Things to Do in Kauai: 30 Activities and What's Open After Lowell

By Rick Kennerknecht · Updated October 22, 2026 · 11 min read

The best things to do in Kauai haven't changed: the Na Pali Coast, a long North Shore beach day, a boat up the Wailua River, a South Shore snorkel. What changed this fall is access. Hurricane Lowell hit in September 2026, and as of October 22 Waimea Canyon, Kokee and most state parks and forest trails were still closed, while most hotels, tours, restaurants and beaches were running.

So this guide lists 30 Kauai activities by region, with a cost range and a dated status for each. Prices come from operator websites and official sources checked in October 2026, and they change. Confirm anything weather or storm related before you drive across the island.

Current status (October 2026): the short version

• Closed: Waimea Canyon and Kokee state parks, Kokee Road, Polihale, all state camping, the Kalalau Trail past mile 2, Secret Falls, and nearly all forest trails including Sleeping Giant.
• Open with a reservation: Haena State Park and Kee Beach (since October 15), Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge (Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), the Hindu Monastery, and the NTBG gardens.
• Running: Smith's Fern Grotto boats (since September 24), helicopter tours, mountain tubing, ATV tours, most ziplines, Port Allen catamarans on thinner schedules, and county beach parks with a few exceptions.
• Mixed signals: Kilohana Plantation. Its website said closed until further notice as of October 21, while its general partner told the Star-Advertiser the luau and rum tasting had reopened. Call before you book.

For individual businesses, openkauai.org is the directory the state tourism site points visitors to. For parks, use DLNR's Important Park Notices page.

Kauai things to do: 30 activities with cost and status

Fees marked "park fees" are the state's non-resident charges: $5 per person and $10 per vehicle at Wailua River State Park. Hawaii residents with ID are exempt. Polihale and Salt Pond Beach Park were also closed as of October 21, so they're left off the list.

Best things to do in Kauai's North Shore

Kauai's North Shore is the postcard side, and it's back in business. 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay reopened September 28, and Haena State Park reopened October 15 for day use. Out-of-state visitors need a Go Haena reservation ($5 entry, $10 parking), and in late October the shuttle from the Waipa Park and Ride in Hanalei was the way in because self-parking wasn't available. HDOT reopened Kuhio Highway past Hanalei to all traffic on October 21.

With a reservation you get Kee Beach and the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail to Hanakapiai Beach, or the full-day 8-mile round trip to Hanakapiai Falls. Our Kauai hikes guide has the details and the safety basics. No reservation? Spend the day in Hanalei town, walk the pier at sunset, and snorkel Anini, which sits behind a long reef and is calm on most days.

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and adults 16 and older need a timed reservation on Recreation.gov, per the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The lighthouse interior wasn't open when we checked. The overlook at the end of Kilauea Road, which looks across at the point, doesn't need a ticket. Seabirds nest on the cliffs, and winter brings whales offshore. Our North Shore guide covers Princeville and Hanalei.

East Side: Wailua River, Fern Grotto and the coastal path

The Wailua River is the East Side's main event, and it's half open. DLNR partly reopened Wailua River State Park on September 21: you can paddle the river and use the designated landing, but hiking past the trailhead and the route to Uluwehi (Secret) Falls are closed, and individual kayakers can't land at Fern Grotto. Commercial kayak tours and rentals can't run on Saturdays or Sundays, so weekends are for private paddlers only.

Smith's riverboats have been running to the Fern Grotto since September 24, and they're the only boats allowed to land there for now. The ride is about 1 hour 20 minutes round trip and costs $35 for adults and $17.50 for children, plus state park fees, according to Smith's. The Smith Family Garden Luau is $150 for adults, and from November through February it starts at 4:45 p.m. Our Fern Grotto guide has more.

Up Kuamoo Road, the Opaekaa Falls lookout and, off Maalo Road, Wailua Falls are drive-up views inside the same state park. Confirm they're open before you go. Farther up, Kauai's Hindu Monastery welcomes visitors daily from 9 a.m. to noon by reservation only, with a dress code. Then ride or walk Ke Ala Hele Makalae, the paved coastal path that Go Hawaii says covers eight miles in two segments from Lydgate Beach Park toward Kapaa and beyond. Sleeping Giant, Kuilau and Moalepe trails are closed. See our Kapaa guide for food along the way.

