With kids · Kauaʻi · United States
Kauaʻi with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Wailua Falls, Kauaʻi · Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Caracas1830 assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
Kauaʻi is a gentle family destination with calm summer beaches, easy waterfall viewpoints, turtles and monk seals, and short adventures such as river kayaking. Base on the South Shore for the most reliable sunshine. Top picks: Poʻipū Beach Park, Spouting Horn and Wailua Falls. Families usually base themselves in Poʻipū and Kōloa.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Poʻipū and Kōloa
- Rainy-day options
- 0
- Busiest months
- July and December
Plan a trip to Kauaʻi
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Best things to do with kids
Beach · Poʻipū and Kōloa
1.Poʻipū Beach Park
A sandy beach split by a tombolo, with a lifeguard tower, a rock-sheltered children's pool and good snorkelling around the reef. Hawaiian monk seals and green sea turtles often rest on the sand.
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
2.Spouting Horn
Waves force seawater through a lava tube to shoot up to several metres into the air, with a hissing moan from a second hole. Craft vendors set up beside the viewing area west of Poʻipū.
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
Nature · Līhuʻe
3.Wailua Falls
A double waterfall that drops about 50 metres into a pool, seen from a roadside viewpoint at the end of Maʻalo Road a few minutes from Līhuʻe. It is known from the opening credits of the TV series Fantasy Island.
Visit in the morning for rainbows in the spray, and stay at the viewpoint: the scramble down is dangerous and closed.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Kids
Beach · Hanalei
4.Hanalei Bay
A wide crescent of sand about 3 km long, backed by mountains streaked with waterfalls after rain. The historic Hanalei Pier is a favourite swimming and picnic spot in summer, while winter brings big surf for experienced surfers.
Swim in summer near the pier, and in winter watch the surf from the sand; the shorebreak and currents can be dangerous.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Kids
- Couples
- Photo spot
Nature · Kīlauea
5.Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge
A clifftop refuge with the red-capped 1913 Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse and colonies of seabirds, including Laysan albatross, red-footed boobies and great frigatebirds. Humpback whales and spinner dolphins are often seen offshore in winter.
Bring binoculars; the albatross nesting season in winter and spring is the best time to visit.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Entry is by advance reservation through the official booking site.
- Nature
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
Experience · Kapaʻa and Wailua
6.Wailua River kayak
Hawaiʻi's only navigable river is lined with jungle and ancient sacred sites. Guided kayak trips paddle about 3 km upriver, then hike to the 30-metre Uluwehi, or Secret, Falls.
Go with a permitted outfitter, wear shoes you can get muddy, and start early to avoid the afternoon headwind on the way back.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Active
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
Where families should stay
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, beach and luxury
Poʻipū and Kōloa
Poʻipū has the island's biggest cluster of resorts, condos and holiday rentals, set along a coast of small sandy coves, lava points and calm swimming areas. Old Kōloa Town, a few minutes inland, has wooden plantation-era storefronts with shops and restaurants. It is the driest, sunniest place to stay and about 30 minutes from Waimea Canyon's lower end.
- Good
- Most reliable sunshine; Good swimming and snorkelling beaches; Closer to Waimea Canyon
- Watch out
- Over an hour from Hanalei; Resort areas can feel suburban
- Nearby
- Poʻipū Beach Park, Spouting Horn, Old Kōloa Town, Māhāʻulepū Heritage Trail
Family travel tips
- Poʻipū Beach Park's rock-sheltered pool is good for young swimmers.
- North Shore beaches are usually calmer in summer; in winter, keep children out of the water there.
- Waimea Canyon lookouts are steps from car parks, so even young children can enjoy the views.
- Bring rain jackets and spare clothes; showers can arrive suddenly.
Day trips for families
- Waimea Canyon and Kōkeʻe drive (About 1 hour 15 minutes each way from Poʻipū) — Drive west through Waimea town and up Waimea Canyon Drive past a series of canyon lookouts to Kōkeʻe and the Kalalau Lookout at the end of the road.
- Nā Pali boat tour from Port Allen (About 4–6 hours on the water) — Tours sail along the West Side past Polihale to the cliffs, sea caves and valleys of Nā Pali, often stopping to snorkel.
When to go with children
The best months overall are April–June and September–October. July and December are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Kauaʻi good for kids?
Kauaʻi is a gentle family destination with calm summer beaches, easy waterfall viewpoints, turtles and monk seals, and short adventures such as river kayaking. Base on the South Shore for the most reliable sunshine.
+What can kids do in Kauaʻi?
Poʻipū Beach Park, Spouting Horn, Wailua Falls, Hanalei Bay and Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge.
+Where should families stay in Kauaʻi?
Poʻipū and Kōloa: Sunny South Shore resorts, beaches and the island's first sugar town.