Getting Out of Arizona…Kauai.

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This summer my husband and I were given a gift.  We were able to spend 6 days on Kauai–alone.  Travel can be a luxury at any time, but when we get to go someplace like that without our kids and really relax?  Now that’s a gift.

But I wouldn’t just recommend Kauai for the once-in-a-lifetime romantic getaway.  There were plenty of families at our resort and it would definitely be a place where we would take our kids someday.  If you’ve never been to Kauai, I’ll give you a short “tour.”  There are two main sides of the island that have hotels and activities for tourists.  The south shore has the most resorts by far and is also the closest to Waimea Canyon, or “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific.”  It’s pretty on the south shore, but drier than the north shore and definitely had more people.  We stayed on the very lush, green, and gorgeous north shore.  Do I sound biased?  I am.  We spent 5 of our 6 days on the north shore and were glad we did.  The north shore is slow paced but lovely.  Two lane roads trace the edges of the island and take you as far west as Na’pali Coast State Park–and if you want to see it, you have to hike the rest of the way or take one of the chartered boat trips along the shore.

80% of Kauai is only accessible by helicopter–remember the beginning of Jurassic Park with the waterfall?  We did not splurge for the helicopter tour, but opted for the more hands-on adventure of zip-lining through a jungle canyon.  That was very fun and not nearly as scary as you might think.  The rest of the time was well spent sitting by the pool or walking hand in hand down a quiet beach.  With only about 60,000 people, Kauai is a place where you can actually find a secluded beach with nothing but you and the waves.

Aliomanu Beach – gorgeous and practically deserted!

Our favorites of the trip (all on the north shore):

Princeville…The community on the north shore is home to condos, resorts, golf, tennis and stunning views of the ocean.

The St. Regis Princeville…best view of the sunset off the 9th story patio.

The 5-course tasting menu at Nanea…located at the Westin Princeville; if you’ve ever wanted to eat like a judge on Top Chef, we highly recommend it.

Frederico’s…it’s just a tiny little Mexican take-out spot in a shopping center, but with fish tacos like that they need to open one here!

Sharing my morning coffee with a feathered friend.

Chickens…wild chickens are everywhere on the island.  When Hurricane Iniki hit Kauai in 1992, it’s been reported that the devastating hurricane destroyed a number of chicken farms.  We had our own personal rooster that hung out with us in the morning outside our room.  It’s a little strange at first, but turns out to be just another one of the charming details about Kauai.

Aliomanu Beach…the only reason we found this secluded beach at all was a bit in Sunset Magazine.  We were the only people on it!

If you’ve been to Kauai and want to share your favorite spots, please post below!  Did you stay somewhere really family-friendly?  Go on a great tour?  Let us know!

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Stephanie is a wife and mom to three kids ages 5-10.  She is blessed to stay at home and be a “full-time” mom but dabbles in all sorts of creative projects on the side.

1 COMMENT

  1. I am going to take this post as a sign that we are DEF supposed to take my in-laws up on the offer to go to Kauai with them in February! They JUST asked us this weekend if we would like to use their extra room at their hotel! 🙂

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