ONLY 34 HOURS to Tour the Island of Kauai

Jump in the plane and let’s go!

This trip was literally thrown together with extremely minimal planning. The flight was booked on Tuesday, rental vehicle and hotel were booked that same day. Sporadic research on where to go besides the canyon took place for a few minutes at a time leading up to Friday afternoon. Friday night was spent packing carry-ons and personal bags only, then rushed off to bed for an early alarm. At 4:30 AM Saturday morning, the alarm went off and we were running out the door to Honolulu Airport at 5:00 AM. Our tickets were on standby, so no guarantee that we would actually get on the flight, but we were boarded and ready to fly at 6:15 AM.

At 6:50 AM we were descending for a landing into Lihue and the clouds were low in the sky. It was pouring down rain when we landed. Unfortunately, the weather forecast had said in the days leading up to the trip that it was very likely going to rain both Saturday and Sunday. With this in mind, there was no telling what the trip would actually be like. After making our way through the airport, we boarded our shuttle to the nearby Turo lot where our rented Jeep Gladiator was waiting. The rain slowed down enough to barely a sprinkle when I started the check-in process, which involves taking photos of both the exterior and interior of the vehicle. This was completed just in time to jump in and have the downpour start immediately after.

Kountry Cafe Breakfast in Kapa’a

Naturally, as soon as we are in the vehicle ready to go, we need to find a place to eat. Of course, since Kauai is a small island there are only so many places to choose from to eat at around 7:15 AM. I looked on Google and found this little place called Kountry Cafe that looked promising about 8 minutes from the Turo lot, so I plugged it into the GPS and off we went.

When we arrived, there were people waiting outside (in the rain) to be seated. Fortunately, there was a little porch, so I entered our info into the kiosk and waited under the covering. About 20 minutes later we were seated. The place was loud and crowded with people, but it did not bother me. When the food arrived, the size of the pancakes and french toast was unbelievably huge. Neither of my kids made it through their entire breakfasts. My daughter ate her bacon and one slice of her french toast while my son ate his bacon and maybe a quarter of his thick pancake that was larger than his plate. While the meal was pricy, I think it was worth it. Both the quality of the food and the atmosphere were excellent and kicked off our Saturday with what we needed.

View from one of the lookouts at Waimea Canyon.

Waimea Canyon, First Attempt

During breakfast, the rain continued to come and go. With our meal complete, the rain had subsided for a moment, just long enough to get back in the vehicle and turn around to start our hour-long journey to Waimea Canyon. Out of everything we hoped to see, this was #1 on our list since it definitely is known to be beautiful and did not require hiking to get to. Not that we do not like hiking, but after it has been raining a lot, hiking in Hawaii is quite challenging. It is something to avoid with the incredibly slippery mud.

The journey to the canyon started with a downpour, then sprinkling rain, which eventually turned into an occasional misty rain. Traveling up the mountain, it was apparent that seeing anything in the canyon would be impossible since the clouds were so low. They filled the canyon to the point where the only thing one could see was the ground leading over the edge into the ravine.

Most Southern Point

Over the years, I have read that tourists and travelers like to go to the most southern point on Kauai to see it. It just so happens that the spot is also known for the lighthouse called Makahuena Lighthouse. Since the canyon was a failed attempt, we made our way down to sightsee around the lighthouse. Along the way, there were a couple of small shopping centers and lots of farmland. When we made it to the parking lot, we walked the small trail leading to the lighthouse. By this time the rain had stopped, with blue sky peeking around the white clouds.

The path was clear and unobstructed, so it would not be a difficult route for anyone who wanted to see the lighthouse. The waves crashed into the rocks, so of course I stopped to take some video. As we continued on, we eventually found the remains of the lighthouse. It is no longer standing, but it is obvious where it once was. After a few more photos and videos, it seemed like a good opportunity to continue on to the north side of the island to explore.

Makahuena Point is the southern point on the island of Kauai.

Blue skies lead to an epic sunset

Traveling up to the north side of the island took just over an hour. Since the island is quite small it does not take long to cross it even if you are following the coast. Amazingly, parking was easy. On Oahu, one could bet that finding parking at the beach on the weekend would be near impossible.

