Outdoors · Kauaʻi · United States
8 best outdoor things to do in Kauaʻi
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Kauaʻi Museum, Kauaʻi · Photo: Joel Bradshaw, Public domain
Quick answer
Start with Nā Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon State Park and Hāʻena State Park and Kēʻē Beach. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 17–23 hours across 7 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 17–23 hours
- Areas
- North and West Shores, Waimea and Hanapēpē and Hanalei
Plan a trip to Kauaʻi
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Outdoors in Kauaʻi
Nature · North and West Shores
1.Nā Pali Coast
Book a morning boat tour from Port Allen, when seas are usually calmer, and take seasickness tablets beforehand if you need them.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Nature
- Views
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Waimea and Hanapēpē
2.Waimea Canyon State Park
Go in the morning before clouds fill the canyon, and stop at the main Waimea Canyon Lookout and Puʻu Hinahina Lookout on the way up.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Nature
- Photo spot
Nature · Hanalei
3.Hāʻena State Park and Kēʻē Beach
Do not swim at Hanakāpīʻai Beach, which has dangerous currents; enjoy the view and turn back unless you have a permit to continue.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Active
- Nature
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Kōkeʻe
4.Kōkeʻe State Park and Kalalau Lookout
Clouds often roll in by late morning; if the lookout is fogged in, wait 15 minutes, as it can clear quickly.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Active
Viewpoint · Princeville
5.Hanalei Valley Lookout
Stop in the late afternoon, when the light picks out the taro patches, and look for endangered nēnē geese and wetland birds.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- Nature
Beach · Poʻipū and Kōloa
6.Poʻipū Beach Park
Give resting monk seals plenty of space and follow any roped-off area set up by volunteers.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Poʻipū and Kōloa
7.Spouting Horn
Visit when the surf is up for the biggest spouts, and keep behind the railings; the lava shelf is very dangerous.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Nature
- Photo spot
Garden · Lāwaʻi
8.Allerton and McBryde Gardens
Allerton is visited on guided tours; book a slot and wear insect repellent.
- Time needed
- 2.5–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Nature
- Couples
- Photo spot
- History
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| North and West Shores | Nā Pali Coast | Half a day |
| Waimea and Hanapēpē | Waimea Canyon State Park | Half a day |
| Hanalei | Hāʻena State Park and Kēʻē Beach | Half a day |
| Kōkeʻe | Kōkeʻe State Park and Kalalau Lookout | 2–3 hours |
| Princeville | Hanalei Valley Lookout | 15 minutes |
| Poʻipū and Kōloa | Poʻipū Beach Park and Spouting Horn | Half a day + 30 minutes |
| Lāwaʻi | Allerton and McBryde Gardens | 2.5–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 free, 3 low cost, 2 expensive. Book ahead for Nā Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon State Park, Hāʻena State Park and Kēʻē Beach and Allerton and McBryde Gardens. The longest visit is Nā Pali Coast; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Nā Pali Coast: Boat and helicopter tours fill up in peak seasons; book a week or more ahead.
- Waimea Canyon State Park: Non-residents pay entry and parking fees at state park lookouts; check the state parks website.
- Hāʻena State Park and Kēʻē Beach: Non-residents need an advance reservation for entry and parking or the shuttle, which often sells out weeks ahead.
- Allerton and McBryde Gardens: Guided Allerton tours have limited places and need advance booking.
How to fit them into 6 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (North and West Shores): Nā Pali Coast, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Waimea and Hanapēpē): Waimea Canyon State Park, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Hanalei): Hāʻena State Park and Kēʻē Beach, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Kōkeʻe and Princeville): Kōkeʻe State Park and Kalalau Lookout → Hanalei Valley Lookout, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Poʻipū and Kōloa): Poʻipū Beach Park → Spouting Horn, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 6 (Lāwaʻi): Allerton and McBryde Gardens, at least 3 hours.
The best months to be outside
- February: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 12 rainy days, busy crowds. Showers continue, but sunny spells are common on the South Shore; whale watching at its best.
- May: highs of 28°C (82°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. Drier, calmer seas and fewer visitors; North Shore swimming becomes safer.
- January: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 14 rainy days, busy crowds. Wet season with frequent showers on the North Shore and big winter surf; whales offshore and peak holiday prices early in the month.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Poʻipū and Kōloa — Sunny South Shore resorts, beaches and the island's first sugar town
- Princeville — Clifftop resort community above Hanalei Bay
- Hanalei — Surf town of taro fields, food trucks and a long bay beach
- Waimea and Hanapēpē — Dry, quiet West Side towns at the gateway to the canyon
More of Kauaʻi
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Kauaʻi?
Nā Pali Coast. Roughly 27 km of fluted green cliffs, hanging valleys, sea caves and waterfalls run along the island's north-west shore with no road access.
+Which of these are free in Kauaʻi?
Hanalei Valley Lookout, Poʻipū Beach Park and Spouting Horn.