Accommodations:

Waimea Plantation Cottages: I highly recommend this spot but I’m sure many people get misled by the price and don’t expect it to be as rustic as it is: dusty floors, fairly dirty windows, no smart TV. I thought it was adorable, though. There’s so much open space. My kids ran wild. There are roosters and cats wandering around and an incredible banyan tree. You can’t swim at the beach but it’s lovely to look at. My husband came back from his walk to get coffee on the first morning and announced that he was ready to move there.

Waipouli Beach Resort: I booked this condo through VRBO, and posts on here had me freaked out about scams, but it ended up just being a regular VRBO experience. It’s a privately-owned condo in what feels like a hotel. The pool is very nice, with a sandy zero-entry section for kids to play in and multiple hot tubs so you’re not crammed in there with other guests. The Safeway directly across the street is clutch.

Car rental: We rented from Island Cars. Got ourselves a Kia Soul with like 150k miles on it. It was missing a couple of non-essential exterior panels and had zero bells and whistles but I didn’t feel nervous getting it muddy or sandy. The rental office had a years-of-cigarettes odor I swear I haven’t smelled in 30 years. I guess we saved some money using them instead of a chain? Idk, I don’t care.

Activities:

-The Kipu Ranch UTV tour was a big hit with my husband and son. They were out there playing Indiana Jones or something.

-Kayak Kauai waterfall tour: This is a good family activity. It would have been a bit basic for just me and my husband (the hike is really easy) but paddling a kayak with a child “helping” you was an added challenge.

-Smith Family Garden Luau: Cheesy in a retro Vegas way, but not offensively so. Cute. Felt like a wedding where I watched other people dance instead of dancing myself. I swear I had 5 mai tais and didn’t feel hung over the next day— they’ve got their crowd management down to a science, including preventing you from getting drunk. Food was fine. It’s a luau, what did I expect.

-Poipu turtles: We were there around 3:00 and the turtles were swimming to shore around us while we swam. That was really cool. The beach is beautiful, too.

-Salt Pond Beach: Perfect for swimming. I’m from San Diego so the “cold” February water felt balmy. And no waves! It was a treat.

-Shelter dog field trip: This was the most hilarious vacation activity. My kids loved it. We loaded that weird little guy up in the Kia Soul and took him for a muddy walk and a beach adventure.

-Kauai Animal Education Farm: Either run-down or bucolic depending on what mood you’re in. It’s a cute activity for kids or anyone who wants to hand-feed a feral pig. My 8-year-old daughter didn’t want to leave. Got a tour from a barefoot guy who would make your average San Diego surfer seem uptight.

-Waimea Canyon State Park: It’s an easy drive up from the plantation cottages to the lookouts. Pretty spectacular scenery.

-Wai Koa Loop Trail: Absurdly muddy but pretty and peaceful. Wish I could have seen the garden area around the dam on a dry day, but the rain has its own magic. At least it’s a warm rain. You can’t have a garden isle without a lot of water.

-Lava Lava Beach Club: I’ve seen this described as a tourist trap but I’m a tourist and they got me, I guess. You can’t beat the view. Kalua pork flatbread was pretty good.

-Aloha Craft Cafe: Happened to stop in for sandwiches on a Friday morning when some local musicians were singing and playing ukuleles. One of the women came over and gave me a flower for my hair. Why is everyone so nice?

-Jo Jo’s Shave Ice: The food on Kauai is nothing remarkable but this is a bitchin ass dessert.

-Wish I could have: Been to Hanalei Bay on a sunny day, spent more time basking like a seal on the beach (the children won’t allow it), done some challenging hikes (it was too wet on the days I had allotted for that.)

Conclusions: Kauai is outrageously beautiful, and wet (at least in February), and charming. Rustic, slow, polite, packed with roosters. When the sun is out and the breeze is blowing, it’s heavenly. I did a lot of laundry and shoe-rinsing. The red mud from the UTV tour may never come out. That’s a souvenir.

Trip Report: Kauai in February