This past spring we took our family of seven to Kauai for the first time.  We’ve been to other Hawaiian islands before but this one is my favorite.  It’s significantly less crowded than Oahu and Maui and the island’s natural beauty is unparalleled.  Now matter what your interests are, there are numerous things for you to see and do while you’re there.

Our family was able to fly there using one of the best award travel sweet spots out there.  Even if you don’t live on the West Coast, there are other inexpensive ways to get there.  I frequently see great airfare sales to Hawaii from all across the U.S.  Plus, now that Southwest flies there, you can even use the Companion Pass to fly there.  However you get there, just make sure to pay for your flights using a card that gives you a bonus on travel purchases.  If you don’t have one, my favorite travel card is the card_name.

Best Adventure Activities To Do

Na Pali Coast Boat Tour – Visiting the Na Pali coast is an absolute must-do when you visit Kauai.  It is absolutely breathtaking and there’s nothing else like it in the world.  There are no roads that go to this coast line, so the only way to see the whole thing is by air or by sea.

There are a few tour companies that offer tours of the Na Pali coast and we booked ours with Captain Andy’s.  The cruise was fantastic and provided great views of the coast!  The trip also included about 45 minutes of snorkeling and a BBQ lunch which were great.  This cruise was the highlight of everyone’s trip.  If you book a boat tour, and I highly recommend that you do, here are two important tips.

First, the water can get choppy, so be sure to take your motion sickness medicine before you go.  Second, book your tour near the beginning of your trip.  The day we planned to go, out trip was cancelled because of a rainstorm.  Luckily, it was on the second day of our trip so we were able to reschedule for later in the week.

Kauai Tubing – You can book a tubing trip down the canals of an old sugar plantation with Kauai Backcountry Adventures.  You’ll float down about 2 miles of the canal system and go through 5 tunnels along the way.  The water is calm the entire way so this trip is great for travelers of all ages.  While it’s not as adventurous as I had originally thought, each one of my kids had a fantastic time.

Helicopter Tours – There are several companies that offer helicopter tours of Kauai.  While these tours can be a little pricey, there’s nothing like seeing Kauai from the air.  The tours typically last about 45 minutes and they’ll take you all around the island.  You’ll be able to see several waterfalls, Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali coast.  If you’re going to pay for a helicopter tour, I would definitely pay the extra fee to sit in the front so you have the best views.

Bike Along The Coast – One of my new favorite things to do on vacation, is to enjoy a bike ride around town.  We rented bikes in Kapa’a and rode the bike paths up and down the coast.  While not quite as “adventurous” as my other recommendations, it’s a fantastic way to enjoy a beautiful afternoon at the beach.

Best Beaches In Kauai

Hideaways Beach – My favorite beach on the island is Hideaways Beach on the north shore of Kauai.  The trail head down to the beach is located just outside of the Princeville Resort.  There’s a small public parking lot that only has space for about 6 cars, so be sure to get there early.

From the parking lot you’ll have to hike down to the beach using various ropes along the way.  While it is a little steep, our 5 year old did it without a problem, so it’s definitely doable.  Just go slow and take your time, it’s absolutely worth it!

Poipu Beach – This beach is located on the south side of the island.  This is a great beach for snorkeling and seeing wildlife.  Each time we visited, we either saw seals or sea turtles resting on the beach.  This beach is pretty popular, so it can get a little crowded at times.

Hanalei Bay – If you want to try your hand at surfing or kayaking, spend an afternoon at Hanalei Bay on the north shore, we recommend you to check out at campingfunzone.com these tips before going in a kayaking adventure.  My favorite thing about this visiting this beach was the views surrounding it.  Directly behind the beach are the lush green mountains that have several waterfalls flowing from the top.  Where else in the world can you enjoy that kind of a view while relaxing on a beach!

Kalihiwai Beach – This beach is located on the north side of the island near the Princeville airport.  It’s a small, quiet beach where a small river empties into the ocean.  You can take kayaks or paddle boards up the river to some waterfalls nearby.

Scenic Things To Do

Waimea Canyon – Nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, visiting Waimea Canyon is something you have to see when you visit Kauai.  The canyon is located on the southwest side of the island.  It can take several hours to make the round trip, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get up there and enjoy it.

When you get to the canyon, there are a couple of look out areas that can give you a great view of the canyon and waterfall.  It can get windy and chilly up here, so be sure to bring a jacket or sweatshirt.

Kalalau & Pu’u O Kila Lookouts – After you’ve had a chance to visit Waimea Canyon, continue up the highway for about another 20 minutes until you reach these lookouts.  From the lookouts you can see the gorgeous Kalalau Valley which is also the start of the Na Pali coast.  If you aren’t able to do a boat cruise or helicopter tour, this view can give you a small sample of what the coast looks like.

