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Five days is the right length for Kauai. That gives you one day for each side of the island, plus a day on the water.
The island is small, but no road circles it, so every side is its own drive out and back. This plan puts the reservation that sells out first, with the fees and closures around it.
I would book Haena first and build every other day around it. We have done island loops like this with nieces and nephews along.
The early start mattered more than any single stop. A rental car is the plan, because the sights are spread across four sides of the island.
| Day | Area | Key stop | Fee or reservation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East side (Wailua) | Opaekaa Falls and Wailua Falls | State park fee for non-residents: $5 per person, $10 per vehicle |
| 2 | South shore (Poipu) | Poipu Beach Park and Spouting Horn | None listed |
| 3 | West side | Waimea Canyon and Kokee lookouts | Non-residents: $5 per person, $10 per vehicle |
| 4 | North shore | Haena State Park, Kee Beach, Hanakapiai hike | Reservation required; $5 entry plus $10 parking per time slot, or a $40 shuttle seat |
| 5 | Na Pali coast | Boat tour (see our boat guide) | Booked with the operator |
Wailua River Kauai
Direct flights reach Lihue (LIH) from many large West Coast cities, and most travelers connect through Honolulu. If you are connecting there, our Oahu itinerary covers the island you will fly over. Day 1 stays on the east side, which is the easy way to get over the flight.
It is also the practical base. The airport and the roads to both the south and north shores meet near Lihue.
Opaekaa Falls is a roadside overlook where two thin streams drop over a green cliff above the river valley. Wailua Falls is the second quick stop, another viewpoint rather than a hike.
Hawaii’s state parks page for Wailua River lists non-resident fees of $5 per person and $10 per vehicle. It takes credit cards only and runs 7:00am to 7:45pm daily, as of February 2026. Riverboat cruises to Fern Grotto run through commercial vendors at Wailua Marina.
Access to Uluwehi (Secret) Falls is still closed after the hurricane damage. Treat the afternoon as a slow one and save energy for Day 2. If you have time left before dinner, walk Kalapaki Beach in Lihue.
Poipu Kauai
Day 2 is the south shore, the warm and sunny side. Poipu Beach Park is the anchor, and it was once voted America’s Best Beach. Spouting Horn is a coastal blowhole that throws spray high into the air when the surf pushes in.
The drive in goes through a tunnel of trees, and it sets the mood for the day. Old Koloa Town and the Allerton and McBryde Gardens are the other stops on this side. This is the day to keep easy.
Swim, walk the shoreline and eat lunch in Koloa. Be in bed early, because Day 3 starts before the sun is high.
Kauai Waimea Canyon
Day 3 is the west side, about an hour from Lihue. Waimea Canyon, nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, drops more than 3,600 feet.
Kokee State Park sits above it at roughly 4,000 feet. It has 45 miles of trails and the Kalalau Lookout over the Na Pali valleys.
The state’s Waimea Canyon and Kokee pages each list non-resident fees of $5 per person and $10 per vehicle. Both are open daily during daylight hours. The Puu o Kila lookout reopened in January 2026.
Construction continues, and you can drive as far as the Kalalau Lookout. Bring a layer, because the air at 4,000 feet is cooler than at the coast. Carry water and a snack too.
Hanapepe, the town gohawaii.com calls the island’s art capital, makes an easy lunch stop on the drive back. Start early so you are at the lookouts before the clouds settle in.
Kauai north shore
Day 4 is the north shore. It is the longest drive of the trip, and the reason you booked first. Hanalei is the town to park in, with a bay and a long pier.
Kee Beach, at the road’s end, is the sunbathing beach. The road ends at Haena, where the park starts, and the park is where the booking matters.
Haena State Park reservations
Haena requires an advance reservation. Dates open 30 days ahead at 12am Hawaii time, according to gohaena.com and the DLNR park page. Non-residents choose between two ways in.
A shuttle seat is $40 per person aged 16 and up, $25 for ages 4 to 15 and free through age 3. Parking is $10 per car per time slot plus $5 entry per person. Walking or biking in takes an entry-only pass at $5 per person.
The parking slots are morning (6:30 to 12:30), afternoon (12:30 to 5:30) and evening (4:30 to sunset). The park is open daily from 7:00am to 6:45pm. Shuttles run from Waipa Park and Ride in Hanalei and from Princeville.
