfall, whereas other parts of the island are almost never dry. We experience some of this wetter weather on our hike. Luckily, it did not begin raining too hard until after we had finished. There were a few muddy parts but it was manageable. The hike out was mostly downhill and then the hike back was uphill. At the end of the trail, there are a couple beautiful waterfalls. This trail gives you a stunning view of the canyon from different angles.
Day 1 – Dinner at Avalon Gastropub:
On our first night, we ate dinner at Avalon Gastropub which was within walking distance to our first hotel. They indicate the gluten-free options on the menu, and they have a dedicated gluten-free fryer so the fries and fried Brussels sprouts are safe! Avalon Gastropub doesn’t have gluten-free buns for the burgers but you can request gluten-free bread. My favorite dish here was the fried Brussels sprouts with balsamic. I didn’t love the flourless chocolate cake since it was fairly dense. If you want an amazing gooey chocolate cake on the island, go to Tidepools instead {more below}! Here’s what we shared:
- Fried Brussels sprouts tossed with honey balsamic vinaigrette, garlic and Parmesan cheese
- House salad with organic mixed greens, carrots, red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, goat cheese and smoked almonds with lilikoi vinaigrette; can add petite hanger steak
- Grilled Caesar salad with romaine heart grilled with garlic oil, parmesan, & house Caesar dressing
- Grilled lamb chops served with garlic mashed potatoes, roasted tomatoes and mint chimichurri
- Classic cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheddar cheese, & can add bacon, fried egg, or avocado (request GF bread)
- Flourless chocolate cake with ice cream
Day 2 – Lunch at Papaya’s Natural Foods:
Papaya’s Natural Foods is Kauai’s largest natural, organic grocery store with bulk food, herbs and spices, fresh local and organic produce, gift items, health and beauty products. It was great to see lots of the natural food brands that I love on the shelves here. After walking through the store, you will come across their salad bar and kitchen. Here they serve fresh vegetarian & vegan food, and they have some good gluten-free options. We made our own salad from the salad bar and shared a smoothie bowl. I usually add fruit to my smoothie bowls but they don’t have fresh fruit which I found to be the case at other places on the island as well. Papaya’s Natural Foods has corn tortillas available upon request for the tacos. The spicy chipotle aioli on the fish taco was delicious! We ate the:
- Fish Tacos with Grilled Island-Fresh Catch on top of crispy kale and cabbage slaw, dressed with Creamy Buttermilk Cilantro and Spicy Chipotle Aioli (request corn tortillas)
- Island Style Black Bean Tacos with Island-Spiced Black Bean, Yam & Corn medley nestled atop fresh lettuce and kale & cabbage slaw, topped with Coco-Lolo Coconut Sauce (request corn tortillas)
- Make your own salad with toppings like tomatoes, cucumbers, alfalfa sprouts, eggs, carrots, peas, cheeses, roasted beets, and shredded beets
- Smoothie bowl
Day 2 – Dinner at Hanalei Bay Pizzeria:
Hanalei Bay Pizza has amazing gluten-free pizza! They have gluten-free pizza crust and gluten-free cauliflower pizza crust available upon request. You can request to have your gluten-free pizza cooked on a separate tray. If you tell them that you have celiac, then they will wash their hands, cut and prepare in a separate area, and use separate utensils. Vegan mozzarella is available, and if you are dairy-free then avoid the red sauce. I’ve haven’t had garlic cheese bread in a long time so this was a real treat! I recommend sharing that and then getting your own pizza. I loved my truffle pineapple pizza, and Brendan loved his chicken bacon ranch pizza. The cauliflower pizza crust was crispy and good 🙂 We loved the:
- Garlic cheese bread (request GF version)
- Truffled Fun Guy on GF cauliflower pizza crust: Garlic Butter, Mozzarella, Goat Cheese, Pineapple (substituted for the Mushrooms), Sweet Onion, Truffle Oil, Fresh Thyme
- Chicken Bacon Ranch on GF cauliflower pizza crust: Olive Oil, Mozzarella, Chicken, Bacon, Red Onion, Balsamic Drizzle (substituted for the Ranch Drizzle)
Day 3 – Lunch at Java Kai:
Java Kai is known for their coffee, and this café also has great salads and sandwiches! It’s a cute and beachy coffee shop in downtown Kaap’a. Gluten-free bread and wraps are available upon request. They don’t have a dedicated gluten-free toaster so don’t get the bread toasted. We shared the:
- Rainbow salad with local greens, beets, carrots, cucumber, tomato, purple potato salad, balsamic vinaigrette
- Mediterranean salad with falafel balls, hummus, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese, tahini drizzle, pepperoncinis, balsamic vinegar, tzatziki
- BBQ Kalua pork sandwich with grilled red onions (request GF bread)
Day 4 – Dinner at Tidepools:
Tidepools was our favorite meal in Kauai! It’s located at the Grand Hyatt Kauai which is where we stayed for three nights. The Hyatt is incredibly accommodating with many diets. Let them know that you are gluten-free, and then the kitchen will take precautions to prevent cross contamination such as getting new utensils, cutting boards, pots, and pans. Gluten-free and vegan options are indicated on the menu, and gluten-free bread is available upon request. The Hyatt has a dedicated gluten-free fryer – you can ask them to make your fries in this fryer.
