CHAARG’s Guide To Kauai

Wow! I now know why Kauai is called “The Garden Isle.” The plants + trees + nature are indescribably majestic… however it is WET [there’s a reason everything is so green — lots of water ; )].

Going in, I thought Kauai was going to be “my place,” but I didn’t fall head over heels in love like I thought I would. Part of the reason was that we stayed on a farm in the mountains… aka, the roosters woke us up at 330 AM without fail, AND it rained every day! My soul needs sunshine! Also, the towns were tiny. Nevertheless, I know I’ll be back… particularly in summer when it’s not AS WET. There’s so much more outdoor exploring that I want to do! Here is my guide to Kauai!

#1] Kalalea Juice Hale: Get the cold brew with house made coconut cream. so freaking good. Favorite coffee. Favorite spot. ALSO THE VIEWS HERE, unreal.

#2] Kauai Juice Co: The cold brew concentrate is perfect if you want a DIY cold brew. I recommend to fill your cup with ice + pour half a cup of the cold brew concentrate… + then add water to your desired strength of coffee ; ) Stir it up well! There’s 6 servings in the concentrate they carry, which is nice! Plus, you can get some some juice while you’re at it : ). Say hi to Roxy!

#3] Triology Coffee: If you want fancy coffee + a vibe. All of their treats [+ avocado toast!] look delicious.

#1] Kalalea Juice Hale: My favorite spot for acai bowls [all the toppings!]. ++ they have incredible immunity shots!

#2] Nourish Hanalei: Wow. The food, the views, this is another must. There acai bowls are delicious, but the lunch bowls are even better — try the Hanalei Bowl + the Ha’ena Bowl. *Make sure to pay attention to the days + hours they are open. Also! There’s an easy trail nearby that’s nice — the Old Club Med Trail!

#3] Anake’s Juice Bar: This is inside Kukuiula Market…. + at first, you might think it looks kind of sketchy ; ) BUT, in the back there is an amazing juice bar. Their acai bowl ranks as one of my favorites + they have a bunch of fun raw desserts, too.

#1] Midnight Bear Breads: We went at night, so all of the pastries were gone [I heard the chocolate croissants are out of this world] — but the PIZZA. Omg. Macadamia Nut Pesto Pizza with the freshest crust ever. Get it! There’s an art walk every Friday in the area, too… if you find the guy who gives a massage with his feet, plz try it + then tell me everything.

#2] Eat Healthy, Kauai: There’s a lot of tofu on this menu, which turned me off, aha… BUT: the spring rolls were amazing + I loved the kale salad. The breakfast looked great here, too!

#3] Little Fish Coffee: If you want hearty sandwiches after your hike, this is your spot. Get the Clubzilla. I split that with a bagel sandwich with Isaac… + both of us wish we would have gotten our own Clubzilla.

#1] Ama: This is a perfect date night restaurant… make sure to get here early, it’s a must to watch sunset here! The food was amazing — you can’t go wrong. I loved the Nuoc Cham Brussel Sprouts + Dan Dan Mazeman. DREAMY!

#2] Kilauea Market + Cafe: We went here 3 times in one day…. so, YES this was potentially my favorite spot in Kaui. It’s an incredible grocery store, but it also has an amazing cafe… the poke bowls were the best I found, AND THE COCONUT SHRIMP SALAD, OMG. I miss it. A must-see on any guide to Kauai!

#3] Mermaids Cafe: A cute, small outdoor cafe in Kapaa. Go on the early side for dinner, or else half the menu will be sold out ; ).

#4] Treats: Wishing Well Shave Ice + Holey Grail Donuts. Don’t ask, just go.

Food Trucks That I’m Bummed We Missed [make sure to check the days/times they are open!]: Saenz Ohana Breakfast, Trucking Delicious, Fresh Bite Kauai, Trucking Delicious, Cafe Turmeric,

Eats For Next Time: Hanalei Bread Company, Akamai Juice Company, Aloha Aina Juice Cafe, The Spot North Shore, JO2 [date night]

#1] Waves: Such a great yoga studio! ++ there are infrared panels in the studio, which is the first time I’ve seen that! Highly recommend!

#2] Metamorphosis Yoga: Honestly, didn’t have the best experience with the yin class, but it was super cute + has good reviews on yelp, so I wanted to include it! It’s right next to Kauai Juice Co,

#3] The Golden Lotus Studio: This is a student massage clinic… $40 for an hour massage! It won’t be the best massage of your life, but it was such a fun experience!

#4] Shop At Hunter Gatherer: Shopping is wellness, right? ; ) This shop has all the spiritual thangs… crystals, angel cards, fun books,

#5] All The Farmers Markets! Eat all the passionfruit, papaya, guava, + the like. See the list of all the markets here.

#1] Go Blue Adventure: Hands down my favorite outdoor adventure — we did the morning adventure tour. It was indescribable to be so close to dolphins, ++ to see the Na Pali Coast from the lens of the boat. This is a must!

#2] Hike Na Pali, Kalalau Trail: DAMN. Green on green on green. Another must. It was a bit muddy when we went, so we used trekking poles [which I’d recommend!]. Absolutely gorgeous!

#3] Waimea Canyon, Kukui Trail: Loved this trail — the canyon is breathtaking [really, everything in Kauai is breathtaking, haha].

#4] Explore All The Beaches! List of beaches to check out:

• Hideaways Beach
• Queens Bath
• Pohakuopio Beach
• Haena Beach Park
• Tunnels Beach
• Cold Pool
• Shipwreck Beach
• Wet Cave/Blue Room
• Secret Beach
• Anini Beach

#1] Check the wet season ; ) — especially if you want to stay in the jungle. Most likely, if you go south [where are the resorts are] it will be dry + sunny… but my favorite parts were up north + they are RAINY in the winter! Also, many of the trails are likely the be muddy. I wish we would have traveled to Kauai in the spring/summer!

#2] Note the food truck times — I already mentioned this, but it’s worth repeating! Everything closes very early in Kauai.

#3] You need to rent a car — it’s the only way to get around.

#4] Prepare to not spend time in the towns, instead… SOAK UP THE OUTDOORS — I totally agree with this statement: “The towns are okay, but that’s not why I’m there. Get out into the jungle + beaches — that’s why you’re there. If you want towns + night life — go to Oahu.”

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Enjoy jungle life! + take ALL THE PHOTOS! + eat ALL THE ACAI! : ) Hope you loved this guide to Kauai + let me know if you go!