Kauai has no road that traverses the entire island. The Na Pali coast is inaccessible by car, you can only see it by helicopter – as we did, but that’s another story – or by boat. Still, the part of Kauai that you can see by car offers a vast number of great, family friendly attractions and varied scenery that will keep the kids interested as you explore. The northern end of the island is green and wet, the southern dry and golden – with canyons, gardens, and light houses to visit en route, driving the garden island is delightful. 

So if you’re not hanging out on one of those perfect island beaches every moment, and you’re looking for a road trip, Kauai has a special one in store for you following Kuhio Highway. We began our driving day in the center of the island, in Lihue, having just flown in from Oahu. We stopped in busy Kapaa as we headed north, dining al fresco at the Mermaid’s Cafe. We sat roadside an outdoor picnic table to get us in the road trip mood. The Mermaid has exceptional sea weed and ahi wraps – but for the kids, ask them to leave off the tasty but spicy wasabi mayo. 

Our island driving trip took us north toward Hanalei

Full and content, we drove farther north, taking a side road over to the Kilauea Lighthouse which perches at the northern point of the island. Bird watching is wonderful here, as the lighthouse directly abuts the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, where you can spot red-footed boobies, albatross and if you’re lucky, even a great frigate bird. And if bird watching should pale, take a look at the amazing coastal view – the island’s North Shore, and Moku’ae’ae Islet, home to Hawaiian monk seals, are both visible here. 

Back on the main drag, we headed for Hanalei town, the picture perfect north shore village where long ago the musical Bali Hai was set and the movie version of this Rogers and Hammerstein classic was filmed. A side note: from Kapaa to Hanalei is about twenty five miles, and beware of work day “rush hour” traffic in the Kapaa area – its surprisingly thick. 

In Hanalei it was time for desert, at the beloved Wishing Well shave-ice truck. Well regarded for a reason, the large shaved iced treats here can be ordered with such exotic syrup flavors as passion fruit and plum, although we stuck to strawberry. You can also add ice cream and adzuki beans. The jungle was lush and green but the skies were cloudy, so while we drove to the end of the road and took a beach walk, we didn’t stop for a swim here. Ke’e Beach is well known not just for excellent snorkling and turquoise waters but also as the trail head for the Na Pali coast’s Kalalau Trail. We took a short but steep stroll – hold the hands of your little ones or carry them – for a beautiful view of the Na Pali Coast. 

Picturesque Hanalei bridge may look, well, a little shaky but it’s perfectly safe to cross, assuming you make it under the fifteen ton weight limit. 

Stay the night in Hanalei or head on back south – we devoured the beautiful ocean views and the roadside food, stopping for fried banana chips, fresh and crisp, along the way. The warm sunny South Shore beaches of Po’ipu beckoned, particularly the left side of Po’ipu beach where a sand bar divides the beach, creating a sheltered sea going experience for small children. 

But the lure of the road led us away from the foamy surf and we headed inland instead to the small town of Hanapepe. Cross a narrow swinging foot bridge or drive onto the town’s main street where many artist-run galleries and small restaurants, plus a large and enjoyable used book store make for a pleasant browsing experience. The Disney animated film Lilo and Stitch was set here; and one of the best farmer’s markets on the island occurs here. We found wonderful apple bananas – perhaps the starting point for those crispy banana chips we snacked on earlier while leaving the North Shore. 

We’re not too far now from our second end-of-the-road experience while cruising the island. 

When visiting beautiful Waimea canyon, the drops can be steep, so keep a hand on your little ones if you get out of the car for a closer look

Wonderfully deserted beaches stretch roadside, easy to simply pull off the road and jump into the sea; but we continued on to Polihale State Park. This expansive white sand beach runs up against the other end of the Na Pali coast, and unlike the peaceful Ke’e beach lagoon on the north side, here the waves are wild and dunes are large. 

We left for the black sand beach that borders the lovely restored sugar plantation cottages of the Waimea Plantation Cottages hotel, and watched the sunset from there… 

Our road trip continued the next morning, with a forty mile spur trip up to Waimea Canyon on Highway 550. We watched plenty of Kauai’s well known wild chickens cross the road – to get to a more stunning canyon view on the opposite side perhaps. Here the road ended not at the beach but at the top of the canyon, affording fabulous views of this island Grand Canyon, and an excellent opportunity for photos with an amazing back drop. Waimea’s multi colored chasm is the largest canyon in the Pacific, and runs ten miles long and a mile across. It’s also thirty five hundred feet deep so this is not the time to turn your kids loose in search of one of those chickens. 

