[Peter Ferlicca]

Hello All,

I will be traveling to Kauai April 17-27.  This will be our honeymoon with my soon to be wife.  It will be my first time going to Hawaii, a good friend I went to college with grew up in Kauai and always told me to go there, as it is the best island. 

I am looking for recommendations of cool things to do, restaurants to visit, and anything else you recommend. 

My wife will be joining me for one round of golf, most likely riding in the cart.  And then I am allotted another round as she will spend a day at the spa. 

Our plans so far are to do a boat tour around the island, grotto river tour, ATV in the farmland, and hike the Ke'e Beach Trail.  I wanted to do a helicopter tour, but my buddy who grew up there said that a couple of them crash every year, so that is not in the plans now. 

Now for Golf, in the past threads I have seen some reviews for Princeville saying it is vastly overrated.  It looks like Kauai Lagoons looks pretty nice now that is got an upgrade.

Anyone have any reviews for the new private Kukuiula Golf Club, the Tom Weiskopf Design. 

Wailua Golf Course looks like a pretty nice muni right on the ocean.  My buddy said he was a junior member there for $9 a year.  Can’t beat that price.

[Tommy Williamsen]

waimea canyon is a must do.  It is an amazingly stunning canyon--the Grand Canyon of Hawaii.  The Na Pali Coast is impressive, especially at sunset.  Play Princeville.  Your bride will enjoy the ride and the views and you will enjoy the golf.  Don't let the naysayers keep you off the course.  Kauai Lagoons or Poipu are bothe worth the trip.  Waqilua is ok but you didn't go that far to play a course like that. 

Take the helicopter ride.  It is an unforgettable experience.  I don't know who your friend is but he is an alarmist. 
It is a great Island.  I cannot comment on Kukuiula Golf Club.  I was built after my last visit.

[Matthew Petersen]

waimea canyon is a must do.  It is an amazingly stunning canyon--the Grand Canyon of Hawaii.  The Na Pali Coast is impressive, especially at sunset.  Play Princeville.  Your bride will enjoy the ride and the views and you will enjoy the golf.  Don't let the naysayers keep you off the course.  Kauai Lagoons or Poipu are bothe worth the trip.  Waqilua is ok but you didn't go that far to play a course like that. 

Take the helicopter ride.  It is an unforgettable experience.  I don't know who your friend is but he is an alarmist. 
It is a great Island.  I cannot comment on Kukuiula Golf Club.  I was built after my last visit.

Agreed about the helicopter ride. We did that on my trip to Kauai and it remains among the great experiences of my life. An incredible way to see things you simply couldn't see any other way.

Also agree about Princeville. Your bride will remember it. (Also, if make sure she's well stocked with sunscreen. My new wife rode along with me on our honeymoon in Maui and sunburned her feet so badly she was miserable the rest of the week!)

[Jason Topp]

My guess is that you have enough planned as is.  We usually alternate one day messing around on the beach with one day doing an activity.  However, if you want to schedule more I have two recommendations:

1.  Motorized hang gliding:  I did it on Maui and found it far preferable to the helicopters.  http://www.birdsinparadise.com/

2.  Jump off the cliff next to Poipu. 



Poipu was the only golf course I played and it is pretty mediocre.  The resort is fantastic.
'
Your Guidebook should be "Kaui Revealed."  I have used their books for each of the islands and been happy with their recommendations. 

[JLahrman]

I've been to Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island.

I didn't play golf at all while I was there, so I can't attest to the quality or value of any of the courses.

What I can tell you is that at no point during either of my two trips did I say to myself "I wish I had brought my clubs with me."

Waimea Canyon is fantastic, as is a Na Pali cruise.

[Jon Spaulding]

Head straight for Hanalei, (stay in town or at Princeville).

Some nice restaurants in town, namely Postcards Cafe (which is worth a repeat visit). Tahiti Nui was featured in a recent film, the Dolphin is good as well.

Good beach, a nice jumping off point for the hike up the coast.

On the way up from the airport, there's a burger joint along the highway, it's a Doak 10. The name escapes me but you can't miss it.

Some park & hike waterfalls also on the way up. Couple of zero-population beaches off highway if your car can handle it.

Prince course and Wailua are both worth seeing, but not worth repeat plays or marital strife.

[Cameron DeVries]

When I was on Kauai in 2010, I had the chance to walk several holes on the back nine @ Kukuiula before the course opened and they looked really impressive.  Having played a few other Tom Weiskopf courses, I can only imagine that it is worth checking out if you can.  I second the recommendations of Poipu and Princeville.  Wailua is a good value - and checking out Waimea Canyon is a must-do, like Tommy said.

[Aidan Bradley]

Kukuiula

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[Kevin_Reilly]

Haven't been to Kauai in 15+ years, but I remember that the Hyatt in Poipu is a great spot for an evening drink.  Beautiful setting with an open air atrium.