Queen’s Bath – Located up north in Princeville, Queen’s Bath is a natural rock formation that forms a large pool next to the ocean.  To get there, you have to hike down a trail from the parking lot.  We went right after it had rained and so it made it a little tougher to get to.  When the tide is low, you can get swim inside Queen’s Bath.  However, when the tide is high it can be very dangerous to enter.  Use common sense and be careful.

Kauai Waterfalls – Kauai is littered with gorgeous waterfalls.  Some of them are easy to get to by car and others require a lot more effort to get to.  I would recommend driving up to see Opaekaa Falls and Wailua Falls when you’re on the southeast side of the island.  Each has a designated area to park your car so you can get out and enjoy the view of the falls.  Another gorgeous waterfall on the east side of the island is Ho’opi’i Falls but this one requires a short hike to get to.

Best Hikes To Do

Kalalau Trail – This trail just recently opened after being closed for months due to damage caused by a storm.  The total trail is about 11 miles along the Na Pali coast and can be difficult in some places.   You won’t be able to do it in one day so you’ll need to plan to do some camping along the way.  If you want to see the beginning of the Na Pali coast, you can hike in a couple of miles and come back.  Either way, you will need a permit if you want to hike the trail.

The Sleeping Giant – This trail is located up in the Nounou Mountains.  The hike gives you beautiful views of the island and is a popular place to watch the sun rise.  Some portions of the trail are narrow and have steep drop offs, so be very careful you go on this hike.  If you decided to go, here’s some additional info that will help you on your hike.

Bonus Things To Do In Kauai

Visit Hanalei – The town of Hanalei is on the north side of the island, just past Princeville.  It’s a picturesque town that’s a great place to walk around, relax and enjoy the island life.  If you have a sweet tooth like me, there are two places you need to visit while you’re there.

The first is Pink’s Creamery.  They have some of the best ice cream you will ever eat.  The other place is JoJo’s Shave Ice.  Treat your taste buds to a snow cone with a scoop of Macadamia nut ice cream at the bottom and their homemade vanilla cream on top.

Go To A Luau – There’s nothing more Hawaiian that enjoying a luau!  There are several places on the island that host a luau most nights.  The menus will vary slightly but they all serve delicious traditional Hawaiian food.  We have been to several luaus before, so we skipped going to one on this trip.  However, I did have some friends who went to the Smith Family Luau that’s located near the airport and they had nothing but great things to say about it.

Final Thoughts

There’s no shortage of incredible things to do while you’re in Kauai.  No matter what you decide to do, I have no doubt you’ll enjoy the tip of a lifetime.  If there’s something you loved doing on your trip to Kauai that I missed, leave me a comment below and let me know what it was.  I’ll be sure to check it out the next time I’m there.

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I was born and raised in Huntington Beach, so I have had plenty of experience showing people around the city.  Whether you’re here on a family vacation, a couple’s getaway there’s plenty of things to do for everyone to enjoy.

Location & Getting There

Huntington Beach is located about 30 miles south of Los Angeles in Orange County so it’s really easy to get there.  I would recommend flying into either Long Beach (LGB) or Orange County (SNA) but you’ll generally find lower fares into Los Angeles (LAX).  My favorite airport to fly into is Long Beach because it’s generally the least crowded and it just “feels” like California.

When booking your flights, maximize your purchase by using a credit card that gives you bonus points on travel purchases.  A couple of my favorites are the card_name, card_name or the card_name.

Regardless of where you fly into, you’ll probably want to rent a car while you’re in town unless you’re planing on staying downtown the entire time.  If you do rent a car, you’ll want to take a look at what I think is the easiest way to save money on car rentals.

Once you get there, I would recommend staying close to downtown.  There are some fantastic hotels where you can redeem your points or there’s some fantastic vacation rentals in the area.  The ambiance of Main Street is really something special.  Again, be sure you use a credit card that rewards for travel purchases so you can earn as many points possible to use on your next vacation.

The Beach

By The Pier – Of course, my top recommendation of things to do is to visit Huntington Beach and the Pier.  My kids could easily spend several days just playing in the ocean and building sand castles.  If you’re not staying downtown, there’s plenty of parking along PCH or in lots along the beach.  I would recommend picking a spot close to the pier because there are plenty of amenities to enjoy close by.

Alternative Spots – If you are looking for a quieter spot to enjoy the beach at, I would move a little further north to 17th Street.  This section of the beach is generally less crowded than by the pier.  You can park across the street in the neighborhood for free.  There’s an intersection at 17th Street where you can easily and safely cross PCH.  If you have a dog, they’re allowed on the beach starting around 21st Street, so you can park here as well and just walk the rest of the way.

Local Tip – Here’s a local restaurant recommendation if you plant your umbrella down this way.  If you’re looking for great Mexican food, there’s a small place called Fiesta Grill that’s walking distance from here.  It’s located in a small strip center on the corner of 17th & Orange, which is about 3 small blocks inland from the beach.  We use to eat here all the time when we lived by the beach.  There’s also a small convenience store in the shopping center if you’re looking for a place to refill your cooler.