Tidepools serves upscale Hawaiian cuisine in open-air thatch huts along a koi-filled lagoon. It’s such a beautiful setting! The lobster was delicious, and the Opah entrée with jumbo lump crabmeat was unreal. It melted in my mouth. Be sure to save room for dessert! The baked Hawaiian was such a cool flavor combo, and the toasted meringue was the best part of this dessert. The molten chocolate lava cake was gooey and good 🙂 It was one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve had in a while. We enjoyed the following:
- Grand Hyatt Kauai garden greens with greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, orange, carrot, goat chevre blackened pecans
- Arugula salad with compressed watermelon, toasted macadamia nuts, feta cheese, radish, ginger vinaigrette
- Opah with volcano candy spice, jumbo lump crabmeat, hollandaise, herb roasted potatoes, papaya-habanero sauce
- Surf & turf with 12 oz prime New York and lobster tail
- Molten chocolate lava cake with toffee macadamia nuts & caramel ice cream (request GF version)
- Baked Hawaiian with chocolate flourless cake, coconut ice cream, passion fruit raspberry sorbet, toasted meringue
Day 5 – Dinner at Merriman’s Fish House:
If you’re looking for delicious seafood, then I recommend Merriman’s Fish House! It’s only a couple miles from the Hyatt, and it’s on an Old Hawaii Plantation. They offer locally sourced, regional Hawaiian food and specialize in seafood. I loved my lobster entrée and strawberry salad and then enjoyed dessert as we watched the pretty sunset. Brendan and I had the following:
- Warm Goat Cheese & Arugula Salad with Kunana Dairy Chévre, Kula Strawberries, Local Sweet Onion, Strawberry Vinaigrette (request for cheese to not be fried)
- Jumbo Fresh Lobster from Cold Keahole Waters, Butter Poached, Charred Lemon, Drawn Butter with Jalapeno mashed potatoes
- 16 oz USDA Prime Bone-In New York: Szechuan Peppercorn Crusted, Chili-Garlic Broccoli, Herb Butter; can add 1/2 lobster
- Lilikoi {passion fruit} mousse with strawberry & whipped cream (request without cookie)
Spouting Horn is a couple miles along the South Shore coast past Merriman’s. The surf channels into a natural lava tube here and releases a huge spout of water that can reach as high as 50 feet into the air. It was cool to watch the surf spray up.
Hotels:
We stayed at two hotels on different parts of the island. We did this purposely so that we could do certain activities and restaurants based on location. Our first two nights were at Kauai Shores Hotel which is a beachfront, resort-like property in Kaap’a. This hotel was close to downtown and a 45-minute drive to Hanalei Bay and Princeville. The coastal drive up to the North Shore is beautiful. The rooms here are no-frill but clean, and they have a couple pools and a nice beach. It has a Brady Bunch neon vibe, and lots of people our age stayed here. There’s a great pedestrian path nearby so we biked and ran on it during our stay.
For the next three nights, we stayed at the Grand Hyatt Kauai in Poipu on the South Shore. If you stay at two hotels like we did, then definitely do the nicer hotel last! This resort is stunning and luxurious. We had an ocean view room, and we felt like we were on our honeymoon. The Grand Hyatt Kauai is a large resort with multiple pools, waterslide, several gourmet restaurants, and a fitness center & spa.
Luau:
Since we were in Hawaii, we thought that we should go to a luau! A luau is a traditional Hawaiian party or feast that is usually accompanied by entertainment. It seems like all of the luaus on the island are fairly similar in offering a buffet dinner, open bar, and traditional Hawaiian music and hula. We decided on Luau Kalamaku on Kilohana Plantation. The buffet labeled the gluten-free options which included a garden salad, purple potato salad, vegetables, and fresh pineapple & papaya. The part of the show with the Hula dancers and fire poi ball twirlers was entertaining. The luaus are fairly expensive for what they are but it can be worth it for the experience.
Final Tips:
The islanders say that you shouldn’t rely on the weather apps since the weather is always changing especially on the North Shore where it rains a lot. If it does rain, it usually doesn’t last too long. However, on one of my runs, I got caught in a downpour that lasted 30 minutes! I was drenched and then the sun came out and you would never know that it had just rained. It is fairly humid on the island so the rain can feel good at times 🙂
The Walmart by the airport is the cheapest place to buy groceries! We learned this after initially shopping at Big Save Market and Safeway. Over the week, we bought lettuce, cold medicine (we both were sick for the first couple days), chocolate, ice cream, apples, etc. I have fun in supermarkets lol, and it’s interesting to me to see what inventory and prices are like in other places. Hawaii prices in general are fairly expensive so I was excited to see the low Walmart prices!
Kauai Restaurants:
Here’s a direct link to a list of the Kauai restaurants I’ve been to and reviewed:
- Tidepools at Grand Hyatt Kauai
- Hanalei Bay Pizzeria
- Merriman’s Fish House
- Java Kai
- Papaya’s Natural Foods
- Avalon Gastropub
- Tortilla Republic
We had such an amazing trip to Kauai! If you’re looking for a romantic and/or outdoorsy trip, then I definitely recommend it! I already want to come back to Hawaii 😉 Maybe Maui next?!