I still have a T shirt from Brennecke's a short distance away...burger and beer place.

You'll love Kauai...very relaxing.

[R_Paulis]

The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook by Wizard Publishing was indispensable as we stayed on Kauai for four weeks during our honeymoon. It is a very relaxing place - perfect for a honeymoon. Not so good for those that like nightlife or non-outdoor activities.

As for a helicopter rides - I've never done anything more exhilarating and frightening. We selected the helicopter tour that used small birds as seen in Magnum PI. Reading the review I either skipped over, or thought it was a joke that the reviewer said there was no doors on the chopper.  Well, there were NO DOORS and it felt as if part of my body was hanging out  in the air with an old seat belt and strap to hang onto. When the pilot hovered near a shear cliff of a few thousand feet I almost passed out. The highlight was when the pilot landed near a secluded waterfall for lunch and swim. I thought the terror was over but as we descended down from the "wettest place on earth" the pilot readied us for what he described was the roller coaster as he went nose first for what felt like a 5 minute drop. Never again, but I'll never forget...

Played all the courses on Kauai. Wife enjoyed the ride with me on Poipu Bay course the best.

Stayed in Princeville near the "Queen's Bath" a natural volcanic coastal pool located below one of the courses. Kauai is an amazing place.

[Kyle Henderson]

Just went there in August.

Golf wise:
Kukui'ula has a handful of holes to write home about, and it's virtually empty. The Prince course has some dogs along with some very memorable holes (mostly on the back 9) -- the land is extreme in places, but a man with your golfing acumen shouldn't lose too many balls. Poipu Bay didn't do it for me at all.

Bubba's Burgers is the pace Spaulding recommended. There are at lest 2 locations on the island.

The catamaran cruise on the Na'pali coast was worth the price of admission, but make sure you pick a day with calm seas.

We stayed in the Sheraton on Poipu. It's not  5-star place, but it's still pretty nice and the rates aren't outlandish. That part of the island gets the most sun, but still quite a bit of moisture. This was the view from our room.

[Ben Sims]

Peter,

You've worked and played at clubs with far more to offer than what you'll see on Kaua'i. Listen to Spaulding. Hanalei. I hear puff the magic dragon is from there.

Seriously though, I love golf. I love golf courses. I'll be hard pressed to ever take my clubs to Hawai'i ever again. I'd rather spend time surfing, hiking, snorkeling, swimming, drinking, eating and "other stuff."  If you pass on a life changing hike or a great swell to play an average golf course and you'll never forgive yourself.  Buy this book http://www.hawaiirevealed.com/books-apps/kauai-revealed and listen to its wisdom. You'll do stuff most tourists never do and you'll have a once-in-lifetime trip. Skip the golf.

[Rob Miller]

Peter,

Play Princeville.  It still is worth the play and the best course on the island.  And...just in case you are interested, the bar at the course has the best Mai-Tai in Kauai. 

Otherwise, I would strongly recommend the helicopter tour.  I avoided it for years because I heard it was dangerous but finally went ahead and did it last year.  Blue Hawaiian has new equipment and a seemingly good safety record.  As for the ride itself, stunning. 

Finally, if you are the adventurous type, hike the Na Pali Coast.  Maybe the most scenic trek in America.

[Brad Tufts]

Lots of good advice.  Also very fun is a zip-line trip, as well as the irrigation-tunnel tubing trip.  One of the companies on the island cleaned up some of the old sugarcane irrigation tunnels that moved water through several hills, and you can ride a tube through them, complete with headlamp...pretty cool.

I will go on record as loving Wailua...old-style (very different for Hawaii), scenic, challenging (look out for the first 6 holes, yikes), and a couple holes on the ocean.  All for something like $50.

Princeville is spectacular, but definately not a place you want to run from the 18th green to first tee to see again.  Kauai Lagoons is decent, but not very noteworthy save for the views.  Poipu Bay is similar.

I've been intrigued by Kukiolono, a local 9-holer built on an old estate in and amongst Japanese gardens...never played it, but might be fun for a quick tour!

[Connor Dougherty]

I was there this last Christmas. Truth be told, Princeville (the Prince course), Kauai Lagoons, and Poipu Bay were not worth it IMO. The Prince course had some cool holes, but there were plenty of areas that were far too narrow. Kauai Lagoons had so much artificial mounding to block the paths from view that I just got a bad vibe from the place.

What I would recommend checking out is the Makai course at Princeville. It's walkable, has fantastic views, and a couple of great holes. Even better, you're not going to go crazy losing golf balls. Of the courses I played there, I found it to be far and away the best of the bunch on Kauai (although I did not play Wailua or Kukui'ula). The water hazards on 17 and 18 are a little over the top but they are avoidable.

[Tommy Williamsen]

In a state with many forgettable courses the Makai Course is one of the more forgettable.  I quit after nine holes.