Lihue and central Kauai activities

The island's adventure outfitters cluster around Lihue, and most were running in October. Kauai Backcountry Adventures' mountain tubing floats you through old plantation ditches and tunnels for $169 with lunch; riders must be at least 5 and 43 inches tall. Kipu Ranch ATV tours start at about $187, with drivers 18 and older and passengers 9 and up. You'll get muddy.

For ziplines, Koloa Zipline was running a shortened 4-line course at $162 while it repaired storm damage, and Kauai Backcountry's 7-line course is $169 for ages 12 and up. Outfitters Kauai runs a course on Kipu Ranch. Compare them in our ziplining guide. Helicopter tours from Lihue ran about $244 to $499 on operator sites, and with the canyon closed, a flight is the only way to see Waimea Canyon and the full Na Pali Coast.

Kilohana Plantation is the wild card. It lost 185 mature trees in the storm. Its website still said closed until further notice on October 21, while its general partner said Luau Kalamaku and the Koloa Rum tasting had reopened and that he hoped to fully reopen by December 1. Call before you book, and check our Kauai luau guide for alternatives.

South Shore: Poipu, Koloa and the gardens

Poipu took a hard hit from storm surge, and recovery varies block by block. Poipu Beach Park had crowds back by late September, and it's the easiest swim and snorkel day on the island for families. Spouting Horn is a free county park, but Lawai Road was badly damaged, so check access before you drive out. The Beach House restaurant on that road is closed until further notice.

NTBG's Allerton and McBryde gardens run reserved tours from the Lawai visitor center, which reopened October 19. Allerton is where Jurassic Park's Dr. Grant and the kids find dinosaur eggs among the Moreton Bay fig roots. In Old Koloa Town, plantation-era storefronts were open and asking visitors to come back, and the Tree Tunnel on Maluhia Road is the classic drive in. The Grand Hyatt's Havaiki Nui Luau runs Tuesdays and Saturdays from about $215. Our Poipu guide covers where to eat.

West Side: what's open while Waimea Canyon is closed

Waimea Canyon and Kokee state parks are closed until further notice, and Kokee Road is closed past the canyon road junction to everyone but local traffic. That's the biggest gap on the island. Bookmark our Waimea Canyon guide for when it reopens.

Port Allen is still the main departure point for Na Pali catamarans. The commercial harbor reopened sooner than the small boat harbor, and operators listed adult fares of about $215 to $295 in October, on reduced schedules. Confirm your exact sailing. Nearby, Glass Beach sits beside Port Allen's industrial harbor, and Hanapepe town is a short drive. Kauai Coffee's estate offers a free self-guided walking tour and free tastings daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For sunset, the Kekaha shoreline along Highway 50 faces open water toward Niihau.

Free things to do in Kauai

• Sunrise on Ke Ala Hele Makalae, or a full morning walk or ride along it.
• Hanalei Bay and the pier at sunset.
• Snorkeling at Anini Beach or Poipu Beach Park.
• Spouting Horn, once you've confirmed Lawai Road access.
• The Kilauea Lighthouse overlook at the end of Kilauea Road.
• Kauai Coffee's self-guided walking tour and tastings.
• Old Koloa Town and the Koloa Heritage Trail, a self-guided route of about 10 miles with 14 marked stops.
• Glass Beach and the Kekaha shoreline.
• A farmers market. The County listed nine weekly sessions as reopened, from Kukui Grove on Monday to Anaina Hou in Kilauea on weekends.

Budget planning? Our Kauai trip cost guide puts real numbers on it.

Rainy day things to do in Kauai

Rain on one side often means sun on another, so check radar and drive toward the drier south or west coast first. When it's wet everywhere:

• Kauai Museum in Lihue. $15 general admission; open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• The Fern Grotto boat. A river trip that doesn't depend on a sunny beach day.
• Kauai Coffee tastings at the estate visitor center.
• Mountain tubing. You're getting wet anyway, and part of the float runs through tunnels.
• Shopping and a long lunch in Kapaa, Lihue or Old Koloa Town.
• Waterfall lookouts after the rain, when Wailua and Opaekaa run fullest, if the lookouts are open.