A reservation covers Kee Beach and the hike to Hanakapiai Valley. Parking outside the park violates the purchase terms. Do not try to wait out a sold-out slot on the roadside.
Kalalau Trail day hike
The Kalalau Trail begins at the end of the road. A day hiker reaches Hanakapiai Beach 2 miles in. Going on up the valley to Hanakapiai Falls makes it 8 miles round trip, and the Haena reservation covers both.
It is steep and muddy. The stream at the valley can rise after rain, so turn around if it is running high.
Anyone going past Hanakapiai must hold a camping permit for Napali Coast State Wilderness Park, according to the state parks page. Permits open 90 days ahead through an Explore Outdoor Hawaii account and often sell out months in advance.
Skip the idea of a short spur beyond the valley. The permit rule covers anyone going past it.
Kilauea Point Kauai
Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is the other north shore stop. It was closed when we checked in early October 2026. The refuge page says it is closed to the public during post-hurricane repairs.
The reservation system is not available, and no reopening date is given. When it is open, hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10am to 4pm.
Adults 16 and up pay $11, which includes the reservation. Check the page before you plan around it.
The refuge holds one of the world’s largest red-footed booby colonies. It also has a lighthouse finished in 1913, and humpback whales pass offshore from about November to April. If it is still closed, spend the extra time in Hanalei.
Kauai Na Pali coast
Day 5 is the water. The Na Pali coast is a 17-mile stretch of cliffs up to 3,000 feet tall. No road reaches it, so you go on foot, by boat or by helicopter.
Waterfalls and sea caves line the cliffs, and you see them from the water better than from anywhere else. I would book the boat for the last full day. Ocean conditions decide whether it runs, and a spare day gives you room.
Our Na Pali boat tour guide covers the operators and what to bring. Leave your afternoon open, then head for Lihue and your flight.
Kauai weather
The north and east sides get the most rain, and the south and west stay drier. The wet center of the island is why the waterfalls run. Pack a rain jacket for every day and sandals that can get muddy; our Hawaii packing list covers the rest.
Summer brings calmer ocean conditions and winter brings bigger waves, so the north shore beaches are a summer swim. In winter, stay out of the water at Kee Beach and Hanalei unless it is flat. Ask a lifeguard where there is one.
On a rainy north shore day, swap in the south shore. The drier side is an easy change to the schedule.
Roads are simple but slow. The route to Haena crosses one-lane bridges where you yield to oncoming traffic.
Allow time rather than racing a reservation. Roosters wander parking lots and beaches all over the island, and nobody on Kauai is surprised by them.
Is Kauai worth it?
I would say yes if you want a trip built around scenery and water instead of shopping and nightlife. The cost is time in the car and a reservation you have to plan ahead. Skip trying to squeeze a boat, a helicopter and a Kalalau day hike into the same two days.
Each one depends on the weather. If you have not picked an island yet, our guide to which Hawaiian island to visit first helps you decide.
Kauai facts
How many days in Kauai?
Four days is the minimum I would plan to cover all four sides without rushing. Five days adds the boat day and a buffer for weather.
Do you need a reservation for Haena State Park?
Yes. Haena requires an advance reservation, and dates open 30 days ahead.
Non-residents pay $5 per person for entry plus $10 per car per time slot to park. The shuttle is $40 per person aged 16 and up.
Is Waimea Canyon worth it?
Yes. The canyon drops more than 3,600 feet, and the lookouts are the easy part of the day. Add Kokee State Park above it if you have the energy.
Do you need a permit to hike the Kalalau Trail?
Not for the first 2 miles. The Haena reservation covers the hike to Hanakapiai Valley. Anyone going beyond it needs a camping permit for Napali Coast State Wilderness Park.
What is the best time to visit Kauai?
Summer brings calmer ocean conditions and winter brings bigger waves, so summer suits the north shore beaches. Humpback whales are offshore from about November to April.
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.
Published October 16, 2026.
Photo credits: (1) Poipu Beach Park on the south shore of… — Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; (2) Hanalei Pier reaching into Hanalei Bay on… — Jawed Karim, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; (3) Hanakapiai Beach below green cliffs on the… — Bob Linsdell, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.