Sunset was spent enjoying the beach with the view of the mountain and pier. The kids drew in the sand and tried finding flat rocks to skip across the still brackish water to the right in the photo. They surprised me and managed to find a few rocks that could skip a couple of times. Once the sun started really going down, we packed up and set off for the hotel back in Kapa’a. My daughter had been asking all day when we would go to the hotel, so she was especially excited when I finally gave her the news she had been looking forward to all day.

Waimea Canyon Second Attempt

After the kids took a dip in the pool before we checked out of the hotel, the weather looked fairly promising. The main goal of the trip was to see Waimea Canyon. With the first trip being a failure due to the low laying clouds in the canyon, there was some hesitation to try again. The weather looked nicer in Kapa’a, but I could still see rain clouds over toward the canyon. However, after grabbing some food, we once again traveled to the other side of the island on the chance that the weather would be clear enough to actually see.

There was some slight pressure added to this venture because the Gladiator had to be returned to the Turo lot by 4:30 PM. I did end up extending the trip out to 5:30 PM just in case, but realistically, we needed to be checked in at the airport at 5 PM. Getting the vehicle back and having to deal with the shuttle was something we knew would take some time.

While driving over to the canyon, the weather still looked good. There were rain clouds up towards the top of the mountain the canyon is in, but the clouds did not look as low. Going up the mountain, we ran into a few light sprinkles, but ultimately the clouds were high enough for photos. I failed to take videos of the canyon, but I think that the photos were primary for the location (unless I wanted to do a vlog). As you can see in the photos below… the view was amazing. We did not go all the way to the top because it looked too rainy and the clouds were still too low for photos at the summit.

I have to say, this was certainly a highlight of the trip. The views were incredible and what made it even better was the waterfall. This is absolutely a MUST-SEE for anyone who travels to Kauai and has the time to drive over to the canyon.

Can you see most of Kauai in less than two days?

This is the ultimate question for this entry. Honestly, yes, you can go to Kauai and walk away feeling like you were able to see a good bit of the island. However, the weather is always going to come into play with certain activities and of course, it will also depend on what you intend to see while you are there. Some of the more time-consuming things will require more time on the island if you really want to do more than one.

Since I was island hopping over to Kauai from Oahu, the flight was only approximately 30-40 minutes depending on how quickly departures and arrivals happen and of course if there are any back-ups at the airport causing delays. Of course, flying from anywhere besides an island in Hawaii, then travel time will be more, and logically no one is going to spend all of that time traveling to only be on Kauai for less than two days unless there are other circumstances that apply.

When it comes down to it, the ability to “see” the island in less than two days is possible if you strategically plan stops and activities to fit that goal. Setting realistic goals for such a short trip is what will determine success. For this trip, we did not plan some of the longer activities such as hiking that would take hours to complete. If we were staying for several days, then I am sure, weather permitting, that we would have been able to squeeze in a few hikes. With such limited time, most of the trip was simple things that we could jump out of the rental vehicle to see within a few minutes of where we parked.

Are there things we wish we had time to see? You bet! One place I want to see at some point in the future is the Na Pali Coast. Practically speaking, this could have been the highlight of the trip instead of the canyon, but with the rain, it was not worth exploring. This will happen down the road when the weather is better. Joining the Na Pali Coast on the bucket list would be the waterfalls and hikes. These three things were all postponed for another trip that is longer and offers better weather.

3 tips For your next kauai visit

Yes, the temperatures are usually warm because Kauai is a tropical island. However, depending on the time of year you come and the weather forecast, you may want some warm clothes such as a hoodie and pants. There are times when the air does get cool or if it rains, it is nice to have a way to keep warm and dry.
Everyone gets the munchies… If you live in Hawaii, then you know that going to the tiny markets or “tourist” type places is a serious no. The prices are outrageous. Your best bet to get snacks would be a grocery store or even Costco if you have a membership.
The first thing you should know is Kauai is a small island. Think of it like a small town. Places tend to close “early”, so you can plan on 10 PM being a general closing time for everything. If you know this beforehand, planning essential stops for snacks, food, or supplies is way easier.