I thought people were exaggerating when they compared Waimea Canyon to the Grand Canyon. They're not. It's spectacular!

Be sure to take the Waimea Canyon Drive (Hwy 550) turnoff from Hwy 50. Don't take the Koke'e Road (552). The signs will steer you towards Koke'e Road. The Waimea Canyon Drive is a much prettier drive (and safer too). You'll see fantastic views of the canyon that you won't see from Koke'e Road. Lots of photo ops.

We drove the entire length and ended at Kalalau lookout. The Pu'u o Kila lookout was closed. It was a short and easy one mile hike on a dirt road and we had an incredible view of the Napali mountains and coast. This is the wettest spot on earth.

We stopped for lunch at the Koke'e Lodge. It was very reasonably priced and very good. I had the Meditteranean salad. It was a delicious salad and came with pita chips and hummus (very filling). My husband had a pork sandwich and my daughter had their specialty, a bean soup (can't remember the name). With drinks and a side of cornbread, the total came out to about $22.00 for the three of us.

We took the Koke'e road turnoff on our way back. We had great views of the ocean while heading down the mountain.

We ended our trip with a stop at Jo-Jo's for shaved ice. They have about 50 different (some very exotic) flavorings. It was a good thing the line was so long, because it takes a long time to figure out which flavors you want (you can choose up to 3). A great way to end the day.

Waiamea Canyon is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The road up to the canyon was two lane and very steep. We took Rt. 540 up and Rt. 550 down. Driving to the canyon you will drive through a lot of sugar cane filds and also many coffee bean fields. There are lots of places to stop and take pictures. Try to take lots because the views are worth it!

Awesome. I saw this before I went to the Grand Canyon, so I was pretty impressed at the time. Although not as the one in Arizona, still nothing compares in my mind to walking down the path a short way at the top and looking down into the NaPali valley -- you couldn't tell where sky ended and the ocean started. . .

You cannot go to Kauai without seeing what Mark Twain is accredited with saying is the Pacific’s Grand Canyon. While not as impressive as the Grand Canyon, it is impressive in its' own right. I cannot remember the roads in Arizona, but these roads were narrow and steep, and I am very very glad that I wasn’t doing the driving. And I don’t remember too many guardrails or places to pull off if other cars crowded you!

One thing different about the canyon area now then 12 years ago when I last saw it: less trees since the hurricane destroyed so much. It also appears that a lot of erosion is taking place. Some of the restraining areas where visitors can peer over the rails have been moved because the soil is moving. Something the same is the volume of chickens! They are everywhere. In fact the local people would like the tourists to bring some home!

Also the same from 12 years ago is how awesome the views are. We had a wonderful day, so we were able to drive quite a bit up the mountain and then we stopped at various points on the way down. Since we had a video cam with a very strong zoom lens, we were able to get different perspectives (and pictures) of the canyons. Some of our pictures, taken near the top, show the gravel trails at the bottom. Some show the detail of the "walls" of the canyon. Since several lookout points had multi-tiered viewing areas, we even have pictures where it appears that you are next to the canyon. What our pictures don’t show is how immense the area is. You have to go there to appreciate how huge the area is.

We were lucky that we took our tour at the beginning of the stay. Later in the week as we drove around the island, we could see the canyon area in the distance and cloud covered! Unless you are staying in the Poipu area, it is quite a drive to see one major sightseeing site. But it is worth it and you have to do it.

This is a must! This colorful canyon is the largest canyon in the Pacific and is quite beautiful. Stop at the many viewing areas and take a few pictures. Even the drive up the canyon is interesting---the road makes several interesting curves. Along the side of the road, you'll see lots of interesting looking twisted bleached out trees and lots of red soil. Even the road is reddish. The soil in Kauai contains a lot of red clay that stains everything! At the top of this canyon you're even bound to see lots of colorful wild chickens. They're everywhere in kauai! Try to drive there around mid day so the shadows aren't so harsh.

Waimea Canyon Drive starts in the town of Waimea and is one of 2 roads leading up the canyon---the other being Koke'e Road (but Waimea Canyon Drive follows the rim better). The canyon rises to about 3,600 feet and Waimea Canyon Drive is about 10 miles long and ends in Koke'e State Park. There are many pullouts with fantastic views of the Kalalau Valley on one side and the ocean on the other. If you have more time, there are plenty of hiking trails and even bike and four-wheel drive guided tours.

Another great way to see the canyon and it's many waterfalls is by helicopter. Most of the canyon is unaccessable by land.