I was in Trader Joe’s and I felt it- the spark of travel inspiration.  I didn’t even make it home.  In line waiting to pay for my groceries, I fired off a text.  Hey, you want to go to Hawaii for Memorial Weekend??  TK: I’m down.  Didn’t have to twist her arm.  Great minds think alike, I guess.   With Winter approaching (much too quickly for me), this week I thought I’d share tips from my time in Kauai.  While we were there in Spring, it’s undoubtedly a beautiful winter getaway option too.  My first trip to Kauai was laid back, relaxing and magical- all the things you’d hope for from an idyllic island vacation.  If you’re thinking about planning your first trip to Kauai, here are some ideas to get you started.

Consider Princeville for Your Home Base

This could be your view; do you need another reason?  Kauai is the only place on earth where I actually woke up early enough to catch the sunrise.  Two hours behind California time, Kauai gently woke me up at 6am, well-rested and ready for the day.  When the shock of being an early bird wore off, I wandered out to our patio to this gorgeous view.  What a way to start the morning.  Princeville was the perfect home away from home in Kauai.  Located on the North Shore, with sweeping ocean views, the patio of our two bedroom condo at Pali Ke Kua was my favorite place to welcome each new day.

Eat Fish Tacos

Exploring the island, we stumbled upon Tiki Tacos.  What’s an island vacation without a good fish taco??  Tiki is more of a grab-and-go type location, as it’s small and doesn’t have many tables.  No worries though, grab a few tacos on your way to the beach or on your way back for dinner.  TK had never had fish tacos before- she loved these so much she refuses to eat them anywhere else now.  She’s convinced they won’t be as good.  Consider yourself warned, you may be ruined for life!  I would hate for TK not to ever have another fish taco.  We may need to take a trip back to Kauai.  I’m a good friend.

Chase Waterfalls

Word on the street is that Wailua Falls is famous for appearing in the intro for Fantasy Island.  Whether that moves you one way or the other, this impressive waterfall is definitely worth a quick stop.  Grab a few selfies at the overlook on your way to or from Lihue.

Enjoy the Views

I first fell in love with Kauai via a photo in my Islands calendar.  I’d sit at my desk and stare at the impossibly beautiful Na Pali Coast and daydream about the day I’d be able to see it in person.  Turns out the best views of this amazing place are from a helicopter- which wasn’t in the cards for this trip.  The alternative was to take a drive to Waimea Canyon.

Known as the ‘Grand Canyon of the Pacific’, this sounded like my chance to get close to that calendar image that I’d dreamed about.  We set out on an overcast day, headed for Highway 550.  We weren’t sure what kind of views we might catch, as the sun was nowhere in site- but we remained hopeful.  After more than an hour of uphill, winding roads, we pulled into the lookout point for Waimea- and sure enough, fog as far as the eye could see.  Oh well, we tried.  If you make the trip, do it on a clear day.

Have (at least) One Perfect Beach Day

The weather was hit or miss for our Memorial weekend vacay on Kauai.  We splashed around in the rain under overcast skies for a few days but still managed to grab one glorious afternoon at Haena Beach Park.  Sun shining brightly, highlighting ocean waters in deep shades of turquoise- this is what we’d been waiting for!  We set up our festive, colored umbrella and grabbed the boogie boards (all compliments of our vacation rental).  TK and I made a beeline for the water, thinking we would just float around on our boards and take it all in.  The waves didn’t look too rough.

As we approached the water, a guy noticed us and said, “You goin in?”  “Yes!”, we said enthusiastically, smiling back.  He looked at me, smirked and said, “Oh you’re gonna lose all of that.” I looked at him, unsure what he meant, “I’m sorry?”  “Those sunglasses, earrings, all of that…” Ohhh, got it.  “But go ahead, have fun!” he exclaimed, plopping down on the sand and looking at us expectantly, settling in for the show we were unknowingly about to put on.  TK and I looked at each other, shrugged, dropped the boards in the sand and sat down.  Sunbathing near the water would have to do.

I did venture into the water (without the board) for about a minute, just long enough to feel a strong undertow.  A wave picked me up and tossed me back towards the shore- I landed on my feet and keep walking right out of the water.  That was all the hint I needed.  The lazy swimming I tend to do in the pool was no match for this ocean.

Brown Lady Travel Tips

If you decide to go with a vacation rental for your trip, we had a good experience with Bali Hai Realty for our Princeville condo.  With well-manicured green spaces, a recently renovated two-bedroom unit and access to pools and amenities on and around the Princeville property- I’d stay there again in a heartbeat.

Respect the ocean.  As we learned from our helpful friend at Haena Beach, the way an ocean looks can be deceiving.  A strong undertow or sudden rip tide can create a dangerous situation quickly.  Take your time before you get in the water, observe whether others are in the water and err on the side of caution, especially if you aren’t a strong swimmer.

In comparison to The Big Island, getting around the island of Kauai isn’t much of a trek.  You can easily make the drive from Princeville to Lihue (where the airport is) in less than an hour.  Take advantage of the relatively small island and explore.  Renting a car and driving are both easy on Kauai.  Roads are well marked and maintained, get out there and see what you find!

Kauai, Take Two?

Writing this reminded me of what a special place Kauai is.  We barely scratched the surface on our long holiday weekend trip.  Next time, I’ve got a helicopter ride on my list of must-do’s.  Fresh pineapple, peacefully perfect sunrises, and Princeville are calling.