Kauai - Hawaiian Paradise!

A helicopter flight around the island is definitely a must, and one of the few ways to see certain areas like the Na Pali Coast and the stunning waterfalls inland. There are tours that will take you around the island and show you the sights where numorous movies were filmed.

You must do a Luau. There is an abundance of Feral cats on the island... I befriended four of them and even adopted one and brought him home!

Quick Tips:

Ask the locals where to grocery shop or you'll be in for a big shock! Food costs are much higher there and stopping at a 7 - 11 for milk will set you back .18 ***ouch***. If you shop at Saveway, you can get a preferred card, which will save you some. I LOVED the shopping at the local shops and tourist areas. The Cocoanut Mall in Kapa'a is the best known and largest tourist shopping shop on the island. If you're really budget minded, you can go to Walmart in Lihue and find many of the same souvenirs MUCH cheaper.

Best Way To Get Around:

Renting a car is the only way to really enjoy the island. The scenic overlooks offer beautiful views for picture taking. To view the Na Pali coastal area, expect to be taking a helicopter ride or scenic boat ride, as it's the only way to see the west coast. The roads do not go all the way around the island due to the gorgeous Na Pali coastal cliffs.

Best Things Nearby:
Conveniently located between Kapa'a to the north and Lihue to the south made shopping just minutes away.

Best Things About the Resort:
Spacious, well kept units, and beautiful landscape. I loved the pool areas. The friendly Feral cats that roam the grounds were a wonderful diversion.

Resort Experience:
We stayed in a gorgeous two bedroom, two bathroom first floor condo overlooking a mini putting green. The condo itself was beautiful and the staff was very friendly. We had a spacious patio that was fantastic to relax on at sunset. There were four pools total and a sand pool.

Overall I would definitely rate this resort VERY high! The only negative is that the A/C's are located in the bedrooms only and don't cool the main living area that well.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

If you're looking for a unique dining experience, then Tidepools is a MUST on your trip to Kauai. The dining room(s) are open-air hale pili (thatched huts), situated among beautiful waterfalls and koi fish lagoons. The chef prepared meals are done to perfection. The menu consists of local seafoods/fish, steaks, excellent appetizers, and if you can find any room, sinfully delicious desserts! Tidepools is a GREAT "Hawaiiain-Style" dining experience. I would strongly reccomend making reservations expecially if you'd like a table with a water view.

***note*** There are quite a few steps in the beautiful walk-ways that wind down the lagoon area where the restaraunt is located. This should be considered if you're traveling with anyone handicapped. (A wheelchair can be requested from security)

The restaraunt is named after Gaylord Parke Wilcox, who built the house in 1935. The home is very stately and you definitely should plan on arriving early so you have a chance to tour the plantation via carriage ride and spend some time doing some financial damage in their unique and wonderful shops.

This large estate home was converted to a restaraunt in 1986. The atmosphere and ambience is a perfect setting for a sunset, open-air dining expereince. The waitstaff is very friendly and the meal was suburb! My personal recommendation is the "WON TON WRAPPED PRAWNS" as an appetizer with the "SEAFOOD RHAPSODY" for your main entree.

Gaylord's is a fantastic way to end a day on Kauai.

Inter-Island Tours is a wonderful way to tour the entire island. What sets them apart from other tour companies is that they fly Hughes 500 helicopters that are OPEN, with no doors.

If you're a picture taker like myself, then this is the ONLY way to go. The 60 minute tour will allow you enough time to cover the entire island. You'll go through breathtaking Waimea Canyon, fly along the Na Pali Coast (air or sea are the only ways to view this), around Bali Hai peaks, past Hanalei Bay and Princeville, down the Hanalei Valley, which is a long tropical rain forest inside the Wai'ale'ale crater - this is one of the wettest spots in the world - and finally into Hanapepe Valley, the site of the Jurassic Park Falls. You'll LOVE all the waterfalls that are seen along the way. Complete mountains just covered in them (I lost count on how many).

This was by far my favorite part of our trip! A note of caution: it doesn't have doors so it is very windy. Bring a coat and ladies, secure your hair back. *grin*