[Matt Bosela]

Not much more to add - I also honeymooned in Kauai just over six years ago.  It's a gorgeous island and very quiet compared to Oahu and even Maui.  I stayed at Princeville and played the Prince - it's a tough slog...pretty but daunting and quite expensive.  I'm glad I played it once but I have no real desire to play it again.  Poipu Bay was entirely forgettable save for the last few holes along the ocean.

As mentioned, make sure you eat in Hanalei a few times and I'd also recommend the helicopter tour but with one caveat - take one WITH doors.  I took the 'copter without doors and I truly feared for my life during the first portion of the trip.  We landed near a waterfall for a one hour lunch and dip and I realized that the pilot didn't properly buckle me in! 

On second thought...

In all seriousness, I can't wait to go back.  We had the time of our lives there.  Enjoy and congratulations in advance!

[Ron Csigo]

Peter,

If you play golf at Princeville, head to the St. Regis afterwards for dinner.  The St. Regis Bar in the lobby is casual enough and serves wonderful food and specialty drinks.  Also, the patio at the Bar has the most spectacular view of the evening sunset on Kauai.  The patio overlooks the cliffs of the north shore and the scenery is breath taking.  Both you and your wife will enjoy.  Be sure to get there early though.  

[William_G]

congrats

we honeymooned there 16 years ago 

I played Princeville while she did the spa, I would definitely play Kukuiula

the Princeville hotel works well especially if you want easy access to the Hanalei Bay area with some nice sunsets and view over the bay from the hotel to the volcanic mountains and the beautiful Napali Coast

paddleboarding is very popular in Hanalei

I have not stayed on the Poipu side so that would be different from a dirivng standpoint

we hiked the trail on the Napali coast from Kee' beach and I think I can still smell the fresh Guava

we definitely drove quite a bit on the road around the island

I think the closest Starbucks from Princeville is in Kapaa

definitely do the helicopter 

there are bugs/mosquitoes in the evening

The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook is a great guidebook

trust your friend and have a great time

and the curveball I would do is to fly to Lanai and stay at either Four Seasons hotel and play golf at both courses there 

[Wayne Freeman]

Having been to Hawaii 45 times, Kauai is my favorite.  If you stay in Poipu, give yourself plenty of time to get to Princeville,
 as it's a long drive.  Agree with most of the golf advice.

    Suggestions for some food....    if you want to score points for the rest of your life make a reservation for dinner an hour before
  sunset at The Beach House in Poipu...  right on the point,  it is amazing and so beautiful..   great food and drinks....

      If you like sushi,  in old town Koloa there is a tiny fish take out place across from the post office that has fabulous poki..
all the locals go there and it is incredibly cheap.

      Also in Kapaa,  the Mermaid has the best Nori Wrap imaginable... seared ahi to die for..

              Congratulations and all the best.                                       Wayne Freeman

       

[Tom Yost]

A timely thread.

First, congrats on your upcoming nuptials Peter!  My wife and I will be there in the same timeframe celebrating our 30th anniversary.

The perpetually ranked course is the Prince course.  From looking at aerials and photo tours, I've concluded one needs to tee it forward and bring at least a dozen balls.      I'm actually considering the muni at Wailua as a second round option.

Perhaps we can meet-up for a round?  Or a beverage at the very least.

[Daryl David]

Peter,

Congrats.  Kauai is awesome.  Linda and I were married there.  If you could replicate our wedding day, you would have it pretty sweet.  The big day consisted of a round in the morning on the Prince course followed by lunch and nuptials on the beach at Princeville.  That evening we attending an impromptu concert by Hot Tuna at the high school gym in Lihue.  We saw a hand painted sign on a fence post along the road to Princeville advertising the one night event.  Lots of aged rockers living on the island so you never know who will be jamming.  I half expected to see Grace Slick come out of the wings for a jazz rendition of White Rabbit.  Before returning to the hotel we capped off the evening with an awesome Kauai plate "lunch" dinner and a few beers.  Priceless.

Best wishes!

[Mike Benham]

Ditto on the helicopter tour, we used Blue Hawaiian, beg for the front seat.

The Doc is right with regards to the Ultimate Kauai Guidebook.

 

[rjsimper]

If it's still there, the shave ice and ice cream in the silver airstream type trailer as you enter Hanalei is excellent.

Hellcipter is great too - if your soon-to-be-wife is petite and you arent 300 lbs,  you have a better chance of getting the front seat from what I understand.

[Alex Miller]

I've been intrigued by Kukiolono, a local 9-holer built on an old estate in and amongst Japanese gardens...never played it, but might be fun for a quick tour!

If you are staying in the area and would like to check out a course that will let you on in flip flops and a tank top, I recommend it.

For your honeymoon, I doubt it is in the cards. Kukiolono does have some stunning 270 degree views and fun golf.

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