Bonfires – One of my favorite things to do at the beach was have a bonfire at night.  There are hundreds of fire rings all along the beach that you can use for free.  They’re first come, first served, so be sure to snag on earlier in the day if you’re going to have a bonfire.  If you want to spoil your taste buds, fill a metal trash can with ocean water and cook corn on the cob in it over the bonfire.  I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

Huntington Beach Pier

No visit to the beach would be complete without a walk down the Huntington Beach Pier.  When you get to the end, treat yourself to an ice cream cone at Rudy’s while you enjoy the ocean breeze.  The pier is a great place to watch the surfers carve up the waves.  If you want to try your fishing you can fish along the pier and you don’t even need a fishing license.

Other Activities – There are a lot of things you can do down by the pier.  There are several beach volleyball courts, that are free to use and the city even provides volleyballs to use.  One of my favorite things to do is ride a bike along the bike path that goes on for miles.  There are a few places by the pier where you can rent one for a few hours or all day.  They also have pedal carts to rent that are great if you have smaller children or if don’t want to sit on a bike seat for hours.

Downtown Huntington

Downtown Huntington Beach is full of great restaurants and local shops to visit.  If you’re looking for that perfect souvenir, there are dozens of fun shops filled with wonderfully unique items.  There are also a ton of great local restaurants to enjoy.  Whether you’re visiting for the day, or spending a week at the beach, there’s always something new and delicious to try.

Also, on Tuesday nights, they shut down the first few blocks on Main Street to host a farmer’s market and street fair.  You can buy delicious produce as well as enjoy the various street performers and other activities going on.

Annual Events

Each year Hunting Beach hosts several events that are unique and fun for the whole family to enjoy.  Here are a few of my favorites.

US Open of Surfing – There’s a reason Huntington Beach is the surfing capital of the world.  Each year at the end of July, the world’s best surfers descend on Huntington for the world’s largest surfing competition.  The event is free to attend so you’ll want to get there early because it can get extremely crowded.

The Great Pacific Airshow – Around the first weekend in October, Huntington Beach hosts the annual Great Pacific Airshow.  Each year some of the world’s top aviation performers fill the skies with incredible performances.  The line up for the air show will change a little each year.  However, some of the past performers have included the Blue Angles, the USAF Thunderbirds and the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team.

The event is free but get there early because the beach can get packed.  I would recommend sitting on the south side of the pier for the best views.  They VIP section is set up there so that’s where the focal point of the show is.

Beachcruiser Meet – At the end of March, dozens of classic cars flock to Main Street for this annual competition.  If you love vintage cars, this is the place to be.

4th of July – Each year the city hosts an Independence Day parade that marches down the streets of downtown Huntington Beach.  Filled with floats, marching bands and others, this is a great way to celebrate our Nation’s independence.  Later that night, fireworks fill the sky for all to enjoy.

Outdoor Activities

Surfing Lessons – You’re visiting the surfing capital of the world, so you might as well give it a shot.  There are several companies that offer surfing lessons that typically last about 2 hours.

Whale Watching – Several species of whales swim up and down the coastline all year long.  There are multiple companies that operate whale watching boat tours that last about 2 hours.  While not exactly in Huntington Beach, shese tours typically leave out of Newport Beach, which is about 20 minutes south of Huntington.

Deep Sea Fishing – Another one of my favorite things to do is go deep sea fishing.  These are usually half day or full day trips so you’ll be gone most of the day.  Again, you’ll have to travel down the coast about 20 minutes to find the tour companies that operate these trips.

Bolsa Chica Wetlands – Just a few miles down PCH from Main Street is the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.  You can walk along the trails and find numerous types of birds and other wildlife.  If you stick around until the evening, it’s a great place to enjoy the sunset.

And here are some other easy and affordable ideas to do while you’re visiting Huntington Beach.

Parking

Most of the parking around Huntington Beach and Main Street can be found in paid lots or metered parking along the streets.  Generally the lots charge $2.00 per hour with a daily maximum of $15.00.  The meters also charge $2.00 per hour but you can now pay with a credit card at most of the meters.  Keep in mind if you’re in town for a special event, the rates will increase on those day.

The only free parking is in the neighborhoods north of Main Street.  You’ll need to get there early on the weekends or it can be very difficult to find a parking spot.  Be aware, during the week there’s street sweeping on select days throughout the city.  If you’re parked on the street when the sweeper comes by, they’ll issue you a parking ticket.  Due to limited parking, street sweeping will also vary depending on the side of the street you’re on.  There are signs posted on every street telling you when this occurs.  Just be sure to check the signs before you park your car.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a great beach vacation but don’t want to travel all the way to Hawaii, plan a trip to Huntington Beach.  Whether it’s relaxing on the beach, shopping or trying something adventurous, there’s something for everyone.  With so many things to do you’ll be happy you did.  If you have any questions while you’re planning your trip, leave me a comment below and I’d be happy to help!

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