How to plan a Kauai week around the closures

Think of the island as two half-open trips stitched together. Here's a simple way to build the week so a closure or a rough ocean day doesn't wreck it.

• Day 1 or 2: book anything weather dependent, like a helicopter flight or a Na Pali sail, early in the trip so a cancellation can be rebooked.
• One North Shore day: Go Haena reservation for Hanakapiai or Kee, then Hanalei for lunch and sunset. If you can't get a slot, do Kilauea Point (Wednesday to Saturday) and Anini instead.
• One East Side day: the Fern Grotto boat or a weekday kayak in the morning, the monastery if you booked it, and the coastal path in the late afternoon.
• One Lihue adventure day: tubing, a zipline or ATVs, then the Kauai Museum if it rains.
• Two South Shore days: Poipu Beach Park, the NTBG gardens, Old Koloa Town and a luau.
• One West Side morning: Kauai Coffee, Glass Beach and Hanapepe, with a Port Allen boat if yours is sailing.

Whale season adds one more option in winter. Our whale watching guide covers the season and the boat tours, which ran about $150 to $260 this fall.

Kauai activities for families, couples and adventure travelers

Honeymooning? Our Kauai honeymoon guide has the romantic short list, and the 7-day Kauai itinerary strings these into a week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is there to do in Kauai right now after Hurricane Lowell?

Most tours, beaches, restaurants and hotels are running as of October 2026. You can hike to Hanakapiai with a Go Haena reservation, ride Smith's boats to Fern Grotto, fly a helicopter tour, go tubing or ziplining, and snorkel at Poipu or Anini. Waimea Canyon, Kokee and most forest trails remain closed.

Is Waimea Canyon open?

No. DLNR lists Waimea Canyon and Kokee state parks as closed until further notice after Hurricane Lowell, and Kokee Road is closed past the canyon road junction. A helicopter tour is the only way to see the canyon for now.

What are the best free things to do in Kauai?

The coastal path on the East Side, Hanalei Bay at sunset, snorkeling at Anini or Poipu Beach Park, Old Koloa Town, Glass Beach and the free tastings at Kauai Coffee all cost nothing.

Do you need reservations for things to do in Kauai?

For several, yes. Haena State Park needs a Go Haena reservation for out-of-state visitors, Kilauea Point refuge requires a timed Recreation.gov ticket for adults 16 and older, and the Hindu Monastery and NTBG gardens are by reservation.

Is the Kilohana luau open?

It's unclear. As of October 21, 2026, Kilohana's website said closed until further notice, while its general partner told the Star-Advertiser the luau and rum tasting had reopened. Call before you book.

What should I do in Kauai on a rainy day?

Head for the Kauai Museum in Lihue, the Fern Grotto boat, Kauai Coffee tastings, mountain tubing, or a long lunch in Kapaa. If the rain is only on one side, drive to the drier south or west shore.

Keep planning

Beaches

Do

Kauai's best beaches ranked: Poipu, Anini, Tunnels, Hanalei, Shipwreck, Glass Beach and Secret Beach, with parking, safety, snorkeling and closure notes.

Hiking

Do

The best hikes in Kauai: Hanakapiai Falls, Kalalau, Sleeping Giant and Waimea Canyon, with difficulty, permits and what is closed after Hurricane Lowell.

Snorkeling

Do

Best snorkeling in Kauai: Poipu, Anini, Lydgate and Tunnels, plus snorkel tours, seasons, beginner spots and what is open after Hurricane Lowell.

Na Pali Coast

Do

See the Na Pali Coast by catamaran from Port Allen, doors-off helicopter, sunset cruise or the Hanakapiai day hike, with seasons and current closures.

Restaurants

Do

Kauai's best restaurants: Tidepools, Merriman's, Duke's and Bar Acuda, plus food trucks, shave ice, cheap eats and which favorites are closed after Lowell.