Thanks to Jon Bailey from 2dadswithbaggage.com for sharing his families favorite semi-secret aka off the beaten path Kauai activities with kids. We love hearing from other dads, especially when it’s about a place on our bucket list that we’re hoping to visit in the coming year with our own kids. Thanks, Jon, for these great tips!
Finding off the beaten path Kauai isn’t difficult if you know where to look. Caves, waterfalls, shave ice and more are just off the road on the Garden Island of Hawaii. 2traveldads.comOur oldest daughter was just eight months old when we first took her to Kauai, and we’ve been back with her and her younger sister more than a dozen times since then. Now 16 and 14, the girls help us Dads plan the trip while hitting as many of our favorites as possible, and even after years of visiting we still have more of off the beaten path Kauai to enjoy.
We’ve done all the usual attractions, and the island is filled with many amazing ones definitely worth visiting. Hanalei Bay, Kilueah Lighthouse, Poipu Beach, Waipu Falls and many more gorgeous places will provide endless family fun and zillions of postcard-perfect photo layouts on the Garden Island. There are so many more parts of off the beaten path Kauai to explore, and that offer the more relaxed beauty that a local might experience.
1. Waimea Plantation Cottages
This sweet little hotel is located waaaaaay on the West Side of Kauai where people seldom venture, near the road where cars drive up the hill to reach Waimea Canyon State Park. Because it is away from most of the tourists sites, guess what… There are very few tourists at Waimea Plantation Cottages! It’s a collection of historic sugar plantation cottages, moved from other locations to this tranquil spot on beachside of the island, making it very much an off the beaten path Kauai destination.
Although not a swimmable beach, the long walks and sunsets are epic. And did I mention there are few tourists here? The sign of a good place is when Hawaiians come from other islands to vacation at this place, which is just what we’ve discovered about Kauai and the Waimea Plantation Cottages. At the Cottages, BBQs are included, along with working kitchens and lots of kitch, so it’s perfect Hawaii.