Descending into Waimea town again, we made another shave ice stop at Jo Jo’s, a true locals spot with enormous and inexpensive ice cones and a large variety of combo flavors to choose from. The perfect, if messy end to a road trip – well, almost the end – we drove north again to the airport in Lihue to reluctantly end our wheels to the ground experience of Kauai.

The spacious living room area at the Villas, Poipu, Kauai

Located in the middle of the Kauai’s driving route, the Kauai Beach Resort, not far from the airport in Lihue, is a real find. Reasonably priced with expansive rooms and twenty five acres of beautiful gardens and lawns, we loved the resort’s high ceilings and the great views of garden or sea from the rooms. It’s the staff here that really makes a difference. Friendly, warm, and always accommodating – whether with a late night fruit snack not on the menu or sharing a legend about a man springing from a tarot root – the employees here were so welcoming they felt like friends. 

The beach here is not swimmable because of a very strong current and under tow, but the sand is pristine, uncrowded, and good for running, picnicking or a sunset view. Swimming is great for the kids at the resort’s four pools. One has a sandy bottom and another a seventy-five foot water slide. Lifeguards are on duty and the atmosphere is fun and friendly; for adults there are two pools with waterfalls. 

Meanwhile, the Naupaka Terrace Restaurant offered plate lunches with great macaroni salad and mahi-mahi and rice – at keiki – child – portions and prices. The restaurant also provides a perfect ocean and palm tree view – exactly that post card look you can day dream about when you leave the island. 

In the evenings, the hotel really puts on a show. We heard a ukulele concert and our kids were treated to an impromptu uke lesson when the show ended and they expressed their delight. Another night, hula dancers graced the Terrace Restaurant area. 

Nearby Lihue contains an interesting small historic museum; The Kauai Museum exterior is almost as interesting as the cultural artifacts it contains – its built from lava. 

Further south, in the heart of the driest, warmest part of Kauai, you’ll find the tourist town of Poipu and the wonderful Poipu Kai condo villas. These villas are enormous, and have fantastic kitchens with elegant, top of the line appliances and trendy granite counters. They also have washer-dryers and free WiFi which were both excellent choices for our family. Plus, we’re big on access to a kitchen and making at least some of our own meals, so this was a perfect destination for us on Kauai. 

But it wasn’t just the space, the updated appliances, or even the sunny location of the Poipu Kai condos that drew us here. It was also the range of activities offered for families to enjoy. 

A very nice, lifeguard- monitored pool with water fall, and lovely grounds for sunset strolls were wonderful, while an easy five minute walk to Poipu Beach through the grounds was delightful. Their staff will set you up with a beach umbrella or lounge chairs if you reserve in advance. We love the foamy waves of the beach, however keep an eye on very small children here when the tide is high. 

The Grand Hyatt, Kauai – a grand pool

A completely different feeling awaits you south of Poipu in the less-tourist-traveled town of Waimea, not far from the vast beauty of Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park. We loved the friendly Waimea Plantation Cottages located in a beautiful grove of coconut palms. These cottages are completely restored homes built in the early nineteen hundreds for the employees of a sugar company located here. We enjoyed learning about the history of this location – island plantations were at the center of Hawaiian life, and formed their own community. Staying here, we felt as if our family were a part of a community, too, of guests and staff in this peaceful and secluded environment. Each cottage also has a full kitchen. And each one has period styled furniture, individually decorated. We loved the wide grassy spaces and the feeling of a restored village. The kids felt free to wander around the plantation and we felt comfortable allowing them to do so. We also enjoyed the large cottage porches looking out onto the open green spaces of the property. There’s also a pool. 

We didn’t stay at these other properties but did take a look at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, with its large number of appealing looking swimming pools, some with slides and waterfalls, some fresh water, some salt water. The Hyatt touts a kids camp for ages three and up that can be purchased as full or half days as well as an evening camp that includes dinner and allows some time for adult dining options. The Hyatt is in the Poipu area. 

At the north end of the island, we found the Hanalei Colony Resort, with roomy two bedroom condos. We liked the look of the property and it’s great views of the sea and hills; we also liked the collection of kid friendly games on the premises – from croquet sets to the board game “Trouble.” 

Recommended by a friend is the easy on the wallet Kalaheo Inn located in the town of Kalaheo, about fifteen minutes from Poipu Beach. Beach towels, beach toys and golf clubs are gladly loaned to guests, and families can easily walk into the small town for shopping and dining. If it’s not important to you to stay beach front, this is an excellent option with some of the lowest rates on the island. 

Lastly there’s the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club with an enormous central pool and a kids pool, not to mention plenty of fountains and faux waterfalls on the property. The resort is beachfront and offers a kids program less organized than the Hyatt’s, but equally inclusive.